The ancient idea that “The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend” is widely attributed to the Arabs. But it is actually much older … It originated in the 4th century B.C. in India. Kautilya - the “Indian Machiavelli” – wrote about the idea in the Sanskrit military book, the Arthashastra. U.S. foreign policy has been guided by the “Enemy of My Enemy” idea for decades for decades. Should we really be following 2,400 year-old advice from ancient India? More importantly, is the saying even true? As the following graphics demonstrate, basing modern foreign policy on such an archaic notion from ancient times is leading to ridiculous results:
Long-time insider Anthony Cordesman - former director of intelligence assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, who also served in the State Department, Department of Energy, and was director of International Staff at NATO – wrote in July: It is … a proverb with a dismal history in practice. In case after case, the “enemy of my enemy” has actually proven to have been an enemy at the time or turned into one in the future. The Mongols did not save Europe from the Turks, and the Soviet Union was scarcely an ally after the end of World War II.General and former CIA director Petraeus agreed earlier this month: I went to hear a presentation by General David Petraeus … and this man who knows the Middle East as well as anyone in Washington made me think about things in a whole new way, by turning the adage on its head. Remember, he warned that in that part of the world, the enemy of my enemy is also still my enemy.Time noted in 2002 that famed terrorist Abu Nidal was an enemy to both Israel and Palestine, committing terrorist attack after attack against both Jewish and Palestinian targets. Abu Nidal went on to mastermind attacks on a Jewish school in Antwerp, synagogues in Vienna and Istanbul, and a Greek tourist ship. In December 1985 his group ambushed the El Al ticket counters at Rome and Vienna airports, killing 14 bystanders.And a letter to the editor published in the Financial Times last month stated: Sir, Iran is backing Assad. Gulf states are against Assad!Following this 2,400 year old myth has caused America to back Al Qaeda and Nazis … and to fight against both sides in Syria. (It has also led to carrying out regime change multiple times in the same country.) Source URL |