What I would recommend if I was a Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President

I realize that this is nothing but a dream and if I were in a position to advise the President on Foreign Affairs matters, the information I would use would be much more than news reports but its kind of fun thinking about it.  Never the less, if I were advising the President, here is what I would say and why I would say it.

Libya

I would advise the President not to get involved in this revolution yet because it has too many moving parts and jumping the gun could extend the war instead of ending it.  Until we have a better picture of what is actually happening, it would be better for America to error on the side of caution.  I would make everyone aware that I am alert to the fact that protestors are calling for help but only fools rush in where wise men fear to tread and since our American fighting men and women are highly trained specialist in their fields, they also wish to finish whatever they start and we do not need to be in another drawn out conflict or war.

My reason for this would be drawn from the article updated by Associated Press writers PAUL SCHEMM and MAGGIE MICHAEL titled Gadhafi forces hit oil facilities in central Libya.  The information found which says that his own forces struck an oil pipeline and storage facility tells me that they realized how big of a mistake that was and now are looking to try and make up for it.  With the report from a previous news article that says a Gadhafi negotiator made contact with the opposition about giving Moammar time to step down only adds to my argument and better yet is the report that a high ranking Libyan military officer flew to Egypt with a message from Gadhafi may mean that he is looking for a place to hide.  This may end without intervention from the United States which could clearly mean a long term commitment.  I would also strongly warn about dismissal of Gadhafi’s claim of an al-Qaida presents within the city and among the protestors.

Egypt

My caution to intervene would be the same as with Libya but basically because I would see the recent turmoil as a once united group with one purpose has accomplished their mission, now they have been divided to seek selfish interest which is part and parcel of the entire revolution genre.  This is not anything new when a ruler is pushed out and the country is returned to its citizens.  I would also claim that the conflicts breaking out across Egypt is not really about a Christian and a Muslim dating as reported by Reuters Dina Zayed and Yasmine Saleh in their article titled Egypt sectarian strife kills 13, challenge to army.  What it sounds like more to me is a few instigators within those ranks who would rather create constant upheaval instead of a lasting peace.  I would strongly suggest that we give the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces more time to sort through their country and allow them the honor of solving this own their own.  Offer aid with ideas or solutions but nothing more because the last thing America needs is to stand responsible for the success or failure of another country’s government.

Yemen

I would advise pressure be brought to bare on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to take better control of his police and army as well as make it known to opposition leader Yassin Said Numan  that if he wishes to be recognized on a national scale, he need to insure that his group remain non-violent and use dialogue to settle grievances.  I would also keep a close watch on the reported “resurgent al-Qaida, a separatist movement in the south and an off-on Shiite rebellion in the north” as reported in an MSNBC.com news services article titled Yemeni army fires at protesters; at least 98 wounded.  I would use my diplomatic corp until exhaustion before even thinking about military actions.

Oman

I would implore Sultan Qaboos bin Said to make a public speech about giving protestors what they are demanding but asking them to sacrifice as well.  I would recommend that he ask them to return to their homes, jobs and everyday life knowing that he will fulfill their request and make sure that he does it immediately so that they can see how it really could work.  I would use the carrot of his administration being the model for all others to follow and how it would elevate his country to new heights by being the first one to show all other middle eastern countries how to get this done.  According to MSNBC.com news services article titled Yemeni army fires at protesters; at least 98 wounded  the “More than 150 protesters rally outside Oman's state television headquarters in the capital Muscat to call for greater press freedoms” may seem like a small amount but as we have seen so many other places it can quickly grow.

Syria

Offer congratulations to Syria for freeing the activist and ask them to continue to improve their relationship with their people making sure to remind them of the events happening all around them.  Would probably play the same card with them that I played with Oman because right now things are beginning to steam a little and it can be easily fixed by reducing the heat under the pot but if it continues to be ignored or taken lightly, the water will soon boil over.

Iran

I would advise keeping up the pressure as Secretary Clinton has done by talking frank and openly about the Iran situation but I would also realize that since Iran is not listening to anyone at all about striving for peace in the area, we will have to beat them another way.  Taking in consideration that if the Reuters report titled Iran aims to get to brink of nuclear arms: U.S. aide is true.  We must start to plan and pull all stops to quietly develop a defense to Iran getting where it looks to want to go.  Instead of spending time trying to advance a dialogue which may only happen after Iran gets nuclear, begin an all out effort from American companies to develop this defense and make it similar to “The Race to the Top”. 

We have time to get this done evidenced by the statement in the article which says that “given the current relative inefficiency of its uranium enrichment technology he said it would make little sense for Iran to make such a choice now.  "That's provided some confidence that they are not going to break out soon because it would make no sense for them to break out with a machine that produce material so inefficiently," Robert Einhorn, the U.S. State Department's senior adviser for nonproliferation and arms control said. "We don't see breakout as imminent at this stage."  This defense would make Iran’s quest to get nuclear weapons obsolete as put so many of our allies at ease in the region.  It would also place America back on top as far as military might is concerned and create millions of new jobs.