Middle East Doctrine

The Middle East has started to deteriorate and disintegrate. The US, a sinking ship, is searching for ways to manage the turmoil. Although on January 20, 2009, Obama in his inaugural speech said, “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
By pondering and delaying to act against oppressive Arab regimes, the credibility and commitment of the US have come into question. While commenting on Egypt’s recent uprising, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, during the conflict vowed that “our evaluation is that the Egyptian government is stable and is looking for ways to respond to the genuine needs and interests of the Egyptian people”. Gradually, with increasing chaos, US narratives began to shift, slowly at first but then much more quickly. What we saw at work in Egypt was evidence of a new Clinton propounded Middle East doctrine. She tried to hedge US bets by keeping a foot in almost all camps, maintaining contact with different sectors in society, emphasising ‘stability’ when regime endurance seemed feasible, and then emphasising ‘orderly transition’ when change seemed probable. It was a mixture of realism, opportunism and an aspiration to intervene without being seen to intervene.
What sort of friend to Egyptians has the US been? How trustworthy is its record of sustaining democracy in Egypt? Does Obama believe the US will not be held accountable? The fact remains that history is being written by those who were always on the wrong side of it.

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Daily Times: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C02%5C24%5Cstory_24-2-2011_pg3_7

US Double Standard on Revolution in Egypt

The US is being criticised for maintaining its grip on oil economies by backing its autocratic puppets in the Middle East. Though many theories of goodwill, idealism, liberalism, democracy, free speech and peace are propounded, the fact remains that those who formulated these concepts are the chief neglecters of these standards. The US, instead of giving moral prop up to the Egyptian people, endorsed a near-total Internet blackout in Egypt. An American advocacy group ‘Free Press’ claims to have uncovered a link to a California-based technology company that allegedly sold the Egyptian government the equipment that allowed it to track online activities of the Egyptian people.
Already the US media’s coverage of events in Egypt is severely criticised by many. People are questioning whether reporting by the US media is professional and impartial or US-interest centric and commercially driven?

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The News: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-11-30436-Revolution-in-Egypt

Global Price Hike

According to a UN report, world food prices have hit the highest level on record in January. It is said to be the highest level the index has reached since 1990. Though this price hike has affected many countries, the report depicts Somalia and Uganda as some of the hardest hit countries. The ongoing unrest in Ivory Coast, which is a key transport hub, has critically increased. A serious price rise also engulfed Asia, where a surge in prices occurred due to crop failure. The problem is set to worsen after a massive snowstorm in the US, floods in Australia and rising unrest in the Middle Eastern countries.
What needs to be done is that the governments must avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. In reaction to the spiralling prices, they should resist the banning of exports and hoarding of food. Big companies should adjust to higher raw material costs. Rising food prices have been cited among the driving forces behind the recent popular revolts in North Africa, including the uprising in Egypt and ousting of Tunisia’s long-time President Ali. Thus, we need a better plan of action.

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Daily Times: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C02%5C10%5Cstory_10-2-2011_pg3_7

A wave of revolution — III

Canvassing the tide of change in Egypt, Syrians are asking what these uprisings may mean for them. The news of unrest in Cairo has brought a flutter of exhilaration to Syria, which is founded on principles that are similar to Egypt’s. Like Egypt, Syria has been ruled for decades by a sole party and a security service that maintains its throttlehold on its citizens. Both countries, in an effort to curb unemployment, were struggling to reform economies subdued for generations by central control.
Nevertheless, could the domino effect that spread from the streets of Tunis to Cairo soon hit Damascus? Probably yes. That is why smelling a rat before time, the Syrian government has blocked thousands of websites deemed opposed to state interests and has also banned Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networks.
Though the Syrian authorities have denied accusations of curtailing these services, the fact remains that they are afraid of a burgeoning middle class all across Damascus. The Saudis will need to build a whole village for Arab presidents once they run out of US-protected villas. But what if Saudi monarchs face the same challenge? After all, Syria and Egypt are not far from Saudi Arabia. If Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Bashar-ul-Assad and Hosni Mubarak go in the same way as Ben Ali then the US will also have to revise its flawed policy of verbally pronouncing the ideal of democracy while practically backing monarchs and despotic rulers just for the sake of oil.

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Daily Times: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C02%5C05%5Cstory_5-2-2011_pg3_7