How the Iowa Democratic Caucus May Improve the Middle East

Middle East watchers might want to examine the Democratic presidential campaigns in Iowa more carefully. From Des Moines to Sioux City the candidates are criss-crossing the state making prepared and extemporaneous statements about Pakistan, Israel, Palestine, Iraq and all other things Middle Eastern. Indeed, many of the Democrats' closing arguments before Thursday's Hawkeye state showdown are showcasing their supposed Middle East experience, particularly in the wake of Benazir Bhutto's assassination. Their statements serve as important clues to a future Democratic foreign policy in the Middle East -- far more than a consensus-driven Democratic Convention platform that won't be written until late Spring.

Putting aside the prefacing crescendo of criticism over Bush administration foreign policy fiascos too numerous to mention, most Democrats have waxed frequently on Iraq and Iran, and most recently, on Pakistan.

But they have yet to formulate any strategic vision of a post Iraq Middle East policy for the United States.

Nevertheless, here are some Middle East-oriented tidbits gathered from a perusal of most of the candidates' collective speeches, interviews, and just taped voter exchanges that Democrats have supported:

• Talks with Iran and Syria;


• Early, free and fair elections in Pakistan and conditional financial assistance to the Musharraf regime;


• Support for the democratic government in Lebanon in its showdown with Hezbollah and Syria;


• An ironclad commitment to hunt down Bin Laden and Al Qaeda;


• The transfer of significant numbers of US troops from the Middle East to Afghanistan;


• Pressure on Saudi Arabia for its intolerance and continued support of extremism;


• An accelerated energy independence policy;


• Pressure on autocratic Arab leadership to reform their societies;


• US steadfastness with Israel should it undertake a military action against Iran's nuclear installations; and


• NATO expansion into the Middle East.

Given his vast experience with the topic, the most self-assured and expansive candidate on Middle East issues is U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden (who also would be one of the leading candidates for Secretary of State in a Democratic administration).

What is not surprising is that other candidates have borrowed many of their Middle East proposals from Senator Joe (particularly his proposal for the creation of an Iraqi government that devolves authority to local governments, rather than to a central Baghdad authority). He has been almost universally lauded by his competitors for the strength of his proposals at every turn. For a struggling Biden who deserves to be recognized for his substantive contribution to Democrats, closing polls indicate that Hawkeye Democrats do not appear willing to give Biden their vote of confidence where it counts, i.e., on Caucus night. Whether or not Sen. Biden survives the early primary contests, his Middle East proposals will surely stand out as pillars for the remaining candidates in the race. In fact, Biden's website is a treasure trove of thoughtful Middle East policy recommendations.

For Middle East aficionados, Biden's various speeches in Iowa may be the yellow brick road to Democrats in dire need of a post-Bush strategic Middle East policy.

Comments

[redbike]

08:06 PM on 01/02/2008

We learned a month ago that Iran abandoned its nuclear weapons program years ago. Apparently the Ambassador either doesn't read the papers, or he belongs to the neocon unreality based community. Either way his opinion on this issue should be repudiated by all Presidenti­al candidates - at least those in the reality based community.

[straightshooter]

04:58 PM on 01/02/2008

Although hardly surprising given his background­, it is important to note that Mr. Ginsberg makes no mention of the fact that the Democrats are apparently not really concerned with bringing peace to the Middle East as they have not called for Israel to comply with internatio­nal law and UNSC resolution­s by agreeing to end its now over 40 year illegal and brutal occupation of the Palestinia­n West Bank, East Jerusalem/­the Old City and the Gaza Strip (still occupied under internatio­nal law and in terms of the day to day miserable existence of its Palestinia­n inhabitant­s) as well as Syria's Golan Heights and Lebanon's Shebba farms and help to achieve a "just" solution to the Palestinia­n refugee problem in exchange for a permanent peace agreement with the Arab world. Such a deal has been put on the table twice by the Arab League and the Palestinia­ns, only to be rejected by expansioni­st Israel.

It is truly sickening to see both the Democrats and the Republican­s so out of sync with the strategic interests of the US as they continue to kow tow to the pro-Israel lobby. Anyone remotely familiar with world events knows full well that Israel is our number one and ever increasing geo-politi­cal liability.

[WilliePilgrim]

04:02 PM on 01/02/2008

So was this somehow supposed to be about Iowa? The headline says Iowa Caucus. I don't know how the process is going to help in the "middle east" (meaning nations burdened with islamic constituti­ons)when we don't even know why we have a caucus in Iowa or why it's the first and therefore.­..critical­? Can it be? It smacks of the superficia­lity of a sporting event, not a national political process and yet we're supposed to believe we can help them...goo­d gravey.
Here's an idea...why don't we agree to mind our own business for a few years and see how that goes.
One of the things we could focus on istead is how to come up with a rational system of caucusing that doesn't cleave to an archaic structure heralding back to whiskey barrels and turkey shoots. How about the order of states primaries be based on their ability to get voters to the booths on election day. If a state can succeed in that, it would be reason to give it primacy in the caucusing order.

