Notes on the Arab Predicaments: ISIS, Palestine, Yemen & Iran

By Benn Ramnarine

1.  The Pan Arab Nationalism drive is still there and Egypt was to spearhead it (Gamal Abdul Nasser ideology): a reason why Sisi is so active with the coalition and why he is also involved in Libya.  He has also upheld the Camp David Peace Accords.

2.  The Arab countries did not and still cannot fathom the ISIL/AQ threat and how quickly they have matured into an occupation force.  All efforts to eradicate them have failed with their own countries and they have to spend billions to support countries like Lebanon, Libya, [and groups like] the FSA etc.

3.  The Iranian threat and the spread of Shiism is another threat that the Saudis did not anticipate and have no defense against. Iran has out maneuvered the Arab world, the EU and even the US, and now is a major deciding factor in the M/E and Africa, with a sound global reach.

4.  Where exactly do the Palestinians stand in all of this is a dilemma to the Arab countries and, the Palestinians are used as pawns and massacred as well. Look at the situation in the camp in Syria. It is toss up as the Arabs know that the PLO is divided in their own camp. They want the PLO to make a decision as to whose side they are on. Support for Hamas from Gulf countries has slowed and Iran is now the major supplier of funding, materials and weapons. The connection with the Hizbullah and the increase in Muslim Brotherhood (MB) activity in Egypt, mainly in the N. Sinai, would also appear that Hamas may be assisting the MB in some of their Operations.

5.  The Arab countries have also come to the realization that support for the Palestinian cause cannot assist them with the AQ/ISIL/Iranian threat within their own countries and Kingdoms.

6.  Iranian control of Yemen is also a major strategic victory as it will give it control of the sea lanes out of the Suez and the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the southern borders with Saudi Arabia and the Eastern border of Oman.  It will also spread its influence (as it is doing now in Somalia and the Sudan) into Eritriea, Djibuti, etc.

7.  Perhaps the Arab countries want the PLO military arms to rise up again, so they can use them to fight their wars against the enemy (AQ, ISIL, Iran).

8.  There is also the possibility that the Arabs have now begun to understand what Israel has been experiencing all these years as they now have to fight for their own survival and, do not have a strategy on how to achieve it. They will make some very serious mistakes and spend billions on hiring large foreign firms to come up with a solution.

9. They realize that a unified strategy may benefit them all, if they can all agree to one. Difficult to achieve. This can have a negative effect for Israel though.