What If...

What if back when the political situation was stalemated in Iraq, when there was no government in place, no end in sight to the factional violence, and military options getting fewer and fewer, what if a broader scope for the War of Terror had been contemplated?

We know that both the President and the Secretary of State began systematically escalating their rhetoric against Iran and Syria some months back. Only problem was there was no broad consensus with which to base a rationale for pre-emptive action against either sovereign power. Although there is concern over Iran's nuclear program, no WMDs are in plain view; however, there was overheated rhetoric that perhaps Saddam's WMD were cached across the Syrian border. While Iran apparently has had incursions by U.S. Special Forces, there has been little evidence that Iran or Syria are preparing for military strikes across their borders. For instance, Iran doesn't really need to cross over into Iraq now do they? It was all crazy talk--invading Syria or Iran--what could we stand to gain?

Then July 12th, timed auspiciously with the convening of the G8, comes a dire threat to the State of Israel. As summit attendees are forced to rapidly choose sides, one could consider that surely the Americans have no choice but to come to the aid of their old friend Israel and protect her, defend her from criticism and harassment. As soon as the first (first?) rockets began to fall it was quickly emphasized that Hizbullah (Hesbullah? Hezbolleh? Hezbollah?) draws support from Syria and Iran, and that they are complicit in the harm of Israel. The U.S. must be prepared to possibly strike into Syria to restore "stability" within the region.

Maybe a snare has been carefully set to trap the region into a war only desired by a select few. The U.S., bogged down in an unwinable fight, could gain in a military sense by actually getting a real army somewhere to fight, be it Iranian or Syrian or both. U.S. Forces do amazing work against opposing conventional forces. Any organized military operation struggles performing counter-insurgency action in an urban theater of conflict; you can't help but struggle. Quick decisive action against conventional forces flying under colors could establish new power structures in the Mideast. It was thought that this would happen when Saddam's regime fell. The region stubbornly refused to obey orders from the West. Now maybe they will be brought to heel.

Or maybe, once again, leaders colluded to bring down regimes with little thought as to what would replace them.

Read more!

Abominable

Abominable.

Truly biblical—no, pre-biblical times when civilians everywhere look to the heavens and declare the Gods are quarrelling, when in fact these are not Gods—this is not Godlike—these are men—foolish, wealthy men—fighting over their supposed interest in property...commodities.

Religion.

Morality.

Commerce and trade.

Wealth without end. Amen. Amen.

Civilians. The word no longer exists. And since when are soldiers lives more valuable strategically than that of a civilian? Since when are children's bodies bartered for a soldiers safe return? Why do modern wars exact a greater and greater toll on civilians than the military organizations prosecuting them? This has got to stop. Otherwise, we the civilian anywhere are treated worse than slave. All our resource gone to feed the principalities that be, who turn themselves into gods and slew with famine, with pestilence, with fire from above any living thing that slows their rate of return.

Read more!