ON THE MIDDLE EAST: LET EUROPE AND ISLAM SOLVE THE RELIGIOUS WAR THEY CREATED

Middle East-1914 (l); Middle East-1922 (r)

After the First World War, Europe, led by France and England, divided up the Middle East. The borders of Syria, Palestine, and Iraq were laid down on paper without the slightest regard for centuries of tribal and religious differences in the region. 

Even bolder, the British promised European Jews a separate state. On November 2, 1917, England's Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour, gave Baron Walter Rothschild a letter addressed to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Balfour Declaration was published on November 19th of that year and was later incorporated into the Sevres Peace Treaty with the Ottoman Empire. It stated:

"His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

The appearance of a Jewish state in the middle of Palestine has not sat well at all with the non-Jewish communities in the region!

Bush-Cheney: Not a Clue!

Flash forward to the 21st Century and the United States, under an Administration that also did not have a clue about the Middle East, began an ill-timed, thoughtless, and de-stabilizing war with a goal of bringing democracy to Iraq.

Tribal and religious wounds that had been bound and held closed by tyrants like Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, Saddam Hussein, Hosni Mubarak, and others were now opened and began bleeding out for all the world to see.

For centuries, Shia and Sunni have been fighting each other over petty differences of faith.  Today Iran is 89% Shia, while approximately 90% of Saudi Arabians are Sunni. These two nations are in a holy war to control the Middle East. They both have oil, which produces lots of money to build and buy weapons.

Iraq Prime Minister Maliki: Tool of Iran

Iran creates many of its own weapons and trains to use them. The Saudis, who have not worked a day since oil was discovered on their land, have been using the U.S. to fight their side. They feed us oil, we keep Iran in line. 

Europe, which initially created this mess, needs to do much more to fix it, especially England and France. The United States should agree to supply Europe with all the statesmanship and hardware we can muster to enable them to complete that mission.

Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Iran, nations which continue to stir this religious hatred, should assist the Europeans if they truly want peace. If they do not want outside interference, they should each work posthaste to halt the slaughter. 

15 Saudis Flew in this Sneak Attack

James Madison understood that melding religion with governance leads to problems. Europe, a recent convert to this idea, did not share this view after the first World War. Middle Eastern nations still believe in theocracy. We can all see how well religion-based government works for the region.

We have wasted too many Americans in this part of the world.  Hell, I would rather see us sign a deal with the Russians to purchase their oil than deal with Saudi Arabians, the people who have actually attacked the United States and who are still waging a centuries old religious war.

Why should Americans care if members of the religion of Muhammad want to slaughter one another in the name of Allah?