In response to a forthcoming militarized-nuclear Iran, the United States is altering its protective position previously understood with Israel while staying the course on economic sanctions placed on Iran in order to scale back tensions in the entire region. The United States will collaborate with the United Nations in a work plan, similar to that of the 2007 Sudanese design, reflecting the successful independence and consequential state-hood of South Sudan, (Edquist, 2012, Feb 7-9) consequently creating a Palestinian State. This recognized state, as well as others in the region, will be responsible for all acts of aggression within their territory, and a response from the UN Security Council will be requested if they fail to act upon the aggressors. This policy will temporarily diminish the unconditional protection of Israel the United States is currently providing as demonstrated in Mr. Obama’s declaration, “the United States will always have Israel’s back.” (Obama Cites ‘Window’ for Diplomacy on Iran Bomb, 2012)
These policies will immediately affect such problem areas for the US as the poor relations we have with Muslims in the world, the inconsistencies we have excused from the Israelis, and the general violent state of the Middle East. Our change in policy on Israel automatically earns respect for the United States from the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, while still holding strong to our alliance with Israel. As Woodrow Wilson alluded when he was outlining his 14 points, the deterrence of aggressors at the international level using democratic procedures will make the world more peaceful. (Nye, 2011, pg.104) Wilson went further when he prescribed, “humane practices for civilized nations.” (The World Must be Made Safe for Democracy, 1917) This statement ultimately requires Israel to obey the same international expectations as other nations. As we see through responses made by Israelis in the World Opinion Poll on Human Rights, Israel is the most prone to condone torture of any of the other 25 countries polled. As a democracy and close ally of the United States, the US policy towards Israel is changing significantly until that mindset realigns. (Public Opinion on Global Issues, 2011)
The intervention of economic sanctions on Iran is just as important as the course change for Israel because it places considerable pressure on the Iranian government by its people, dissuading the state from continuing on the path of opposing the desires of the international community. (Nye, 2011, pg.197) This action will eventually demilitarize Tehran’s nuclear program as the sanctions cause such national austerity, that the Iranian people turn against their leader forcing him to give up a weapons of mass destruction objective.
The act of assisting the Palestinian nation to become a legitimate state is the most questionable issue in this policy change, and yet, is easily justified by the balance of a prior intervention exception outlined by political scientist Michael Walzer. (Nye, 2011, pg200) Although Walzer holds a non-intervention stance for the international community, the UN partition plan of 1947 was an imbalanced intervention of its time. The United States is finally taking this opportunity to reflect the justice its constitution personifies with these actions in the Middle East. When combining a passive Iran with a legitimate Palestinian state and a tethered Israel, the Middle East will find a cooperative tone and tensions will ease.
Beyond the immediate goal of improving America’s political stance in the Arab/Israeli world, a long-term ambition for these policies is to have Iran, Israel, and Palestine capable of caring for their people and their nations with minimal security concerns. The United States and Israel being free from the threat of a nuclear Iran and nuclear proliferation in the region are two, more specific, objectives for these policies.
Machiavelli wrote, “…he who was best known to play the fox has had the best success.” (Machiavelli, 1532, pg34) In order for these policy changes to be successful, the American president must convince Israelis that what they crave most, the recognition of its right to exist behind secure borders as a Jewish state, (Nye, 2011, pg217) can only be accomplished by allowing the Palestinian’s to have a state of their own. The American people and the Arab League will also need convincing but since there is not a single Arab League Member on the UN Security Council (Edquist, 2012, Feb 3) that may lessen the amount of coaxing necessary. Palestine is doing their part in the process by using soft power in a focused campaign for recognition at the United Nations. (Obama Cites ‘Window’ for Diplomacy on Iran Bomb, 2012) Russia and China are also assisting by voting for the UN resolution that required Iran to allow weapons inspectors into their facilities, unlike the case in Syria where China and Russia’s vetoes have tied the hands of the Security Council. (Russia’s Lavrov seeks peace in Syria as forces bombard Homs, 2012)
The best possible consequence of any strategy is to create a long shadow of the future according to political scientist Robert Axelrod. (Nye, 2011, p19) The prisoners’ dilemma teaches us that the more you can trust your opponent the longer you will be able to stay in the game before a player defects. If cooperation is the central focus of international politics then the future will have few defectors and many committed players. The United States will be cooperating fully with individual states as well as the international community and will lengthen the shadow of her future considerably by keeping this balance.
Work Cited
- Edquist, Kristin. Eastern Washington University, Government 204 Class Lectures: 1st Intervention, 2nd United Nations. Cheney, WA. Winter Quarter 2012.
- Landler, Mark. (2012, March 5). Obama Cites ‘Window’ for Diplomacy on Iran Bomb. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from New York Times online.
- Nye, Joseph. (2011). Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation: An Introduction to Theory and History. (8th edition) United States: Pearson Education Inc.
- Wilson, Woodrow. The World Must be Made Safe for Democracy. Address to Congress. Washington D.C. (April 2, 1917).
- Council on Foreign Relations. Public Opinion on Global Issues: Chapter 8: World Opinion on Human Rights. www.cfr.org/public_opinion (2011, December 6)
- Machiavelli, Niccolo. (1532) The Prince: Recommendations for the Prince. Trans. N. H. Thomson. New York: P. F. Collier & Son, (1910).
- Oweis, Khaled Yacoub. (2012, February 7). Russia’s Lavrov seeks peace in Syria as forces bombard Homs. from Reuters online.
United States Policy Position
by
Betty J. Craipo
Govt. 204
Winter Quarter 2012
Dr. Kristin Edquist
Argumentative Essay
Betty J. Craipo 