HOW DO WE GET THEM (AND US) OUT OF THIS MESS?

Submitted by J. Greg Mack (United States), Feb 14, 2006 at 14:22

Dear Mr. Pipes:

So how do we help them seek the path toward modernity when the momentum seems to be swinging the other way?

I believe the more radical leaders in the Islamic world - specifically Assad and Ahmedinejad, along with the Hamas (new Palestinian government) and Hezbollah leadership, and (name your other Islamist groups) will soon formally ally with each other and come after Israel militarily once again... this time plausibly with nuclear weapons, or at least with those being used as "weapons of mass extortion" against the West and more moderate Islamic nation-states, including, probably, an independent Iraq under Shi'ite rule once the US leaves. And if they are smart, they will negotiate non-aggression pacts with Russia and China before they make their more overt moves.

Because of the West's (and increasingly the Far East's) thirst for Middle Eastern oil, the above scenario sets the world up for yet another worldwide conflict - this time, unlike the Cold War standoff, a widespread, shooting war - the idealogs of Islam on one side defending its honor (so to speak), and the Western war machine on the other, attempting to protect its way of life in terms of fossil fuel.

This means that there are a lot of innocent people who are in danger of dying, on both sides. I really feel for the Iranian population, as well as the hapless Palestinian Arabs, both of whom stand to suffer the brunt of any strike or retaliation, not to mention the Israelis, who at this point would give over just about everything for a promise of lasting peace - but won't give up nationhood without a bloody, bloody battle.

I fear that the world is on the brink, and that the conflict will be upon us before we can blink - and will go far beyond anything we have seen from Bin Laden or Arafat. Hope I'm wrong.

jgm

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