Middle East Policy and US
National Interest
The US military is involved in a
worldwide perpetual police action due to failed Middle East policy. It is time to rethink our national interest
and foreign policy goals.
In exchange for $8 million of yearly
lobby spending, the US Congress gives Israel $5 billion of military aid. The direct cost of this aid is over $30 per
US household and the indirect cost is harmful US foreign policy. Israel spends about 10% of its national income
on its military and replacing the lost US aid would raise taxes perhaps 10%. US military aid to
Israel should be eliminated.
Another mistake is to
support Arab oil sheiks in spite of their repressive governments. One way or another, this feudalism will
become a relic of the past.
The US and the world depend on the steady flow of
crude oil but US economic interest in the Middle East is not overwhelming. US firms have little direct investment in the
Middle East, mostly in the oil industry but totaling only 5% of US global
investment in that industry. The US has
even less direct investment in Israel, mostly in banks and small scale
manufacturing, with more invested in the Netherlands Antilles.
One rationalization for giving military aid to
Israel is that it is the only democracy in the Middle East. Around the world, more countries are adopting
the US style of representative democracy.
The US should openly advocate democratic reform.
The present national
borders in the Middle East are the result of Western wars during the past
century. The people now in Israel and
Palestine have mostly immigrated there since World War II. With jets to the “Holy Land” the tourism
stakes are high. Determining the national
borders in the Middle East will not be an easy process.
Four steps would redefine US national interest in
the Middle East:
· End military aid to
Israel
· Promote democracy and
economic freedom
· Recognize Palestine