That's the subtitle of an article by Andrew Basevich. Here are the assumptions:
* The presence of U.S. forces in the Islamic world contributes to regional stability and enhances American influence.
* The Persian Gulf constitutes a vital U.S. national security interest.
* Egypt and Saudi Arabia are valued and valuable American allies.
* The interests of the United States and Israel align.
* Terrorism poses an existential threat that the United States must defeat.
Do you have to read the article to agree with him? When will we start living in the real world and forget "American exceptionalism?
1 comment:
I'm not known for disagreeing with Bacevich, and this piece is no exception. However, I do believe there is a place for NATO in the present ME conflagration, in Iraq if not Syria. Thousands of innocents are being subjected to merciless suffering at the hands of ISIS. The humanitarian crisis needs addressing, and this can only be achieved by military intervention. ISIS is expanding rapidly. If it ever becomes powerful enough to invade Turkey, the West will have serious problems. No-one is yet considering that possibility - at least, not openly.
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