Final Blog

The articles were fascinating because they touched on modern theory and current events. I found it interesting as the article started that it mentioned how the Arab world had been considered left behind from the times of the fall of the communist empires. No matter how much democracy seemed to creep into other parts of the developing and developed worlds, Arab nations seemed to hold onto the older form of dictatorships with the most oppressive means of keeping its people down. Several times American presidents had gone to solve the middle east power struggles and inequities from the west, but most often the governments had held on to power and the people had focused their ires on the Israeli/Palestinian debates. I found that interesting since their were many documented struggles between the muslim and Arab countries themselves over tribal issues. Instead of focussing on their own struggles and lack of freedoms, they unite against the Israeli conflict instead of uniting against their own oppressors. It's neat to see how their own governments probably love this since it keeps the people from uniting against them. I see how the people have so many legitimate concerns and complaints towards the west, but I also find it interesting why they then focus all of their energy towards the west or Israel and never try and solve the deeply routed distrust and hate towards each other that empowers their own leaders to keep them from uniting. I also see this democracy movement as another doomed effort to fight against oppression because they always seem to turn to the religious fundamentalist movements as the answer and being enslaved by religious constraints and intolerance instead of dictatorships of another kind. Poverty breeds the same torturous repetition of bad moves by the people and most lack the education to know the real history behind their cause. I do see how the western powers have manipulated governments in their favor regardless of the peoples interests, but I feel highly religious governments and people tend to be unable to adapt to alternative ways of finding peaceful answers. I don't buy the theory that Israel is at the route of all of their problems since I feel Israel only treats Palestinians as lesser citizens since they began violent uprisings. The many factions that make up the Middle-east will never find a peaceful answer so long as they refuse to address the human rights their own governments refuse to acknowledge and the US does little to help this while they buy oil from countries like Saudi Arabia that have just said the US is in for a rude awakening now that we continue to support Israel. Sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me.