Russia just defeated the US in the race for Central Asian gas. The US bet on a gas pipeline through Taliban territory in Afghanistan and Pakistan to India while trying to sideline Russia and Iran! Putin is rivalling the emir of Kuwait as a fossil fuel master of the universe. The only question is when some big power will get hungry enough for natural gas to defy AIPAC's congressional boycott on developing Iran's oil and gas fields. It is likely that future historians will date the end of America's superpower status from that date.I admit I'm not certain what his point is. The obvious statement is that AIPAC is hurting American interests, but the broader one seems to be saying that it's AIPAC that's shoring up America's superpower status, since when someday someone defies them, that will be the beginning of the end etc. But surely Cole can't be saying that, can he? I mean, AIPAC may be an effective lobby, but it doesn't have the power to determine world history; that's the kind of thing the more fervent antisemites believe in. Or is he assuming that AIPAC controls lots of countries, and the first of them to break its grasp and build oil fields in Iran will topple America?
Very curious. If any of you can explain it to me I'd be obliged.
PS. As I've been saying, global warming or not, someone needs to wean us of our dependency on fossil fuels. And, yes, better Americans or Israelis or both, than Russian Chinese or Arabs.
FROM CAROL HERMAN
ReplyDeleteSo what?
Every coin has another side!
Only Bush thought he could eliminate Iran. Because he wanted Iraq to go into the pocket of his friends, the sunnis.
Heck, the only thing that happened is that Maliki hates Bush's guts. And, to cure themselves of the problem, Maliki went to Iran (and to Syria). And, got the support he needed.
You could believe it was Petraeus' surge. But I read, somewhere, that it was the "ethnic cleansing" Irak achieved, using help from Iran that turned the tides. And, half the sunnis ran for their lives. Which is "how" Al-Quaederring truck in Iraq got stopped in its tracks.
Yes. Bush and his team are very angry. Gates is very angry. And, so is James Baker. Hence? Stormy times ahead for Isael.
And, without good media reports, you're left clueless.
While, awhile back, after Russia failed in Afghanistan, and blew apart it's "soviet" label ... the STINKY-STANS were thought to be necklaces around the neck of Russia. Sort'a like giant retain walls. Russia got locked in.
And, now?
Arabs form weak governments. A few get filthy rich. (And, by this I mean, they are vulnerable to being killed by their own kind.) Not such a bad outcome. Which sits there, ahead. While Americans have shaken themselves loose of liking any muslem. (And, yes. Americans are armed.)
If I have to guess about what's ahead; (knowing no one can accurately guess the future); I see that Iran, as a player is better than a "big empty space."
That Iran wants a nuke? Shows ya? Only the weak want those. Strong countries don't need them. Let alone having any really rich way to put them to use. They are there to blackmail and to threaten neighbors.
WHile when arabs go to war (as America's military learned from the Iran and Iraq decade of war in the 1980's), there were no generals on either side who could do strategy. Instead, they do terror. WHich kills lots of their civilians.
SO as I said, I'm guessing, but terror rules the arabs states. Who are tribal, when it comes to their revenge fantasies. And, hardly likely to put them on any road that brings them middle-class success. Or even schooling that helps the average citizen to rise up above their sewerage.
All nations "over there" are in the mix. Pakistan still threatens India. ANd, India is still a mess.
While as long as you can separate out the groups ... and you can! Even with the arabic language ... no two states pronounce words the same. You can literally figure out a person from Eygpt from one from Jordan. I call this "close-divides." Journalists tell ya it's all one in the same pot.
Not true.
And, each group has an abiding interest to get one leg up over their neighbor's. Co-operation is not a word you'd use to describe this stuff!
While sadly for Israel, Bush now hates everyone "over there." And, he and his anti-Semitic friends have not had a problem sticking Dayton into gaza, where millions went down the hole. And, the other innept general who "halps" Condi.
True. They'll soon be leaving.
And, another administration comes in.
But for Israelis? They need to deal with all the crap that's out there. And, they need to take it easy. Frontal war confrontations aren't on the horizon. And, if I'm wrong? It won't be piecemeal. It will be something other than that.
With? If Iran shoots a missile, tipped or not, out of Iran, I'm betting it aims for Riyadh. Where it will do the most good.
Iran has scores to settle, ya know. And, gains it wants in its bank account. Not that Iran will ever equal the Ottomans. Before they got sick! After the Ottoman Empire fell ill, so what?
Iran's leadership may not even be that stable? You take stability for granted, now? What with Olmert having Livni vying for his seat.
(My money's still on Olmert.) But he goes very slow. Just as he did when the threat was Winograd. And/or Lindenstrauss. Politicians in Israel, usually aren't the best kind. What a stinking mess. No cohesion ... Just when Bush was at his bully-est.