Gingham dog and the calico cat

The Duel

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
‘T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t’ other had slept a wink!
      The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
      Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
            (I was n’t there; I simply state
            What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went “Bow-wow-wow!”
And the calico cat replied “Mee-ow!”
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
      While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
      Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
            (Now mind: I’m only telling you
            What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, “Oh, dear! what shall we do!”
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
      Employing every tooth and claw
      In the awfullest way you ever saw—
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
            (Don’t fancy I exaggerate—
            I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
      But the truth about the cat and pup
      Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
            (The old Dutch clock it told me so,
            And that is how I came to know.)

Eugene Field

*

The UAE joined the Egyptians and the Saudis in going after the Houthi shiites in Yemen today. Other countries allied in the strikes are Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan. Pakistan may be involved as well, it is not entirely clear at this point. Four fifths of all yemenis are Sunni but that hasn't stopped Iran from trying to insert a shiite needle there to prick its major antagonist, the Saudis.

The Russians aren't real happy about this and neither are our new pals in Teheran. America is apparently helping the offensive with drones, logistical coordination and intelligence. The Houthis have been soliciting help from the Russians and Chinese for some time.

Talk about being on two sides of a coin at one time. This is actually very big, or it has the potential of getting really big. Iran and its shiite proxies on one side, our old allies the House of Saud and the gulf states on the sunni side. All of the other subtle machinations and feints of late have been subtexts for the coming main event. 

And here Uncle Sam is on both sides at once. Very Clumsy, not to mention stupid. Can't serve two masters in war. You lose no matter what happens. A crucible experience just waiting to happen. Syria and Hezbollah are of course backing their Persian masters.

Hassan Nasrallah, chief of Lebanon's pro-Iran movement Hezbollah, said in a speech Friday that Saudi Arabia will be roundly defeated and called for a political settlement.
"Otherwise, defeat and shame will meet the invaders," he warned.

This is the battle royale that has been shaping up for the last 1400 years or so. If we were smart we would get the hell out of dodge and do nothing, let the gingham dog and the calico cat eat each other up. Ask any cop. Not ever smart to get involved in domestic disturbances.

Hudgins sent this handy matrix along which is loosely titled the middle east clusterfuck. Might help add some understanding to the complexity of the problem.