Middle East Stability

          The Washington Times says that Pres. Obama rejects 'Whack-A-Mole” strategy to counter extremists in the Middle East. It seems that the term ” Whack-a-Mole” was coined by the White House and means sending US troops to occupy various countries, wherever terrorist organizations pop up. The President used the term in defending his administration’s handling of the Middle East crisis and in response the lawmaker’s warnings that the entire country of Iraq is in danger.
          Critics say Mr. Obama’s tack is further proof that his foreign policy over the past five years has created conditions that now threaten the stability of the whole Middle East.

          I usually find it extremely difficult to support Pres. Obama in anything he says or does. However, I agree with him completely in this case.

          What is taking place in Iraq is not now threatening the stability of the whole Middle East. There has been no stability in the Middle East for the last few thousand years. The only semblance of stability has been an occasional pause in fighting.

          With respect to Iraq itself, it was stable until President Bush decided to depose Saddam Hussein. We are now seeing a civil war to decide who controls the country. Anything that the US may do in Iraq would only be a short-term solution to stop military action. In the long run, Middle East populations will always resort to violence, as they have practiced for the last two centuries or more.