Former governor tours Middle East

Would you go to Yemen? David Beasley and his wife did this November. This was Beasley’s second trip to the country. They returned Nov. 11 from their two-week visit to the Middle East. The trip was for the Center for Global Strategies (CGS), a group that Beasley serves as board chairman.

“We meet with government and business leaders, developing better relations and better bridges between East and West,” Beasley said. “That’s what we’re all about. We do it by one-on-one relationships and business relationships.”
The group’s vision is being met through a growing number of non-military Americans and Western friends who go into welcoming nations to “wage peace.” They develop relationships of trust to build a future of cross-cultural bonds in the global marketplace.

He said the recent trip was a success.

“On this trip I was in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank,” he said. “We had several different objectives on this trip.”

In Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, CRS focuses on bridging peacekeeping and bridge-building from a government-business perspective.

“We met with Jewish and Palestinian business leaders. Part of our objective is to go to these difficult countries where there is conflict and strife, and we work toward reconciliation,” Beasley said.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in the Middle East, but this was the first trip I had ever taken inside the West Bank of Israel,” Beasley said. “I truly was highly enlightened and informed as I hit the ground and met many people on the ground in Jerusalem, in Israel, the West Bank and Palestinian areas.”

“I was remarkably moved by a couple of leaders who were leading youths toward non-violence. It’s amazing. Most of the Palestinians and Israelis I talked to want peace and reconciliation and peace. The problem you run into is the extremism you run into in all three religious areas.”

“There’s a lot extremist activity taking place,” he said. “It’s sad because people there are so nice.”

The center’s approach seeks a vibrant market economy using manufacturing, technology, health care policy, macroeconomic policy and international tourism to strengthen countries.

He promotes South Carolina wherever he goes too.

“There’s no question, everybody knows South Carolina where I go. We’ve got a great story and a great history and a great life,” Beasley said. “Right before I left for the Middle East, we had one of the most prominent business families from Sri Lanka ... We were there talking about reconciliation and bringing the war to an end. We were there promoting peace.”

In the spring 2010, he is planning another trip with politicians.

Beasley also toured the Holy Land and visited Hebron, the “City of the Patriarchs” where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah are believed buried. The Beasleys even spent the night in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

“We went down to Mt. Nebo. That’s where Moses stood on Mt. Nebo and pointed to the Promised Land,” Beasley said. “It’s a famous holy site in Jordan. It’s on the east side of the Jordan Valley. I think we saw a few American tourists there.”

He said he saw few Americans in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the West Bank, but there were a lot of American tourists in Israel.

“The number of tourists we saw in Israel, which was very safe for Americans, the amount of tourists was remarkable, especially in Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee,” Beasley said.

The center also host social events and works on bringing peace in Sudan.

One specific project CRS is working on supports eye surgery for Yemen citizens who would otherwise go blind.

“It’s about a quarter of a million dollars worth of eye surgeries. This is for poor people,” Beasley said. “We’ve got equipment and physicians. It’s sort of a joint venture between the Lebanese, the U.S. and the U.K., friends that put together funds. This is the second one we have done in Yemen.

“As a matter of fact, I’m going to be talking to some doctors here in the Pee Dee,” he said. “Hopefully they can spend several weeks or months in time. Everything I do there I do it for free. I don’t do it for money.”

Donations are accepted on the group’s Web site, www.centerforglobalstrategies.org.

Beasley, who received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2003, created CGS in April 2005 with his friend and former Chief Legal Counsel Henry L. Deneen.