Quote:
Originally Posted by octothorp
The problem is that how they're viewed greatly impacts their influence. They've seriously limited their ability to influence the middle east both diplomatically and economically, which leaves just military influence, which isn't very strong given the current obligations that their military has. They're still influential among western powers, but the only way they'll be able to diplomatically or economically exert influence in the middle-east is by first building consensus amongst western powers. And they haven't been terribly good at that lately, either.
In regards to the rise of islamic fundamentalism and the solutions to it, the recent Rand Corp. report was very good, I thought. Not necessarily saying things that haven't been said before, but providing some very good in depth analysis on the issue:
http://www.rand.org/news/press/2008/02/11/ |
Yet again enormously expensive and involves literally thousands of people being deployed to gain what? Far cheaper and likely more effective would be too turn Sunni against Shiaa. Keep the situation between the two volatile and in the meantime sell arms to both sides.
At the same time decry the violence and repudiate all previous attempts at interference in Muslim affairs. Be always willing to hold a peace conference and work with shuttle diplomacy.
Win win.