Possible Foreign Policy For America In The Middle East

Syria

• No support for Sunni extremists. [1]
• Encourage Iran to stop support for Shiite extremists. 
• Peace talks / Negotiations - An interim neutral "Caretaker Government" holding elections. [2] 
• Threat of international court - Crime against humanity. 

Saudi Arabia  

• Relies on America for consolidating its dominance in the Middle East. 
• Message to the Saudis - It's not necessary to crush your opponent for regional dominance. Better - bolster your own economy.

Iran

• Why can't the West form close ties with Iran (with Nuclear deals)? 

Egypt 

• Above all, mass killings, etc. of Muslim brotherhood supporters has to be stopped immediately. 

Encourage both Iran and Saudi Arabia to bolster their economies - more economic interdependence, more commerce with America with benefit to both.


Factors

• Our increasing Energy independence. 
• Circumstances in Russia-Ukraine.

Notes on Foreign policy

Consider both

• what is beneficial to you
• what is beneficial to the country you are considering (view from their perspective)

If it's non-zero sum, you can make them work with you so that it's beneficial to both.


Both sides involved in a relationship feel comfortable when each has interests for which it knows that the other depends on it.
US - Saudi relationship (since 1945)

• Security assurance from America and 
• Oil from Saudi Arabia.

Previous Posts

1. Conflicting Interest In Regional Dominance Encouraging Militants And Extremists In Middle East: Is It Acceptable?
2. Caretaker Government Can Show The Way Of Peace In Syria
3. Peace in Syria

Caretaker Government Can Show The Way Of Peace In Syria

In Syria, People belonging to the “rebels” groups who have lost their family members in the civil war, are not ready to accept Bashar Al-Assad as the President.

There are talks going on at the moment organized by UN for transition of power to a transitional government.

But the Syrian regime doesn’t want to hand over power. We have seen support towards Bashar Al-Assad’s government from both Iran and Russia.

More than 110,000 people have lost their lives. What is the point of adding more to that?

Besides, Syrian land has become a fertile ground for growth of opposing groups of militants and extremists.

If we are not cautious now, we might have to pay long term price.


Democracy has to be restored. People should be given the right to choose their own leaders and representatives and it's the responsibility of leaders to win people's hearts.

America can propose for a caretaker government to hold a free and fair election and hand over power to the winning political party.

In Bangladesh, we have seen interim caretaker government holding free and fair elections successfully in the years 1996, 2001 and 2008. An advisory council led by the last retired chief justice of the Supreme Court rules the country for three months and holds the election before an elected government takes over in Bangladesh.

The caretaker government could be such that

• The chief of the caretaker government is acceptable to all the parties involved. 
• Military and arms support from outside countries are stopped immediately. 
• The caretaker government shows zero tolerance to extremists and militias, no matter what ideology they represent. 
• The situation in Syria returns at least close to normal. Initiatives are taken to bring back all the refugees back to Syria. The refugee situation is causing disastrous effects in the Middle East. Humanitarian efforts are undertaken. 
• A definite time period is determined during which the caretaker government rules. Before the time period ends, a free, fair, credible and internationally acceptable election is held. 

Iran and Russia can make sure the Syrian regime accepts the proposal.

We hope all the leaders would show more tolerance for the sake of humanity.


Previous writings

Peace in Syria
Conflicting Interest In Regional Dominance Encouraging Militants And Extremists In Middle East: Is It Acceptable?

Conflicting Interest In Regional Dominance Encouraging Militants And Extremists In Middle East: Is It Acceptable?

In the Middle East, regional dominance and Shiite-Sunni conflict is giving rise to and encouraging militants and extremists.

Saudi Arabia and it’s allies and Iran and it’s allies are in opposite groups, with Saudi Arabia being Sunni dominant and Iran being Shiite dominant.

Because of power conflict and interest in regional dominance, both sides are encouraging groups of opposing militants and extremists.

But does “Islam”, a word derived from “Salam”, which literally means “peace”, really encourage or even approve such conflicts?
Suicide and collateral damage are forbidden in Islam and the person who commits suicide is destined to go to hell.
Prophet Muhammad declared unity of humanity in his last sermon, "All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action." [1]

In the age of globalization, it’s the mutual economic relationship and mutual economic engagement, not military engagement, that brings prosperity.



Follow-ups

• Saudi Arabia Replaces Key Official in Effort to Arm Syria Rebels Frustrated Kingdom: Sets Out to Assuage U.S. Worries on Extremists in Three-Year Conflict

Reference

1. The Farewell Sermon