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Posted by admin in Uncategorized on February 24th, 2024
America Supports Israeli War Beyond Gaza onto the Arab World
America and Israel Aligned to Challenge Global Humanity
Political cynicism is endemic and its shallowness defines the claim of liberal democracy. America again flunked the global consensus of 13 member states calling for an immediate ceasefire and vetoed the February 20, Security Council resolution to support Israeli continued onslaught on the innocent people across Gaza. Are global institutions fast becoming redundant in a crisis? And global humanity is captive of the US-Israel’s intransigence and plans never experienced in history. Why should the global community allow arbitrary terror of killing and expulsion of 2.5 million people of Gaza? Philip Giraldi (Global Research: 2/21/24), “The United States Vetoes Yet Another UN Humanitarian Ceasefire Over Gaza” …. several interesting developments relating to Israel’s ongoing destruction of Gaza and its people, but one might well question the motives of at least one of the principal players in the drama, namely Joe Biden’s United States Government.https://www.globalresearch.ca/united-states-vetoes-another-un-humanitarian-ceasefire-gaza/5850155:
America and Israel share a common strategic vision and plan to expand the Gaza war onto the Arab world and to control the oil-gas resources needed for futuristic advancements. America and Israel are engaged in ‘crimes against humanity’ but no global system is applicable to stop their cruelty and insanity. The tribulations, terror against civilians nowhere to go beyond Rafah, daily bloodbath, attacks on hospitals, no UN protection to the civilians in conflict zones; blocking of humanitarian aid and starvation; and 2.5 million people left to be massacred while discussions of international law and peace make no headways except lip service and paperwork.“If the nations of the world–particularly the United States and the Arab countries–wanted to stop Israel’s slaughter, torture and ethnic cleansing in Gaza”, explains Marcy Winograd (“How Nations Could End Israeli Genocide: Stop the Weapons, Stop the Oil, Stop the Tech.” Global Research: 2/21/24), they could do so tomorrow with suspension of oil, arms and technology imports and exports to Israel.”https://www.globalresearch.ca/how-nations-could-end-israeli-genocide-stop-weapons-stop-oil-stop-tech/5849677
Jews for Peace Challenge the US- Israel Belligerency
Wars are integral to American and Israeli formative history and now they are engaged in “genocidal acts of vengeance” against the civilians of Gaza, widely accused by NGOs and global humanity. Virtually inexhaustible daily bombing spares no life, no functional hospitals, no UNRWA schools and no respect for the International Humanitarian Law or the Geneva Conventions. Israeli PM Netanyahu , an egoistic person lacking moral and intellectual capacity, cares about his own political survival unleashing violent assumptions of hatred, animosities and killings of Palestinians – a nation no matter how normal claims to be, cannot function as normal beings to co-exist with their own self and make any positive contributions to societal normalcy. Many Jewish organizations (“Jews for Peace” and “Jews against Zionism”) and others across the US and Europe committed and stood for peace and global brotherhood. They are all calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Dr. Ludwig Watzal, a journalist and editor in Bonn, explains:”How Modern is Israel? “Zionism has Little to do with Judaism” https://www.globalresearch.ca/how-modern-is-israel-zionism-has-little-to-do-with-judaism/5537626 and see Israel Shahak and Prof Michel Chossudovsky:“Greater Israel”: The Zionist Plan for the Middle East. ”https://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815
Those Bombing the God-given Earth are not Normal Human Beings
The Earth is a living entity and rotates itself at a speed of 1000 miles per hour at equator and orbits the Sun at an average speed of 67062 MPH. The Divine warning (Chapter 7: 56: The Qur’an), tells: Do no mischief on the Earth after it hath been set in order, but call on God with fear and longing in hearts; For the Mercy of God is always near to those who do good. Earth is a trust to humanity and trust includes accountability. The Earth sustains all forms of living things(known and unknown), the essential foundation of our very existence. Pathologically wicked leaders and nations claiming to be most powerful start acting like God to challenge the sanctity and limits of the Laws of God; historically, they become an object of unthinkable natural calamities- earthquakes, wildfires, floods, deaths and destruction. “Say! Travel through the earth; And see what was the end of those who rejected Truth.” spell out the annals of human history. Those bombing and causing catastrophic events to destroy the planet Earth and mankind and all of its treasures and enrichment are not normal human beings. The followers of Moses – the generations of Israelite are reminded by God (Quran 2: 84-85 ): And remember, We took a Covenant from the Children of Israel (progeny of Jacob), Worship none but God…shed no blood amongst you, Nor displace people from homes: and Ye solemnly ratified, And to this ye can bear witness…. It was not lawful for you to banish another party, then it is only a part of the Book that ye believe in…. And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty,For God is not unmindful what ye do.
