AP: Those who forget the lessons of history are about to see history repeat
Students of European and Middle Eastern history know what happened the last time European empires in decline made decisions about boundaries and the existence of nation-states in the Middle East and then imposed their decisions on the region. And the people who live in the Middle East have been paying the price of those decisions ever since.
Now, in what may be an unintended piece of irony, AP writers Dan Perry and Don Melvin point out that history is about to repeat itself, with a Europe in decline planning to decide on borders, boundaries and the creation of a new state in the Middle East.
Europe set for key Palestine role
By DAN PERRY and DON MELVIN, Associated Press Dan Perry And Don Melvin, Associated Press – 1 hr 1 min ago
BRUSSELS – Europe, its global influence waning by the day, has long wished for more of a voice in a Middle Eastern diplomatic arena dominated by the U.S.
That wish is now being granted, in a limited way: The position of key European nations could determine the impact of the Palestinians’ plan to ask the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state at its September annual meeting.
The Europeans would do well to heed Santayan’s warning, and the peoples of the Middle East would be better off if they did.