Economic Prosperity v. War

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

In my Right Side Patriots partner Craig Andresen’s previous article, One Man Alone is Jordan’s Future, he made the case for King Abdullah’s days in power being numbered and that change will come to Jordan and the Middle East…a change for the better…a change where stability and democracy will end the decades long politically manufactured Palestinian conflict.

And Craig is right for history itself dictates that hatred and animosity between peoples can only go on for so long before it either naturally burns itself out or all-out war ignites the flames of possible annihilation. And while the entirety of the Middle East does remain the pyre upon which said war will most probably be ignited…sometimes war is the best of all options for in time war births peace and peace in turn more times than not births prosperity.

And it’s prosperity or should I say the lack thereof that is the key component of why today’s Middle East is such a mess for one tiny nation alone is the epitome of the proverbial success story…a nation rising strong and powerful upon the backs of six million dead… while the others continue to wallow in both class warfare and abject poverty…no middle ground allowed…where religious fanaticism trumps any semblance of common sense… where religious fanaticism by its very nature actually forbids any economic success.

And it’s that one tiny nation whose steely determination to succeed helped drive its economic engine forward for that one tiny nation’s people knew that with economic success all other successes naturally fall into place. And they have…as the Jewish State of Israel is not only an economic success story but a military one as well…for it’s Israel who is now the lead tile in a dangerous game of dominoes where only through lasting peace will the other dominoes comprising the Middle East be able to stand instead of toppling over one after another leaving Israel as the last tile standing…the victor in a war that reality dictates only Israel could win.

But war does not have to be the final outcome as peace can actually be attained through economics alone if only certain Arab leaders would realize that both the old and the new hatreds do not serve them, their countries, or their people well. In fact, the continuation of the status quo…including the continuation of the Palestinian conflict itself…will directly lead to worsening economic conditions within the Arab Middle East while Israel’s economy alone will continue to grow. And no amount of Arab oil can lessen the burden the people of those countries carry nor can oil be those countries sole economic driver.

And while some Arab leaders are now working to forge lasting economic ties with Israel…Saudi Arabia’s and Egypt’s leaders are two such key persons…real regional threats from the leaders of Syria and most especially Iran remain. And while the so-called Palestinians are indeed, at least on the surface, the main obstacle to peace, that obstacle is courtesy of the ongoing political posturing by Jordan’s King Abdullah who works under the radar against bringing both stability and economic reform to the region. And why…because Abdullah is a Muslim Brotherhood operative and a man who is allowing Turkey’s islamic government under Recip Erdogen’s leadership to make inroads into Jordan. But most importantly, Abdullah is smart enough to know that if the seeds of capitalistic-style economic growth are planted within his country and spread outward from there the Jordanian people themselves will no longer need nor want him in power thus signaling the end of both his personal reign and the Muslim Brotherhood’s regional reign as well.

Now enter center stage Jordan’s and the Middle East’s sole chance for a real future, and it’s via Craig and my friend Jordanian Opposition Coalition leader Mudar Zahran and his proposal of a secular government for Jordan. Mudar understands well that for stability to be brought to the region the Palestinians must be welcomed home to Jordan, their true ancestral homeland. And Mudar also knows that Israel will help him rebuild his country’s economy…an economy patterned in a way after Israel…the key to all Middle East economic success…that is once the Palestinian conflict is put to rest.

And while ending said conflict will surely afford important economic opportunities for both Jordan and the Arab countries in general, in turn it will also allow Israel to grow economically even stronger than she already is…thereby assuring she remains the region’s economic leader. How so…currently there are over 350 million Arab “consumers” in the Middle East and North Africa who are “off-limits” to Israeli exporters, goods, and services, but once peace is achieved and lasting economic ties are forged Israeli companies will then gain even more outlets for their goods and services…more outlets equating to more economic growth…more economic growth equating to more generalized success overall.

And dare we forget that once the Arab countries start openly importing Israeli goods the BDS sanctions movement against Israeli businesses and goods becomes but a mute point with Europe then falling in line with its reopening trade with Israel. And why…because by doing so it will aid Europe’s economies as well…economies now struggling to support the very muslim invaders who have both physically overrun their lands as well placed a great burden on them dollars…or should I say Euros…wise. Remember, Europe is now feeding, clothing, housing, etc., the very folks who wish them all dead…and they’re doing so at the great expense of their own people and their economic well being.

