Elections have consequences and the other guys won. So my basic idea is to just sit on the sidelines and eat popcorn while Rome burns. Ditto Wisconsin.
The arab world is certainly a powder keg but frankly, I have no horse in the race. I saw what happened after the despotic Shah came tumbling down and pardon me, but I'll take a nice dictator any day. So all over the middle east, people are throwing off the yoke of oppression, fantastic, the question is, what next? The only people with any infrastructure and organizational background are the islamic fundamentalists. Typically, power is held by the military. So if I was a betting man, I would lay odds on things not turning out quite as rosy as some may foresee. Of course you can accuse me of looking at everything through a jaded prism, the blow back's potential impact on Israel. Maybe you would be right.
I do think that we should temper our expectations. These people are far from getting their tribal shit together. That is why they have always been governed by strong men. Say what you will about Tito or Saddam, the intertribal conflict tends to diminish on their watch. Of course I am a cynic. Maybe there is some middle eastern Ghandi or Saladin just waiting to spread his message of love throughout the region.
I had this quote on the nascent Iranian revolution by scholar Richard Falk on the sidebar last week and think it needs to be enshrined on the blog for perpetuity.
“On February 16, 1979, two weeks after the return of Ruhollah Khomeini to Iran, Princeton Professor Falk wrote an op-ed for the New York Times “Trusting Khomeini”.
“Trusting Khomeini”. ….Arguing Khomeini was being judged unfairly, he concluded “the depiction of Khomeini as fanatical, reactionary and the bearer of crude prejudices seems certainly and happily false … To suppose that Ayatollah Khomeini is dissemblin g seems almost beyond belief. … Having created a new model of popular revolution based, for the most part, on nonviolent tactics, Iran may yet provide us with a desperatel y-needed model of humane governance for a third-worl d country.”
Among the many examples of Khomeni’s supporters***’ “nonviolen t tactics” that had already taken place when Richard Falk wrote his Op/Ed was the setting on fire by Muslim fanatics in Abadan of the Rex Cinema in Abadan, the doors had been locked, and within which 450 people were burned alive.”
Kudos to Defense Sec. Robert Gates for his candor and honesty.
***
Kerry sent this over.
blue heron blast, lotta people checking you out.
***
Got an email from a guy who I don't know, have never met, named Eric Stevenson, from somewhere in the southeast I think, who found me on Blog Catalogue and asked if he could write a guest blog. Sure Eric, go for it:
redacted
Thanks for your contribution, Eric. Don't think malfaction is a real word but I think I get it.
4 comments:
mal[e]faction:wrongdoing or crime.
Malefaction I will buy. Malfaction is not a word. But I appreciate the input.
I've gotten the exact same email from two different people offering to write on different subjects and another blogger friend got one from a third person. I did a search and apparently dozens of potential guest bloggers are using the exact same form letter. I accepted the first one because the article itself was good, but now that I see so many people are getting the same exact email, word for word, by supposedly different people, only the names and subject offered to write about change, I'm a little creeped out. What do these people (person) have to gain from this?
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