Wanted: a new Middle East initiative (because all US plots have backfired)

[atommom]

As the Bush administration's influence in the Middle East continues to wane, the risk of strong unilateral action by Washington against a widening array of regional foes will increase. This risk will push international oil prices much higher and global economic growth much lower in 2006. Rather than producing Washington's desired outcome, every major regional initiative has backfired, greatly weakening US influence.

The recent Hamas victory in the legislative elections held in the Palestinian territories has propelled another arch-enemy of the Bush administration into power in the Middle East. A new Hamas-centered government in the Palestinian territories will join the governments of Syria, Iran and Iraq as Washington's self-made enemies. Not only will these powers coalesce around one another, they will gather increasing regional support as well as support from other world powers such as Russia, China and to a lesser extent the European Union.

These developments are intensifying pressure within the Bush administration for strong action that will re-establish Washington's hegemony in the Middle East. Such action could be a unilateral strike, with assistance from Israel, on Syria and/or Iran. Other actions taken by Washington could be efforts to destabilize the new governments in the Palestinian territories and in Iraq.

The growing risk of such actions has already begun to push the international price of oil higher. This risk can be expected to lead international oil prices above US$100 per barrel in the first half of 2006. And the materialization of any effort by the US to re-establish its influence militarily in the Middle East could push international oil prices over $150 per barrel. By the second half of 2006, much higher oil prices will begin to exert tremendous drag on the global economy, slowing economic growth worldwide. Thus US military action in the Middle East will push the world into economic recession.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HB02Ak01.html

[mom cat]

1. Bush and his chronies are getting filthy rich off of high oil prices. Why

on earth would they want to stabilize the Middle East?

[enigma000]

2. Nobody is going to deal with Hamas

The Palestinian Authority sucks up money, it doesn't enrich anyone.