Noel S. Anderson, Ph.D.

June 28, 2010 | District

Obama Needs a New Mideast Policy (Pt. 2)

I just returned from amazing travel through Turkey, walking the cosmopolitan streets of Istanbul and trekking through the valleys in the central part of the country. Before I left everyone warned me to “be careful”, to “watch your back over there”. Now, granted, I was flying into Istanbul at the same time there was heightened tension between the US and Turkey over the events surrounding the attack on a Turkish flotilla attempting to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, which was under blockade by Israel. So the warnings were sincere and heartfelt. Yet, I joked with friends that on the hierarchy of desirable Americans to mess with abroad and to attract international press attention, a Black male professor from New York City would probably not be high on the list.

But when I arrived to Istanbul I was stunned more by how the media in the “West” continue to shape (or distort) our perception of the “East”. We are told to fear those in the “Islamic world”, as if such a thing exists. Mainstream journalists like Thomas Friedman reinforce our fear and ignorance by writing that “Turkey is moving more toward the Arab League… Hezbollah-Iran resistance front against Israel” as if the European Union has kept its promises and offers great refuge. His half-baked analysis of complex Anatolian politics is what is problematic, and continues to situate things in an “us/them” scenario that doesn’t inform, just makes us afraid.

The core of mideast strife continues to be Israel and Palestine. And an antiquated U.S. foreign policy toward the mideast exacerbates this strife. Granted, President Obama is much more sensitive (and informed) to the dynamic history of the mideast than George W. Bush ever was. However, I fear Obama is moving more toward toothless policies of previous administrations. Unfortunately, he wants an Israel-Palestine two state solution as the previous Clinton administration attempted to speed through, but has not attempted to address in any substantive way the increasing apartheid taking place in Palestine, particularly in Gaza. The idea of two states co-existing when one is held in arrested development by the other will just continue to breed discontent and anger abroad.

Reorganizing foreign aid that is linked to provisions and demands for peace in Israel and Palestine is a start. Ending protracted wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that continue to destabilize the mid-east are other major needed steps. We need a new bold agenda and not business as usual.

Dr. Noel S. Anderson is Associate Professor of Political Science and Education at the City University of New York - Brooklyn College. His work focuses on urban politics, human development and education and comparative issues in public policy (U.S. and South Africa).