Middle East: Know the Limits of U.S. Power

Mearsheimer is unable to acknowledge the recent successes in Iraq due his prior opposition to the war, because of this his analysis is almost anachronistic, as if written in 2006 rather than late 2008. Clearly establishing a democracy was not beyond the reach of US power. Of course we don't know at this time if the new democracy will be stable, but to say it is a debacle is as naive as saying it is a certain success. His cold-war proposal not only ignores the real benefit the defeat ofAl-Qaeda in Iraq gave to both the US and mainstream Muslims, it proposes repeating the same mistakes that led to the extremist attacks on the US in the first place.

Will not work, first, The countries that you mentioned would never go along with such a policy, as long as Israel holds over 250 nuclear warheads over their head. Second, The U S has lost much credibility as an honest broker withe the Bush Administrations unilateral policies. The only hope would be to eliminate all nuclear weapons from the middle east.

Comment: December 3rd to December 14th , 1971 is the time that the Pakistani Army Genocide of the Bangladeshi Muslims came to an end. 3 million Muslims were slaughtered by the Pakistani Army in 1971, historically the biggest genocide of Muslims.

The "offshore" strategy worked well before we invaded Iraq. Now Iraq is unstable to the point of not being able to check Iran. Saudi Arabia is rich in oil, but weak in food producing jobs, and more importantly, man power. The only hope of effectively using the "offshore" strategy now would be to revive the GCC (Gulf Coast Cooperative).

One option never entertainment to resolving many issues in the Middle East is to make friends with the people not their dictators. Give the people what they want and stand by their side and offer justice to them. Stop the crap with the military power and technology. That hasn't worked in Iraq, not in Afghanistan and not in Palestine. You cannot defeat the will to survive of any people.

It seems that there are Catholic priests today who are advocating that anyone who voted for Obama needs to now go to confession as Obama hasn???t taken a firm stand for Pro-Life. It would seem that that limited view is irresponsible in its??? advocating the importance of the single issue and in accepting everything else without concern for quality/sinfulness, a very limited conscience at best. In contrast, what would seem very appropriate today is for all clergy that preached for voters to select Bush-Cheney should now fall on their faces before God and beg His forgiveness. Probably what would be more realistic is for clergy to simply stop using the pulpit to broadcast their political views based on their limited biases.

Nothing like adding insult to injury Mr. Bush. For eight years you have arrogantly and boldly, belligerently and obnoxiously lied to justify, rationalize and disguise everything. You pressured the intelligence community to give you justification while you ignored all the information that countered your private intents against Iraq and in the process practically abandoned the pursuit of bin Laden and el Qaeda; you constantly, aggressively pursued a private agenda in everything while unconscionably disregarding your responsibilities. You have brazenly focused on benefit for Special Interests and a select few, even bragging that you will quickly pass your father and Bill Clinton in wealth from after office compensation (kickbacks), while literally creating and/or adding to all of the problems and simply completely neglecting America???s best interests. You have done all of it (the injury) without any conscience or hesitation and now have the nerve to offer the deceptive rhetoric (the insult) that you were surprised and unprepared for the war, that you have honestly done your best for the American people and that you have always had real values that you totally maintained. Mr. President you have been the worst president this country has ever had and boldly demonstrate a personality that is totally self-indulgent and really lacks any conscience. Hopefully history will fully identify who you have really been, which is a sociopathic puppet who tried to con the world as you pursued the interests of the few who pulled your strings.

When karachi in Pakistan exploded and Bombarded,that killed civilians last few Months,It must be the Work of Indian Nationalist Terrorist,This Week in Mumbai,people get killed in bombardment and exploded ,Its Obviously the Work of Pakistan Separatist Terroirist,When Civilian people Died in the Street of Jerusalem,It must be Work of Palestine Terrorist,When People died in Gaza or West Bank ,Its definately the work of Israelis Terrorist....Some even created OWN Explosion to disguise Others to getting attention and start Political Blaming on others .......This is much worst from Cold War.....USA must not be "Wild Goose or Turkey" changing fast "Supports" for his Position when moments like this Happening,USA must be smarter and stay Out of this stupid civil Conflicts.Specially when these Countries secretly Habouring their Own Terrorist for Political agenda.If USA Government MAKES preferences ,the Real Victims,always the Innocent average American Public by becoming Targets anywhere they're of these Devils.

How on earth USA can be regards as the Peace "NEUTRAL NEGOTIATOR" on behalf of WORLD for "ISRAELIS -PALESTINE CONFLICTS " When its Jewish Senator -Joe-Liberman act as Chairman of Homeland Security Committee in Senate Presiding the Matters?

As to the nature of the insurgency, even the president recognizes that some, perhaps a good number, represent nationalist forces who simply resent the occupation: Lieberman, however, disdains them all as "terrorists," "revanchists," and "Islamic extremists." To blame the insurgents alone for the civil war is to blank out the reality of Shi'ite death squads striking in the south and central regions of Iraq, instituting a veritable reign of terror; it is to ignore Kurdish ultra-nationalists intent on driving Arabs off their land. Lieberman somehow fails to mention any of this.

