George Bush I, was involved in a number of “tactical wars” which were highly successful, with limited loss of life, and one “covert war” also successful even though its cover-up defied the rules of credibility.
George Bush II, not to be outdone, opted for the “all-out war”, and would prefer to believe that history will compare his war to the “great wars” of the 20th century. Given that George Bush II has stimulated a conflict that his father might well have concluded in his own timely fashion, and that the present disenchantment with the U.S. by Muslims has an indeterminate end, he may have exceeded his objective. His tenure may be remembered as a combination of, the siege of Troy, the Crusades, and the 100-year war.

Few people doubt that this administration’s claimed sole objective of surgically removing Saddam Hussein, would have received ample support from the majority of Arab states. It seems self-evident however, that despite the U.S. air strike success in Kosovo, the Bush administration nurtured a hidden agenda that required massive intervention by ground forces, and the establishment of a loyal and friendly new controlling block in Iraq. This machination was conceived as a manner of controlling a sufficient amount of world oil reserves, to be a significant factor in the world price for oil.


It has been established that American technology can guide a bomb down a chimney, and a car can be destroyed from a nearby flying drone. We could, therefore, infer that the destruction of Baghdad’s water, power, and communication services, as well as the unfortunate killing of civilians, may well have been the result of spontaneous malicious anger.

In modern history, as well as present times, there are numerous examples of dominant powers and individuals, venting their anger on the innocent when the true culprits are beyond their reach. The U.S. military and the current administration at some point, must have decided to scrap the surgical knife, in favor of a cleaver.

These acts have considerably traumatized much of the world Arab community that is reasonably convinced that the President’s “war of vindictiveness”, may have been directed at the regime of Saddam Hussein, but little if any regard was reserved for the Arab population.

The shortsighted view is that terrorism will once again strike U.S. soil, and the fear mongers in the White House may then feel vindicated by the apparent validation of their long held position, and they will point fingers at their detractors.

The longer-term implications however are that Arab investments in the U.S., which are now valued near 2 trillion dollars will dry up, and may in fact be downsized in favor of investments in the growing, potentially friendly and peaceful European Community, whose currency appears destined to supplant the Dollar as the principle world currency.

The U.S. treasury and financial markets that have been surviving on a steady inflow of outside capital, will be caught in a war of financial attrition which they are not in a position to win. These consequences may occur within a few years at the current rate of deficit spending, unless a total policy reversal is implemented.

It is clear that the U.S. must find a way to satisfy their support for Israel, without, as a first step, openly exhibiting hostility towards the Arab/Muslin community and their leaders. To that end, Israel, whose only derived benefit in the Middle East conflict has been the ephemeral inflow of U.S. capital and military resources must join the U.S. in this resolve.

Any potential solution to this conflict must take the form of an agreement acceptable to the Palestinians of their own free will. For this to happen, perhaps new lines must be drawn in the sand, possibly providing Palestinians with a significant Mediterranean shoreline, uniting the West Bank with Gaza and ceding to Palestine the lands south of the West bank.

Since George Bush II does not appear able to reverse himself on any matter before him, it is a logical assumption that if he is reelected, the crisis will, as a cumulative effect, degenerate into the major disaster that it appears headed for.

Paul Forest

PolForest@aol.com