Posted on 09/14/2006 6:04:43 AM PDT by Esther Ruth
Kissinger warns of possible "war of civilizations" Wed Sep 13, 1:23 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger warned that Europe and the United States must unite to head off a "war of civilizations" arising from a nuclear-armed Middle East.
In an opinion column in the Washington Post, the renowned foreign policy expert said the potential for a "global catastrophe" dwarfed lingering transatlantic mistrust left over from the Iraq war.
"A common Atlantic policy backed by moderate Arab states must become a top priority, no matter how pessimistic previous experience with such projects leaves one," Kissinger wrote.
"The debate sparked by the Iraq war over American rashness vs. European escapism is dwarfed by what the world now faces.
"Both sides of the Atlantic should put their best minds together on how to deal with the common danger of a wider war merging into a war of civilizations against the background of a nuclear-armed Middle East."
Kissinger wrote that the big threat lay in the erosion of nation states and the emergence of transnational groups. Iran was at the centre of the challenge, he said, with its support for Hezbollah, radical Shiite groups in Iraq and its nuclear program.
Washington must accept that many European nations were more optimistic about talks designed to convince Iran to halt uranium enrichment -- a process Tehran denies is aimed at making weapons, he wrote.
But in return, he said, Europe should accept the process must include a "bottom line" beyond which diplomatic flexibility must not go and a time limit to ensure talks did not become a shield for "developing new assaults."
In the article, Kissinger, national security adviser for former president Richard Nixon, and secretary of state for Nixon and his successor Gerald Ford, warned the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah was still dangerous, after its month-long conflict with Israel.
"Hezbollah's next move is likely to be an attempt to dominate the Beirut government by intimidation and, using the prestige gained in the war, manipulating democratic procedures," he said.
He concluded by noting that observers wondered whether, after the Cold War, trans-Atlantic ties could survive the loss of a common enemy.
"We now know that we face the imperative of building a new world order or potential global catastrophe. It cannot be done alone by either side of the Atlantic. Is that realization sufficient to regenerate a common purpose?"
Possible?
It's already happening.
Dr. Kissinger knows what he is doing. You might read and study his words...
http://www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/subcategory.jsp?custid=67&catid=1592
So much for what Z'biggy Brzezinski had to say yesterday.
It's not a war of civilizations. The enemy represents the end of civilization.
The Washington Post essay by Doctor Kissinger referred to by AFP is at:
http://www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/subcategory.jsp?custid=67&catid=1592
Kissinger was not always right..but he's one of the last adults around- the world needs to listen to what he says.
Well, the admission of the "new world order." Ain't interdependency just great. We gave away our nuclear technology to China and other rogue nations. Kissinger's thought was that if every one has a gun no one will shoot. What a fool this country has been to follow a fool like Kissinger.
You have a good grasp of this....
"they hate our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ"
Not necessarily. They hate the infidel, hypocritcal lifestyle. And they have no margin for error.
Prophetic but inevitable.
Kissinger warns of possible "war of civilizations"
did he just fall off the turnip truck?
what the hell does he think we have been fighting?
This war has however started and I fear may end with a nuclear conflict in the Middle East. Iran will become a nuclear power...the diplomats and UN not withstanding... and create a potential for nuclear war between them and Israel or a terrorist nuclear attack against the US or Europe.
Mainstream Islam, by its complicity with the Islamic fascists and silence in response to their acts of terror, is sowing the seeds of its own destruction. If there is a nuclear exchange in the Middle East, I fully expect Mecca will be reduced to a pile of nuclear rubble.
Henry is very late to the party.
Dr. Kissinger must have just finished reading Pat Buchannan's book, Death of the West.
They certainly hate themselves a lot.
More generally speaking, they are at war with Jews in Israel, with Hindus in India, with atheist Russians in the former Soviet states. They have destroyed ancient Buddhist statues in Afghanistan, they even go to war with other Muslims. And yes they also kill Christians.
They are at war with the world.
This guy writes a 800 page tome as an undergrad in Harvard,and everyone listens. Wears me out. Perceived grandeur by association and Ultimate master of the obvious. Reminds me of the commercial when a group are sitting around a table for suggestions to make things more efficient. One guy says and idea and gestures his point. The lead manager then suggests the same idea, and gestures slightly differently. The first guy says, "that is what I said." Manager says, "no, you did this," (repeats first guy's hand gesture), "i did this."
