I was talking on the phone with a former Syrian colleague of mine (I do some proof-reading for him on occasion). He said that in the entire Arab world, 80% of the people would be in favor of a war with Israel, because of teachings in the Koran and because of the war in Gaza.
So true and so sad for the Arab world that they can't manage to to reach a point where they can help themselves. Their only way of dealing with problems is uber-violence
The Arabs are fractious. The republican Arab states (Egypt, Syria and Iraq) drank the Kool Aid of Arab nationalism (thereby securing the undying admiration of the US State Department) but seethe with toxic, atavistic, hatreds downstream from the Koran and hadiths, while the desert princes (Qatar excepted) who are more assured in their faith and traditions opt for pragmatism.
The French are playing with fire. Instability in Egypt could easily flood Europe with refugees on a far greater scale than the Syrian civil war.
Macron probably wants to be a bigger player on the world stage and thinks that more French activity in the Mideast will redound to the eternal glory of France. And increase France's popularity in the Arab world, bringing even more glory.
True. There would also be commercial reasons. Arms sales (subsidised by the EU and, presumably, Qatar and other parties keen for a war against Israel) Egyptian military prowess could be used to advertise the value of French weaponry. Egypt can be used to advance French interests in the hydrocarbon fields of the eastern Mediterranean.
Whatever the reason, Paris is IMHO insane. There are safer, more reliable, ways to promote French interests in the Middle East.
I was talking on the phone with a former Syrian colleague of mine (I do some proof-reading for him on occasion). He said that in the entire Arab world, 80% of the people would be in favor of a war with Israel, because of teachings in the Koran and because of the war in Gaza.
So true and so sad for the Arab world that they can't manage to to reach a point where they can help themselves. Their only way of dealing with problems is uber-violence
The Arabs are fractious. The republican Arab states (Egypt, Syria and Iraq) drank the Kool Aid of Arab nationalism (thereby securing the undying admiration of the US State Department) but seethe with toxic, atavistic, hatreds downstream from the Koran and hadiths, while the desert princes (Qatar excepted) who are more assured in their faith and traditions opt for pragmatism.
The French are playing with fire. Instability in Egypt could easily flood Europe with refugees on a far greater scale than the Syrian civil war.
Macron probably wants to be a bigger player on the world stage and thinks that more French activity in the Mideast will redound to the eternal glory of France. And increase France's popularity in the Arab world, bringing even more glory.
True. There would also be commercial reasons. Arms sales (subsidised by the EU and, presumably, Qatar and other parties keen for a war against Israel) Egyptian military prowess could be used to advertise the value of French weaponry. Egypt can be used to advance French interests in the hydrocarbon fields of the eastern Mediterranean.
Whatever the reason, Paris is IMHO insane. There are safer, more reliable, ways to promote French interests in the Middle East.
Exactly!
Is there anything to the notion of constructing a Druze buffer zone?