And killing of innocent people is prohibited by God’s Ten Commandments (Torah): ‘Thou shalt not kill‘ (Exod. 20:13; also Deut. 5:17). Jewish law views the shedding of innocent blood very seriously, and lists murder as one of three sins (along with idolatry and sexual immorality), that fall under the category of yehareg ve’al ya’avor – meaning “One should let himself be killed rather than violate it.”According to Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague: ‘Jewish law forbids the killing of innocent people, even in the course of a legitimate military engagement.’
Are there any Arab-Muslim Leaders to Defend Palestine Freedom?
America and Israel view all the Arab States as vulnerable to besiegement and political supremacy. Living in the fantasy of time and power, Arab-Muslim states have no armies or leaders to protect the national interest of Palestine. The PLO is devoid of intelligent leadership and Israeli forces have free hand to raid or kill Palestinians across the occupied territories. America and Israel have working plans to conquer more Arab lands -Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and others to resettle the Palestinians and put a finished answer on Palestine as a future State. Would the Arab-Muslim leaders rethink outside the imperial box to plan for a navigational change in relationships with the US and its military hegemony? The time, history and future generations of conscientious people will curse the so-called tribal agents for their wickedness and greed to be kings and queens and princes and nothing else to make their presence in the global arena of emerging conflicts.
Please see more: “How Did Arab Leaders Betrayed Islam and Defied the Logic of Political Change, Peace and Security.” https://www.uncommonthought.com/mtblog/archives/2023/10/07/how-did-arab-leaders-betrayed-islam-and defied-the-logic-of-political-change-peace-and-security.php
War on Gaza is a stigma of political survival for PM Netanyahu and the war cabinet while several thousands of Israeli citizens demonstrate in Tel Aviv asking for peace with Palestinians and a safe return of 134 hostages still in Gaza. Engaged in deceit of triumphalism, Netanyahu Government is not listening to voices of reason and truth. While the Israeli Ultra Nationalist groups continuously violate the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Arab-Muslim leaders are simply the spectators watching the provocations.
Please see: “Al-Aqsa Mosque Waiting for the Arab Leaders.” http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/57491.htm Please see more: https://www.uncommonthought.com/mtblog/archives/2023/10/31/the-war-on-gaza-humanity-is-being-destroyed-by-the-madness-of-war-and-inept-leadership.php
While the Arab leaders making melodramatic and misleading claims of security and peace with Israel and the West, the region is a highly militarized and destabilized landscape of continuous conflicts. To subdue and humiliate the “camel jockeys” of the oil producing Arab world, now the US exports wars, weapons and poisonous thoughts to divide and conquer the Arabian Peninsula. Historically, diverse tribal Arabs were united as an “Ummah” – One Nation by Islam but European colonialists assigned sectarian identities to divide the geography and history of Arab civilization. To change the future, America and Israel needed a political challenge to stop the war on Gaza but it was nowhere to be seen on the Arabian leadership horizon. For too long, Arab leaders breathe oxygen in moral and intellectual decadence and a delusional fantasy of oil-run economic prosperity.
Intelligent people always heed to rational advice but American and Israeli warmongering and killings are contrary to the Nature of Things. The Gazan landscape is filled with deaths and destruction which could have been avoided if reason and honest policies were implied to the crisis. The time and opportunities call for rethinking and new ideas to reject violence and vengeance as contrary to the nature of humanity, peace and intellect. To avoid most dreadful tragedies in the making, we must reject the tyranny of war as a means to solve political problems and demand a return to persuasive communication and dialogue for conflict management and peace-making.
Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international affairs-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications: One Humanity and the Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution (2019); and a forthcoming book is entitled: Global Humanity, Peace and Conflict Resolution beyond the Lens of Human Consciousness.
