Back in the Orchard, Back in the Middle East
I’m back, after an early summer avalanche of work commitments that forced me into the blogger’s equivalent of triage.
As always, when I don’t post about the daily developments in my country and in the world here, it’s not because I have nothing to say but because I have too much to say (and, sometimes, not enough time to think). Let’s see, what’s been happening in our favorite region, the Middle East, since my last post:
– Violent anarchy abounds in the Gaza Strip, and the descriptions seem to indicate a near collapse into civil war.
– For a few days it looked like another all-out summer war between Israel and its neighbors was breaking out. I’m glad these sparks have subsided, though it’s hard to feel glad about anything at all that’s going on in the Holy Lands.
– USA/coalition military leaders have informed the government of Iraq that they are failing to meet the designated “benchmarks” for legislative action that the American home front considers essential if we are to continue to provide troops. Every news report I’ve read about this meeting fails to clarify the obvious truth here, which is that the elected Maliki government’s failure to establish control represents not a failure of execution but a failure of will. A realistic appraisal of the future of Iraq seems to point to eventual Shiite domination, and Shiite/Sunni tensions clearly trump all other concerns for Iraqi government leaders. In other words, Iraq’s elected leaders do not seem to believe the center will hold, and everything else we are seeing is a manifestation of this fact. It’s pointless for American analysts and commentators to describe this situation as a failure when in fact the lack of concerted leadership in Baghdad appears to be a tactic.
That’s a way-too-quick summary, so mainly I want to say that “I’m back” and will try to write more clearly next time. The “Gonzales Watch” is certainly coming back as well.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
If I might add 2 cents…
(1) Many pundits claim the Iraqi government doesn’t have any control over their own country. E.g. the Al`Askarī Mosque is bombed to rubble by the very soldiers stationed there to protect it.
(2) The Bush administration immediately destabilized Palestine by undermining any authority Yassar Arafat might have had.
(3) Our ally Turkey invaded northern Iraq to punish our ally the Kurds; due to alleged Kurdish terrorist efforts inside Turkey.
(4) Our ally Lebanon has been shelling Palestinian refugee camps to punish terrorist elements therein.
(5) World leaders called for a 50% reduction in air pollutants at the G-8 Summit. Bush vetoed it.
(6) Joltin’ Joe Lieberman calls for pre-emptive military strikes against Iran. (Apparently there’s just too much peace and stability in the world.)
Bad things happen when you’re away, Levi.
June 15th, 2007 at 6:20 am
June 15, 2007
Can you explain what’s going on in the gaza strip? Who’s on who’s side, etc?
June 15th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Hamas is learning how to defeat its enemies. Unfortunately its enemies include Israel and America. Popular notion is that Arafat shoulda tooken the deal when he could’ve. I fear that the future reality is - Barak shoulda tooken the deal when he could’ve. Lost in all this - wasn’t Palestine ’sposed to become a recognized independent country two years ago?