My Thoughts on Changes

This is hilarious. Lou Dobbs paints himself “independent” only because not even the most rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth conservatives have a place for him. He’s so far to the Right that he qualifies as “infra-” or “ultra-” something, yet to be defined but definitely over the far reaches of the Right’s ledge.

In my opinion, he shouldn’t appropriate the “independent” adjective all for himself. I’m almost certain that most “independents” do not share his views, or come even close.

Lou Dobbs: Issues, TV, Radio, and Books – CNN.com

It is hard to fathom such an amount of stupidity on the part of a supposedly “Western leader” like Saakashvili. What was he thinking? There are very few random things that happen in geopolitics. This was a (mis)calculated move by the Georgian president to launch a “take control of the dogs in the backyard” to coincide with the opening of the Beijing Olympics, hoping the Russians would look the other way or at least wait until the games were over. By that time, it would have been very difficult to wrench the Georgians out of South Ossetia. Russia, on the other hand, which has a history of not giving a crap about what anybody thinks of their actions, launched a clean-up and punitive campaign against the Georgians. Was that unforseen by Saakashvili? Really? Now, what kind of gambit was Saakashvili playing? Was he promised an unconditional back-up by the U.S.? (yes, I see Dick Cheney’s and Co. fingerprints in this)? Was he given the green light–not that he needed one, mind you–to launch such an attack on its own rebel provinces? Provinces which, by the way, have been bristling with Russian “Peacemakers” for, what?, at least 16 years. For crying out loud, what was the logic of it? What forced that hand?

Looking at the future, I agree with Debka’s assessment of what’s “next”. The Russians, like it or not, do call the shots in the region. Bear no illusions about it being different. The Cold War never ended; it was paused. The thing is, there many hands itching to press the “Play” button. Perhaps it’s being done already.

DEBKAfile – No Caucasian Ceasefire until Russia Achieves its Aims

After severing South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia, four follow-up Russian steps may be postulated:

1. The two separatist provinces will proclaim their independence, just like Kosovo.

2. Russia will continue to exercise its overwhelming military and air might to reduce the pro-American Saakashvili to capitulation.

3. The Georgian president will not be able to face his own nation after losing two regions of his country and causing its humiliation. Moscow will then make Washington swallow a pro-Russian successor.

4. Moscow’s trampling of Georgia will serve as an object lesson for Russia’s own secessionist provinces, such as Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, and a warning not to risk defying Russian armed might.

5. Western plans to develop more oil and gas pipelines to bypass the Russian network to the West, in addition to the Caspian line which carries one million barrels a day from Baku through Georgia to Turkey and out to the West, will be held in abeyance pending an accommodation with the rulers of the Kremlin.

This is like the third or four piece of news from UPI, in the past couple of weeks, where they quote information obtained from Debka. I mean, I’ve been reading the site since they opened the joint and although they have interesting articles and information, their track record on veracity is suspect… Is UPI, and other big names in information gathering and reporting, being lazy and off the field not to be able to come up with news like this on their own??

Egypt supporting Hamas, report claims – UPI.com

A group of suspected Hamas fighters were arrested after allegedly returning from training courses in Iran and Syria. About 15 of the suspects were allegedly allowed to cross into Gaza with a cache of weapons and ammunition in ambulances, the Jerusalem military intelligence Web site DEBKAfile said.
Sources told DEBKAfile that the immigration of Hamas fighters coincided with the escalation of conflict between Israel and militants in Gaza. Israeli officials were hesitant to highlight the movement of fighters for fear of angering Cairo, as it expresses its support for Israel’s fight against militants.

The linked article is also reporting U. S. Defence Secretary Robert M. Gates was forced to cancel a trip to South America due to the emergency situation throughout West Asia (Middle East). It is an alarming situation to Washington and European governments since it has finally dawned on them Tehran was never interested in any peaceful resolution to its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, nor was Iran ever interested in waging a major war with Israel, since Israel is by no means the rival for international dominance and regional influence the West is. That is why Tehran really noticed and monitored the Rome Conference last year and the arrival of European units in south Lebanon afterward. Tehran knew it meant Rome was back and leading the West again into the region something Tehran did not want to see, so Iran had al-Qaeda declare them an enemy of Islam. That is why Rome’s role in World War III is very similar to London’s role in World War II. Rome is replacing Brussels and not only during the war but in the post-World War III world because the area of concentration for the West is no longer the North Atlantic but the Mediterranean.