Rashid Khalidi - Western Footprints and America's Perilous Past in the Middle East (2004)

Khalidi speaks on the history of occupying forces the Middle East and how it relates to the United States' invasion of Iraq. He makes several points. First, nothing that Germany and Japan occupations were accepted by the people and that Americans do not have first-hand experience with occupation, he argues that illegitimate Military occupations always produce opposition. Second, he says the people of the Middle East have strongly resisted Western country over two centuries. He argues that America's intentions are irrelevant, that it only matters how the occupied people perceive America's actions. Third, he says there is a strong tradition of constitutionalism in the Middle East for over a century. Fourth, he notes that oil has been controlled by outsiders for most of the 20th Century in the context of the Bush administration's history in the oil business. He believes the war is at least partially about oil rights. Fifth, he notes that the question of Palestine has alienated people in the Middle East regarding the West. Sixth, he believes that people in the Middle East base their opinions on the West on the acts of the West, not words, recalling previous Western occupiers' words. Seventh, he mentions that the United States used to enjoy a popular reputation in the Middle East as it was seen as an anti-colonial body. However, he now believes there is a new era of American foreign policy where it forces outcomes upon others when all other forms of diplomacy have failed. Being extremely critical of the Bush administration's, particularly Paul Wolfowitz, conduct of the war, calling it a faith-based, fact-free policy in Iraq. He calls for a complete withdraw of American forces and for America to hand Iraq over to the international community.

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