From politics (moderates who lean to the right) to Pogo (drools during poker stare) to rants (Whatcha expect from savvy, sassy sexagenarians?) to raves (Have you had your kudo today?) -- we never take ourselves too seriously.
We do, however, reserve the right to slaughter an occasional sacred cow. And in case we fail to mention it -- we will never forget....
This past weekend I reacted to the relative lack of liberal commentaries on the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and Condi Rice's role in laying the cornerstone for "enduring peace."
Why are liberals either laying low or offering qualified comments? I suggest, as do observers more knowledgeable than I, that they are first and foremost suffering from *BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome). They are also waiting for Condi's first boot to drop ... They want to hear those meeting with her in Rome react first ....
Ever wondered why band wagons have tail-gates?
Meanwhile, I've been following news wires from Europe and the Middle East (op eds as well as news updates) and found this article by Barry Rubin notable for it's holistic overview of a new Middle East ..... Possibly you will also.
"The fighting in Lebanon punctuates some dramatic changes in the region that go far beyond these immediate events. These developments are going to be shaping events in the area for some time to come, even after the current shooting ends.
Here are the keys to understanding this new situation:
Iran is at an all-time high in its regional influence due to a variety of factors, including its impending possession of nuclear weapons, the rise of Shi'ite Muslim power (that's the same sect as in Iran) in Iraq's government, and a particularly adventurous extremist leadership at home. This leverage is enhanced by the growth of radical Islamist movements seeking a sponsor and the vacuum of weakness in the Arab world.
Arab nationalism and cooperation is at an all-time low. There is no Arab state that has any real power outside its own borders. Iraq is trying to put itself together; Egypt is about to undergo a leadership transition; Syria is a client of Teheran. All the basic principles of Arab regional politics over the last half-century are up for grabs.
Most of the Arab states, except for Syria, are nervous about Iran's power, the domestic threat of Islamist rivals, the possibility of regional instability and the ability of Islamist terror groups to set the regional agenda. But they are unwilling to do anything about these problems, hoping as usual to use demagoguery to rouse their masses behind the regimes. They can still get away with this game for many years.
While their rulers are secretly worried about this upheaval, the Arab masses generally enthusiastic. A potent, poisonous mix of nationalism, religious sentiment and hatred of Israel and the West is still capable of mobilizing most of them into the false belief that they are winning, and pride at waging the battle. This is a far more potent force than the desire for democracy, pragmatism, more freedom and higher living standards.
The democracy movement is close to dead, unable to compete with such passion and demagoguery. Moreover, the exploitation of elections by Islamists has reduced enthusiasm in the West and tolerance by the regimes. Courageous reformers watch in horror as their worst nightmares seem to be coming true.
The Palestinians are increasingly radicalized, having rejected any possible peaceful solution with Israel and now following an extremist Islamist leadership. Any serious peace process isn't just dead for the moment - it is years from even beginning. With no real Arab support, the Palestinians are determined to fight losing battles against Israel and violent conflicts among themselves.
Syria's regime is happy thinking it is promoting both trouble and its own influence with the Iraqis, Lebanese and Palestinians. At the same time, though, it is isolated in the Arab world and stuck with a system incapable of economic or social advancement. And while the dictator and his men smile, Syrian Islamists are sharpening their knives for a future challenge in Damascus.
Hamas and Hizbullah have unleashed destruction on their own people, but does this mean they are sorry about it? Will the West understand that these people believe their own propaganda?
They can see themselves as the most powerful forces in the region, setting its agenda. Israel is unable to destroy them; survival is itself a victory, God will eventually award them with a total triumph.
Their local rivals among the Palestinians and Lebanese are too afraid to challenge them. And while their support in Europe has declined, the Europeans can always be counted on to step in and save them from total defeat by Israel.
To put it another way, the extremists will lose but they will feel good about it and be cheered and idolized for making the effort. Intransigence is in the palace and pragmatism is a beggar.
Many Lebanese are unhappy that Hizbullah controls their fate, but more than one-third strongly support the organization. The politicians there are not willing to challenge the Islamists, however much destruction their actions cause. They wait for the world to save Lebanon, but given their own inaction there is only a limited amount of help that can come.
For Turkey, this all serves as a graphic reminder of why it wants to join Europe and have as little to do with the Middle East as possible.
Israelis are fed up with making concessions or showing restraint that only seems to inspire more attacks and are used against them. There is no interest, however, in returning to the past. The emphasis is on flexible response rather than occupying territory.
While the appeasement impulse is still powerful in parts of Europe it is fading, especially in terms of action rather than rhetoric. This shift is motivated partly by the experiences of Islamist radicalism and terrorism at home, which have undercut past illusions, and by having less sympathy for or romantic identification with with militant Islamism than revolutionary nationalism.
Germany now has a centrist government friendly to the United States, and France will soon rid itself of Jacques Chirac, who never met a Middle East dictator he didn't like.
