AMERICA'S ARAB PROBLEM

By, Rohan Mathur

 

It is not often that a promise made by a single individual 60 some years ago has an ever lasting impact on a region or seals the fate of millions of people. What I am referring to is the deal made by President Roosevelt to Saudi King Abdul Aziz 60 years ago aboard a US aircraft carrier when Saudi Arabia had just discovered oil and America was victorious after world war two. The deal was oil for security and has been popularly called the Roosevelt Doctrine. The Saudis promised air bases and oil supplies to the US in return for American arms and protection. This deal has been upheld by every President/administration since without any change or rethink of policy given our ever changing world.

 

As the new Obama administration gets its bearings around the Middle East issue with all its complexities, it would be wise to rethink the above pact. The US has been a champion of human rights and democracy only with its foes but has conveniently forgotten that its closest allies in the world such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, etc are the biggest violators of our freedom agenda. These nations are ruled by autocratic rulers and with Oil as a weapon; they yield an enviable amount of influence around the world. Their oil wealth has made them immune to US pressure to modernize and shun their tribal way of thinking. We all must understand that even though our gulf allies enjoy one of the highest standards of living, their societies still think in traditional and often tribal ways. Getting new malls and highways might reflect 

These nations are ruled by autocratic rulers and with Oil as a weapon; they yield an enviable amount of influence around the world. Their oil wealth has made them immune to US pressure to modernize and shun their tribal way of thinking.

material progress, but is not a sign of intellectual/social progress. Women’s rights and freedom in general are unheard of. It should then come as no surprise to the US that Arab public opinion is wary of America’s influence as the populations derived of freedom turn to extremism. Their movements to reform their governments are not supported by the US as one would expect.

I am not saying that we should isolate these friendly nations and throw them to the dogs. But we have to rethink and re-strategize our policies. I am not sure if closing Gitmo was the best thing to do when we are at war. Obama did give his first interview to Al-Arabiya news channel which represents moderate Arab voices and helps explain our position to the Muslim world. This was a step in the right direction as it shows a more humane side of this nation and helps to isolate anti-American voices. The administration should work actively to bolster up reform movements in nations like Saudi Arabia and press the government for more freedoms.

 

We have to be prepared that some of these nations may have popular voices that are against the US but in the long run, the world will be better off with a more democratic Middle East. A beginning has been made with Iraq. As the saying goes, free societies do not fight with each other, they discuss and debate. Time has come to break the shackles of Oil and embrace a new beginning for the Arab street. This would be an important legacy that Obama could leave as a precedent for future administrations and from that day it would fondly be called the Obama Doctrine.