Posted by admin in CURRENT EVENTS on December 16th, 2023
Looking beyond the Obvious Lens of War
PTT
10 Dec 2023 – Justice and fairness search for reason and truth, not mythological criteria of political power and ethnic supremacy of the few in global affairs. Canons of rationality do not subscribe to treacherous ambuscade but focus on imperatives of reasoned legitimacy of purpose and an enlightened core principle of justice for all. The UN and all of its organs are dysfunctional, the UNRWA has no operating schools or to shelter millions of refugees and UN -NGO’s food programs are not allowed when civilians are being starved as a weapon of war. The UN Secretary General Deteurres using Article 99 (UN Charter) for the SC meeting called it an ‘apocalyptic events’ destroying humanity.
President Joe Biden and PM Netanyahu appear to be linked to a false narrative of power politics undermining their own moral vulnerability and sustainable future. On December 8, the US veto at the UNSC meeting signals that reality is in the making. America and Israel have plunged into a moral and political abyss and would find it hard to return to the transition of reason and global harmony. American policies are blended into Israeli actions to subdue the Arab world and to destroy the population of Gaza. When there is no reason in global deliberations, there is cruelty and insanity empowering the evil acts of disingenuity against mankind. The tribulations, terror, deaths of the innocent civilians and destruction of human cultures and civilization are hallmarks of war on Gaza. Perhaps the prevalent scenes of barbarity of planned killings of women, children and the innocents are embedded in a hybrid culture – part human-part vulture in policies and practices. American veto power at the Security Council signals preference to foil ceasefire and save Israel from the consequences of a barbaric war rather than to listen to voices of global reasoning. Humanity faces a havoc situation of multiple crises of human suffering and abandoned civilians close to 2.3 millions.
Jews for Peace vs. American and Israeli alliance
Wars are integral to American and Israeli formative history. All of the WMD is supplied by America and Israel bombs the enclave and international NGOs and Human Rights Watch allege “genocidal acts of vengeance” against the civilians of Gaza. Virtually inexhaustible bombing spares no life, no hospitals, no UNRWA school, no safety to protect the civilians and no respect for International Humanitarian Law or the Geneva Conventions as if these are just paper-based dried ink words without any meaning. Israeli PM Netanyahu is egoistic and cares about his own political survival unleashing violent assumptions of hatred, animosities and killings of Palestinians overwhelm the daily thinking process across many spectrum of Israeli society – a nation no matter how normal claims to be, cannot function as normal beings to co-exist with their own self, the surroundings – in the human culture and make any positive contributions to human change and progress. Even the warmongers cannot predict what the end game is after the forced expulsion of 2.3 millions people of Gaza. There are many Jewish organizations (“Jews for Peace” and “Jews against Zionism”) and others across the US and Europe committed to and standing for peace and global brotherhood. They all are calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
A favorite perversion is at work when American and some European leaders call it a simple “operation” across Gaza whereas cold blooded massacres are the result of daily life. Evil happens when conscientious men do nothing. God created the Heavens and Earth as a trust to fulfill all human aspirations and to flourish human generations since time immemorial. It was not meant to be bombed and destroyed by sheer ignorance and wickedness.
The Earth is a Trust to Us, Those Bombing it are not Normal Human Beings
The Earth is a living entity and is meant for us – the human beings. The Divine warning (Chapter 7: 56: The Qur’an), is self-explanatory: Do no mischief on the Earth after it hath been set in order, but call on God with fear and longing in hearts; For the Mercy of God is always near to those who do good. We live on earth that sustains all forms of living things, yet human ignorance and arrogance are at work to destroy the essential foundation of our own existence. When nations and leaders subscribing to political absolutism start acting like God and challenge the sanctity and limits of the Laws of God; historically speaking they become an object of unthinkable natural calamities- earthquakes, wildfires, floods, deaths and destruction.
The WHO- Geneva warns of ‘tsunami of diseases’ in the making if immediate preventive measures are not taken to remove the rubble, dead bodies and restore functional hospitals and increased supplies of fuel, clean water, foods and well being of the displaced people. While the US and West European leaders offer lip service to the Two State solution, Palestinians are worthy of human dignity and rights as are the Israelis”, and “Two States – Israel and Palestine.” “ Gaza: War on We, the People and Arab-Muslim’s Shame ”
Are the Arab-Muslim Leaders waiting for the Unthinkable?
