Middle East vs Religious Wars

I am very uncomfortable with what is going on in the Middle East these days.  The choices on what to do, what public policies to support and who’s political thinking to support, is enormously complex.  Let me spell it out for myself. Perhaps this will help you, too?

1. Gaza and Israel: I've written about this recently and frequently. I do not like these two powers fighting each other. The balance of power is not; Israel has the power to carry out its intents. Gaza does not. Gaza is in awful condition because its people gave up on the PLO and gave ‘power’ to Hamas. Hamas is clearly a terrorist organization that attempts to govern but cannot bring itself to make the compromises necessary to govern. So it fails. It does what it knows best to do – do violence to make a political statement.

The problem is their statement kills their own people. Inevitable but true. Meanwhile that same population lives in absolute misery. The only way out if for Israel and Gaza to agree to be peaceful and collaborative on common goals: trade, peace, medicine, health care support, education, and more education. Build a future together in the region. Let peace happen.

2. Egypt and the Rest of the Muslim World: Egypt does not have a recent history of good government. Ask its own people why. They will tell you. Yes, Egypt and the USA have been good partners, but that’s because America has the money and military materiel to help Egypt. At the core, however, are huge in-country problems that need to be fixed. Not mended or dabbled with; fixed. Then we in the rest of the world will believe that Egypt will be a reliable partner with global powers to help make and keep peace in the Middle East.

3. Saudi Arabia: has the wealth, oil resources and education to be a leader. But doesn't lead. It follows silently and lets other nations take the brunt of the upsets so it can calmly enter the discussions and press for peace.

Peace in the Middle East is good for the entire globe.  All of us. That’s the basic fact. All of the peoples of the region deserve peace. But to earn it they must compromise, cooperate and collaborate on making life better for all of their citizens. Pretty simple, really. When there is peace everyone can live their own lives of purpose, of religious study and expression, of education and career. These are the basic goals that should form the vision of peace for the region. With it much is possible. Without it only death results.

4. Religious Wars: these are pure bosh! The God of Abraham is the same God of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Their prophets are prophets for all three religions whether holy or wise men only. Holiness is the proper concern of each religion, but not for the others to be concerned about. Live your own believes. And understand once and for all that the God of Abraham was not a God of violence and revenge. He was and is a God of love and peace. Why then the wars? Because we are all men and women who are easily misled. Politicians and terrorists are not wise men; they are men of power and greed. And thus wars. There is no need for religious wars. No new Crusades, please. They were wrong back then and they are wrong today.

5. Iraq/ISIS/America: I pray that America is not back in Iraq as a power nation. Broker, yes. I sincerely hope that military intervention at this point is a balancing tool to save lives of minorities and innocents. ISIS is terrorist, not religious. It claims the latter but, remember the God of Abraham! These wars of religion must stop. They will with education and common seekers of peace. That is the turn of events that must be made. Is and can America help make that happen?  We can hope. But first we must be certain that political leaders in America do not misuse this opportunity to wage war as Bush/Cheney did in the past. That was a colossal error; hopefully we have learned our lesson.

Now do you understand my discomfort? So much good is on the cusp. So much bad is currently at work. Can we make it work? Will we?

August 13, 2014