ninehills
← Ramble in the Jungle

RAMBLE in the JUNGLE

mideast

By Wanaku Verdzekov · · Global

Date note: Estimated (~2013), from the events it mentions.

Tags: middle-east, us-policy, politics

I am interested to know from any expert what Obama needs to do to help in the Mideast. Cut US relations with Israel? Renew relations with Iran? Make friends with Syria? Give more money to Egypt? Save the Muslim Brotherhood from itself…?

The problems of the Mideast are not solvable by any one individual. That's a given.

The kind of politics everyone is playing is called, in my lingo, "posturing". People take a posture, no matter what the weather is outside: everyone takes a posture. Now the question is, why does one take a specific posture at a given time? You tell me.

But I do understand one thing: all humans (in fact, all living beings) play politics (politricks) all the time. Even babies do; a few moments of observation are enough to prove it. And they use every resource at their disposal to do so. If you polled the world about the Mideast, there would be three main groups: for, against, and neutral (don't care).

Someone wrote that I understand Obama. To be honest, I don't. So my question is still out there: how do you show someone that you are equal to them? Is it possible? Is it necessary? I have a feeling that the real problem is obscured by something else. What is it? You tell me.

— Wanaku Verdzekov

Reading & grammar

Reading level: Gr 9–11

Understand

  1. What does the author mean by "posturing"?
  2. Why does the author say even babies play "politricks"?
  3. What three groups would a world poll on the Mideast produce?

Grammar focus: list of questions. The first paragraph lists possible actions as a series of questions: "Cut US relations with Israel? Renew relations with Iran?…" A list of questions can show how complicated a problem is without taking one side.

Try it: Choose a local problem and write a paragraph that lists four possible solutions as questions.

Discuss: Can one leader solve a regional conflict? Argue whether leaders or ordinary people matter more for peace.