The bait and switch begins. Again.



The largest purveyor of terrorist violence in the middle east strikes again. You guessed it, Israel is back throwing its weight around. Meanwhile, President Bush and lapdog Tony Blair continue to blame Lebanon for the violence.



Hezbollah is no friendly group. They undoubtedly commit acts of terroristic violence, including the recent kidnappings. But the Israeli respond reminds me of our local ones. Kidnap a few soldiers and we will bomb you out of existence. Bombs are a very messy tool. We like to think of them as precision instruments. During the 1991-1992 Gulf War, the US government tried to indoctrinate the populace into that belief. The truth is, bombs blow up. They are an extremely indiscriminate tool of war and their effect is primarily hoisted on the poor people who happen to be in the area.



Our government likes to portray the Israel as a weak, democratic, morally wonderful state in a land filled with violent heathens. The truth is, Israel is the only atomic state in the middle east and is the strongest military power. It is an undemocratic theocracy. They flex their muscles in acts of terrorism (defined as violence intended to affect political processes in other states) and the US government and media try to describe that violence as desperate lashing out of a weak state against the constant threat of encroachment.



Baloney. This is bait and switch, backed by our government. George Bush cannot get a direct shot at Iran. America (hopefully) won't be fooled twice into being terrified of another impotent state. But, if the cards are played just right, regional war will erupt and America will be "invited" to protect its interests in Israel and Iraq.



Old imperialism was conquer and sell and grow fat off their impoverishment. New imperialism was to beat them down with trade power and sell and grow fat off them selling their own impoverishment. This new American imperialism is the worst of both worlds.



Conquer overtly. Prop up puppets. Exploit. Repeat.