A Storm May Be Gathering in the East

Hello Papamoka Bloggers! Michael Jackson's death - may he rest in peace - came at a fascinating and highly uncertain time geopolitically, distracting us from a darkening political storm in the Middle East.

I'm talking about the clear rejection of religious fundamentalism in Iran - despite the government coup, which I will ignore to make a point. When you combine it with the anti-fundamentalist victory in Lebanon a few weeks ago, the two are very significant. Sadly, they may also represent bad news. Why? I have a theory.

President Obama's speech in Cairo went a long way to encourage moderates in both Lebanon and Iran to get off their backsides and vote against the mullahs. Of course, the Iranian government helped by giving it's electorate every indication their votes would count. They even held a few debates. Amazing, what were they thinking?

Those victories prove to many Middle East experts that people want more freedom, and that things may start to change even more - if Egypt begins to fracture, watch out. The problem is that whenever moderates stand up to extremists all kinds of bad things can happen, such as in Iran. Change that spins out of control can be disasterous, such as when the entrenched leadership begins to feel threatened. The way they are feeling today in Iran, and possibly even Eqypt.

Don't get me wrong, I realize the status quo doesn't work, and we all loved it when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, but it's clear the Middle East is a powder keg and once ignited it could lead to worldwide conflict. One very dark sign is the growing Iranian-Russian-Chinese alliance - in various forms. Another is the possibility of a fundamentalist crack-down across the Middle East, igniting chaos. I'm convinced that's why more leaders aren't speaking-out. Nobody wants to be responsible for open conflict and mass murder.

Bush was the beginning. He lit the Middle East fuse with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - two places ill-equipped to handle Western democracy and the freedoms that come with it. Nevertheless, his actions started the pieces moving across the board. Sadly, despite his potential for domestic success, Obama's legacy will most likely be seen through the same presidential prism of the Middle East. Did he control events in the Middle East after Bush, or did he allow them to spin out-of-control?

You see, there is one very hard-to-predict variable. He is the very hard-headed, right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu. I would like to think that he's a Nixon-China kind of guy, but my gut tells me he's more from the Bush-Iraq school. If I were to see the glass-as-half-empty, I would guess he's the George W II. That to me is a terrifying prospect.

He's already ignoring the significance of the Iranian-Russian-Chinese alliance (a typical neo-con), as well as Obama's request to control settlement construction and focus on the Road Map. Instead, he seems to be taking his marching orders from the Republicans and the far-right in America.

Personally, I think he's in bed with the Bush-Cheney branch of the GOP, who are all pushing Israel to bomb Iran before it has the chance to threaten the existence of Israel - no matter what Obama says about it.

If Israel bombs Iran, then President Obama and the Democrats will lose their entire agenda - both domestic and international. The Republicans would use the conflict to divide, conquer, win votes and take back power. Right or wrong, as usual they would maneuver to benefit from the chaos. Poor Obama would be forced to spend his time and energy cleaning-up another conflict created by an irresponsible, paranoid and pernicious far-right.

Of course, the scariest outcome is that America could be dragged into a regional or world conflict. One clear sign of chaos would be a potential threat to President Mubarak in Egypt. Don't scoff at the possibility. It may even be secretly supported by Russia and China; the two powers who would love to see America's primary African ally on the Nile fall to extremists - at least the kind they could do business with.

Despite all my hope for Obama and my glass-is-half-full mentality, I'm terrified of the uncompromising and paranoid extremists embodied by the neo-con Republicans, Netanyahu and Ahmadinejad. President Obama and Secretary Clinton must pull off a diplomatic miracle soon to make sure the international far-right doesn't get another war.

Netanyahu must be made to tow the line. Ahmadinejad must be undermined to prevent Israel from using him as an excuse. Obama must lead and control events in the Middle East to prevent more conflict.

I also think Obama needs to act quickly to fire most of the Bushies still in government - especially those within the DOD, STATE and INTELLIGENCE. He should not trust them. They represent a possible shadow government operating within his own Administration. Unless he acts quickly to make sure that he has full control, anything is possible. This is something that has been worrying me since he took office.

It's clear that President Obama is a change agent. Now we need to make sure the change is the right change. There are hot spots throughout history involving change - think the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Kristallnacht and 9/11, and I think we may be witnessing another one about to hit - for good or bad.

Let's hope that while most Americans are spending this weekend mourning the death of the King of Pop, a potential Earth-shattering clash isn't brewing in the Middle East between East and West. Let's hope that President Obama can control the international far-right agenda led by the GOP and Netanyahu, and that angry religious fundamentalists don't light the world on fire.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

Israel and Gaza Conflict

Outside observers like myself or you will probably never understand the conflict going on between Israel and Gaza simply because we do not live with the stress of two people not wanting to ever be neighbors. There is an extreme sense of hate between these people and yet when it comes to living and working they rely on not just one another business wise but also as people trying to earn a living and cohabitate. Then you toss in extremist opinions and outside influence that feeds weapons to both sides and you have one hell of a time bomb that someone will set off.

