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Tuning in to “Scarborough Country” these days is a mistake. The only
man on the show making any sense is Patrick J. Buchanan. The grown ups have
flown the coop.
The other thing that's happened is that Iraq is no longer in the picture.
Couple that with carpe diem WWIII, IV and V talk and what you've got is Karl
Rove's election concoction. It's all about the commander in chief showing he's,
well, commanding.
Finally, after criticism from Leader Pelosi, the White House caved on the fee
to get Americans out of Lebanon. According to NBC News, Secretary Rice has ordered
the fees waived. It's about time. Americans in Lebanon, from what I've read
and seen, are furious. Again, it's Bush's inaction during Katrina, Lebanon-style: simply and totally pathetic.
Meanwhile, as reader citizen pointed out, Turkey is getting
ready to go into Iraq, or maybe that should be phrased, here comes another front.
Turkish officials signaled Tuesday they are prepared to send the army into
northern Iraq if U.S. and Iraqi forces do not take steps to combat Turkish
Kurdish guerrillas there — a move that could put Turkey on a collision
course with the United States.Turkey is facing increasing domestic pressure to act after 15 soldiers, police
and guards were killed fighting the guerrillas in southeastern Turkey in the
past week.“The government is really in a bind,” said Seyfi Tashan, director
of the Foreign Policy Institute at Bilkent University in Ankara. “On
the one hand, they don't want things to break down with the United States.
On the other hand, the public is crying for action.”Diplomats and experts cautioned the increasingly aggressive Turkish statements
were likely aimed at calming public anger and pressing the U.S. and Iraq to
act against the Turkish Kurdish guerrillas. But they also said Turkish politicians
and military officers could act if nothing is done.
If that's not grim enough for you, the UN is now reporting 14,000
civilians have been killed so far in 2006 in Iraq, with 5,800 deaths and
5,700 injuries in May and June alone. That carnage, however, doesn't keep conservatives from crying war, more war!
Here at home, Bush and the FBI have decided keeping an eye on Hezbollah
in the US is a good idea. For me, Hezbollah has a reach at this point that
al Qaeda doesn't, with the former on the rise, the latter diminished, even desperate. Billmon
made that point today and I agree totally.
So much for fighting the enemy “over there.” But since we are fighting
them over there, just look what it has cost, including this latest escalation; never mind the fact that nobody
is listening to us anymore.
UPDATE (7:45 p.m.): First, this post has a new title; fast breaking news. Steve Clemons gives us the cost of the Iraq war, which was released while the escalation was raging; always when we're not looking.
In addition, Brian Williams tonight was embedded with the Israeli military. Israel has been righteous going after Hezbollah, right up until the recent moment when they started targeting Lebanon's infrastructure. We've had our journalists imbedded before and look where it took us. Also, if you didn't see Nic Robertson's report tonight, as well as Anderson Cooper's coverage, you missed some interesting reporting. Check it out if it re-runs in your area. Cooper reported that Israel has entered central Gaza again. With Condi also evidently not going to the Middle East until next week, you could almost think the Bush administration is encouraging the carnage. Nah, that's not possible, is it? Update via the New York Times.
Also, David Sirota just released this: REPORT: Oman Trade Pact Permits Foreign Ownership of U.S. Nat’l Security Assets. Check it out.
Anderson Cooper just reported that Israeli ground troops have entered southern Lebanon. Sketchy facts. developing…
UPDATE (8:05 p.m.): CNN has just confirmed Israeli ground troops are now in southern Lebanon.
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