"OBAMA "HAS HIS DREAM TEAM""(eddiewhere 2008).. I am surprise that no one has used this term. I am sure I will hear it tomorrow. OBAMA HAS SELECTED HIS DREAM TEAM. THIS TEAM HAS ALL STAR CREDENTIALS. EACH OF THEM ARE HALL OF FAMERS. HILLARY, GATES, RAHM.
HOPEFULLY, THIS DREAM TEAM WILL KEEP THEIR EYES ON THE REAL THREAT RUSSIA AND CHINA. These two countries have already launched a very successful CYBER WAR against AMERICA. They are able to spy on our networks and steal our technological secrets and our patented software.
RUSSIA, INDIA AND CHINA ARE THE SUPERPOWERS OF THAT SIDE OF THE WORLD. They are the key to a multinational strategy. Managing these realtionships is like walking a tight rope(eddiewhere 2008). China and India are always at odds and have a delicate relationship to say the least. I know ZaKaria wrote an article on this relationship six months ago. He needs to write another one.
Another situation that needs to be monitored closely is ORGANIZED CRIME IN EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY when it comes to cyber crime and nuclear weapons. These Eastern European countries are a potential conduit for passing NUKES to terrorists.

These Terrorists will be based in the Five MUSLIM breakaway REpublics in Central ASIA( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistanan) . They can potentially form an alliance with China, who has a long history of strained relationships with INDIA. To the MUslims India is an enemy and a traitor. Remeber how Hitler rose to power, a depressed economy in EUROPE. THESE REPUBLICS in Central Asia have all the same elements.. Russia and CHina will form an alliance based on their mutual FRICTION with INDIA(WHO IS CHALLENGING TO BE THEY PREMIER SUPERPOWER IN ASIA).

LOOSE NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS IS A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS IN EASTERN EUROPE CAN GAIN ACCESS to them and sell them to terrorists.
THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE 5 MUSLIM STATES IN CENTRAL , AND CHINA IS A Big Threat.

"OBAMA IS NOW THE WORLD"S FIRST PRESIDENT" eddiwhere 2008.. CAN HE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE RELATIONSHIPS WITH RUSSIA AND CHINA INORDER TO PREVENT THESE FIVE MUSLIM REPUBLICS FROM SLIPPING DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO ECONOMIC DEPRESSION. ONCE AGAIN REMEMBER HOW HITLER ROSE TO POWER A DEPRESSED ECONOMY IN GERMANY WHO WAS TORCHERED ECONOMICALLY AFTER WORLD WAR ONE BY THE ALLIES RUSSIA, FRANCE AND BRITAIN. RUSSIA IS DOING THE SAME TO ITS FORMER REPUBLICS UKRAINE ect.....

OBAMA IS LIKE THE COACH OF THE DREAM TEAM(BASKETBALL) TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS A PLAN TO MAKE JORDON, BIRD AND MAGIC WORK TOGETHER AS ONE FORCE TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. OR LEBRON, KOBY AND PAUL PIERCE. I AM SURE HE CAN AND WILL DO JUST FINE AND AMERICA WILL SOON BE THE ENVY OF THE WORLD AGAIN.

OBAMA HAS HIS DREAM TEAM AND ALL THE TOOLS FOR A MUCH NEEDED GLOBAL STRATEGY.

P.S. REMEMBER BARAK YOUR BLACKBERRY HAS ALREADY BEEN HACKED.

Zionism, Iranian theocracy and neo-conservitism are prime examples of fanaticism. What is spun in westren media as war of civilisations to fool the American people is in reality a clash of fundamentalisms. Nothing is based on rights of wrongs of Islam, Judaism or American values, it is simply a clash of vested interst in its crudest and most aggrasive form.

This article is mere wishful thinking. America has no credibility left to influence anything in the middle east. The world has changed, America arrogent and drunk with the might of technology and military power has been humbled by a bunch of 16th century shepards with most basic of arms to fight with. Iran has emerged as the regional power and there is nothing USA can do about it.

The cloak of secrecy that surrounds Israel's supposed nuclear stockpile is the ONLY thing that keeps them from being attacked in masse and destroyed. It would be nice to see someone finally demand that the Arabs assume some responsibility for destabilization in the region. Rather than passifying their own home grown terrorists and fanatics, why not try to get rid of them?

The article had nothing to do with Isreal your racist F$@#. New rule: All bitter arabs are banned from this website. I love how you people just generalize and post your stupid anti american crap on every blog possible while forgetting that most of your governments wont even allow their people to search certain websites. America has many problems yes, but you guys are totaly F#%*ed.
Hypocritical ?

