A LONGER VIEW OF THE MIDDLE EAST DRAMA

by Eric D. Butler
There was a time when British prestige in the Middle East, as in many other parts of the world, was measured by the statement, "On the word of an Englishman". That type of credit has been progressively undermined by the sordid exploitation of the British by alien groups. The initial undermining of British prestige in the Middle East began with the betrayal of the promise of freedom to the Arab world, including the Palestinian, if they would help to defeat Imperial Germany in the First World War by rising against their Turkish masters.

With the collapse of Czarist Russia, undermined by the same forces which prepared the way for the establishment of Bolshevism, Imperial Germany was free to concentrate its total forces on the Western front, resulting in a desperate military situation which, in the absence of American intervention in the conflict, must have led to some type of peace agreement. The situation was exploited by International Zionism with its strong backing by the Rothschilds and other German-Jewish international bankers.

The infamous Balfour Declaration was a promise to International Zionism that America could be manipulated into the conflict if a promise was made to establish a "National Home" - note, not a nation - for the Jews. Lord Balfour, who signed the declaration on behalf of the British Government, was one of those many Christians seduced by the myth, later developed in more concrete form, that the mass immigration of Zionist Jews into Palestine was some type of fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.
The legendary "Lawrence of Arabia", who had played a major role in bringing the Arabs to the Western Allies' cause, was so upset by the Balfour Declaration, which he saw as a blatant betrayal of a firm promise, that he declined to accept any honours from His Majesty, King George V.

As little real history is taught today, relatively few people in the West have ever heard about the declaration, which set in motion the revolutionary forces, which have led to the present. But the Arab world has never forgotten. Anyone who fails to address himself to how the Zionist State of Israel was eventually established, and how the British were driven by a design of cold blooded terror to prematurely hand over their League of Nations mandate over Palestine, and what has taken place since, has no realistic contribution to make to the Middle East drama.

Soviet leader Gorbachev's attempt to play a decisive role in the current crisis, is in keeping with the Soviet's long term strategy in the Middle East, starting with the Soviet being the first to recognise the new State of Israel and ensuring it had sufficient military equipment. A personal experience highlights the nature of the problem of promoting any realistic assessment of what is taking place in the Middle East:

"Up until a visit to South Africa in 1967, I had been regularly used by the South African Broadcasting Commission as a commentator on international affairs, with particular reference to Soviet strategy. It was shortly after the 1967 Israeli-Arab conflict, the six-day war, that I was met by a friend from the South African Broadcasting Commission when I arrived in Johannesburg from London. My friends opening words were, "Well, what a tremendous defeat the Soviet has experienced. You must feel relieved?" When I explained that I did not subscribe to this popular view that in fact I believed that the Soviet had scored a major strategic victory, it had to be made clear to me that in the present climate in South Africa it would not be appropriate to interview me. My views were based primarily on the assessment of a real authority on the Middle East, Sir John Glubb ("Glubb Pasha"), the famous British military leader who had trained Arab troops. Glubb had pointed out that so far from the quick Israeli victory being a miracle, the Soviet had led the Arabs into a trap, knowing, as Glubb knew, that the Arabs would be badly defeated. Glubb said he was surprised the conflict lasted six days. Soviet propaganda then exploited the situation, adopting a pro-Arab stance, while leaving the West, in the eyes of the Arabs, the backers of an aggressive Zionist Israel.
Beset with explosive problems inside the Soviet Union, including a large and restive Islamic population, Gorbachev's initiative in the Gulf conflict is designed to further long term Soviet strategy in the Middle East. The Soviet leader hopes to project himself as sympathetic to the Arab world, leaving the West to become the long-term target of Islamic hatred. In the meantime former terrorist leader Shamir is playing a brilliant game, completely fooling the West with his policy of alleged restraint".
Why should Shamir enter a military conflict to which he can make no real contribution? He can stand back, allow the Americans and the British to do the fighting, while constantly blackmailing the West for still more military and economic aid. Zionist Israel is positioning itself to play a major role in the post war situation.
If at least a few of the commentators would take the trouble to read the warnings of prominent anti-Zionist Jewish leaders like Dr. Alfred Lilienthal, they would be in the position to make some realistic assessments about long term implications, not only in the Middle East, but throughout the whole Islamic world, which is not going to disappear even if Sadam Hussein disappears.

(A small supply of Sir John Glubb's historic and most prophetic little book, The Middle East Crisis, long out of print, has been located and will be available shortly. $6 posted from all League Bookshops.)

BRIEF COMMENTS

It's an ill wind that blows no good. British involvement in the Gulf War has boosted the electoral stocks of John Major and the British Conservative Government to the point where it appears that the Major Government could be elected, even with a reduced majority, at an early election. From the long-term point of view, it would be preferable for the Major Government to be elected rather than a Labor Party totally committed to sinking the British in the emerging "New Europe". Having accepted the Presidency of the Bruges anti-Common Market group, Margaret Thatcher has made her intentions clear: she is going to continue working against any further surrender of British sovereignty. As events unfold, mounting problems and growing friction inside the European Economic Community are going to confirm the stand Margaret Thatcher attempted to take. Enoch Powell is reported as saying that the Poll Tax - now hardly receiving a mention - was not the factor in Margaret Thatcher's downfall. It was the inspired media campaign reflecting the internationalists determined to trap the British into the first major step towards the creation of "The New World Order".