America and Israel view all the Arab States as vulnerable to domination and political supremacy. The former European colonial powers and America appoint former tribal agents as dictators, kings, princes and royals and masses are viewed just as sheep and goats and nothing else. The Cop28 at Dubai was nothing more than an insult to common sense while America and Israel are slaughtering the innocent people in Gaza. Most Western leaders supporting the exclusively Israeli stance were present there to be entertained with dance and music. Qatar is overwhelmed with Expos 2023 and football matches. Egypt under General Sisi is complicit in Israeli strategic plans. America and Israel have working plans to conquer more Arab lands to resettle the Palestinians and put a finished answer on Palestine as a State. Would the Arab-Muslim leaders rethink outside the imperial box to opt for a navigational change in relationships with the US and its military hegemony? The time, history and future generations of consciousness people will curse the so-called tribal agents for their ignorance, wickedness and greed to be kings and queens and princes.
Most Arab-Muslim leaders live in complete disconnect to the prevalent strategic realities emerging across the Middle East. Their imagination, if any, reflects a world of fantasy not facts of life. There are no public institutions of discussions and accountability and leaders are not equipped with knowledge and wisdom to cope with the harsh challenges of the 21st century global affairs. They should be questioned and held accountable for failing to help the besieged people of Palestine. Could they ever envisage how the futuristic Arab world lookalike?
There are thousands of Israeli citizens demonstrating in Tel Aviv asking the government for peace with Palestinian and a safe return of hostages still in Gaza. The Netanyahu Government is not listening to voices of reason and moderation. The Israeli Ultra Nationalist groups are continuously violating the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Arab-Muslim leaders are simply watching the provocations. Please see this author: “Al-Aqsa Mosque Waiting for the Arab Leaders.”
Please see more by this author:
The followers of Moses – the generations of Israelite are reminded by God ( Quran 2: 84-85 and Torah): And remember, We took a Covenant from the Children of Israel (progeny of Jacob), Worship none but God; ….shed no blood amongst you, Nor displace people from homes: and Ye solemnly ratified, And to this ye can bear witness…. It was not lawful for you to banish another party, then it is only a part of the Book that ye believe in…. And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty, For God is not unmindful what ye do.
To be honest to ourselves and to our future, American and Israeli manipulation of time, warmongering and dictum are contrary to the Nature of Things. The Gazan landscape is filled with deaths and destruction which could have been avoided and undone if reason and honest policies were implied to the crisis. The time and opportunities call for rethinking and new ideas to reject violence and vengeance as contrary to the nature of humanity, peace and intellect. To avoid the most dreadful tragedies in the making, we must reject tyranny of war as a means to solve political problems and demand a return to persuasive communication and dialogue for conflict management and peace-making.
______________________________________
Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international relations-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest book: Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution: Approaches to Understand the Current Issues and Future-Making, Lambert Academic Publications, Germany, 2017.
Tags: Conflict Resolution, Crimes against Humanity, Ethnic Cleansing, Gaza, Genocide, Israel, Massacre, Palestine, Peace, USA, United Nations, War crimes
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 11 Dec 2023.
Anticopyright: Editorials and articles originated on TMS may be freely reprinted, disseminated, translated and used as background material, provided an acknowledgement and link to the source, TMS: War on Gaza: How the US Used Veto to Support Israel and Insult Humanity?, is included. Thank you.
Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international relations-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest book: Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution: Approaches to Understand the Current Issues and Future-Making, Lambert Academic Publications, Germany, 2017.
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Posted by Dr. Salman in Palestine on May 19th, 2018
Turkish president tells OIC leaders that Israel must be held accountable for the killing of Palestinians in Gaza Strip.
Speaking at an extraordinary summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday, Erdogan said Israel should be held accountable over the killings which drew widespread international condemnation and triggered a wave of protests from Asia, through the Middle East, to North Africa.
“To take action for Palestinians massacred by Israeli bandits is to show the whole world that humanity is not dead,” Erdogan told the group of Muslim leaders gathered in Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul.
The Turkish president described Israel’s killing of Palestinians as “thuggery, atrocity and state terror,” and said the US’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would inevitably haunt it.
On Monday, just as the US went ahead with the controversial relocation of its embassy to Jerusalem, 62 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and more than 2,700 wounded as the Israeli army fired live ammunition and tear gas at protesters who had assembled hundreds of metres from a 1949 armistice line between Gaza and Israel.
The protesters in the besieged enclave had gathered to commemorate Nakba Day – an event in 1948 when Zionist paramilitaries ethnically cleansed Palestinian cities and towns. About 750,000 people were forcibly expelled from historical Palestine.
