The noose tightens
By Victor Davis Hanson
"Palestinians are near civil war to establish democratic rule — their own terrorists more a threat to the newly elected Abu Abbas than are Israeli tanks."Even as Israeli protest in the street against Palestinian occupation.
"Lebanon is now afire with anti-Syrian sentiment, equating its occupation with the last obstacle to a democratic renaissance."
More accurately, Lebanese Christians ar afire with anti-Syrian sentiment. The majority of Lebanese are saying to Israel - learn from us as we become un-occupied with non-violence.
"When Wahhabist Saudi Arabia promises municipal elections..."
He is giving a plug nickel and keeping the gold for the royalty along with a hand in the US pocket.
"...or Afghan women line up at the polls for hours..."
Go to Afghanistan and see first hand - not a guided tour by US puppet Karzia
"...then the world has been turned upside down."
Not only turned upside down but teetering on its tail.
Syria's worst nightmare is not an American invasion, but an Arab League that is dominated by nascent democracies.
Syria's worst nightmare is yet another wave of Palestinian refugees. And a nascent democracy goes thru the motions of a democracy - but heys - maybe they will get rid of their puppet dictators so the people can control their own nationl resources.
"Thugocracies and kleptocracies, however, die hard."
As do theocrats and land grabbers.
His henchmen probably blew up former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
He who gained most by the killing of Prime Minister Rafki Hairi is he who blew him up. He who did not like the fact that he was in the middle of uniting the different factions in Syria.
"...Now they are planning to unleash enough 1970s-style violence to terrify the Lebanese..."
Now they are trying to exit Lebanon without the return to civil war.
"The elder Hafez Assad once wiped the Syrian city of Hama off the map..."
Syria admits to their wrong actions of the past. Does Israel?
"The terrorists of the Bekka Valley, the Hezbollah operatives in Damascus, the thousands of the Syrian Gestapo, the ex-Baathists and al-Qaidists who roam freely over the Syria border..."
The border Israel shares with Syria is sealed. Israel has satelite spies - proof of these accusations would be easy to obtain where is it?
"The Taliban are history."
The Taliban are getting rich from poppy growing.
"So is Saddam."
We will not know the history of Saddam until there is an international trial.
"Arafat was ostracized and died in shame."
It is shame to have 10's of thousands attend your funeral? Arafat left Palestine blowing kisses.
Troops are gone from Saudi Arabia.
Good.
Palestinians are voting.
Good.
Oil is sky-high and Arabs are making a killing from their cartels and monopolies.
As are American oil cartels and monopolies.
"Even the old propaganda about "Zionists," "colonialists," "oil thievery" and "American imperialism" can't quite avert the reckoning on the horizon."
Reckoning IS on the horizon - name calling by either side will not change anything.
"Expect the United States not to rest, but to press Syria further to democratize and rejoin civilization."
Expect the same for Israel.
"We have weathered everything from Michael Moore to Abu Ghraib..."
It is not over until it is over. Ask those still in Abu Ghraib, in Gitmo, in Afghan prisons - torture is still a criminal act - by American law and International law of which we are a signature.
The wily Europeans tended to ignore or profit from Arab tyranny.
The wily Americans have always ignored and profitted from Arab tyranny and supported it.
"Far more enduring than terrorism and death itself is freedom."
And that is exactly why ALL weapons of mass destruction will not shock and awe the peoples of this Earth into submission to outsiders.
interviews
editorials
How to Grow Vegetables