The United States has a government which understands three things: that everyone wants it to solve all the Middle East's problems without doing anything to help; that except for arranging temporary cease-fires from time to time, there is little that it can do; that given all the points made above, the area's problems are basically unsolvable.
Paradoxically, only with this as the starting point can anything be accomplished at all. "
Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal.
If there is to be a new Middle East, Condi Rice must wield a firm resolve to lay the first cornerstone for peace.
*BDS: The acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency -- nay -- the very existence of George W. Bush.
"Rice made a surprise visit to Lebanon on Monday while en route to Israel to launch diplomatic efforts aimed at ending 13 days of warfare as Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into the country in heavy fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas.
Rice arrived in Beirut in the afternoon and was to meet with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora in the previously unannounced stopover before she heads to Israel, Saniora's office said.
Rice plans meetings in Jerusalem and the West Bank with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In addition, she will go to Rome for sessions with representatives of European and moderate Arab governments that are meant to shore up the weak democratic government in Lebanon." --------- AP Wire Story
... to Don Singleton for this post: "Bulgarian border guards seized a British lorry on its way to make a delivery to the Iranian military - after discovering it was packed with radioactive material that could be used to build a dirty bomb."
Actually, the lorry was legally transporting soil-testing equipment -- from which radioactive material COULD be extracted -- for making a "dirty bomb" -- if that were the intent ... Observers speculate that Iran already has the makings for "dirty bombs."
Doesn't make me feel any safer that Iranians could have had more -- or that the delivery was to have been made to the Iranian military.
... to Israel for NOT wanting the United Nations involved in (future) peace-keeping patrols on the Israel-Lebanese border, pursuant to a cease-fire with the Hezbollah.
Instead, Israel has requested that NATO be involved -- an organization of 26 North Atlantic-European nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United States, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Members of the League of Arab Nations have expressed a willingness to assist: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Palestine, Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates.
for making this work? Two words.
Condi Rice.
She will lay the cornerstone for peace in the Middle East and for a united front against terrorism.
And George Bush will give her free rein.
If any individual can unify an International peace-keeping network to both secure the Israeli-Lebanon border AND hold terrorists (Hezbollah, Taliban, Al Qaeda, Hamas, et al) accountable for their actions -- it will be Condi Rice.
Perish the Thought (that would be us) appreciates the recognition!
Now I'm gonna rush off to create another batch of tags (for this post), ping the magic pinger, call the family (nahhh -- they read this anyway), relish the 15-minutes-or-so of fame and enjoy a second cup of coffee!
Thanks, Blogdrive, for the recognition, the quality service AND the features you offer ---- makes blogging even more enjoyable!
It's one of those Meg Kearney mornings ..... yanno?
Creed
I believe the chicken before the egg though I believe in the egg. I believe eating is a form of touch carried to the bitter end; I believe chocolate is good for you; I believe I'm a lefty in a right-handed world, which does not make me gauche, or abnormal, or sinister. I believe "normal" is just a cycle on the washing machine; I believe the touch of hands has the power to heal, though nothing will ever fill this immeasurable hole in the center of my chest. I believe in kissing; I believe in mail; I believe in salt over the shoulder, a watched pot never boils, and if I sit by my mailbox waiting for the letter I want it will never arrive—not because of superstition, but because that's not how life works. I believe in work: phone calls, typing, multiplying, black coffee, write write write, dig dig dig, sweep sweep. I believe in a slow, tortuous sweep of tongue down the lover's belly; I believe I've been swept off my feet more than once and it's a good idea not to name names. Digging for names is part of my work, but that's a different poem. I believe there's a difference between men and women and I thank God for it. I believe in God, and if you hold the door and carry my books, I'll be sure to ask for your name. What is your name? Do you believe in ghosts? I believe the morning my father died I heard him whistling "Danny Boy" in the bathroom, and a week later saw him standing in the living room with a suitcase in his hand. We never got to say good-bye, he said, and I said I don't believe in good-byes. I believe that's why I have this hole in my chest; sometimes it's rabid; sometimes it's incoherent. I believe I'll survive. I believe that "early to bed and early to rise" is a boring way to live. I believe good poets borrow, great poets steal, and if only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time. I believe time doesn't heal all wounds; I believe in getting flowers for no reason; I believe "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute," "Reading is Fundamental," Yankee Stadium belongs in the Bronx, and the best bagels in New York are boiled and baked on the corner of First and 21st. I believe in Santa Claus, Jimmy Stewart, ZuZu's petals, Arbor Day, and that ugly baby I keep dreaming about—she lives inside me opening and closing her wide mouth. I believe she will never taste her mother's milk; she will never be beautiful; she will always wonder what it's like to be born; and if you hold your hand right here—touch me right here, as if this is all that matters, this is all you ever wanted, I believe something might move inside me, and it would be more than I could stand.
... to Little Green Footballs for this UNIFIL 
Finally -- an admission of what-most-of-us-knew-back-when, but-were-never-asked-even-later: 
It's one of those