Over the next two decades, every Arab government that is

[Veggie Meathead]

propped up by the United States will be swept aside.The Saudi Monarchy is on its last legs;Egypt's dictator Mubarak will be gone;other Arab countries from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon will be dominated by Islamic extremists.Pakistan and Iran will also be ruled by Islamic fundamentalists.In these countries anyone who supports America will either be assassinated or
replaced.

All of these consequences flow directly from the foolish war on Iraq
under false pretexts.The children at Abu Ghraib who were forced to witness the rape of their mothers and fathers are the future enemies that Bush's idiocy has created.

I would like to know if I am being too pessimistic.Please give me reasons to hope I am wrong.From a historical perspective, I believe our goose has been cooked in the Middle East.The cost in terms of security, economic relations and of course, oil prices and availability are going to be incalculable.

[Catch22Dem]

1. I'd be surprised to see Jordan go that route

I've been there. Very nice place.

[classof56]

2. Depends on how you calculate...

I'm fairly new to DU, but I am learning from this and other sources how Bush thinks. It's my opinion he believes he's bringing on Armageddon (his mission from God), and of course that takes place in the Middle East (Biblical prophecy). So depending on how you look at it, you're being too pessimistic or not optimistic enough...you have to think about how you prefer the world to end, I guess. Either way, I agree that our goose has been cooked in the ME, but if the world's about to end anyway...well, you get the picture.

Yours is a thoughtful post. Hang in there and pray that Kerry wins the election. The world could be a better place and my young grandchildren could grow up in a stable, peaceful world. Hope does spring eternal, though something in me compels me to remain...

A Tired Old Cynic

[kittykitty]

4. Hey, I'm class 56, too. That's a frightful scenario, but

I believe you are right about bush's thinking. And I believe our goose has been cooked in the middle east, too. I'm afraid it's just too late.

[classof56]

5. Hey, there!

Just saw your message. Glad to see another Class of 56er here on DU. I am getting info about a potential 50th class reunion rapidly approaching. Incredible how much time has passed! I recall those "boring Eisenhower years" (as they later called them). Who'd have ever anticipated all that's happened 'tween then and now. Sadly, I have to agree with you about it being too late for the Middle East. My Mom died last year at the age of 96. I can't help but wonder if any of us has a shot at living that long now. Well, we're not too old to get involved, huh? Let's go get 'em--in case we want to attend that 50th reunion!

As the Comets used to say--Rock Around the Clock!

[jayavarman]

3. I was reading a book on middle east recently

It may have been something by Bernard Lewis (who is an amazing scholar on mid-east) . . . or it may have been this book "Jihad, the trail of political Islam"

Anyway, the jist was something along the lines that political Islam may have run its course (or is getting toward the end of said course).

I agree that we are not helping matters much with the egregious behavior in Abu G, etc . . . but the mask is off of political fundamentalist Islam, so to speak.

The avg Saudi, for example, cannot be happy at the recent terrorist attempts to destabilize their economy. Likewise, the average Iraqi, while not agreeing with the occupation, probably has little sympathy with those who willfully destroy their infrastructure or economic patrimony (in terms of the pipelines) in an effort to create some kind of talibaneqsue non-state in Iraq.

I am of the belief that most folks in that part of the world are not too different than folks anywhere- They respect & value their faith, but do not desire to be ruled by fundamentalists & theocrats.

Time will tell what emerges, but to get back to the original point, the fact that fundamentalist states in Iran & Sudan have not worked out that well, limited elections in gulf states like Oman, coupled with the Saudi's recent backing off from their traditional pro-wahbbist stance, may be a sign that something new may come to occupy the political vacuum left by the crumbling of fundamentalism. Suicide bombings, ala 911 & the car bombings in Iraq, seem to me to be symptoms of the kind of desperation of an ideology in decline, rather than one in ascendance.

If the majority of people in Iraq, or anywhere, were truly committed to following a fundamentalist path, they would not have to adopt these kinds of radical suicide strategies- Look at what Gandhi & MLK, for example, were able to accomplish when they truly had a mass of people behind them.

I hope this made some kind of sense . . it is late after all