Middle East Justice Part 4 The Eastern Question

International relations in the Middle East have forged a sort of quadruple edged dagger. A dagger that is persistently stuck in the side of world politics.

The US tries to lasso ME power through local puppets, creating political instability and resistance, and ME leaders routinely suck on the tit of US power and material promises for short term gain, losing the ability for long term, organic growth, and lasting true power for their region. Political structures have been so manipulated over the years, it would take genius political minds and revolutionary determination to move toward sustainable politics for states like Iraq, Iran, Egypt and the Palestinians and Israel.
 
I will insert here an interesting academic list used by some to describe the political 'rules of the game' for Middle East international relations.  It is called the Eastern Question (taken from Matthew Hollands book, America and Egypt: From Roosevelt to Eisenhower).

1.  "Alliances and relationships change with every new situation or issue in a series of bewildering tactical moves."

2.  ME play major powers to their own political advantage

3.  Local problems become entangled in international problems

4.  Local moves are made to elicit or reject internat'l support

5.  Major powers get involved in the ME for their own advantage, and get entangled in local problems

6.  No power, local or internat'l can maintain hegemony over the ME

7.  Local and internat'l leaders use 8 main tactics and actions in the ME
     a.  the 'quick grab'
     b.  stubborn refusal to accept changes in the status quo
     c.  refusal to compromise on minor points
     d.  belief in endless tactical manuevering
     e.  "diplomatic counterpunching"
     f.   the habit of using third party negotiators
     g.  little distinction between tactic and strategy
     h.  obsession with zero-sum game

US neo-conservative politics have fallen into the traps of this game, and come out with a historical plague of terrorism on the west.   The overarching blunder they have made is quick grabs for hegemony in the region; and the consequence has been dire for us and the rest of the world, a fire of terrorism.

All of this leaving Palestinians with no solid, practical ally, and a gaggle of enemies, including erratic Arab states, who may seem like allies one day, and then clam up support the next, for carrots from the West.