The Next President
President Clinton fixated on achieving an Israeli-Palestinian deal, which at best fits a narrow definition of American interests in a narrow region. We hope the next President operates on the understanding that Israel is not the center of the universe.
President Clinton fixated on achieving an Israeli-Palestinian deal, which at best fits a narrow definition of American interests in a narrow region. We hope the next President operates on the understanding that Israel is not the center of the universe.
Russia, Iran, missiles, oil and the other Middle East: Despite a ‘secret’ deal between the U.S. and Russia banning arms sales to Iran, sources report Russia sending shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, which could be transported to Hizbullah in Lebanon. Russia claims that since the deal is no longer ‘secret,’ it is no longer binding. MENL reports the missiles are only part of a $1.7 billion arms deal, in addition to Russian nuclear-related sales to Iran for the Bushehr reactor. In the meantime, Iran claims it is approaching self-sufficiency in the manufacture of cruise missiles. Whether this last part is true or not, Iran is clearly determined to achieve that capability. The next president will have to consider American national interests vis a vis both Iran and Russia. Iran still exports terrorism and Russia is reasserting itself in Central Asia and the Middle East in ways that are unhelpful. On the other hand, Russia faces Islamic radicalism that mirrors problems some of our friends’ face. American concerns include missile defenses, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon (does anyone even think about Lebanon since Israel left?) as well as the stability of the Gulf States and the free flow of oil.
China both as Middle East policy and Pacific Rim policy, if, indeed, we have a Pacific Rim policy. If we don’t, we had better get one. The majority of American trade is on the Pacific side of our country, not the Atlantic, and we have a treaty obligation for the defense of South Korea and Congressionally-mandated obligations to Taiwan. China sells missiles and technology to North Korea, Pakistan, Iran and Syria. Chinese-Russian weapons cooperation includes China’s purchase of a Russian AWACs-type plane the same type the U.S. forced Israel to withdraw from sale. China’s long-term goals in the Pacific are inimical to ours, and Beijing is improving its missile capabilities in part with supercomputers sold to it by the Clinton Administration.
Iraq: Despite American claims this past summer that Iraq is in the box,’ it isn’t. The embargo has crumbled. The no-Fly Zone is gone. Saddam has money, weapons and a nasty attitude.
‘The Former Yugoslavia’: Indicted war criminal Slobodan Milosovic has just been installed as the Socialist Party leader in Serbia. Cross-border raids by Kosovo Albanians into Serbia have heightened tensions there. International observers have concluded that the five-year-old Bosnian nation-building exercise has been largely a failure. Continuing nationalist animosity, along with raging corruption, has caused donor nations to reconsider additional funding. The role and continuing utility of American troops there will have to be addressed. ‘Nation-building’ in general needs reconsideration. The U.S. tried to impose democracy on Haiti and the Palestinian Authority as well as in the Balkans. All proved unreceptive, but we must insist on respect for the law from them, and the onus is on them to improve.
This is only the beginning.
Egypt and France are presumed friends who act like something else. Mexico is our neighbor and largest supplier of oil. Castro will die one day, but as radical leftist ideology is crumbling in Cuba it is rising in Venezuela. The next President must act as if the world is a lot bigger than the Israel-Palestinian conflict. And when he does, he will likely find Israel a reliable partner in furthering Western security interests.