BRYCE ON POLITICS
– A totally new era.
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For as long as I can remember, there has always been turmoil in the Middle East. For example:
– The Six Day War between Israel, Egypt, Syria and Jordan in 1967. – The War between Israel and Syria (aka, The Yom Kippur War) in 1973. – Deposing the Iranian Shah in 1979 and the rise of their Muslim government. – The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990, resulting in Operation Desert Shield which included U.S. forces. – The rise and fall of ISIS and the Taliban in the 21st century. – Several Civil Wars and numerous Palestinian uprisings.
– The multitudes of people killed or maimed over petty religious differences.
It seemed like nobody wanted peace and were itching for a fight, be it with Israel or with neighboring Arabs. Such turmoil caused the price of oil and gas to skyrocket on more than one occasion, thereby affecting worldwide inflation, and forced the United States to become the policeman of the Middle East.
Then there were some glimmers of hope, starting with the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in 1979 (which ultimately cost Egyptian president Anwar Sadat his life), and followed by the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty in 1994. There was also a brief peace treaty between Israel and Lebanon (1983-1984), but this unraveled due to a civil war in Beirut. All of these peace initiatives were brokered by the United States. I also remember the countless attempts of peace initiatives by other American presidents which led to no avail.
Then along comes President Donald Trump who promptly moves the American Embassy to Jerusalem after years of talk, but little action, by other administrations. He also encouraged Israel to rethink its position on the West Bank, all of this due to the positive relationship between the President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Not long after taking office President Trump met with the heads of Middle Eastern countries and bluntly told them it was time to get serious about peace as the United States was moving towards energy independence and didn’t want to remain in the region as a traffic cop. Further, it was time for them to find a way to work together if they ever hoped to compete professionally on the world stage.
Evidently, this was heeded by the United Arab Emerites (UAE) recently who signed a peace agreement with Israel on August 12th (2020). The main stream media gave this event little attention, but this is quite significant as it presents several possibilities, including peace.
First, you should understand the importance of the UAE. Perhaps the best way to think of the country is as the rich kids of the area, e.g.; within any metropolitan area in the United states, there is always a rich section. In my old hometown of Cincinnati, it was Indian Hill. In the Middle East, the UAE is the Indian Hill. This is a country that has become very affluent and a leader in the region. True, it has considerable oil and gas reserves, but the country has successfully diversified and is now targeting tourism and business in an attempt to minimize dependency on their energy resources. In other words, the UAE is modernizing and becoming a model for other Mid-East countries to aspire to. They will all undoubtedly take notice of the Israel-UAE Peace Treaty.
There are, of course, many countries in the region, such as Qatar, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, but the one to watch now is Saudi Arabia who has kept Israel at arm’s length for many years. However, after the UAE deal, this may all change rather rapidly, and the others would fall into place following the Saudis.
The impact of such peace initiatives are literally unimaginable. Between Israel and its Arab neighbors, they have advanced technology, financial resources, energy resources, and labor, lot’s of it too.
Such a coalition could result in a mammoth manufacturing industry, construction projects of super dimensions, and more. Imagine an automotive industry flooding Europe with cars, or an electronics industry to challenge the Far East. Of course, this means jobs, income, a solidified peace effort, and the creation of a middle class. With more income comes greater spending power and luxuries, better health conditions, infrastructure, communications, and much more. The possibilities are endless, which is why I see the importance of President Trump’s peace initiative, and why it may very well result in a Nobel Peace Prize for him. Such an idea is abhorrent to the news media who is bent on the president’s ouster, which explains why the story was buried by the press.
The one fly in the ointment though is Iran who is still supporting terrorism and explains why they must be isolated until they are willing to re-join the world community peacefully. If Iran can be neutralized, a new Middle East will likely emerge. Talks will then shift from thwarting plots of destruction to plans of construction.
Make no mistake, the recent Israel-UAE Peace Treaty is a very big deal. It provides us with a picture of prosperity for the region, and finally puts the threat of war behind us. What impresses me most about President Trump is that he thinks big, or as he likes to say, “HUGE!”
Keep the Faith!
P.S. – Also, I have a NEW book, “Before You Vote: Know How Your Government Works”, What American youth should know about government, available in Printed, PDF and eBook form. This is the perfect gift for youth!
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Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at [email protected]
For Tim’s columns, see: timbryce.com
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