A lot of black and white type Middle East observers tend to blast the U.S.s role in the region, seemingly implying that the many ills there are largely tied to U.S. and greater Western meddling. Anyone with serious actual exposure to the region cant take that view seriously, however, as the real problems there (i.e., authoritarianism, lack of education, lack of economic mobility) are deeply engrained and not solely the subject of superficial manipulation by foreign influences. While the hypocrytical statements from our government re: freedoms and democtratization after a military coup and a subsequent 98% North Korea-esque election, for instance, or the photo opps with dictators with blood on their hands are bizarre and frustrating, they are not the root problem. In fact, as observers like Shadi Hamid have noted, such pronouncements, as hypocritical as they may be, have at times served to pressure said Middle Eastern regimes into lessening their own proclivities to authoritarianism and despotism, to the benefit of many of the regions disadvantaged.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 17:25:42 +0000
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