The Arab Spring Continues

November16th, 2010

Earlier this year protests erupted across North Africa and the Middle East after a Tunisian man named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself ablaze. Like most people, the demonstrators are seeking a better life. They are tired of corruption, failing economies, and dogmatic leadership. This sentiment is also echoed in the West. Violence and frustration has been clearly denoted in the United Kingdom, and the Occupy Wall Street movement currently occurring in the United States. This post, however, will focus solely on the recent events in Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen.

Hosni Murbarak

Much has happened since my last post about Egypt. The once proud Hosni Mubarak has been charged with murder and taken to court. Lying on a stretcher, in poor health and within a cage, he watched as the proceedings deteriorate into an all out brawl. Lawyers on each side were literally exchanging punches instead of arguments. Despite his decades of harsh leadership many are still loyal to the ex-dictator, and there is much internal debate about his persecution.

Outside the courtroom the people continue to protest. Yes, this may seem odd to the outsider, but Egyptians are still weary of the interim military government. They are frustrated with the slow progress, and concerned about certain recent events. Since Mubarak left office thousands of military trials have taken place, and a number of people have been incarcerated.  Alaa Abd El Fattah, for example, is a blogger who has been jailed for encouraging violence against the military. According to a number of sources his incarceration is unwarranted.

There have also been vicious attacks between the Coptic Christian minority and the Islamic majority. Churches have been burned. Mosques have been bombed. One incident involved a group of Christian protesters seeking protection against future aggression to Church property.  Some vagabonds threw gasoline bombs at the protesters who were apparently blocking the streets. The confrontation occurred late Saturday, quickly escalated, and was not quelled until Sunday. Dozens were killed and hundreds were injured. These types of acts will continue to fan the flames of decent making the creation of a new Egyptian government increasing difficult.

Victorious!

In Libya, after months of intense fighting, the rebels have captured and killed Muammar Gaddafi with the support of NATO. My prediction that Europe and the United States would not intervene was thankfully wrong. Now comes the tough part--nation building. As the United States has learned in Afghanistan and Iraq this is not an easy task. The many factions in Libya will have to work together and unite for the good of the nation. This will be a slow messy process that could easily go astray by another strong military leader. Libyan's may also find tight purse strings in the West with the consistently dismal European and American economies. (China and the East may have to step in on this one.)

Yemen: Madness!

Now on to Yemen and Syria. In both nations foreign support boils down to harsh words and economic sanctions followed by inaction. Yemen is especially dis-concerning. Al Qaida has been very busy in this gulf nation at times taking over entire towns in the south. Add to this deadly mix an opposition force resisting a government crackdown, and you have a recipe for instability. Until the political house is in order people will continue to die and the economy will falter further. President Saleh has repeatedly stated that he will not transfer power, and until he does I fear this bloody mess will persist.

A similar scenario can be found in Syria. President Bashar al-Assad refuses to step down, and has initiated a brutal government crackdown. The United States, and other nations, have enacted sanctions against his rule with little effect. Even the Arab League has revoked Syria's membership, and if the crackdown does not cease within the next three days they too will issue economic sanctions. All the while the death tole and violence continues to increase.

Syrian Protesters

Western powers are unlikely to step into Yemen or Syria. President Obama will continue to use his favorite toy--drones--to take out whoever he sees fit. He will not commit American forces to another war after championing the withdrawal from Iraq--and hopefully soon Afghanistan. NATO is still dealing with Libya, and seems unlikely to shift their attention elsewhere. According to Al Jazeera, the UN has it's hand tied in regards to Syria because of Assad's strong relations with Russia and China. In Yemen, the UN continues to send myopic compromises that satisfy no one, and it is highly dubious that any serious action will be taken.

Boy o' boy what a mess. Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen will not see their situations improve anytime soon. This, however, is not unexpected. Nation building is a long difficult process that takes even longer when done under the guise of a democracy. With the right leadership these nations can join the West and East in Americanized Globalization; further shrinking the Gap.

I am thrilled to be witnessing such dramatic change from one of the most dogmatic parts of the world. I am also continually optimistic that the sacrifices of these protesters will eventually lead to a more prosperous Middle East/North Africa. Patience and perseverance are key. After all it took the United States dozens of wars and a civil rights movement (over 150 years) to get where it is today.

The Last Battleground of North America

Mexico is the last battleground in North America. An estimated 34,000 people have died since the government crackdown initiated by President Felipe Calderon. It all began with the best intentions. In December of 2006 he sent 6,500 troops into Michoacan in response to a series of nasty executions. Cartels responded to the arrests, and further government pressure, with increased violence using sophisticated weaponry like grenades, RPG's, Kevlar helmets, and IED's.

Lock and Loaded

The turmoil has elevated over the years, and frequently crosses the border. Drugs move easily across the two countries, and occasionally a murder will occur on the north side of the fence. Include the deaths related to drug use, and the American KIA count goes even higher. Now imagine living in the war torn towns of Mexico. Going to a night club and finding decapitated heads thrown on the dance floor. Or finding your family killed because you took up a job in law enforcement. These atrocities need to stop, and they're happening too close to home for my comfort.

America, this is the war in your backyard. Rather you like it or not you are already a participant. American addicts provide the demand for Mexican drugs. American manufacturers satisfy the armament demands of the Mexican cartels. Even the American recession provides a labor source. I was shocked to learn that a cartel employee was an Iraq veteran named Roberto Lopez. He couldn't find a legit job when he returned home, and working for the cartel supported his family. I thought our military was suppose to provide valuable training that could be applied to the private sector. When will American leaders take action against these important issues?

I choose not to include the photos with decapitations.

In my humble opinion two steps would help resolve this problem. (More may be needed.)


First, the inevitable troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq should be used to fuel an increased presence in Mexico. This would require an unprecedented amount of cooperation between Mexico and America. Canada should also be heavily included to help further diminish violence in North America. This can be done, and the more organized less corrupt military force would be the driving force.

Another huge issue stems from the average Mexican civilian trust of a foreign army. Historically the people of Mexico have not enjoyed being invaded, and the cartels can easily manipulate the masses against an occupying force. Our military would have to convince them that they are protected from the cartels threats. The good old win the hearts and minds idea. The combined power of civilian trust and government cooperation would severely challenge the drug cartels current operations. The progress towards this goal would be slow, and everyone would have to exercise great patience, but it is feasible.

The second major step is to address the American supply problem. This country distributes cash and guns to the cartels. This must stop. Popular suggestions include the legalization of certain drugs. This would facilitate local production and diminish the demand for Mexican imports. Job creation would see net increases related to production, distribution, and consumption. New laws would have to be written to ensure businesses acted responsibly, and children were protected/deterred from drug use. Mirroring liquor and pharmaceutical legislation would be a great start. Americas War on Drugs has failed. We must find a different way to deal with our drug addictions that doesn't involve prisons and cartels.

Cartel Territories

Government agencies should turn their attention away from the drug wars and focus more on the arms race. The ease at which the drug cartels buy weapons is appalling. The old Founding Fathers, Second Amendment, argument doesn't make sense in this scenario. We are providing our enemies, who live right next door, with the means to kill us. This happens all to often throughout American history, and will continue to happen for some time. When will the USA stop giving into greed, and strengthen the gun laws?

Ending the War on Drugs, and defeating the cartels will not be easy. Ideally the efforts to close the last battleground would lead to a more united North America. An example of cooperation that could far exceed the European Union. This, however, will not occur as long as the cartels are left unchecked.

Sources:

Wikipedia
WPR
LA Times
AP
CBS