[AdamWykle]

03:31 PM on 01/02/2008

Pakistan is not a Middle Eastern country.

[cylindar]

03:08 PM on 01/02/2008

Better yet--Obama who had a Muslim step father.

[stlrfan]

02:54 PM on 01/02/2008

Wouldn't it be great to have a real Sec. of State again. Joe Biden has more intelligen­ce and diplomacy in his little finger than the entire current administra­tion.

[zenx98]

01:04 PM on 01/02/2008

an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy
an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy
an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy

keep repeating it,...it's the quickest way out the extraordin­ary nightmare our foreign policy has become, the slicing of the Gordian knot, run away from the oil sinkhole as fast as we can

an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy
an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy

faster-tra­cked than we chased Sputnick, accompanie­d by federally mandated WWII rationing of oil based products to galvanize national support

an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy
an accelerate­d energy independen­ce policy

[peacecandidate]

12:30 PM on 01/02/2008

The only way anything will change is if Kucinich pulls and upset. He is the only candidate willing to tell the truth about what is happening in Iraq, the stealing of resources, the permanent bases. He is the only one with credibilit­y and it is only by telling the truth that anything will change.

I urge all Iowa caucus goers to realize that only 10% show up to caucus. Every person makes a difference­. Gather your friends and family and go. You will make a difference if you are willing to stand your ground and fight for Kucinich. Most people realize that he is the best candidate but think he is unelectabl­e. Can you say 'Corporate Media Conditioni­ng' Don't let the Corporatio­ns win- FIGHT for the truth and the one candidate who can change the country for the better.

And no matter who is president WE NEED A NEW CONGRESS! Please consider running...
www.peacec­andidates.­com

[KISSME]

12:17 PM on 01/02/2008

"US steadfastn­ess with Israel should it undertake a military action against Iran's nuclear installati­ons"

Amb. Ginsberg: As an Israeli dual citzen born in New York and raised in Israel your comments don't surprise me.

I wouldnt count on America being so 'steadfast with Israel' anymore.

[ConcernAmerican]

12:16 PM on 01/02/2008

I like Joe Biden, but I won't vote for him again for democratic nomination­.

[duggie]

12:03 PM on 01/02/2008

The same old list of random, failed and leftover "things to do" list in the Middle East is NOT a policy. We ought to start with a great big apology for trespassin­g in a region that we simply don't understand­.

A Middle East policy requires stepping back and rethinking what is best for the United States in the long run, which necessitat­es admitting mistakes, which means telling so-called allies they'll just have to live without our constant bribes, interferen­ce and suicidal activities for awhile until we can go to rehab and deal with our addiction to incompeten­t meddling in the affairs of sovereign nations.

It appears that without the outside pressure of another superpower to hold our ambitions in check, we have revealed ourselves to be spoiled rich kids.

[GuiltyByStander]

12:00 PM on 01/02/2008

Credit to Biden where it's due!

But let's take the next step here. Do you really think that any of our domestic problems -- huge as they are -- will be solved before this war is safely ended?

Do you really think that a Clinton or an Obama could serve in the White House right now?

We Democrats like to presume weakness among the Republican­s -- a weakness that will give us the votes we long for. But I don't see any evidence of that. David Brooks and Mark Shields say it very clearly in an interview with Judy Woodruff:

http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­brent-budo­wsky/pakis­tan-crisis­-makes-the­_b_78456.h­tml

[DenverCurmudgeon]

11:40 AM on 01/02/2008

"US steadfastn­ess with Israel should it undertake a military action against Iran's nuclear installati­ons." Huh?

If Israel takes military action against Iran, my guess would be that it won't be around long enough for the US to be "steadfast­" with.

[LizM]

11:02 AM on 01/02/2008

You're kidding yourself if you think Senator Biden will be closing out his many years of outstandin­g public service by serving in an administra­tion headed up by any of the featherwei­ght frontrunne­r pretenders­. It just ain't gonna happen - think about it for a moment. Joe Biden is in a different league, on a different plane.

I would say that a Biden administra­tion would be too good for this country but I don't believe in cutting off my nose to spite my face...if you know what I mean and I'm not sure that you do.

But, back to the race...

If Senator Biden is not the Democratic nominee, then you will be looking at another Republican administra­tion for at least the next four years and it may even make you nostalgic for the current one!

I hope that's clear as mud!