Reply #32: That would be nice if it had a chance of working. [View All]

One reason the West is involved is to keep the influence of Iran, Al-Qaeda, and the theocrats in check. They do this by empowering or defending the more moderate, secular regimes. If the USA drops the ball then Iran, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah will fight the secular states of the region. That's not in the West's best interests. Allowing those who threaten Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc... to control the oil in that region (and minimize all western influence) is bad news for the West's economic prospects.

You're assuming Iran, Al Qaeda, etc.. are rational and pragmatic actors. They're not. The West has no chance of working out a deal with the extreme religious theocrats of that region. For that matter, neither does Israel. Israel has a better chance of working out a deal with the more secular governments of that region, like maybe 1 in a million odds. But with Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Al Qaeda? It's down to 0%, no chance.

All the nations surrounding Israel see the West "making nice" as a sign of weakness in their zero-sum game (both the theocratic as well as more secular nations). The USA making nice is a sign of weakness. Israel too, making nice, is a sign of weakness and if you understand that violence erupted due to Israeli concessions since Oslo began (because Israel's neighbors saw that as Israeli weakness) then you'll come to understand a little better the power politics of that region.

Making nice unfortunately doesn't work.

Too much testosterone there.