Results in the Ivory Coast are typical of the Middle East Renovation Period

Many have asked the question why America has not intervened in the conflict of the Ivory Coast and some of us tried to educate them that it was because both sides were about equal in bullets and bandages, it was not really a peaceful protest and no one from the Ivory Coast ahs requested our assistance but this appeared to be too complicated for many in the media to wrap their heads around.

An article written by Rukmini Callimachi of the Associated Press titled Fighters surround Ivory Coast strongman in bunker may be the catalyst needed to show that sometimes when you are not sure what to do, the best that you can do is nothing.  It reports “surrounded by troops backing Ivory Coast's democratically elected leader, strongman Laurent Gbagbo huddled in a bunker with his family Tuesday and tried to negotiate terms of surrender directly with his political rival, officials and diplomats said.

France's foreign minister said Gbagbo would be required to relinquish power in writing after a decade as president, and must formally recognize his rival Alassane Ouattara, the internationally backed winner of the November election that plunged the West African nation into chaos.”  Ouattara was elected by the voters and his supporters were quite capable of removing his opposition without any intervention from the United States.  The United Nations stepped forward and so did France but our role was nothing more than support and that was all we needed to do.

I have dubbed this time in history as the Middle East Renovation Period because it is appearing to be a time where the people are taking control of their government and their country.  They are flexing their muscle and exerting the only real power that exist and that’s the power of the people.  It will take some years before the Middle East Renovation Period takes full bloom but years from now we will be able to look back in history and ask where we were when it happened.  No one can really say exactly what this region of the world will look like after this period but we can say that it will be a testament to the power of the people when they come together and speak with one voice rather than one gun.  It may not be the case as it was in Egypt where protestors from all walks of Egyptian life got together and declared enough but it will be the result of fresh thinkers and dreamers who shape this part of the world.