Well, they would be tied for first if there were a contest for WORST FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS IN RECENT HISTORY.
I don't have time to go into a full-blown rant, as the wonders of Organic Chem await me before I turn in for the night, but I would like to address two thgs.:
1) Approximately 30 mins. ago, Israel allegedly entered Northern Gaza (addendum: in fact, they have massed troops on the border, but have not yet actually entered). This incursion compounds their recent insertion of troops into Southern Gaza, their numerous air assaults on the area over the past few weeks (which have done little more than miss the intended targets and kill innocent women and children), and their unequivocally aggressive rhetoric. Further, they have "arrested" several leading Palestinian politicians and are openly discussing assassinations (though not of the figures currently in their custody -- at least not yet)
I never thought I would see the day where I was defending Palestine beyond the perfunctory well-there-are-two-sides-to-every-story, but recent events and actions taken by Israel against the Palestinian territory have made it nearly impossible for me to do otherwise. I recognize that Palestinian militants, both with and without the support of their government, have fired rockets and mortars at their Israeli neighbors, as well as dispatched suicide bombers in crowded, public areas. I recognize that a Hamas-led government represents a serious concern for Israeli national security, and the fact that it was democratically elected by the Palestinian ppl. only makes it more so. I recognize that Israel and Palestine continue to be engaged in a decades-long struggle, and that such protracted conflict breeds paranoia, aggression, and offensive defense.
But, really.
Israel's actions of late, coupled now w/what is looking increasingly like a prelude to open warfare, are baffling in their extremity and perhaps reveal the extent to which the untimely exit of Ariel Sharon has left that country's government somewhat adrift. Fending off rabid conservatives -- including growing numbers of fascist-like nationalists -- the moderate party formed by Sharon and carried on by his successor, Olmert, appears now to be overcompensating for their "liberal" decision to completely withdraw fr. the occupied territories last yr. Israel has a strong tradition of militarism -- rightfully so, some would say, given the history of violence perpetrated against them -- so troop movements, missile strikes, and violent speech are not actually that unusual. However, it is the scale and the pace of this most recent escalation that I find most unnerving, to say nothg. of Israel's wanton disregard for the safety of non-combatants and their apparent willingness to ignore the destabilizing impact their behavior could have on the entire region, not just within their borders. To continue goading the Palestinian government, militias, and ppl. is v. likely to precipitate a wider conflict. I cannot fathom why at this delicate moment in time -- given Iran's nuclear goals, the horrific situation in Iraq and its security implications for the entire Middle East region, and the ever-present latent ill-will harbored against Israel by its neighbors -- I simply cannot understand why Israel would choose to ramp up the violence and the threats.
This is not the time for bravado and machismo. And when GW says he thinks you're handling the situation well, then you should really consider re-thinking your current course of action. (Mr. President and his administration of toadies recently said that they fully support Israel. Well of course they do -- Israel is the only country in the world doing thgs. that are possibly more dangerous and stupid than what we've done in Iraq. One further addendum: State Dept. officials -- inc. Conestoga -- are urging caution and diplomacy, but a spokesman for Pres. Bush yesterday stated that Israel is entitled to defend itself against terrorism, apparently by fanning the flames of a long-burning and dangerous fire.)
2) Don Gagner, a correspondent for National Public Radio w/the White House Press Corps recently accompanied Pres. Bush on his visit to Europe where he met w/the leaders of Britain, France, and other members of the G-8 who will be gathering soon for their annual meeting. Mr. Gagner summarized this warm-up for the big show by saying, "These summits usually reflect whatever crisis is facing the world today, and this yr. that crisis is certainly Iraq."
There is nothg. especially surprising abt. that statement, but there is smthg. exceptionally annoying abt. it. I find it irritating that the time and resources of some of the world's greatest powers are being focused on the "crisis" of Iraq. What abt. the crisis of the AIDS epidemic? What abt. the crisis of the staggering rate of poverty and its attendant maladies throughout the world? What abt. the REAL human rights crisis that is going on in Sudan, or the REAL terrorist threat taking shape in Somalia, where militant Islamists w/confirmed connections to Al Qaeda are gaining ground each day? These last two crises should stand in sharp relief to the fabrications, embellishments, and mishaps related to Iraq over the last three and a half yrs. (Addendum 3: I so win, but in this case, I wish I hadn't. Islamist militants today announced that they have taken total control of Somalia. While this claim is somewhat debateable, it *is* irrefutable that their power is growing and that last wk. they established as their new leader an ultra-conservative sheik believed to have ties to al Qaeda.)
It bugs the absolute piss out of me that the leaders of the "free and enlightened" world are spending so much time, money, and energy on a crisis of their own making. Okay, well, not all of the countries in the E.U. were or are involved in the war in Iraq, but by focusing on this problem to the detriment of issues that are just as -- if not more -- important, even those who are not actively part of the Coalition Forces are lending credence and legitimacy to what is ultimately not a legitimate war. I understand fully and personally the importance of this conflict and its political, economic, and security implications. But what kills my soul is that a war that should never have been started in the first place is now taking precedence over issues that have long deserved more attention than they have received, and that will continue to take a back seat to the wastefulness that is the war in Iraq and the ridiculousness that is the Bush administration and its agenda.
I have some funny stories to share next time I write, but I would probably not have gotten to sleep w/o venting a bit beforehand -- I guess that's what I get for reading the news right before bedtime.
Quote of the Day:
"That crap was so boring." -- Elise, on her high school religion class