Now as for the so-called Palestinians specifically…peace with Israel will definitely bring much needed economic benefits for both the people and a government on the verge of economic collapse, because right now ongoing restrictions on economic activity and on the movement of people and goods between Israel and Gaza and Gaza and the world continues to impose both significant costs and hardships on Palestinian commerce and exports. And with Gaza currently having a 52.2% overall unemployment rate (57.8% in the key demographic ages of 15 to 29), and with the West Bank having a 32.4% overall rate of unemployment, their collective GDP growth has slowed to but a trickle if not coming to a complete halt. Now dependent on promises of foreign aid and foreign investments, even when delivered, always seems to see those monies falling into Hamas’ hands in Gaza and into the hands of Mahmoud Abbas’ PLO in the West Bank…hands that use said monies predominately to finance terrorist actions against Israel.

Sort of missing the point taught in economics 101 aren’t they for economics 101 teaches that when there’s some semblance of peace in the world…or even within a given specific region…there’s nothing that cannot be accomplished for with peace comes once unthought of economic partnerships between former enemies now working together to serve both parties well.

And if peace did become reality Israeli companies could provide employment to tens of thousands of currently unemployed Palestinian workers. In fact, Palestinian companies could partner directly with Israeli companies and together start exporting goods to the larger Arab markets. And with Israeli venture capital firms providing much needed financing, support, and the all important know-how to help export Palestinian goods, the region itself would see an increase in economic partnerships. More companies would start joining forces as economic benefits start taking hold if for no other reason than once enemies are now working together towards the common goal of shared economic prosperity.

But what if the hoped for reality of economic prosperity is not allowed to take hold…what if the “ground zero” Palestinian conflict cannot be diffused either through common sense or economic logic…what then? Simply…full-blown regional war replete with massive amounts of collateral damage breaks out.

Why war when the status quo and small skirmishes seem to have become the new accepted norm…because due to a lack of reporting by the media, unbeknownst to most is that back on March 18, 2019, there was a summit of sorts in Syria comprised of the military leaders from Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Meeting to coordinate a “region-wide military undertaking,” the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Maj.-Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, signed a “comprehensive agreement” of cooperation with his Iraqi counterpart, Lt.-Gen. Othman al-Ghanmi…Iraq…as in the very country we helped free.

And after reaching an agreement to “integrate” the air defense systems of both countries in order to “fend off the challenges facing their respective air spaces and countries”…actual translation: they fear a joint military operation sometime in the not so distant future as the U.S. and Israel…with Saudi Arabia and Egypt possibly taking part as well…join together to finally put an end to Iran’s influence in the Middle East. But the most interesting and quite unexpected surprise in all this is that Syria itself was not “integrated” into the joint air defense agreement with Iran and Iraq. And why…because the Russians would not allow it.

So what did Iran do…they secretly met behind Russia’s back with those in Damascus to discuss replacing Russian advisers, experts, and equipment with Iranian air defense missile batteries and radar. Not only was this a bit too close for comfort for Israel, but it was also a slap in the face to Russia who has been supporting Bashir al-Assad’s government forces against the anything but rebel forces. And to say Russia is not happy puts it mildly, and that’s why, I believe, we have not heard a peep from Moscow about Trump’s sending two of our war ships to the Middle East.

That and the fact that Putin and Netanyahu have trade agreements already in place… agreements benefiting both countries economically and strategically…agreements neither Russia nor Israel want jeopardized by Iran. And Russia surely knows that if there is war and if they either stay out or actually side against Iran…which in the end I feel will happen…when it is over the U.S. and Israel as the victors will give Russia their much needed Port of Tarsus as a gift, if you will.

And while Iran does not want to see the economic benefits of regional peace President Trump, Vladimir Putin, and our friend Mudar Zahran surely do. And with certain economic incentives now being put into place to hopefully help change the dynamics of Middle East peace-making…maybe even hurrying up said peace-making a bit…the reality remains that economic growth for one side can only in times of peace translate into economic growth for the other side.

So why even risk war and all its destruction and lives lost when economic agreements alone can and do lead to peace…why risk it indeed.

Copyright @ 2019 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All Rights Reserved.

https://thepatriotfactor.blogspot.com/2019/05/op-ed-economic-prosperity-v.html

*********************************************
For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen’s blog The National Patriot to read his latest article, Illusion of Truth, Circle of Lies.

***********************************************************************

RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS…LIVE!

Tuesday, May 21st, from 7 to 9pm EST on American Political Radio, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss ‘Economic Prosperity v. War’; ‘Illusions of Truth, Circle of Lies’; and important news of the day.

Hope you can tune in at: http://listen.samcloud.com/w/73891/American-Political-Radio#history…or on Tune-In at: https://tunein.com/radio/American-Political-Radio-s273246/

The post Economic Prosperity v. War appeared first on Tea Party Tribune.