Iran's best friends: the U.S. and Israel

A recent report on the Middle East by Chatham House, the respected British think tank, has concluded that Iran has been the main beneficiary of the U.S. "war on terror" in the Middle East. Israel's conflicts with the Palestinians and Hezbollah have also added to Iran's influence in the region. According to the report,

"The United States, with coalition support, has eliminated two of Iran's regional rival governments - the Taliban in Afghanistan ... and Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq ... - but has failed to replace either with coherent and stable political structures. The outbreak of conflict ... between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza, and Israel and Hizbullah in Lebanon, has added to the regional dimensions of this instability."

Iran, like Israel, is a non-Arab state trying to get by in an Arab world. Unlike Israel, however, its image steadily improves and its influence steadily grows, particularly on the Arab street. Maybe Israel, and the Americans, could learn something from Iran. The Chatham House report goes on to say that while the U.S. "may have the upper hand in 'hard' power,"

"Iran has traditionally been a master of 'soft' power -- the ability to use politics and culture to pursue its strategic interests. Its knowledge of the region, fluency in the languages and culture, strong historical ties and administrative skills have given Iran an advantage over the West. While the latter, both historically and currently, has sought to change and reform the Middle East, Iran tends to work with what it finds."

There are obvious lessons here. Rather than attempting to bludgeon the Arabs into accepting their world view, Israel and the U.S. could try a little soft power. Assassinating the Arabs most popular leaders, dismissing their most representative organizations as terrorists, and administering a little of the old shock and awe from time to time doesn't seem to be winning hearts and minds. It is, on the other hand, offering them gift-wrapped to Iran.