Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The New Rhetoric of US Middle East Policy: there is a new language. This is most interesting. You notice a new trend in how US officials now articulate the US "vision" for a "new" Middle East. Here is Rice: "Who could have imagined the positive changes we have already witnessed in places as different as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait and Morocco, and Jordan?" (thanks Mounzer). Notice that she talks about "positive changes." The US has now settled for Arab governments' support for Israel and its wars instead of superficial cosmetic "reforms." Arab rulers learned the trick. I mean, when she talks about "positive changes" in a place like Saudi Arabia she can only be referring to Saudi support for Israel's war on Lebanon.