I’d go further [Archives:2003/626/Letters to the Editor]

Marvin C Cruzan
[email protected]

I agree with your editorial to the extent that you took it, but I would go further.
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Arab world was left open to external exploitation, principally by the French and British. After World War II, as the French and British left, the Arab world and its heritage of tribalism was left to despots. That is where we find ourselves today. But for despots to remain in power and to oppress the citizenry, there must be an external enemy. That enemy is the state of Israel and anyone who supports it.
So it behooves the Arab peoples to recognize that when Iraq invaded Iran, it had nothing to do with Israel. And when Iraq invaded Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, it had nothing to do with Israel. The civil war in Lebanon had nothing to do with Israel. Nor does the conflict between Egypt and the Sudan have anything to do with Israel. And the various border disputes between Saudi Arabia and its neighbors have anything to do with Israel. It has only been the interests of oppressive Arab regimes to continually demonize Israel and reward the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. Until this practice ends, there can be no progress.
The Arab states have the ability and resources to stop the suicide bombings, and the rocket and mortar attacks by the Palestinians which will end the Israeli retaliations. The West also has the ability and resources to force Israel to the table for reasonable negotiations for peaceful coexistence with a Palestinian state.
Efforts from both sides are required, but it must begin with those dictatorial regimes whose very existence would then be threatened.
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