Hagel: ME Order Vanishing, Possibility of Syria Breaking Increased

Local Editor

US War Secretary, Chuck Hagel, stressed that "the problems that plague the Middle East, including Iran's nuclear ambitions and Syria's civil war, require political, not military solutions."

Saying the "old order" was vanishing in the region, Hagel claimed in a speech that the United States would work to promote democratic reform while bearing in mind the "limitations" of American power.

He said that regional challenges including "the nuclear challenge posed by Iran, dangerous instability in Syria, or the continuing threat of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups" must be addressed through "coalitions of common interests," including "Israel" and other allies in the region.

"A common thread woven into the Middle East fabric is that the most enduring and effective solutions to the challenges facing the region are political, not military," Hagel told an audience at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
He further stressed: "America's role in the Middle East is to continue to help influence and shape the course of events -- using diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, intelligence, and security tools in coordination with our allies."
"Arab uprisings had shaken the established political landscape in the Middle East," he said, and noted that "the old order in the Middle East is disappearing, and what will replace it remains unknown."

"There will continue to be instability in the region as this process plays out and we all must adjust accordingly."
"The best hope for long-term stability relies on countries like Egypt, Libya, and Syria making transitions to democratic rule," he said.
The United States would "remain engaged in helping shape the new order, but we must engage wisely," he claimed.
The US top Military official highlighted that "this will require a clear understanding of our national interests, our limitations, and an appreciation for the complexities of this unpredictable, contradictory, yet hopeful region of the world."

In parallel, Hagel viewed that "the war in Syria was turning sectarian and the possibility the state would break apart was increasing," he said.
The war was putting Syria's "stockpiles of chemical weapons and advanced conventional weapons at risk, and the escalation of violence threatens to spill across its borders," he said.

Source: News agencies, Edited by moqawama.org