The whole diplomatic world wears me out. Completely incapable in dealing with murderous tyrants. They make grandiose, uninteligible, weightless statements and then on to the cocktail parties. Too bad Massoud was assassinated. Karzi could use him right now.
>>>They hate the infidel, hypocritcal lifestyle.<<<
While those mad dogs refuse to admit the truth that they are, in fact, the infidels.
"Bugs, Mr. Rico! Zillions of 'em!" Damn shame they made this awful movie from a tremendous book.
I've said this before: nobody should be surprised at these developments - that's how the Book says it'll happen.
"While those mad dogs refuse to admit the truth that they are, in fact, the infidels."
True. And unforgiving ones. But, in general most American muslims are not running around in the U.S. cutting people's throats in shopping malls. Although secretly, some of them might be cheering it on when it happens.
Those are the options Islamo-facists will give you if you are not a Muslim!
...it's in the Koran.
"Those are the options Islamo-facists will give you if you are not a Muslim!
...it's in the Koran."
I don't put too much credence on the Koran. Its writer was married to a 10 year old, and its martyrdom supplies 72 virgins. What do female martyrs get? A fan, or grape stem to hold?
Where is the "Master of the Obvious" post?
There is no way they can win unless "we" help them.
Paint me an optimist, but I believe that the American People will not just stand idly by while a bunch of lunatic muslm radicals drag all of Western Civilization back into the 6th century.
It may take some kind of an "event" worse than 9-11 to finally convince most of the present skeptics that the muzzbos really, really, really mean to convert us or kill us.
We would hope that the realization would start this Nov. and continue in '08 by electing a president void of P.C. tendencys, willing to wage a proper war against the enemy.
I always thought of it as a war between the civilized world and the uncivilized world.
It is clear however that civilized world has already won. The USSR, China, even Vietnam already realized their old way wasn't working and they joined the civilized west.
The Arab countries are trying to join. Africa would like to join.
The problem is there is always some meglomanic holding them back trying to hold onto power like the kings and dictators of old. Sometimes it is dictator (Syria), sometimes it is a group of dictators/theocrats (Iran), sometimes it is the leader of gang-like group (rebels, al-qaeda, African huntas.)
Eventually they will join the modern human race but somebody has to kick these meglomaniac leaders out first. Sometimes it is the million man march in a capital's main square (Russia, Lebanon, Ukraine, dozens of others.) Sometimes reform happens within (China, Vietnam). Sometimes somebody needs to kick butt with a big military force (US).
---did he just fall off the turnip truck?
what the hell does he think we have been fighting?---
You ain't seen nothing yet! Imagine a nuclear Ottoman empire centered on Iran under a nuclear umbrella. One by one the other Islamic states are radicalized and brought into the fold. The chief occupation of this empire is the looting and conversion of non-Islamic states. It operates through terror, subversion, and military conquest.
Excellent article. Dr. Kissinger is again able to articulate not only the big picture but the nuances of the ME states involved and offer a path towards a solution.
You are right about this, in a way. Kissinger is seen as the granddaddy of a whole line of foreign policy leaders down to and including Rice. It is probably a stratgy to draw attention to the fact that there is now very effective cooperation and close collaboration between Europe and the US in the Middle East, even though the Dems are still saying everyone hates us.
They hate.
Apologies to Henry, but he's wrong on two points: First, that war isn't some distant possibility, it's well underway. Second, it's a war between civilization and whatever the hell the muslims call their world (and the term "civilization" does not apply).
It's good to hear somwone of Kissinger's stature lay out the situation. However, I wonder if there is enough commonality between the US and Europe to work together.
The core of the issue (in my humble opinion) is that Europe went post-Christian and the US hasn't. So when we talk about a clash of civilizations, how many civilizations are we talking about? Islam is one. A Judeao-Christian US and a handful of allies are another. And Europe is...well, I don't know what to call them.
I have some other thoughts on this subject here: http://www.clashofcivilizations.net/?page_id=8
"We now know that we face the imperative of building a new world order or potential global catastrophe."
The "Master of the Obvious" Post I refer to is the "gif" file that a certain FReeper has that usually posts on threads like this where some authority figure states what FReepers have concluded months in advance of his stating the obvious.
Hank - Hank! It's "The civilized world versus the UNCIVILIZED WORLD"!
Good post that #35.
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