What Are the Implications of Political Unrest in the Middle East?

For decades the Middle East has been ruled by totalitarian regimes. The United States’ foreign policy toward these regimes has been determined largely by two factors: The oil reserves in these countries and/or their policy toward Israel. Indeed, until Saddam Hussein invaded oil-rich Kuwait he was not considered a threat. After all he was a sworn enemy of Iran.

Many times the United States has found itself on the wrong side of principle by supporting regimes with terrible human rights records and not a shred of democracy. But this is the way of international relations. For decades democratic India was more closely allied with communist USSR while the United States was a closer friend of non-democratic Pakistan. The situation changed only about a decade ago.