I Ll]!Ijjljjl]IIIIII NEU Majed Keshta: Values and Beliefs of American Foreign Policy in the Middle East

1988 NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF APPLIED AND SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Values and Beliefs of American Foreign Policy in the Middle East MASTER THESIS BY Majed M. Said Keshta Nicosia 2005 I ll]!IJjlJJl]IIIIII NEU Majed Keshta: Values and Beliefs of American Foreign Policy in the Middle East We certify that this thesis is satisfactory for the award of a degree of Master of Arts in International Relations Examining Committee in charge Prof. Dr. Jouni Suistola Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences (Supervisor). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeliha Khashman Chairman oflntemational Relations Department. Chair of the Committee. Assist. Prof. Dr. Ali Dayioglu Department of International Relations. NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS JURY REPORT ACADEMIC YEAR: 2004-2005 STUDENT INFORMATION Full Name: Majed M. Said Keshta Nationality: Palestinian Institution: Near East University. Department: International Relations THESIS Title: Values and Beliefs of American Foreign Policy in the Middle East Description: This thesis is intended to portray how values and beliefs toward foreign affairs have changed over the course of the history of American Republic and how U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East has thus changed from the World War 1 years through the shock of September 11 attacks and beyond within values contexts. Supervisor Prof. Dr. Jouni Suistola JURY'S DECISION The Jury has been accepted by all Jury's members unanimously. JURY MEMBERS Number attending I Date I 31131200s Name: Signature Prof.Dr. Jouni Souistola .......-:::::~ ,,..,, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeliha Khashman 9 - ~ • ~ h/11,r II .r'I /2... ~ r, ns~ Assist. Prof. Dr. Ali Dayioglu APPROVALS Date: Chairman of the Department: 8/6/2005 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeliha K.hashman ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The idea of writing the subject of my thesis was first suggested to me by my teacher and supervisor Prof. Dr. Jouni Suistola, to whom I owe my heartfelt thanks for guiding and supporting me to attempt such a task. His excellent suggestions and advices enabled me to. correct many errors which had gone both noticed and unnoticed throughout the chapters of my thesis. Such things will be highly appreciated and. unforgotten. I would like also to thank the Chairman of IR department, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeliha Khashman; staff department Prof. Dr. Zehra Onder, Assist. Prof. Dr. Esin Basceri, Assist Prof. Ali Dayioglu and Dr. Ilksoy Aslim. Their assistance and teaching are greatly appreciated. I am greatly indebted to Mr. Tayseer Al-Shanableh, "Registrar for Overseas Students" who gave his best efforts to support me during both undergraduate . and graduate studies. Several people have contributed to this work in various ways and at different stages of its development. I am grateful to all of them and particularly my beloved family for their patience, moral, and financialsupport, My greatest debts also go to my chums: Akram Abu Jarad for his friendship, fellow-feeling,. and support. My colleagues: . Mrs.. O.Al-Jarou; B. Dofesh, F. Shurrab. In addition to. Dr.Yasin Fahjan, Dr. Murad Abu Khalaf; Farid Shaban, Tayseer Abu Jarad, M. Ramlawi, and the manager of Birgen Ins. Iskender Kozan, and his staff Abdullah Kayan, and Ramazan Kulaber etc. ' ' . I DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this work to my late sister Reewaida May God Bless Her Soul. II Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ~ I' DEDICATION II INTRODUCTION VI Chapter 1: America's Traditions In Foreign Policy: Isolationism And Moral Principles 1 1.1. Wilson And The breakup Of The Ottoman Empire 1 1.1.1 Armenian Cause: 1 1.1.2. Armenians And The Ottoman Point Of View: 2 1.1.3. The Cause Of Zionism . 3 1.1.4. European Imperialism 5 1.2. The United States And The Middle East In The Interwar Period And During World War II 8 1.2.1. National Origins Act: 9'· 1.2.2. Lawrence Of Arabia Inside American Culture: 11 1.2.3. The Balfour Declaration: ~ 12 1.2.4. White Paper: 12 1.2. 4. Oil: 13 1.2.5. The Second World War: ~ ............................•.............................. 13 1.3. American Values And The Origins Of The Cold War In The Middle East: 16 1.3.1. The Beginning Of American Involvement In The Middle East 16 1.3.2. Postwar America 19 1.3.3. George Kennan And Containment Policy: ~ 19 1.3.4. Shared Values Between Americans And Middle Easterners: 20 1.4. Truman's Beliefs And The Creation Oflsrael.. 20 1.4.1. The. Morrison-Grady Plan 22 1.4.2. The Israeli Declaration Of Independence: ....•.................................................... 