U.S. Blunders Call for a Fresh Approach

The Gulf War (1990-1991) arose because of inept U.S. diplomacy, in part. That diplomacy already followed upon the U.S. taking sides and intervening during the Iraq-Iran War (1979-1987). The Gulf War brought a huge contingent of Americans into Saudi Arabia (550,000 coalition troops). The U.S. kept 5,000 troops in Saudi Arabia after the war. The government of Saudi Arabia faced domestic dissent over this. The American presence became one of the points raised by bin Laden.

One blunder has led to another and then another and another. Now, Americans are in Yemen, repeating the same mistaken methods. If the basic approach were the utmost neutrality and a hands-off attitude, the U.S. government would not entangle itself and America in the domestic issues in these countries. Americans would buy oil from whoever wants to sell it at the going price. The U.S. government would not be protecting American oil companies with services paid for by American taxpayers and, in the process, turning countries like Saudi Arabia into protectorates, taking up where the British Empire left off, and leading into one difficult situation after another. America needs a fresh approach: Neutrality.

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5:45 am on June 19, 2013