Soccer Dad

Arabist apologia

via memeorandum

McClatchey's Washington Bureau provides an analysis of President Bush's recent tour of the Middle East, Bush departs Mideast with few apparent gains, experts say

President Bush wraps up a weeklong tour of the Middle East Wednesday, leaving many Mideast political observers mystified as to the purpose of the visit and doubtful that the president made inroads on his twin campaigns for Arab-Israeli peace and isolation for Iran.

Bush is heading back to Washington mostly empty-handed, said several analysts and politicians throughout the region. Arab critics deemed Bush's peace efforts unrealistic, his anti-Iran tirades dangerous, his praise of authoritarian governments disappointing and his defense of civil liberties ironic.

I guess the "experts" of the headline are "Arab critics." I'm not aware of any tirades the President threw on his trip. Are warnings about Iran's threat to the region so unreasonable?

And, since the Arab critics were the focus of the story we get this bit of nonsense.

The challenges were evident Tuesday. The Israeli military carried out an operation in Gaza that killed at least 18 Palestinians, including the 24-year-old son of Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar, in the most violent day since the militant group seized control last year. Separately, a Palestinian sniper killed a young farmer from Ecuador who was working on an Israeli kibbutz near the border with Gaza.

Palestinians warned that the military raid could sour their talks with Israelis and undermine the momentum from Bush's visit to lead both parties back to the negotiating table.

"Skepticism on all sides is enormous," said Nicholas Pelham, a Jerusalem-based senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.

What's missing? Well for one thing the constant missile attacks from Gaza into Israel. And to quote the Palestinian warning about Israel's self-defense is to credit the "moderate" Mahmoud Abbas when he is declaring his lot with the terrorists of Hamas.

I agree that President Bush's trip didn't accomplish much. But it's largely because the so-called pro-American Arab states are more interested in appeasing Iran than in cooperating with the United States. This analysis is less a criticism of Bush than an apology for America's Arab "allies."

UPDATE: Daniel Pipes essentially criticizes President Bush for the same things from the other side. He gives President Bush credit for having good ideas in 4 areas: Radical Islam, pre-emptive war, and the Arab-Israeli conflict and democracy. He finds the President wanting in all four areas despite some promising starts. The end result Pipes laments is:

I respect Bush's benign motivation and good intentions while mourning his having squandered a record-breaking 90 percent job-approval rating following 9/11 and his bequeathing to the next president a polarized electorate, a military reluctant to use force against Iran, Hamas ruling Gaza, an Iraqi disaster-in-waiting, radical Islam on the ascendant, and unprecedented levels of global anti-Americanism.

Crossposted on Yourish.

bush doctrine, middle east.