Only an American Jew can mention all the threats and problems facing the Middle East with such eloquence and never mention Israel. How intriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiging.

Military spending is one of the most effective economic stimuli for the US. Therefore the US will continue to wage war no matter what! More so when the people are refusing to spend or rather can't afford to spend, the banks can't afford to lend and investors are refusing to invest, military spending is the most viable alternative to spurn back the economy. So just forget the "off shore balancing" theory.

The other posters here are correct that Mearshimer distorts truth in his representations of the problem and it's solutions.
Any true "balancing" would begin with the disarmament of Israel's nuclear weapon stock. This would eliminate the gulf states' need for nuclear detante and demonstate our committment to protect their sovereignty.
Offering light-water reactors (in trade for large amounts of oil) to Iran and some others would eliminate their need, or rationale, for a domestic nuclear program.
If Israel doesn't agree to surrender their nukes then we can provide small-yield, short range warheads to their neighbors, in addition to the light-water reactors. Make your choice, Israel.

Mearshimer forgets that such a past ''balance''required US forces being stationed right in the middle of the mess,with the most notable big US bases being located in Saudi Arabia.Much of the problem with such a ''offshore'' device requires a naval presence now subject to attack by increasingly advanced missle delivery systems as acquired in several regional nations including Syria,Iran and Pakistan. This could place the US in a real bind in the tight quarters of a Strait of Hormuz or a Red Sea. Obviously,even without an American presence in this region,the mere preception of support of the State of Israel by the Arab nations,that Obama made a main plank of his foreign policy,[ which will merely enhance Mearshimers paranoia as evidenced in his and Walts screed ''The Israel Lobby''], will not ''ameliorate Americas terrorism problem'',as no end of such attacks in the 1970s and 1980s-1990s proved. The wild cards in Mearshimers deck include nations where the Palestinian-Israeli problem does not even indirectly affect these. The ability of Iran to manufacture a nuclear weapon,and the ability of the radicals to seize control of nuclear Pakistan.

IF IRAN WANTS A NUCLEAR BOMB, THE USA & ISRAEL JUST CANNOT STOP THEM FROM GETTING IT. This is the lesson and message that the USA fails to understand. Lets get to the crux of the discussion, HOW WILL USA & ISRAEL STOP IRAN ? WE all know that Iran wants the bomb, and lets not waste time discussing it; how will the USA stop it happening. WHAT BOMB ! BOMB ! BOMB ! IRAN ? Then what ? Send in your troops ?
The truth is that in this 21st century wars cannot be won or lost; BOTH SIDES WILL LOOSE and the world will be the worse for it. The western world should know this !

"The United States is in deep trouble in the Middle East" because U.S. officials and elites are liars.

Foreign policy based on lies produces death, destruction, and misery, as lying U.S. officials have modeled, over and over again, decade after decade.

"Iran is quickly moving to acquire a nuclear deterrent." "Iran and Syria ... these states are currently seeking weapons of mass destruction."

This is a lie, by John Mearsheimer, who knows for a fact he does not know it for a fact. And that's because it's not a fact, so far as the evidence can show. It's mere Israel lobby cant, to keep the weapons flowing, and the money, into the world's largest continuous political slush fund, destination unknown (currently, $3 billion per year, cash).

The U.S. NIE on Iran asserted, not a fact but, a "judgment," an "assessment," with "high confidence that until fall 2003, Iranian military entities were working under government direction to develop nuclear weapons."

Lying U.S. officials, and their complicit media choir, endlessly claim it's a fact, what the NIE emphasizes is not a fact, "A 'high confidence' judgment is not a fact or a certainty, however, and such judgments still carry a risk of being wrong." <a href="http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf">http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf</a> (December 3 2007).

Thomas Fingar, the public face of the NIE, conceals the factual basis (if any) for this assessment, indeed it need not be based on evidence at all: May be, instead of evidence, says the NIE, "the nature of the issue makes it possible to render a solid judgment." As in, "Everybody knows."

Whatever Thomas Fingar claims is persuasive, IAEA inspectors, on the ground in Iran, find it unpersuasive, treating the <a href="http://rawstory.com/news/2008/IAEA_suspects_fraud_in_evidence_for_1109.html">suspect</a> laptop computer's contents as mere "allegations," not "evidence." No U.S. official has ever vouched for the authenticity of the laptop and its contents and there is no evidence in the public record that Iran was ever "working under government direction to develop nuclear weapons," that it ever had a "nuclear weapons program," in the first place, to halt.

"The Agency currently has no information -- apart from the uranium metal document --on the actual design or manufacture by Iran of nuclear material components of a nuclear weapon or of certain other key components, such as initiators, or on related nuclear physics studies (GOV/2008/38, para. 21). Nor has the Agency detected the actual use of nuclear material in connection with the alleged studies." <a href="http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2008/gov2008-59.pdf">http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2008/gov2008-59.pdf</a> (November 19 2008