Monday, October 24, 2016

Who are the Arabs who want the US to be more--NOT LESS--engaged in the Middle East?

Notice how casually the Western media conflate Arab public opinion with the opinions of Arab rulers and pundits are Gulf-funded think tanks.  They speak about Arab disappointment with Obama for not "engaging" in the region (and engagement is another name for US wars and invasions) when the people of the region have had enough of US engagements for decades.  But those correspondents they speak either to the entourage of the Gulf rulers or to pundits are Gulf-funded think tanks and they take their opinions are representatives of Arab public opinion.  Oh, they also speak to Syrian exile oppositions leaders who are part of Qatari-supported or Saudi-supported organizations.   Look at this passage in the Times: "Here in the region, the United States is seen as disengaging under President Obama, who beyond fighting the Islamic State has been reluctant to be drawn into the swirling forces shaping the Middle East."  Here in the region? Where in the region? Tel Aviv and Riyadh?