How the US has made bad situations worse in the Middle East

by Tony Magliano · August 14, 2014

The heart wrenching tragedies throughout the Middle East are not the United States� fault, that is, at least not entirely.

A man and three children flee violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State in Sinjar, Iraq, Aug. 10. Islamic State militants have killed at least 500 Yezidi ethnic minorities, an Iraqi human rights minister said. (CNS photo/Rodi Said, Reuters)

The fact that many Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims distrust each other, that the Allies established artificial national boundaries to suite their interests after World War I, and that ruthless dictators past and present have often oppressed their people are major reasons why much of the Middle East is broken and bleeding.

But the U.S. has made several bad situations in the Middle East far worse.

In Egypt, according to the Congressional Research Service, since 1987 the U.S. has given that nation $1,3 billion per year in military aid despite the fact that it was long ruled by the dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Israel�s illegal occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, its refusal to allow subjugated Palestinians to form an independent nation, and the strangling blockade and brutal invasion of Gaza would not be possible without the approximate $3 billion in annual American aid and the United States� refusal to demand that Israel reverse course here.

While it is a sad truth that under the dictator Saddam Hussein many Iraqis suffered, it is an even sadder truth that the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq caused even greater suffering to countless Iraqis.

After nearly nine years of war, hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi children, women and men are dead, over 4,480 American troops were killed, and Iraq overall is in a far worse state.

Furthermore, the U.S. war with Iraq unleashed deadly Islamist attacks upon thousands of Iraqi Christians.

In a CBS 60 Minutes segment, Rev Andrew White, an Anglican priest who has a long history of ministry in Iraq, said the situation there was clearly worse for Christians than it was under the Saddam Hussein regime.

And according to a Fox News report earlier this year, Fr. White said that in the past five years 1,096 of his own parishioners were killed.

He said that out of the 1,5 million Christians living in Iraq in 2003, only around 200,000 remain.

And now with the Islamic State controlling a large part of Iraq, the remaining Christian population is suffering even worse.

There can be no doubt that the U.S. invasion of Iraq made a bad situation far worse.

Three years ago, the U.S. led an aerial attack against the regime of Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi leaving that nation awash in weapons which continue to help fuel the warring militias that have since been unleashed.

While U.S. bombing helped end Gaddafi�s brutal reign, it didn�t stop the suffering of the Libyan people.

Bombs kill. They do not address the root-causes of conflict. Rather, they perpetuate the cycle of violence.

Knowing that full well, and in response to President Barack Obama�s threats to bomb Syria last year, Pope Francis called on people of faith to observe September 7, 2013 as a day of prayer and fasting.

On that day the Holy Father said to over 100,000 people gathered in St. Peter�s Square, and to all of us, �Forgiveness, dialogue, reconciliation � these are the words of peace, in beloved Syria, in the Middle East, in all the world!�

The bishops of Southern Africa have called for a special day of prayer and fasting for Christians in Iraq for Friday, August 15. And on Saturday, August 16, a two-hour prayer vigil for our sisters and brothers in Iraq and Syria will be held in Cape Town� St Mary�s Cathedral in Roeland Street from 9:30 to11:30. Please invite your friends. Contact Ursulla for further information on 082 670-8229