The Gulf War is tending to direct attention away from another war, an economic conflict that, in the absence of constructive alternative policies, could see large numbers of Australian primary producers economically destroyed. A fierce trade war between the U.S.A and the European Economic Community, with both sides using massive subsidies, is having a devastating effect on the price of wheat and other Australian agricultural exports. The situation highlights the urgent necessity for Australia to adopt a programme of National Survival, this requiring a basic change in financial policy. One of the first steps must be the re-regulation of the banking system, bringing it firmly under the control of the elected representatives of the Australian people.

THE APOSTACY OF THE W.C.C.

REMARKABLE LETTER FROM MR. BRUCE LLOYD

LEADERSHIP NEEDED

from The Mail-Times (Wimmera, Horsham, Vic.), February 6th
"I was devastated by the contributions of M.H.R's. Peter Fisher and David Hawker in your issue of February 1st. "Devastated because they only told our people what we already know, and except for the rhetoric of the past, has nothing to offer in the way of alternative policy. "Let us deal with the rhetoric first:
*Reduction of production costs. R.G. Menzies was elected to do this in 1949, and pre-election outlined a realistic policy, which he later reneged. Prices are now 30 times higher approximately; I'd love to be challenged on this one.
*Interest rates. Excellent, except that they were high in the Fraser era also. Let us have action, not rhetoric.
*Transport. Dominated by unionism, who in turn are provoked by inflation. Malcolm Fraser promised compulsory secret ballots, and failed to deliver.
*Services Tax. The whole system of government finance needs revision and given the corruptness of contemporary governments, this could become merely an additional tax. What about the administrative costs, and is it any more than robbing Peter to pay Paul?
*Overseas tariffs. We seem to be adept at meddling in other nations' affairs, but how do we accomplish this one?
*Devaluation. A policy of doubtful merit. It would make our exports cheaper and more attractive overseas, while boosting the costs of our imports. As a nation self sufficient in practically every raw material, including fuel, we need to be fostering policies of self-sufficiency rather than dependence on others.

Starved
"Having disposed of the rhetoric, what are the alternatives? Australia's problem, and indeed the Western World's, is not one of scarcity, but one of excessive production, and yet we have people with an insufficiency of basic necessities. "Add to this the threat to our hospitals, old people and mentally ill, and our failure to provide suitable roads and defence. "We have the physical capacity to address all of these, but we are starved for finance on such terms as allow our country to function satisfactorily.

"Our country remains undefended, and our young people are condemned to the unemployment scrap heap. "Yet the deliberate financially restrictive policies of the Hawke Government are applauded by Opposition leader Hewson, who says that he would pull the financial noose even tighter! "But that is not all. Our country continues to self-destruct by importing a host of products, which can be produced here, and apparently last year the bill for imported food topped two billion. "Some of the items were fruit and vegetables, either fresh, dried, or canned, fruit juices and concentrates, wine, mineral water, cheese, rice, beef, and even wool. This, mark you, at a time when our farmers are shooting their sheep.

"Clearly, the alternatives are to stop self destructing, but Australia is locked into international agreements which make further destruction inevitable. "The International Monetary Fund and World Bank give us our financial orders, and the New International Economic Order, which our Government supports, seeks to centralise world production on a global scale, with the whole world becoming interdependent, the final objective being the tyranny of world government.

"When confronted with the reality that our development can be financed within Australia, Mr. Fisher's best answer is that no economist or government adviser supports this. "Of course they don't! It becomes a question of philosophy, and local independence will always be anathema to those who think that they know what is best for everyone. "Likewise, Mr. Hawke is silent on the signing of international agreements, yet the two questions are vitally concerned with not only our well being, but our survival. "Will our political leaders then face the real issue? Will they search for a political system, which is in fact a partnership of goodwill between those who govern and those who are governed? Will they seek to implement new policies and discard those that have been time tested and failed? "Will They?

*Face the reality that production is for the purpose of consumption, and not get money from foreign sources?
*Explain how it is possible for people with too much food to be in a situation of economic disaster?
*Advocate the cessation of unnecessary imports and the end to international agreements not in our interests?
*Advocate that we stop borrowing money overseas and pursue policies, which ensure that Australians own their own country and industries under the umbrella of a defence system, consistent with our physical capacity?
*Ensure that our only restraint is one of physical capacity and not of a man made medium of exchange called money?

Peril
"Mr. Editor, I believe that our nation is in more peril now than when we faced the Japanese on the Owen Stanley Ranges, and one could be excused for believing that our people are being deliberately provoked into revolution. Given the correct incentives, Australians have always responded, but where, might I ask, is the leadership today?" (Alan Kroker, Horsham, Vic.)