Despite its numerous "quagmires" of the past, the United States continues to get involved in questionable engagements around the world.

For the United States, supporting various dictatorship regimes around the world goes back at least half-a-century. Generations of youths who grew up during the “Vietnam War” had hoped that the US government would learn its lessons and acknowledge its mistakes following the defeat in Viet Nam in 1975. But it didn’t, despite the full acknowledgment of them by their main architect, Robert McNamara. It moved on to support the dysfunctional regimes of the Middle East for the past thirty years. Each ruler’s governing pattern was strikingly similar to that of the American-backed regime in South Viet Nam: the regime was going in one direction while its own people were going in another direction.

Map of the Middle East

Recently, the US Republican Congressman, Ron Paul, said in his blog, “We see now the folly of our interventionist foreign policy: not only has that stability fallen to pieces with the current unrest, but the years of propping up the corrupt regime in Egypt has led the people to increase their resentment of both America and Israel! We are both worse off for decades of intervention into Egypt\'s internal affairs. I wish I could say that we have learned our lesson and will no longer attempt to purchase - or rent - friends in the Middle East, but I am afraid that is being too optimistic.”

People in the Muslim world have been desperately hoping for change. At President Barrack Obama’s inaugural address in January 2009, Islam was with him. He said, “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect...” His words rang a chord with the Muslims. With his middle name ‘Hussein’, Mr. Obama inspired the hopes and aspirations of vast numbers of Muslim youth in the planet. He also reminded them that changes must come from within. When Mr. Obama took the stage at Cairo University in June that year, he again emphasized a new beginning between Washington and the Arab world:

"I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."

Mr. Obama’s knowledge and commitment to the Arab world were taken seriously, and this sparked a resurgence of the youth movements. A revolt breaking out in Tunisia in December 2010 swept through the country in just 10 days. It was triggered by the death of a young man. Twenty-six-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi was living in the provincial town of Sidi Bouzid, had a university degree but was unable to find any job. Struggling to earn some money, he started selling fruit and vegetables in the street without a license. When the police stopped him and confiscated all his goods, he was angry and distraught. In deep despair, he doused his clothes with gasoline and set himself on fire. He died in hospital. At least five other youths in the region also set themselves on fire.

The revolution has transformed Tunisian politics as well as those of other repressive regimes in the region. Massive uprisings immediately followed in Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia... In January and February, the world saw the downfalls of both President Ben Ali of Tunisia and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Both regimes had received huge military assistance from the United States during the three decades they were in power. In March, the downfall of Libya’s long time ruler, Colonel Qaddafi, became a possibility, but despite widespread international support for the revolutionaries, Libya presents a major diplomatic challenge for the United States -- because of Arab sensitivities about Western interference.

While the United States continues to talk about democracy in the Middle East and North Africa, they do things completely the contrary. Shortly after Mr. Obama became President, the war in Afghanistan was escalated. In February this year, the United States vetoes a UN resolution that would have condemned the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Security Council\'s vote was 14 to 1, with no abstentions. Having only 1 vote against, the US stood alone, while 14 other Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution. This reflected the wide support for the Palestinian-backed draft, which had the signatures of over 100 co-sponsors. The resolution demanded an immediate halt to all settlement building and expansion.

The American veto in the Security Council has always been consistent, with the sole aim of protecting those leaders who are close allies of the US. The Americans have stirred up profound resentment in the Arab nations and the rest of the world, especially at the time of growing protests in the Muslim region. People of all ages are fighting and hoping for an end to the unwanted regimes. The protestors’ messages are loud and clear: they are determined to break away from foreign influence and dominance after decades of violent repression and suffering. People want to rule their own countries and guide their own destiny.

Following the UN voting on the Israeli settlements, Britain, Russia, and Brazil led a discussion with other countries. All expressed even stronger support for the UN resolution, expecting the recognition of a Palestinian state next September. Given the unity of these countries, American power and control over the ‘peace process’ may prove to be diminishing.

While the Arab world and many other countries are greatly inspired by national revolutions, the Americans and the Israelis are feeling increasingly uneasy about such developments. The United States, which had failed to engage with the civil societies in its client states, had also failed to detect the political and social unrest and the eventual downfalls of the dictatorship regimes it so firmly supported.

After the “Vietnam War”, the United States began to assert power and influence to create a new Middle East. This was to serve the hidden interests and objectives of the Americans. In order to “protect” Israel and to prevent possible threats from its neighboring countries, several Arab nations ended up with huge stockpiles supplied by the American military-industrial complex. There have been numerous incidents of these weapons being used to massacre unarmed civilians.

Security Council Chamber, New York

The world is fully aware of the health of the American arms industry. The US government will continue with the promotion of its “global leadership” and the sales of weapons of mass destruction, such as cluster bombs. In 2009, Mr. Obama signed into law 3 billion US dollars in aid to Israel for 2010, and 30 billion dollars more over the next ten years – on condition that 75% of the aid would be used to purchase military hardware made in the US. For Saudi Arabia, the continued strategic protection of this country is closely tied to the recent sales of 60 billions of US dollars in aircraft, which will benefit the US weapon industries - providing 77,000 jobs in 44 states. The emerging of China and its large increase in military spending will encourage the United States to keep up with the arms race.

On foreign policy, will the social and political upheavals in the Arab world force the US to adopt changes in the future?

Currently standing in isolation, the US administartion is in a huge dilemma, with unresolved conflicts of national interests. Israel has a history of dependence on the United States\' military power and wealth and the protection of certain Arab dictators. This began 40 years ago, when the Shah of Iran - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was a powerful ruler. In the last three decades, Israel shifted its dependency onto Mr. Hosni Mubarak, who was, like the Shah, a trusted ally of the United States. If the Israeli settlements were legitimate, Israel would not have to rely so heavily on the protection of others.

Meanwhile, Hamas and Hezbollah are gaining great momentum and popularity in the region. The United States has classified these military and political forces as "terrorist organizations". Russia and China never label them as such.

Unless the United States and Israel take meaningful steps toward the withdrawal of the Israeli settlements from the occupied Arab territories, they may become the big losers in the end.

To the rest of the world, the Americans have made many broken promises, and Mr. Obama\'s administration is unable to make things better. Compromising with tyrants, wherever they are, has side effects. Then you find you can not go in, and if you try you can not get out. So the American people, who almost unanimously despite Gaddafi, have to stand watching as he kills thousands of his own people.