Question:
US President George W. Bush begins his Middle East tour tomorrow, Wednesday, starting with Palestine on 9/1/2008, then moving to Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and finally Egypt on 16/1/2008, before returning to Washington.
This visit has been accompanied by a propaganda campaign, particularly by the Abbas Authority, claiming that Bush is coming to establish a sovereign and authoritative state for the Authority alongside the Jewish state. How accurate is this?
Answer:
Anyone following the circumstances of Bush’s visit will find the following:
1 - It is taking place during an election year in the United States, a time when the US President's ability to make international decisions is at its lowest. Historically, when Britain played a direct role as a rival to America in international politics—especially in the 1950s and 60s—it would instigate events to challenge America during presidential election years, as presidents and their parties were largely preoccupied with electoral goals. Rarely has a US President succeeded in making a vital international policy decision during an election year.
2 - It is occurring while the Jewish state is anxious about US military "coolness" toward the Iranian nuclear crisis, especially after the US intelligence report that "exonerated" Iran from seeking to possess nuclear weapons. This matter is the focus of the Jewish state’s attention; thus, they prepared a specific file on the Iranian nuclear issue for Bush's visit, following "secret" deliberations between Israeli security and political agencies held on 6/1/2008, as reported by the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The Jewish state has exerted strenuous efforts to heat up the international atmosphere, particularly in America, regarding what it claims is an Iranian nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, the United States does not want military escalation against Iran. Arranging matters with Iran through political action is important for America, due to Iran's positive stance toward the US regarding Afghanistan, as well as for the repeated negotiation phases concerning Iraq.
The Jews realized after the aforementioned report that America found it a suitable pretext to avoid military escalation against Iran, which worried the Jewish state and created a reaction within the Jewish lobby in the United States. Bush's recent statement, "It is important for the people in the region to realize that all options regarding Iran remain on the table," hinting at the military option, did not calm them, as he added afterward, "However, I believe we can settle this problem diplomatically."
3 - The visit comes at a time when the Democratic Party is launching a fierce "electoral" war against the failure of Bush and the Republican Party in foreign policy, claiming that America has become hated in the Middle East—a region vital to America due to its oil reserves. This is in addition to the Democratic Party's accusations that the Bush administration is exposing American soldiers in conflict zones to danger and neglecting them.
At this time, Bush's visit to occupied Palestine, the Gulf, and then Egypt took place:
As for occupied Palestine—meaning the Jewish state—Bush wants to alleviate their anxiety resulting from the intelligence report and provide them with promises and guarantees that America will not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons, in addition to supplying them with advanced weaponry and financial grants.
Furthermore, he aims to provide them with security by having the Abbas Authority confront any security disturbances for the Jewish state in the West Bank. Bush has also tasked Mubarak with truce talks with Hamas in Gaza, in addition to the issue of the prisoner Shalit.
In doing so, he has calmed the Jews' fears regarding the Iranian nuclear weapon and provided them with security services: from the Abbas Authority in the West Bank by preventing any security disturbances to the Jewish state, and from Hamas in Gaza through Egypt's discussions with them regarding the truce and the prisoner Shalit. All of this reflects positively on the Jewish lobby in the United States in terms of the electoral situation.
As for the Gulf, the visit is directed at the issues raised by the Democratic Party. Through his visit, Bush shows them that America's situation in the region is cordially acceptable and not hated as the Democratic Party "claims." This is in addition to Bush's visit to American soldiers in these countries to show concern for them. It is not unlikely that he will visit Iraq, even if not announced on his itinerary, to meet the troops there.
As for Egypt, it is the "scented conclusion" for Bush. Mubarak is the trustee of American interests in the region and its Arab cover, acting as the political "spring" to exclude or "limit" any European influence competing with American influence.
The Palestinian Authority's attempt to delude the people into thinking that Bush's visit will bring them Manna and Salwa, and create for them an entity, a state, borders, and sovereignty... is like one who stretches his hands towards water to reach his mouth, but it does not reach it! Bush came to satisfy the Jews by providing them with material and security services, not to establish sovereignty and authority for Mahmoud Abbas. Even what is rumored about evacuating settlements refers to scattered mobile homes (outposts) established for this purpose—to be bartered for the Authority's humiliating concessions in exchange for a mobile home here or there. Even the Jews themselves call them "illegal" random settlement outposts!
As for Bush's initiative to establish a "mini-state" for the Authority alongside the Jewish state occupying Palestine, Bush himself has realized that an election year is not a year for implementing his initiative, despite its flaws. Shortly before his trip, he stated, "Even if the Israeli and Palestinian leaders do not reach a peace agreement by the end of this year, I am optimistic that we can define the broad outlines of a Palestinian state!" It is well known that "broad outlines" mean continuing humiliating negotiations with the Jews, concession after concession, until the broad outlines become broad streets filled with concessions.
Bush comes to Palestine for "calming" and providing security for the Jews, reassuring them that Bush and the Jews are like two horns joined together, standing on one line of defense against the alleged Iranian nuclear weapon.
He comes to the Gulf to disparage the Democratic Party's views in its election campaign that the US administration is hated in the vital oil region.
And he concludes his visit to Egypt, the largest Arab country in the region, to show how much weight the Bush administration and the Republican Party carry!
Bush is conducting an election campaign for the Republican Party starting from our lands: from blessed Palestine, the vital Gulf, and Egypt, the Kinana... Our lands have become part of not only the foreign policy of colonial countries but also their domestic policy! This humiliation would not have happened were it not for rulers in our lands who sold their Deen for their Dunya—rather, for the Dunya of others. Woe to them for what they do.
Palestine will not be returned by the rulers and the Authority crawling to receive Bush, nor by their desperation to negotiate with the Jews. Rather, what will return Palestine is the march of armies, launching in Jihad across the borders.
What will return Palestine is the sincere Mujahid ruler who asks Allah the Exalted for one of the two best things (victory or martyrdom).
What will return Palestine is the Khalifah who is a shield, behind whom the people fight.
What will return Palestine is a mighty and honorable rule, a Righteous Khilafah on the Method of Prophethood.
This is how Palestine returns, and this is the straight path leading to Palestine—all of Palestine.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ
"Indeed, this is the absolute truth." (QS. Al-Waqi'ah [56]: 95)
30 Dhu al-Hijjah 1428 AH 08/01/2008 CE