THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, September 21, 1979 19
U.S. Middle East Policy: Crisis in Confidence
By ALON BEN-MEIR
Despite the historic suc-
cess of President Carter's
negotiation of a peace treaty
between Israel and Egypt,
U.S. prestige in the Middle
East has recently plunged
to its lowest ebb since the
war of 1967.
This situation is an unfor-
tunate consequence of the
crisis of confidence that has
developed between the U.S.
and its allies in the Middle
st. The crisis has worse-
because of the abortive
U.S. effort to manipulate
UN Resolution 242 and to
draw the PLO into the au-
tonomy negotiations.
• Three sets of factors un-
doubtedly helped to precipi-
tate the crisis: the Adminis-
tration's over-zealousness
intrying to score a success
in the autonomy negotia-
tions as a way of compensat-
ing for Carter's failure to
cope with America's domes-
tic, social and economic ills;
the lack of coordinated ef-
fort among the various pol-
icy makers — Cyrus Vance,
Robert Strauss and Zbig-
niew Brzezinski — and
their inability to produce a
coherent policy, all coupled
with intramural jealousy
and a struggle for power;
and President Carter's
equivocating attitudes and
his efforts to shape a Middle
East policy designed to help
him win re-election in 1980.
The net result has been
confusion and inevitably,
inept and contradictory
policy-making. And, also
almost inevitably, the
new policies and their ob-
jectives were virtually
bound to create a crisis of
confidence in the Ad-
ministration among the
various participants in
the Middle East. Israel
and the Arab world, in-
cluding Egypt, feel that
the U.S. has either shifted
toward the other side or
has not shifted enough to
effect any serious
change.
Recent developments in
the UN which precipitated
Andrew Young's resigna-
tion, plus the U.S. effort to
introduce certain changes
in the UN resolutions, have
further alienated the Is-
raelis.
Many Israeli officials
openly concede that Israel
can no longer trust the U.S.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and
the other "moderate" Arab
states feel betrayed by the
U.S. inability to influence
Israel while the collapse of
Iran and the poor U.S. han-
dling of that situation re-
main fresh in their memory.
To be sure, the more
radical Arab states, such
as Syria and Iraq, remain
suspicious of U.S. Middle
East policies. What is new
is the extent to which the
most radical Arab states,
such as Libya, Algeria,
and South Yemen (with
the support and blessing
of the PLO`) are now will-
ing to defy the U.S.
openly and actively to
undermine the U.S. posi-
tion throughout the Mid-
dle East.
fir
depend on whether or not
each side can cooperate
with the other.
However, under no cir-
cumstances can the U.S.
sacrifice one interest for the
other.
Perhaps President Carter
should take another hard
look at his presidency and
its effect on U.S. national
interests. Neither our
friends in the Middle East
nor our adversaries seem to
take this Administration
seriously.
Will President Carter rise
to the occasion or will be
continue to conduct busi-
ness as usual, thus making
his 1980 re-election central
to both his domestic and
foreign policy?
MACK PITT &
His Orchestra
Best Wishes For
A HAPPY & HEALTHY
NEW YEAR
cw—
HURTIG INTERIORS
559-8209
CUSTOM DRAPES VERTICAL and SUMUNE BUNDS
PLASTIC VIEW "SEE THRU" SHADES - WOVEN WOODS
"All we have of freedom—all we use or know—
This our fathers bought for us, long and long ago."
—Rudyard Kipling
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PRESIDENT CARTER
Although the deteriorat-
ing U.S. position can be at-
tributed to. many causes,
there is no doubt that the
vacillation of the Carter
Administration on Middle
East questions is the single
most important contribut-
ing cause of this develop-
ment. President Carter has
failed to project both the
power and prestige of this
country. The U.S., as a
world power, has been los-
ing steadily in stature and
has been accused of capitu-
lation when faced with dif-
ficult decisions.
The U.S. must make it
Illustrated Calendar Draws
Upon Classics, Art of Ages
Calendars provide oppor-
tunities for expressive illus-
trating of the events relat-
to the year under con-
'deration.
Often, calendars contain
quotable features that re-
late to important days in the
year.
There are classic treats in
calendars and every week,
or every month, there is
something that can be re-
produced, either art. works
or literary gems.
Holt, Rinehart and
Winston have produced an
especially impressive text,
"The Illustrated Jewish
Desk Calendar 1980."
Illuminated manu-
script pages of medieval
renaissance and modern
origin feature the text.
Vision,
Zechariah's
clear to both Israel and the
Arab states that it will not
make a choice between oil
and Israel. U.S. national
interests lie squarely and
equally on both sides.
The U.S. needs Arab oil
for economic and
strategic reasons while
simultaneously it re-
quires the state of Israel
for strategic, military and
political reasons and as a
source of political stabil-
ity in the area. The inter-
ests of the whole region
Wishing Everyone
A Healthy, Prosperous and
Peaceful New Year
Schocken Bible, the Coming
of Elijah,-- Queen Esther Be-
fore Ahasuerus, Wedding
Ceremony 1769, Seder Meal
from Yahuda Hagada Page
from the Second Leningrad
Bible, Omer Calendar 1866
Jerusalem, Page from His-
panic Society Bible and
others are among the mul-
ticolored illustrations fea-
tured in the collections
gathered for this calendar.
The uniqueness of the
illustrations, the variety of
subjects drawn upon from
many historic periods, give
the calendar special status.
At the same time, the
quotations from the Tal-
mud, from Mishna and Bi-
ble, from classical Jewish
literature, combine in add-
ing significance to a truly
artistic product.
11. R1104
This collage by New York art's! Fred (Dines was especially commissioned by Brown & Williamson for ils permanent collection of tine art works
The freedom to choose our livelihood
was provided to us long ago. And it
was typified by the struggle of
immigrants to America in the early
1800's. People like Adam Gimbel, a
humble Jewish peddler from Germany,
who later founded the country's first
department store. And individuals who
became industrial giants, like Andrew
Carnegie from Scotland, who built one
of the largest steel producing
businesses in the United States.
America had given both of them the
freedom. The freedom to choose.
A free individual does not live without
choice. A free society does not
prosper without it. Consider, if you
will, the personal choices we make
every day without intervention from
others. Now consider how many we
take for granted.
The right to choose is the basis of all
freedom—political, social, artistic,
economic, religious—for all people.
But this right must be protected from
those who would chip away at it...
either deliberately for personal gain,
or innocently for the "betterment"
of humanity. It must be protected from
those who would make their choice,
your choice. These personal freedoms
are our legacy as well as our
responsibility...to protect and to pass
on to those who follow.
Freedom. It's a matter of choice.
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