The Istanbul summit was attended by several heads of state, but Saudi Arabia, the host of the 57-member OIC, sent only a senior foreign ministry official. Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE also deployed lower level ministers.
Speaking at the conference, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said the Palestinian cause had “become a symbol for oppressed peoples everywhere” and condemned Israel for “brutal massacre” of peaceful demonstrators.
“Who among us does not know the declared siege forced on Gaza Strip and collective punishment against its population?” the emir said.
“The Gaza Strip has been transformed into a large concentration camp for millions of people who are deprived of their most basic rights to travel, education, work and medical treatment.
“When their sons take arms they are called terrorists, and when they stage peaceful demonstrations they are called extremists, and are shot dead with live ammunition.”
For his part, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah said the US had become “part of the problem and not the solution” and called the relocation of the embassy “an act of aggression against the Islamic nation, against Muslims and Christians”.
Jordanian King Abdullah II urged for the adoption of urgent measures to back “the resistance of Palestinians”, while Iranian President Hasan Rouhani called for economic and political measures against the US and Israel.
Late on Friday, the OIC issued a final communique calling on the United Nations to form an international investigation into the killings in Gaza; the creation of an international protection force for Palestinians, and for the OIC to place economic restrictions on any countries, companies or individuals who recognise Israel’s annexation of Jerusalem.
Earlier in the day, Erdogan told a raucous crowd of more than 10,000 people in Istanbul’s Yenikapi fairground that the Muslim world had to unite and “pull themselves back together”.
“Muslims are way too busy fighting and disagreeing with themselves, and shy away when confronted by their enemies,” he told the audience.
“Since 1947, Israel has been free to do what it likes in this region. They do whatever they feel like. But this reality can be undone … if we unite.”
Earlier this week, Turkey recalled its envoys to Israel and the US following the killings of the Palestinians and the relocation of Washington’s embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.
Tolgar Memis, a German-Turk, said he came to the rally to support Erdogan’s recent remarks and policies against Israel.
“What we’ve seen over the last few years, all the injustice, and what happened earlier this week – it’s simply unacceptable.
“Erdogan has made great strides in defending the Palestinians, something he is obligated to do, and hopefully other leaders will follow his cue.”
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
Posted by admin in Global Issues on January 1st, 2013
Nobody can predict which way the ‘Arab Awakening’ will turn this year. But Robert Fisk has ventured a very tentative punt or two…
31 December 2012
Syria
‘Yes, Assad will go. One day. He says as much. But don’t expect it to happen in the immediate future. Or Gaddafi-style.’
‘Hamas and Khaled Meshaal will go on denying Israel’s right to exist – thus allowing Israel to falsely claim that it has “no one to talk to” – until the next Gaza war.’
‘Israel has no stomach for an all-out war against Iran – it would lose – and the United States, having lost two Middle East wars, has no enthusiasm for losing a third.’
‘There are those who say that the Gulf kingdoms will remain secure for years to come. Don’t count on it. Watch Saudi Arabia.’
‘Its own civil war will go on grinding up the bones of civil society while we largely ignore its agony.’
‘Now that Obama has entered his drone-happy second presidency, we’re going to hear more about those wonderful unpiloted bombers.’ Never make predictions in the Middle East. My crystal ball broke long ago. But predicting the region has an honourable pedigree. “An Arab movement, newly-risen, is looming in the distance,” a French traveller to the Gulf and Baghdad wrote in 1883, “and a race hitherto downtrodden will presently claim its due place in the destinies of Islam.”
A year earlier, a British diplomat in Jeddah confided that “it is within my knowledge… that the idea of freedom does at present agitate some minds even in Mecca…” So let’s say this for 2013: the “Arab Awakening” (the title of George Antonius’ seminal work of 1938) will continue, the demand for dignity and freedom – let us not get tramelled up here with “democracy” – will go on ravaging the pseudo-stability of the Middle East, causing as much fear in Washington as it does in the palaces of the Arab Gulf.
On the epic scale of history, that much is certain. At the incendiary core of this discontent will be the claims of a Palestinian state that does not exist and may never exist and the actions of an Israeli state which – through its constant building of colonies for Jews and Jews only on Arab land – ensures that “Palestine” will remain only an Arab dream. If 2012 is anything to go by, the Palestinians themselves face the coming year with the knowledge that:
1) neither the Americans nor the Europeans have the guts to help them, because
2) Israel will continue to act with impunity, and
3) neither the Obamas nor the Camerons nor the Hollandes have the slightest interest in taking on the Likudist lobby, which will scream “anti-semitism” the moment the minutest criticism is made against Israel.