23 1.4.3. Truman's Inner Beliefs Toward Israel: .. ~ 23 1.4.4. The Cultural Links Between Americans And Israelis: 24 Chapter 2: Into the Labyrinth: The· U~S. Gets Committed To The Middle East . ., 29 2.1. The United· State's Basic Values And The Suez Crisis 29 2.ld. The Nationalization Of The Suez Canal: ~ ~ 29 2;1.2. The Suez War: ~ ., 30 2.1.3. American Reaction Against The War: ~ 31 2.1.4. America vs. Anti-Colonialism: ~ ~ ~ 3.1 2.1.5. America vs. Anti-Communism, The Domino theory: _. ~ 32 2.2. Kennedy - Engaging Middle Eastern Nationalism And· Johnson - Taking Sides 34 2.2.1. Kennedy's Values And Israeli-Arab Conflict: 36 2.2.2. Lyndon Johnson's Presidency: · 37 III 2.2.3. Realpolitik Policy: 38 2.2.4. The American Cultural Response In The Six-Days War 41 2.2.5. The War: 43 2.2.6. Americans Always Like Winners: Israel Becomes A Small Empire: 43 2.2-.7. The Consequences Of The War: 44 2.3. Nixon's Realism Forming The American Foreign Policy In The Middle East .. 46 2.3.1. Henry Kissinger. and Nixon Doctrine: 46 2.3.2. The Importance Of The Middle East For Americans: 47 2.3.3. Nixon's Values And Peace Plans: 48 2.3.4. The United States And Black September: 49 2.4. American Cultural Reactions Toward The Yorn Kippur War 51 2.4.1. America As A Great Power: ~ 51 2.4.2. Americans And The Possibility Of The New Holocaust: 53 2.4.3. The Significance·Of Shared Values: ...................•.........................•...................... 54· 2.5. Carter's Christian And Moral Values 57 2.5.1. The Principles Of American Values: 57 2.5.2. The United States And Camp David Accords: ..........................•........................ 58 2.5.3. American Values Towards Peace Processes: 59 2.6. Reaganism And The Middle East 64 2.6.1. Regan's Values And American Eceptionalism Toward Communism: 64 2.6.2. The Fact Of Israel In The American Values: 66 2.6.3. The United States And Lebanese Civil War: 67 2.6.4. Americans And Iran-Contra Scandal: 69 Chapter 3: Un-American Values: From Communism To Islam ........•.. 78 3.1. George H. Bush's Liberal Values And The New World Order 78 3.1.1. AIP AC's Value In American Policy And Culture: 79 3.1.2. The United States and The First Palestinian Intifada: 80 3.1.3. The Emergence of The New World Order: 82 3.1.4. Post-Cold War Era: Consequences and Developments Within Value Contexts .....•...................................................•...............•.........•............................ ~ 84 3.1.5. The Main Three Political Events In Post-Cold War And American Foreign Policy ~.~·················~···················~~ ~ 85 3.1.5. The First American-Arab War: 85 3.1.6. The Clash of Cultures During The War: 89 3.2. Clinton's Neo-Liberal Values And Islamists 91 3.2.1. Policy Actions of The Clinton Administration In Post-ColdWart Promoting American Economic Security · ~ 92 . 3.2.2 Promoting Stability and Democracy Abroad: The Middle East ~ .. 92 3.2.3. American Views to The Islamists: ~ 93 3.2.4. The United States And Political Islam: 95 .: 3.2.5. Arab People Views To Clinton: : 96 3.2.6. Failure The Clinton's Policy Towards Islamists: ............................•..•............... 97 3.3. The United States and The Clash Of Cultures -The Case Of Osama binLaden . .................•.............•.........••....•.......•....••.....•............•.......................................................... 99 3.3.1. Americans Perception Of Osama bin Laden: 100 3.3.2. The United States and Osama bin Laden, The Green Belt Theory: 101 IV 3.3.3. Islamic Fighters In American Movies And Values: 102 3.3.4. The United States Once Supported Bin Laden: 102 3.3.5. Blow back: 103 3.4.1. American Values Are Preferable: 105 3.4.2. Bush, God's Will, And The Three Fs: 106 3.4.3. The Significance Of The Myth Of Frontier: 107 3.4.4. The Values Of Hawks And Doves: 108 3.4.5. Analysis Of The Iraqi Crisis And Aftermathr., 109 3.4.6. American Public Reactions Towards Iraqi Resistance: 111 3.4. 7. Greater Middle East And North Africa Project And American Culture 113 3.4.8. American Values In Bush's Last Speech: 114 3.4.9. Appeal To Allies: 114 CONCLUSION 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY IX APPENDIX.................................................................................... Clll V INTRODUCTION For two centuries, America has served the world as an inspiring example of freedom and democracy. For generations, America has ledthe struggle to preserve and extend the blessings of liberty. And, today, in a rapidly changing world, American leadership is indispensable. Americans know that leadership brings burdens and sacrifices. But we also know why the hopes of humanity turn to us. We are Americans. We have a unique responsibility to do the hard work of freedom. And when we do, freedom works. President George Bush, State of the Union Address, January 29 1991, 65. The United State of America, unlike ordinary nations, · has regulated foreign policy on the basis of distinctive values, beliefs, and the superiority of idealism since the birth of the nation. In the Declaration of independence, for instance, the values of life, liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness were explicitly stated as reasons for creating the United States.

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