An Interesting And Accurate Observation Sixty Years Ago

Submitted by Seamus MacNemi (United States), Feb 14, 2006 at 12:29

I sometimes wonder where one thread of the tapestry of history ends and another begins. I have often said that our present problems in the Middle East began before WW1 but there seems to be some sort of disconnect in the minds of many world leaders and politicians. The course of events is easy enough to follow for anyone who actually looks at the real history in the region. The trouble lies in the fact that there have been entirtly too many idealogues, dreamers, romantics and grandios schemers involved in the mix to propose any kind of a realistic solution to the problems of the region.

The problem is not entirely the fault of the Arabs or of Islam in general. One must take into consideration the effect of post WW1 colonial ambitions of the European powers in the region, especially the ambitions of France and Great Britain as well as the somewhat later ambitions of the Nazis and Soviets. The region has long been a target for colonial ambitions and those who sought to wield power in the region have often had little real consideration for the effects of their policies on the lives of the inhabitants.

There has been a long simmering resentment of outsiders in the region specifically because of the high and mighty attitudes of foreigners especially where these attitudes have been part of general policy in dealing with the native populations. Laurence made similar observations but few people of consequence really gave him much heed.

I am reminded in this of a man who lived and worked in Iran for nearly twenty years but in all that time he never learned one word of Farsi. He only spoke English and German.

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