What common interests ?

Submitted by Lars Nielsen (Denmark), Mar 8, 2012 at 03:22

I usually agree with Mr. Pipes as a very knowing and cunning commentator on middle east affairs.

But when he claims, that USA and Israel have common interests in the middle east, I disagree.

The interests of Israel are, as I see it, to survive as a jewish state. In the long run, this is only possible, if the arabs accept it. But in the meantime, the existence of Israel depends on three conditions:

a. Israel remains strong enough to overcome its enemies, if they attack

b. The arabs remain so divided, that they are restrained from throwing all their might against Israel

c. USA remains willing to assist Israel if necessary

The interests of USA are linked to the oil resources in the region. Although USA does not depend on middle east supplies, it is eager to control these resources, because they are vital to the world economy, and because important allies and counterparts to the US depend on middle east oil supplies.

The romans coined the phrase "Divide and rule", and that is exacty, what the US is doing in the middle east. They use the differences between the arabs and other countries in the region such as Iran to prevent them from uniting forces. In this way, the US and Israel share common interests, but the problem is, that the existence of Israel tend to unite the arabs and other muslim countries for a common cause.

If this happens, the US will be forced to take sides. Will it then decide for the benefit of a small country with no important resources, or will it take sides with the countries, who owns resources so vital to US hegemony over this planet ?

Mr. Pipes thinks yes, but I am not so sure.

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