FINALLY

THE BEST HOPE

Finally, the United States is going to talk with Iran and Syria. Let’s hope it’s not too little too late.

Regardless, it’s a good sign that diplomacy is being given a chance. It may help lower the risk of a wider conflict arising out of the Iraq war. However, it will not reduce the animosity of radical forces in Iraq and Afghanistan toward the west. That will happen only when western forces take a dramatically different policy approach to those two countries.

The wounds inflicted on the people of those nations by the U.S. and NATO will take a long time to heal.

What’s needed next, is a joint declaration by the United States and NATO that the west will cease all military operations immediately and deal with both governments on humanitarian and re-construction grounds only.

Such an approach could be facilitated by a peaceful coalition of western and muslim states, under the guidance of the United Nations. Members would include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan along with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. Western members of what might be named the Coalition for Peace and Reconstruction, (CPR), would be chosen by the Security Council.

The internal problems in both Iraq and in Afghanistan, must be dealt with internally.

Once that declaration is issued and troop withdrawals begin, governments in North America and Europe can focus on their primary problem, i.e. domestic security.

It means admitting they were wrong, but for the U.S. and NATO, it’s the best hope..