Ed Husain
To Secretary of State Marco Rubio,
Soon, you will be traveling to the Middle East — a region where U.S. interests in energy, trade, security, artificial intelligence and countering China all converge. And your recent success in Panama sets expectations of more gains.
Today, President Donald Trump is widely respected among most Arabs, Israelis, Kurds and Turks — but not in Iran. And you will be charged with the difficult tasks of possibly making peace with Iran, between Israel and Palestine, and more.
You are also inheriting a State Department in desperate need of leadership and strength. When Arab leaders asked your predecessor Antony Blinken to get a grip on the Gaza conflict and end his tenure by banging heads together, he simply replied: “You know that’s not my style.” I even sat in a meeting where he referred to Hamas’ terror leader as “Mr. Sinwar.” But being nice and wanting to be liked has resulted in Gaza’s demolition, and in President Trump’s opening gambit, proposing to relocate its entire population.
After being sworn in, you spoke openly about faith, family and flag. During your confirmation hearing and time in the U.S. Senate, you showed mastery on the topic of Iran. These traits will win you more friends in the Middle East, but you must avoid the regional traps being laid for you. Your term is limited — your enemies can wait you out in Tehran, Gaza, Damascus, Yemen and elsewhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment