A Pincer Move Is Required

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Watching the viral protests in the Middle East has me thinking about what our long term strategy should be. I am, of course, approaching this from the vantage point of one who wants to protect America's national interest and security which includes protecting Israel at all costs. I am not convinced that our current administration has those same goals. That in and of itself is sad and dangerous. Clearly, the scope of the protests in these Muslim countries is too broad for America to influence the outcomes militarily, not to mention the distorted image that would most certainly be propagandized all over the world by that option. This doesn't mean the military has no role as I'll show later. This leaves few options mostly on the diplomatic and economic fronts. This seems to be the tact the administration is pursuing. I ask you, however. When the country is in the midst of a tumultuous fight to topple a government and events on the ground can change in minutes or hours; who do you negotiate with? Do you pick sides? Do you play both ends against the middle? As you can see this too is folly. There is no diplomatic solution to intensely opposite arguments. In other words, if you say you want to kill me, and I say I don't want you to; what is the diplomatic solution to that? Do we agree that I'll allow you to maim me instead? Don't laugh. There are so called 'smartest people in the room' who make such arguments for diplomacy all the time. Our own Congress has been negotiating the murder of millions of innocent children for decades now. At the moment the 'righteous' argument seems to be kill less and we'll go along. That's not diplomacy, that's surrendering your morals, ethics and principles. So it would seem that diplomacy is out as a viable option for the current Middle East turmoil. Which leaves economic solutions. The administration announced recently that they are working hard to implement this option. So, the country is burning down around you, the shops are closed and the people are cowering in their homes. Do we think that they care about economic sanctions? And how many of you want to bet that before long this same administration will propose humanitarian aid for the people? Do we believe that these dictators who have syphoned off billions of dollars in foreign aid and oil money are now going to suffer so greatly from an economic sanction that they will give up the power that they have spent a lifetime solidifying? Make no mistake, the only reason Mubarek gave in was because he was old and therefore did not have the confidence of his Army. Nor was he feared by them anymore. This is not true in many of these other countries. Okay, we should be able to agree that economic sanctions are pretty worthless here. What are we left with? How about common sense and good old American Liberty?

I propose that we come together as a nation and speak with one voice. I propose that we immediately implement a pincer move. On the one side we let the world know that we unequivocally stand for Liberty. We support the people who petition the government for basic rights. Look, we have enjoyed these rights for over two centuries and we have prospered astronomically from them. We go around the world espousing the basic rights of Man. We contend that freedom is the Natural State of Man. Well, put up or shut up! It's time to stand on your principles. But Keith but Keith, we may not get the governments we want over there if we do that. We may get Islamic states over there. Indeed. Liberty is messy like that sometimes. Liberty in and of itself precludes you from telling me how I should live. But you see my friend our Founding Fathers were brilliant and blessed men who knew that another component was necessary for Liberty to be truly allowed. That is the right to protection. The right to defend your Liberty. The right to go to a court of law and secure your Liberty. And barring that, a right to bear arms. This then, is the other side of the pincer move. This is where our military has a role. This is where we make it crystal clear to everyone in the world that we will defend Israel at all costs. We assert that we will not allow any nation that establishes a republican form of government to be attack without cause by it's neighbors. In essence we assert that the United States of America stands for Liberty for all and will not allow despotism to replace it once it is gained. Now before you get apoplectic about how this will plunge us into a World War where we are required to send troops all over the place to consummate this vision, take note; it doesn't take an all out war to cripple a small military. Especially when there will already be another military, the aggressors intended victim, who will be fighting them as well. Air and naval attacks can decimate an air force. Tanks can be taken out with ease at very little risk to American forces as proven by the two wars against Iraq. It really is a very viable military strategy to cripple any army that acts as an aggressor in this part of the world. It's not like taking on China or Russia. It is possible that China or Russia may take a stand against us but it will be a bluff and we need only to be solid in our conviction and stand strong and they will back down. These countries are not going to risk all out war with the United States over a small Mideastern dictator. With one caveat. We must ensure that oil is available to all who want to buy it on the free market. That is their only interest in the area. Make it readily available and they will not fight us.

See how easy that is? No really. We have developed a mentality that if something is hard then we can't do it. The ironic result is that by not doing the hard things we cause ever more problems and so the net result is that it is harder not easier. Standing up for Liberty is hard. However, it is right and it is not as hard as dealing with the plethora of problems that arise from the lack of Liberty. Take a good look at those kids on the streets in the Middle East. They are not out there protesting for the right to Sharia law. They are not protesting to have their wives heads cut off in the soccer fields. They are not wearing burkas and saying that all women should. They are calling for freedom and liberty and basic human rights. We should support them wholeheartedly. We should support any subsequent government that respects those rights. We should support any duly elected president to any one of these countries. BUT we should also warn them all; we are serious about defending the free and punishing the oppressors. It will not happen overnight. In fact it will probably take a decade or two to work itself out. But if we are strong in our convictions and righteous in our cause we will prevail. And what will be left will be a group of free republican governments in the Middle East intent on free trade and commerce as a means to please their peoples and gain favor. What more than that can one ask for?

by: Keith D. Rodebush