Violence In The Middle East And The Sykes-Picot Agreement

Practically all the modern states of the Middle East were influenced by the Sykes-Picot Agreement. This Agreement has caused more death and destruction than any other Middle East Document.

The Sykes-Picot Agreement has literally been the cornerstone of Europe's and England's Middle East policy since its acceptance and enactment in May of 1916. The agreement was originally a secret document that was initiated by Mark Sykes - a Briton and Francois Georges-Picot - a Frechman. It's purpose was to establish territorial control and spheres of influence in what is now the Middle East and other areas that belonged to the Ottoman-Turks.

The various policy positions of the French and British governments on the Palestinian and Jewish issues during the 1920s, 30s, during and After World War II can be traced to Skyes-Picot and its subsequent agreements and the Balfour Declarations of 1917 and 1926. (See: Sykes-Picot)

When the French and British governments decided to carve up the Ottoman-Turk Empire after World War I, their diplomats paid little attention to the ethnic hostilities that were rampant in the region at the time. They were more concerned about economic advantages, political expediency and subduing the ethnic populations.

Consequently, the Kurds (almost 30 million today) were denied a homeland (Kurdistan). Sunni, Shi'ite and Kurds were lumped together in Iraq and a huge segment of Kurdistan was given to the Turks. Even today, Turkish government leaders do not want an independent Kurdistan on their border. Persians and Medes; along with a huge Shi'ite population were thrown together in Iran.

The Balfour Declarations supported an independent Palestine and an independent Israel. The Palestinians were denied a homeland, not by the Jews, America, Britian or France. The Arabs denied them a homeland. Arab governments made the decision that a Palestinian state would not be in territories they controlled. If Palestine were going to exist, it would be in the land allocated to the Jews.

There was little or no justification for the Arab position because there was never an autonomous Palestine within the Ottoman-Turk Empire. Palestine existed in name only as a former Roman Province. In 140 AD, Hadrian changed the name of Israel to Palestine. Therefore, if the Palestinians wanted an antonomous homeland they had to take it from its legitimate owners, the Jews. Arab governments have supported this position since that time.

The animosities Muslims harbor against the West can be traced back to the brutal suppression they experienced at the hands of their colonial masters. Prior to World I, the vast majority of Americans had little or no interest in European politics. As a nation, we did not want to enter World I or World II, even though we were quietly supporting the Allies in both Wars. Pearl Harbor and Hitler's Declaration of War changed all that during World War II.

America is involved in this Middle East quagmire for the following reasons:

1. We are basically the military arsenal of the Western Powers; i.e, France, Britian, Italy, Germany, Spain, etc. and the only remaining super power on the planet.

2. The Soviet Union, now Russia, has been sympathetic toward Middle Eastern foreign policy positions since the 1950s. During World War II, "Radical Islamic" groups had their own SS divisions, courtesy of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich.

3. Europe's military industrial complex was largely dismantled after World War II and the task of defending Europe was literally given to America. Therefore, "Islamic Radicals" believe, and rightly so, that if America is destroyed, Europe and England will eventually fall.

As you can see, this long standing hatred of the West, because of poor diplomacy, has been transferred to America by default. Over the past 50 years, Western Europe has become much more sympathetic to Arab policies and has huge Muslim populations. Hence, "Islamic Radicals" truly believe that the only obstacle to their eventual conquest of Europe and the world is America.

Even though President Bush was literally dragged into this conflict because of 9/11, I firmly believe he is one of the few American Presidents that truly understands the dangers of an all out war with Muslim extremist. Even President Nixon believed a war with "Radical Islamic" groups was inevitable. It was reported that Nixon also believed America and the West would lose, and the best strategy to adopt was to delay the war as long as possible.

Unfortunately, "Radical Islamic" groups struck first in the 1980s overseas, again in the 90s overseas, and finally America on 9/11/2001. President Bush believes we can win this war. I believe we can win it also as long as we keep "Liberals" and their warped philosophical views out of power. Once, they are entrenched, "Liberals" and their supporters will eventually try to appease "Radical Islam" and create absolute disaster.

President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld's only miscalculation was fighting "Radical Islam" in Iraq with too small an Army. Our intelligence failed us again. We would have been much better off pursuing Osama Bin Laden , the remnants of Al-Qaida and the Taliban into Pakistan. The violence in the Middle East and this war are going to last for a long, long time.