Plus ca change
While we were away for two weeks, things continued as usual in the Middle East. Let's summarize:
1. Kassam rockets keep falling daily on Sderot, recently killing three people, and the Israeli Govt and IDF continue to threaten the terrorist organizations with dire consequences, but all they do is bump off an occasional suspect.
2. Lebanon continues its slide into violence, mainly because the Lebanese Govt. has abided by the agreement imposed by Syria years ago not to allow the Lebanese Govt to exercise its sovereignty in the so-called Palestinian camps, which are actually terrorist breeding grounds. Finally the Lebanese Army went in and smashed the Islamist Fatah al Islam terrorist insurgents in Tripoli. More such incidents are expected around Lebanon while the camps are not subject to Govt. control.
3. The US expanded its sanctions against Iran while Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons capability. Iran agreed to further talks with the EU delegation, which even the jaded journalists agreed is a stalling ploy. Noone will do anything active until the last moment or until it is too late.
4. The Israeli Labor Party chose either Barak (not again!) or Ami Ayalon (a former head of intelligence) as their candidate for Head of the Party. Amir Peretz was waaay down the list, and hopefully he'll finally be out of the position of Defense Minister within two weeks. There will be a runoff between Barak and Ayalon, and the latter is expected to win, in which case he may withdraw the Labor Party from the Govt coalition, and the Olmert Govt may fall.
5. In a poll, as usual, Olmert received only ca. 2% of the vote. Noone wants him! He is much less popular in Israel than Bush in America and Blair in the UK!
6. In Gaza, a video was released showing Alan Johnston, the BBC correspondent, mouthing his usual pro-Palestinain line, but this time it was dictated by a shadowy Islamist Palestinian group. However, noone could detect any difference from his usual BBC broadcasts. The BBC rejected any criticism that it was irresponsible as the only international news organization that retained a correspondent in Gaza, notwithstanding the dangers, since they assumed that he was safe due to his overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian stance. But, apparently he was too pro-Fatah and not enough pro-Hamas!
7. Pres. Assad in Syria was re-elected as the only candidate for another 7 years. This was described in much of the media as an example of Syrian democracy. Assad continues to talk out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, declaring peaceful intent but warning of war.
8. In Iraq, the Sunnis and Shia are killing each other with abandon, hundreds of bodies are found each day, but Bush continues to declare that things are improving. Why doesn't he admit success, fold his tents and leave the Iraqis to their fate. Even if al Qaeda uses the opportunity to organize terrorism against the US, they are still killing US forces now, and they might not be able to organize so well while they are engaged in a violent internecine struggle with the Sunnis, the Shia, the Kurds and other insurgent groups. Let the chips fall where they may.
So as we say in Israel, "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose."
1. Kassam rockets keep falling daily on Sderot, recently killing three people, and the Israeli Govt and IDF continue to threaten the terrorist organizations with dire consequences, but all they do is bump off an occasional suspect.
2. Lebanon continues its slide into violence, mainly because the Lebanese Govt. has abided by the agreement imposed by Syria years ago not to allow the Lebanese Govt to exercise its sovereignty in the so-called Palestinian camps, which are actually terrorist breeding grounds. Finally the Lebanese Army went in and smashed the Islamist Fatah al Islam terrorist insurgents in Tripoli. More such incidents are expected around Lebanon while the camps are not subject to Govt. control.
3. The US expanded its sanctions against Iran while Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons capability. Iran agreed to further talks with the EU delegation, which even the jaded journalists agreed is a stalling ploy. Noone will do anything active until the last moment or until it is too late.
4. The Israeli Labor Party chose either Barak (not again!) or Ami Ayalon (a former head of intelligence) as their candidate for Head of the Party. Amir Peretz was waaay down the list, and hopefully he'll finally be out of the position of Defense Minister within two weeks. There will be a runoff between Barak and Ayalon, and the latter is expected to win, in which case he may withdraw the Labor Party from the Govt coalition, and the Olmert Govt may fall.
5. In a poll, as usual, Olmert received only ca. 2% of the vote. Noone wants him! He is much less popular in Israel than Bush in America and Blair in the UK!
6. In Gaza, a video was released showing Alan Johnston, the BBC correspondent, mouthing his usual pro-Palestinain line, but this time it was dictated by a shadowy Islamist Palestinian group. However, noone could detect any difference from his usual BBC broadcasts. The BBC rejected any criticism that it was irresponsible as the only international news organization that retained a correspondent in Gaza, notwithstanding the dangers, since they assumed that he was safe due to his overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian stance. But, apparently he was too pro-Fatah and not enough pro-Hamas!
7. Pres. Assad in Syria was re-elected as the only candidate for another 7 years. This was described in much of the media as an example of Syrian democracy. Assad continues to talk out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, declaring peaceful intent but warning of war.
8. In Iraq, the Sunnis and Shia are killing each other with abandon, hundreds of bodies are found each day, but Bush continues to declare that things are improving. Why doesn't he admit success, fold his tents and leave the Iraqis to their fate. Even if al Qaeda uses the opportunity to organize terrorism against the US, they are still killing US forces now, and they might not be able to organize so well while they are engaged in a violent internecine struggle with the Sunnis, the Shia, the Kurds and other insurgent groups. Let the chips fall where they may.
So as we say in Israel, "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose."
posted by Jack Cohen at 9:32 AM
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