In a departure from almost 60 years of American Middle East policy, the Bush administration hasn't intervened to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah or made a serious effort to negotiate a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The White House instead has sought to transform the region by ousting or isolating regimes that support terrorism and by promoting democracy. It argues that past administrations' attempts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East have failed and that more radical change is needed.
In the latest crisis in Lebanon, where Israel has been battering Lebanon-based Hezbollah, President Bush has placed a premium on weakening or dismantling Hezbollah, rather than stopping the violence. So far, however, democracy in Lebanon hasn't resulted in the elimination of Hezbollah; instead, the militant group has been strengthened by elections. And withholding U.S. shuttle diplomacy while allowing Israel to proceed with military force could end up increasing support not only for Hezbollah but also for al-Qaida and other Islamist militant groups. "Everybody abhors the loss of innocent life," Bush said Tuesday. "On the other hand, what we recognize is that the root cause of the problem is Hezbollah. And that problem must be addressed internationally by making it clear to Syria that they've got to stop their support to Hezbollah." |