America is an open society which wishes to operate on the basis of trust and assume that everyone has benign intentions in absence of proof otherwise. It is impossible to assure security in an open society. However, to reduce the chance of hostile actions it is wise to keep the number of enemies to a minimum. This is were America fails badly antagonizing Islamic countries by a mindless support for the state of Israel. That support springs out mainly from the specifically American biblical fundamentalism that propels this country to a crusade to keep control of the Holy Land. -- jotted down Sep. 16, 2001

Apr 14, 2002

What is the US interest in the Middle East?

Considering the events of the last week which began with President Bush demanding an immediate end to the Israeli military incursions in the Palestinian territories and ended with Secretary of State Powell meeting with the Israelis with their operations proceeding with unvarying speed one has to ask oneself about the reasons of the American support for Israel going so far as the US accepting the embarrassement of the diplomatic fiasco of the snubbed US demand. It is not only an embarrassement, it is also a liability in the eyes of the Arabs, with whom we are losing credibility as a power that can control Israel, while we need their support in trying to control the possible points of origin of terrorist attacks on US interests. So why is it that we support the Jewish state so staunchly as to risk other alliances that we greatly need? What is the strategy in the "strategic alliance" between US and Israel we hear about so often from the media?

In my answers I will avoid blaming the powerful Jewish lobby pressuring US Congress on foreign policy for I believe that in this vital matter of national interest a lobby could only be sustained when a genuine source of support for its interest can be found in the American people. In my opinion a large portion of the American people genuinely support Israel and are prepared for the US to make certain sacrifices for that foreign country. Alas, a dismal failure of the media and political process in the US is the lack of discussion of exactly how large a price should the US be willing to pay for the freedom of Israel and how exactly dangerous and globally destabilizing such a mission could be. I suspect Americans are prepared to make significant sacrifices for the sake of the Jewish state as the question of ramifications of the massive American involvement with the Israelis do not occur to Americans even after they were scarred by suicidal Arab rage on September 11.

America is a Christian country, grown out of European Protestantism that began with Reformation in 16th century. Protestants rejected the authority of the Church of Rome and developed their own theological doctrines. In Europe Reformation quickly led to establishment of seats of Protestant authority that for the most part coincided with centers of political power. Protestant theology also developed along patterns of schools of theology drawing on the continuity of Christian message. The American settlers had a chance to, so to speak, restart the Reformation and do away with external centers of political power and elitist theological doctrine. The tendency to rely directly on the Bible as the only source of authority was always distinctly present on the New Continent. The Bible is for its greatest part the Old Testament which largely defines the Judaic religion and its legalistic framework, whereas the New Testament can be easily viewed, and has traditionally been so viewed, as an exhortation to fulfill the Old Testament. All modern Christianity is in fact indebted to and bound by the old judaic scriptures and this fact is a huge balast and liability for the Western civilization and its spiritual progess. This liability is amplified in the American biblical Christianity, which, developed away from centers of intellectual endeavor and political constraints, becomes literally the new Judaism. The pioneer and frontier spirit in America has always combined with the spirit of founding a human order based on the Bible and the word of God recorded there allowing the Americans to view themselves in analogy to the Hebrews conquering the land of Canaan. In the last 50 to 100 years, America and Christianity in general has seen a resurgence of biblical fundamentalism resonating with the ascendance of this country to the level of superpower. The global hegemony means there is a mission to fulfill. America has been throughout history reluctant to venture in the world with missions of benefit to the world, while it was diligent in protecting its own interest. This seems to be changing after WWII and the definite status of hegemon acquired after 1990. The confluence of the status of global superpower and the rise of biblical Christianity may be pointing to an unquestioned external goal - protection of the Chosen People and the Holy Land. America may be on the verge of launching a crusade.

If this assessment of the sources of American support for the state of Israel is right, Americans should truly examine the question of price they are prepared to pay for upholding the freedom of that Middle Eastern country that seems to be destined to be perpertually surrounded by enemies. I am talking about the price to pay because it seems all too clear to me that there are zero gains for the US national interest. I still have hope that the question of national interest can be coolly considered in this case where Americans are surprisingly susceptible to religious fanaticism. The support or lack thereof for the Jewish state ought not to be equated with friendship and religious affinity Americans have toward the Jews. That friendship should not automatically be translated into support for a state in the Holy Land where the Jews are acting out the latest crusade initiative of Western civilization, supported by the UN and financed by the USA, being condemned to deepening the hatred of its neighbors that may ultimately develop into fury and rage. We are not saving the Jews, we are putting them in a situation that will likely develop into a horror for them and ourselves. And nobody seems to mention Vietnam.