At times like these I wonder how the conflict between England and Northern Ireland would have ended up if people with weapons of mass destruction would have supplied both sides just to see how the weapons work. What is the kill factor on this missile? How does this weapon work? I’m not saying that people are experimenting where the fire is the hottest but it does make one wonder how the weapons that the people of Gaza are getting hold of to launch into Israel? These kinds of weapons do not grow on trees!

I grew up with a father that hated the English so bad he went to his grave with that hate instilled. He never met anyone from England or Great Britain, but he hated them anyway. That hatred was instilled in him from the time he was a child here in the United States by his own father. His father was a fighter in Ireland in the early 1900’s against the English and I can’t be sure of what acts he committed out of his hate but he immigrated to the United States the same year the Titanic sank. It was that or be caught and hanged. The hate managed to make the swim across the Atlantic. I thank God that my mother was not party to that same hatred and broke the cycle of unquestionable hate. Mind you, I am still very proud of my Irish heritage but that is a post for another day.

Personally, I am proud of my Irish heritage but I am more proud of the Irish back in my families homeland that managed to find peace. It isn’t something that can be stuffed down your throat, you have to want it, believe in it, and make it happen. The two sides in Northern Ireland found a common ground, worked out a treaty for long term peace, worked on that peace, are living that peace. Bombs are not going off killing innocent people, and troops are not forced to shoot to defend themselves against angry mobs. People and children are living a peace and surviving to smile and love another day. That is the desire that the people of Gaza and Israel need to come to realization with.

No outside influence can demand peace for Israel or the people of Gaza. It has to come from within and if it does not, then they will continue to war against one another. Neither Israel or Gaza is innocent in this latest altercation and battle. Each side sees their own reason for the fight but each side will fill graves because of the idiocy of pride. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth will only go so far till everyone is blind and toothless but nobody is listening in the Middle East. Thus the battle continues full of hate.

It takes guts to fight, but it takes a stronger virtue to find peace. That virtue is within reach but they have to face the fact that no amount of graves will end this war between them.

I pray for peace between Israel and the Gaza Strip people. And yet I know that is truly up to them. No amount of diplomacy can end it till someone takes their damn fingers off of a trigger on a gun or missile.

Just if you were wondering, I am pro Israel for defending itself.

Papamoka

Bush's Final Days of Inaction, Meltdown and Destruction

Good Morning Papamoka Bloggers - We don't have much time left when it comes to the embarrassing debacle that is the Bush Administration, but almost as if to tweak us even more before leaving office, the so-called President has decided to pretty much ignore a new middle eastern war in favor of cutting brush at his Crawford Ranch. It seems there's no end to the joke that is George W. Bush.

My position is simple, I do believe that Israel has a right to defend itself, and the Gaza attacks were probably necessary, but I also feel that excessive force is unwarranted. That's what seems to be unfolding now. The danger of a wider, regional conflict is VERY serious, and now I'm terrified by what is unfolding in the Gaza Strip.

People, WE could be drawn into a larger conflict. That is something that we CANNOT AFFORD right now. The US has to get involved to calm the situation NOW! Instead, Bush refuses to leave his vacation, and Rice hasn't left her Washington office. They don't seem to be doing anything!

To give us some perspective, this is the very same President, the one who claims to honor his promises to the American people with a seriousness only Republicans can understand, who pledged to resolve the Middle East peace process from Annapolis just 13 months ago. Well, the White House quietly dismissed that promise last month. Now it's taken that breakdown one step further by IGNORING the Middle East all together.

George W. Bush, the narcissistic fool, who Republicans continue to defend for psychotic reasons few others understand, REFUSES to leave his final vacation to try and mitigate the disaster unfolding before our eyes. Just like Katrina, the man's inaction and incompetence will worsen a serious situation that might have been helped under normal leadership. It's almost as if he dares us to despise him even more.

We're facing the possibility of a larger WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST. What is Bush doing? He has ABANDONED HIS POST, LEFT THE SINKING SHIP, and FLED THE FIELD OF BATTLE. Much like during Katrina, his desertion is leading to more death, more destruction. The Republican leadership should be demanding more action NOW to prevent increased cross-border conflict! Instead, they continue to defend him. Again, we must endure the bizarro world of the far right.

Again and again, the American people are left to wonder how we got into this nightmare. Once more, we are forced to watch our leaders DO NOTHING. Oh well, I guess if the war spreads, and the Middle East and other parts of the world IGNITE in conflict, then at least George W. Bush and his supporters will be far away from the action. That's justice for you, and more of the same if you ask me.

George W. Bush, you are either EVIL or inept, incompetent, and inadequate to do the job. You have been one or the other for a long time now. Like any soldier who is incapacitated, mentally like you or physically like most, you should be removed immediately! Unfortunately, we have to endure you for another 20+ days. But when that time comes, GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH has never been more relevant. Oh yes, and God help the people of the Middle East, and the world.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog