Don't worry. be happy!

Submitted by John (United States), Mar 21, 2006 at 11:57

As the White House smugly crafts it national security strategy one can almost hear Bobby Mcferrin's " Don't worry, be happy" playing in the background. Wishful thinking has always pervaded our attitude toward nations, and the definitions we use are killing us. One constantly hears of our friends in the Middle East. These are just countries that trade with us. Commerce, not mutual admiration, drives the transaction.

The last thing they want to hear is about trying to destabilize their regimes by introducing democracy into the region or into the world in general. The vast majority of governments are kept in place by coercion, whether by invasion, by internal coup, perversion of existing contitutioal guarantees, or by a religion of murder and violence. We allow the liberals in this country, our news media, and the countries we deal with to define the debate. People we meet in commerce are not friends nor trading partners. Just vendors. We mistake civility for friendship.

Intercepting international communications is not domestic spying. And the ONLY FRIEND WE HAVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS ISRAEL. Use English to our advantage. For instance, a bomber is a murderer/ suicide bomber, not a freedom fighter or martyr. An elected terrorist is not a statesman, he is still just a terrorist; and sending money to the Palestinians is still bribing terrorists, no matter what we call it. It funds terrorism. A humanitarian dollar buys the same rocket that a Syrian or Iranian dollar does.
America needs a dose of realism injected into our foreign relations, and stop letting other nations define the parameters and definitions of our debates. Stop caving into anyone with an agenda of hate and deception without clearly identifying what it is.

In White House press briefings, be confrontational with the media. Make them confess in public what their hidden agendas are when they ask some of their attack dog questions out of a pack of snapping and snarling press corps reporters.
Would everyone please make an effort study the real truth about the Middle East? If the truth makes you uncomfortable, at least acknowledge you are happier believing the lies that pervade our culture concerning the Middle East.

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