Add to this the fact that Mahmoud Abbas and his utterly discredited regime in Ramallah will go on making concessions to the Israelis – if you do not believe me, read Clayton Swisher’s The Palestine Papers – even when there are no more concessions to make. Hamas and Khaled Meshaal will go on denying Israel’s right to exist – thus allowing Israel to falsely claim that it has “no one to talk to” – until the next Gaza war and the subsequent cowardly request from the West which will “urge restraint on both sides”, as if the Palestinians possess Merkava tanks, F-18s and drones.
A third Intifada? Maybe. An approach to the International Court to condemn Israel for war crimes in building Jewish colonies on other people’s land? Perhaps. But so what? The Palestinians won an international court case which condemned the building of Israel’s apartheid/security wall – and absolutely nothing happened. That’s the fate of the Palestinians. They’re told by the likes of Tom Friedman to abandon violence and adopt the tactics of Gandhi; then when they do, they still lose, and Friedman remains silent. It was, after all, Gandhi who said that Western civilisation “would be a good idea”.
So bad news for Palestine in 2013. Iran? Well, the Iranians understand the West much better than we understand the Iranians – a lot of them, remember, were educated in the United States. And they’ve an intriguing way of coming out on top whatever they do. George Bush (and Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara) invaded Afghanistan and rid the Shia Iranians of their Sunni enemy, whom they always called the “Black Taliban”. Then Bush-Blair invaded Iraq and got rid of the Islamic Republic’s most loathsome enemy, Saddam Hussein. Thus did Iran win both the Afghan and the Iraqi war – without firing a shot.
There’s no doubt that Iran would fire a shot or two if Israel/America – the two are interchangeable in Iran as in many other Middle East countries – were to attack its nuclear facilities. But Israel has no stomach for an all-out war against Iran – it would lose – and the US, having lost two Middle East wars, has no enthusiasm for losing a third. Sanctions – and here is Iran’s real potential nemesis – are causing far more misery than Israel’s F-18s. And why is America threatening Iran in the first place? It didn’t threaten India when it went nuclear.
And when that most unstable and extremist state called Pakistan was developing nuclear weapons, no US threat was made to bomb its facilities. True, we’ve heard that more recently – in case the nukes “fell into the wrong hands”, as in gas which might “fall into the wrong hands” in Syria; or in Gaza, for that matter, where democracy “fell into the wrong hands” the moment Hamas won elections there in 2006.
Now that Obama has entered his drone-happy second presidency, we’re going to hear more about those wonderful unpiloted bombers which have been ripping up bad guys and civilians for more than four years. One day, one of these machines – though they fly in packs of seven or eight – will hit too many civilians or, even worse, will contrive to kill westerners or NGOs. Then Obama will be apologising – though without the tears he expended over Newtown, Connecticut. And here’s a thought for this year.
The gun lobby in the States tells us that “it’s not guns that kill – it’s people”. But apply that to drone attacks on Pakistan or Israeli bombardments of Gaza and the rubric changes. It’s the guns/bombs/rockets that kill because the Americans don’t mean to kill civilians and the Israelis don’t wish to kill civilians. It’s just “collateral damage” again, though that’s not an excuse you can provide for Hamas rockets.
So what’s left for 2013? Assad, of course. He’s already trying to win back some rebel forces to his own ruthless side – an intelligent though dangerous tactic – and the West is getting up to its knees in rebel cruelty. Yes, Assad will go. One day. He says as much. But don’t expect it to happen in the immediate future. Or Gaddafi-style. The old mantra still applies. Egypt was not Tunisia and Yemen was not Egypt and Libya was not Yemen and Syria is not Libya.
Iraq? Its own latent civil war will go on grinding up the bones of civil society while we largely ignore its agony; there are days now when more Iraqis are killed than Syrians, though you wouldn’t know it from the nightly news. And the Gulf? Arabia, where the first Arab awakening began? Where, indeed, the first Arab revolution – the advent of Islam – burst forth upon the world. There are those who say that the Gulf kingdoms will remain secure for years to come. Don’t count on it. Watch Saudi Arabia. Remember what that British diplomat wrote 130 years ago. “Even in Mecca…”
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