Middle East

Last year the United States assisted the Libyans and Egyptians in disposing of their dictators in an effort to bring Democracy to the region. Yesterday the citizens of those two countries showed us thanks by storming our embassies and killing an ambassador and three others. The mob also tore down the United States flag and burned it in protest. In Libya they replaced the burnt American flag with a Islamic banner too.

For over a decade we have been dealing with the tragic 9/11 events and we used that as a rally cry to take the fight to those responsible. We still have troops in Afghanistan - which are being killed nearly every day by "friendly" Afghans - and a presence in Iraq as well. We currently are using predator drones to assist those fighting for "freedom" in Syria with the stark possibility that US military troops are on the ground as well.

The events at the two embassies and the continual attacks on our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan should be sign enough to any administration that we no longer need to have a presence of any kind in the region.Colonial times are over and our nation building of the late 70's and early 80's was a losing proposition as well. Why in the 21st Century do we continue to allow our President and Congress to act in such an Imperial manner?

The United States has a partner in the region, a reliable partner, in Israel. Leverage that partnership and the build on the rickety one with Saudi Arabia to ensure stability in the region. We no longer need to be the police of the world; especially when the reward is the death of our ambassador's and our troops.

Egypt uprising: Opportunity for change in America’s Middle East policy?

For the past several days we have watched an escalating situation in Egypt to the point of violence. Many point to pro-Mubarak "thugs" for inciting the violence. Press Secretary Gibbs said yesterday that we need change "now". When Obama took office he toured the Middle East and gave speech after speech trying to reach out to the Muslim world while apologizing for the heavy hand of America. Ironically, now, the same man that railed against prior Middle East policy is trying to influence the situation in Egypt. The protesting in Egypt raises bigger questions as it appears the wind of change is blowing throughout the Middle East. A week back Tunisia saw similar change, earlier this week Jordan dismissed part of their government due to protestors and now Yemen is heating up.

In reading the foreign papers and American papers this week the bogey man has ranged from the CIA to the Muslim Brotherhood. We all understand why President Obama is pushing Mubarak to step aside and why America continues to meddle in the Middle East; oil. Just because a Democrat or a Progressive is in the White House does not change the root reason for America's Middle East foreign policy. If Obama wants a switch to more Western style Democracy in Egypt then allow Mubarak and/or his "party" to run in the September election. What role should the United States take in Egypt and the Middle East?