Militant Islam, a rising superpower threatening the West, has the potential of dividing the world both militarily and economically. In addition to a strong military stance with regard to the Middle East, conservative politicians must conceive of a diplomatic strategy among leaders of Israel and its moderate Arab neighbors. In a bold political move, Congressman John Boehner has allowed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to address Congress on March 3rd. This should be duplicated with Israel’s neighbors, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Oman. Although these countries are not always agreeable those of western powers, they stand against militant Islam in the Middle East.
Not long ago, few would have imagined that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard would challenge leadership in four Middle Eastern/North African capitols in addition to Tehran. The Syrian civil war before the rise of ISIS is easy to recall. Only a couple of decades have passed since the inception of Al Qaida. A mere thirty-six years have passed since Ayatollah Khomeini rose to power in Iran, the first nation to be governed by militant Islam. Combined, Iran, Al Qaida, and ISIS now command roughly half of the Middle East and North Africa, an area roughly the size of Western Europe. If Iran, ISIS, and Al Qaida do not infringe on each other’s territory, it is likely that they will coexist and gain regional control.
Israel’s moderate neighbors must provide opportunities that militant Islam cannot match. These countries have a very high percentage of unemployed youth. The combined median age in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Oman is approximately twenty-five years old. The reported unemployment rate is approximately thirteen percent, and much higher among youth. With assistance from conservative leaders in the U.S., Israel must reach out to these countries. Israel, the only true market economy in the Middle East will able to provide direction regarding how to transform oil and infrastructure based economies of its neighbors into market economies. The potential labor force of Israel’s moderate neighbors is a perfect match with regard to what Israel offers with regard to farming, irrigation, medical, and defense technologies.
Without an alliance of comparable power standing against ISIS, Al Qaida, and Iran, militant Islam will conquer the Middle East. Western influence in the region will become irrelevant. Passivity with regard to the growth of Sunni and Shia militant Islamic states will result in global trade routes being walled off to Western influence, negatively effecting the price of food, fuel, and other goods. Some countries will look to China and Russia in terms of military and diplomacy. Depending on Moscow for most of its fuel supply, Western Europe will continue decreasing in power. Many nations in Asia will capitulate to Chinese economic supremacy. Global terrorism will rise exponentially if Western powers including the U.S. remain passive.
It is time for conservative politicians in the U.S. to take an active, public role in uniting leaders of Israel and its Middle East neighbors. If Israel and moderate Arab countries are unified by military, infrastructure, and business development, militant Islam will be neutralized in the Middle East. However, if Israel and its moderate neighbors are ignored, not only will the U.S. and other economic powers will suffer increased risk of terrorism, they will lose regional economic, military, and diplomatic control. Without a comparable opponent in the Middle East, a militant Islamic superpower will fully emerge.