Middle East

Does anybody besides me get the idea that those people over there don't want us on their land? They obviously have their own way of doing things and just because they choose to do things differently than us doesn't mean that they are wrong. It's not the responsibility of the U. S. to try to tell them how to live nor is it our right to try to change them so that they are like us.

The various peoples of the Middle East have had their spats through the centuries and in case you haven't noticed they have made it this far in human history without help from the U.S. Do we think that we have all of the answers in this big complex world? How arrogant we must seem to the rest of the world. So what if we don't approve of their forms of government or their treatment of each other. Who appointed the leaders of the United States as the ones who should make decisions for the people of the Middle East?

Along with Middle East forms of government usually comes a big dose of the religion of Islam mixed in with the politics (if the people get their way). That often means an authoritarian figure bubbles to the top and becomes leader. That's just part of the religion of Islam. That's their way of doing things. It doesn't matter whether we like it or not. It's actually none of our business. We're on the other side of the world and we ought to keep that in mind. And haven't we got enough of our own problems that need to be addressed?

If our way of doing things was without fault maybe we could go around telling other people how to run their countries. But our ways are not perfect, so we shouldn't think that we have answers for people on the other side of the world. At least they can keep their families together. Maybe we should ask them to come over here and tell us how to live.

Of course you and I don't agree with their religion. It all seems somewhat bizarre to us. But they don't agree with our religion either, so let's leave it at that. The world's big enough for all of us. Christianity and Islam are miles apart and that's how it's always been. Mixing the two is about like mixing oil and water. Nevertheless, we were able to get along with them for a couple of centuries - until we started meddling over there and formed U.S. policy based on how we think it ought to be rather than on how they want it to be.

Now days they are all hacked off at us because we're over there on their "holy land" with our military. You and I don't understand the "holy land" mentality in our culture but if we did we could better understand why they don't like us. They consider us to be "unbelievers" (which we are, as far as Islam goes) and there we are with our troops on their land and our jets in their sky. Put yourself in their shoes. Just imagine that you are driving down the highway in small town U.S.A. when all of the sudden a 500 pound laser guided bomb slams into the overpass up ahead. Do you think you might be angry? The first thought that would come into my mind would be that now my taxes are going to be raised to pay for the new overpass. That's when I would get angry!

Or what if Muslim troops were walking around your home town fully armed, would you like that? And they're going to stay there until you change your form of government to agree with Islam. Add the "holy land" factor on to that and you might be able to understand a little of what those people are thinking. If that was to happen over here I'd be looking for a sniper rifle and some land mines to put in the paths of their troops so I could kill as many of them as possible. Does that sound familiar? By the way, trying to force an American style democracy on the Muslims in Iraq borders on laughable and bizarre. If it works I'll be amazed.

I personally believe that we keep that "hornet's nest", which we call the Middle East, stirred up over there because of our policies toward them. This goes back for several decades. Our need for oil has probably been behind most of them if the truth be told. But what about all of this oil that we need? I believe that they would be glad to sell us all of the oil that we need if we would just get off of their land and leave them alone. They know that we need oil and we know that they need our money. Maybe it's time to get the American Taxpayers involved in the decision making concerning U.S. policy since our leaders can't seem to get this right. And that's what I plan to do.

I'm sure that Middle East policy is a very complex issue because of the many nations involved and the fact that the leaders of the nations over there don't always get along with each other. But trust me when I say that I have a knack for making complex things simple. We will address this issue early in my administration because the American Taxpayers are tired of having bad relations with the people in the Middle East and would like to have this settled. There is no reason that it can't be settled. Let me share with you what I have in mind.

I would like to invite the leaders of the nations of the Middle East to Washington for a series of "peace summit" meetings. All leaders will be invited - even those who have forms of government that we do not agree with. The reason for the peace summit is obvious. We are going to ask them what they would like us to do to stop the constant problems between the U.S. and the people in the Middle East. We will use the "Meet and Vote" procedure to govern the meetings so that the American Taxpayers are fully involved in the decision making.

I will ask the king of Jordan, His Majesty King Hussein (Abdullah II bin al-Hussein), to lead the visiting delegation. He has proven to be a reasonable man and somehow has been able to walk the tight rope of peace in a part of the world where there is little. Having been educated in the U.S. and in England he has the added advantage of understanding western culture. Besides that I have always liked him and have always thought that he was the key to negotiating peace in the region.

He is a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed, as I understand, so the Muslims of the Middle East can feel that they're interests will be addressed in the meetings. He will not allow us to push him around just because we are America, but he has proven that he does like America and the things our culture has to offer. In other words, I think he will do his best to do right by everybody involved. We will be able to learn a lot from him if we will listen. By the way, I think that it would be a good idea if we would also invite the leaders of the other nations that have an interest in the Middle East. If they see fit they will be more than welcome to attend this "summit".

We will gather for a series of meetings that will be televised to the American Taxpayers (as is normal practice when using the "Meet and Vote" process). People around the world will also be watching via television if they so choose. I will encourage the visiting leaders of the Middle East nations to share their frustrations about American Middle East policy with the American Taxpayers. Everything will be out in the open for all to see. I will ask them what they want us to do so that we can have peaceful relations with their nations. I will assure them that the American Taxpayers do not want to be at war in the Middle East and do not want to see any more death and destruction over there.

I will explain to them that we do not understand the various cultures of the Middle East nor do we really understand their religion and since that is the case we are not in the position to force our way of living on them since we don't know what we are talking about when it comes to anything that has to do with the Muslims in the Middle East. I will make it clear that the American Taxpayers are tired of spending millions and millions of tax dollars on American weaponry in the Middle East. I will tell them that the American Taxpayers would rather mind our own business and concentrate on domestic problems for a while. I also will bring out the fact that the American Taxpayers would appreciate it if they would spend the time and money to control radical elements within their borders because the American Taxpayers don't want to repeat all of this.

Any of the foreign leaders who want to speak will be encouraged to. We need to hear what they're thinking. And I'm guessing that they will give us an ear full since they all warned us ahead of time about going into Iraq. The live audience of American Taxpayers will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the distinguished guests as will the viewers at home via the internet and the telephone. We will not rush these proceedings because of their importance to us and the people of the Middle East. This may require several evenings of televised meetings for everyone to express their views.

When all is said and done the elected leaders of the American Taxpayers will give them a number of options to consider concerning the direction that Middle East policy should take. The next day the American Taxpayers will go to the polls and vote their conscience. The majority will rule as always. Our leaders will then enact the will of the majority into law. This will become the new U.S. policy for the Middle East.

How do I expect this to come out? I expect that humble, reasonable people meeting together will be able to settle this problem. I expect that the invited guests will be glad to attend such a summit because they know that we are serious about rectifying this problem. I also expect that the leaders who are visiting will graciously ask us to get our military off of their land and not concern ourselves with their internal affairs. I fully expect them to reassure us that they will continue to supply us with plenty of oil.

I also expect that the American Taxpayers will jump at the chance to bring all of our military personnel home when the visiting dignitaries assure us that they will take care of the radical elements among them and that they want to live in peace as much as we do. As for the elected representatives of the American Taxpayers, I'm sure that they will come up with some options that the people will like so that this ongoing problem can be settled. But first things first. I've got to get in the White House before I can implement the "Meet and Vote" program. Are you willing to back me so that I can get in the White House?

INDEX 1 - AGENDA

INDEX 2 - ISSUES