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Source: http://www.tabletmag.com/news-and-politics/32785/linked-in/
The Myth of Linkage
(Tablet) Lee Smith - Having written a book that describes the Middle East in terms of a clash of Arab civilizations, I give no credence to the notion that the Arab-Israeli arena is the region's defining issue. Rather, it is one among many conflicts that plague this conflict-prone area. In the real Middle East, the Arabs' fight for power among themselves takes priority over whether or not Washington negotiators have the percentages right in proffered land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians. Nonetheless, I can hardly help but recognize the central role that U.S. Middle East policy has given to the belief that the Arab-Israeli issue is the key factor in determining the happiness of over 300 million Arabs and an additional 1.3 billion Muslims. Where does such an extraordinary idea come from? The answer is the Arabs - who do not always disclose the entire truth of their situation, especially when they have a stake in doing otherwise. The writer is the author of The Strong Horse: Power, Politics, and the Clash of Arab Civilizations.