Chapter Three

So far, the revolts in the Middle East have occurred in two major phases.

Chapter One began with the self-immolation of a fruit vendor in Tunisia over his mistreatment at the hands of an oppressive regime. That led to the collapse of the Tunisian dictatorship, which in turn, led to the massive Egyptian revolt. The departure of Hosni Mubarak in a relatively clean revolution liberated others in the region from fear and gave them hope that they might accomplish the same thing with their regimes.

Chapter Two opened with the wave moving into nations previously considered impenetrable by these kinds of forces: Libya, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. If Egypt were a revolt waiting to happen, these regimes seemed solid and untouchable, if only because of power and brute force concentrated in regimes unafraid to use it. Those situations exploded and continue to unfold. While the Iranian regime has been stoking a lot of the unrest in a bid for regional dominance, it has been forced to put down its own continuing revolt---with unmitigated force. And the Libyan war, which now involves the United States and a wobbly coalition that threatens to fly apart at any moment, appears on the road to a protracted stalemate.

Chapter Three is beginning now. It involves growing revolts in other nations that were considered stable just a few days/weeks ago, Jordan and Syria, and the collapse of a critical regime in Yemen. If the Yemeni government falls, Yemen becomes Afghanistan before 9/11: a failed state that is an open base for al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Palestinian terrorists are now in on the action, launching major rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and blowing up a central Jerusalem bus station this week. Further, leaders in Jordan and the dictator in Syria are trying to stave off the exploding uprisings that may yet topple them; if that happens, Israel will be facing the most dangerous threats to its existence since 1948.

Everything we thought we knew about the region has been destroyed in a matter of months. Uncertainty and revolt and danger are literally around every corner. We are still in the early chapters of this saga, and while we hope for the best, we must prepare for the worst. As we live through this story, the chapters are becoming darker and darker. There are a lot of ominous signs out there, with many more chapters still to be written.

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Comments

[Frau Farbissina]

FANTASTIC REPORT! Journalism at its finest. Not a shred of partisanship or spin!

My sentiments exactly. SOMETHING is coming, and its even scaring us here in the Lair.

But don't tell anyvon I told you that.

[xbjllb]

Something's coming up all right.

A whole lot more people than Elizabeth Taylor are going to be entering eternity in the next few months and years to come. Caught totally unawares, unlike Miss Taylor.

I suggest everyone prepare to meet thy Maker.

Whomever that happens to be for the particular soul in question.

[Ummahgummah]

Other than that, if Barry decides to run again, he will win.

POSTED BY: DJ | MARCH 25, 2011 AT 09:43 AM

--

I really don't agree with this. McCain had to work hard to lose with his fuddy-wuddy passivity and even then an eager-beaver media needed to talk down the economy to push the Bama into office.

But yes, if they put up some RINO like the Neut or the Jebbie or the Huck people will stay home and the Obamanistas will feel a sudden surge under their wings.

And even then things might be close.

.

[Ummahgummah]

.

But I think that's the point Gringoman makes. The Socialistas and Corporate Charley are making an end run around the American People.

The Goopers are charged with defusing and containing Tea Party energy.

Like SELLOUT boner-head who cowed and stepped and fetched it, allowing the $105 BILLION BAMACARE ROBBERY to stand unchallenged.

FEH!

Pah-tooeeyeee!

.

[Ummahgummah]

.

Since cry-boner wimped out can we now call it bonerCare as well? I mean it took his acquiescence for the abomination to continue.

They are gearing up for an end run around the Tea Party.

I think the golfer is ahead of the wallbanger where we are concerned. He doesn't have nearly as many RINOs on his show as the wallbanger does.

Why not just let Rove and the Neut do his show for him? They're on almost daily anyhow so what's the big difference?

I'm just waiting for Grover Norquist to come slithering out of his hole and onto the airwaves to try and sell us on, well.. selling out.

.

[DJ]

Boner and Cantor can only come up with a measly 51 billion in cuts to offset a 1.5 trillion deficit. Rand Paul proposes 500 billion in cuts (that represents a mere one-third reduction in the annual deficit) and they, the "experts" and pundits, have the unmitigated gall to call Rand an extremist? HAH!

The Republican Party is useless. They are, for all practical purposes, as detrimental to the well being of the USA as the D-RATS.

The Tea Party Protesters, led by Michelle Bachmann, need to bolt the G.O.P and form a third party.

Not only could they draw most voters away from the G.O.P., I'd venture to say a huge segment of the Democrat voters would join. (Not all those who vote Democrat are libs. Many Democrat voters are actually normal.) So a combination of disenfranchised Democrat and Republican voters can join forces thus creating a plurality or even a solid majority of the electorate. That sort of development is exactly what insiders such as Rush Limbaugh and both the Republican AND Democrat establishment, i.e the "ruling political class", FEAR.

[Ummahgummah]

.

I agree, they all FEAR a Third Party. In Europe they fight new parties tooth and nail. new parties are picketed when they meet, agents provocateurs are sent in to discredit them, see also under Tea Party protests and the desperate search for "racism".

Scott Walker belongs in the Tea Party, but Chris 'akbar' Christie does not.

.

[LongRifle]

Glogal Conflagration (I love that term) is here and the Universal Caliphate is being built, with plenty of help from our PC government -Dems, Libs, Repugs, Rinos, alike. I saw McCain on Fox today and almost puked. He wants to try Qweef-dafi for war crimes. I think HE should be tried. Never forget that Israel is the target. Yemen is next on the takeover list
Allah, al-Waton, ath-Thowrah, al-Wahdah.

[DJ]

"Chris 'akbar' Christie"

----------------

LOL!

Chris 'akbar' Christie's common sense abilities make him a good choice for the mayor of a medium or large sized city.. or even the Governor of New Jersey, but to view him as presidential timber is a stretch. The man has serious - very serious - issues that would be exposed and exploited if he decides to run.

[satan]

u wannt my bo ner i no u wan t my bo ner

[borderbriar]

However things end up in the Middle East it should be obvious Israel can never live there in peace. It's too late for a two state solution; nor do they dare take the Palestinians into Israel. Nor can they sustain themselves even with all the military aid we can no longer afford to give them.

It is time to move the state of Israel to the Mexican border. This land is just as sacred as their current territory. Not only the Puritans and Latter Day Saints have looked to America as the New Jerusalem. If London Bridge could be moved to Arizona, we can move the Wailing Wall too. When I taught Israeli troops at Fort Bliss, they kept remarking how much El Paso reminded them of home. Israelis would be happy here. It would be a tremendous blessing for America, Israel and Mexico to have Israel located between us.

Israelis would make the desert bloom far better than dumping a lot of cancer causing sludge from New York at Sierra Blanca did. With the sunlight of the area they would soon be producing enough bio diesel from algae to supply their energy needs and more. They could leave the few border cities in place as international cities. They have shown they can manage international cities with tolerance so would hopefully leave us infidels with foreskins intact.

If Mexico were smart, they would contribute a few kilometers on their side too. Intelligent economic analysts like Harry Dent are saying as the baby boomers finish their peak spending we are going into what he calls the winter season in which we will have about a decade of deflation in which prices will go back to where they were when the current bubbles started. The economic boom of having a new prosperous nation on our border could help keep us afloat.

[satan]

how could u not accept a fukin' quote of GEORGE CARLINS...what's wrong with (tits)

[DJ]

Re Chris 'akbar' Christie.

Some conservative commentators, such as Ann Coulter (what is she thinking?), are running around urging Mr. Akbar to run for pres. They seem to be overlooking his support (or lack of opposition - same difference IMO) for the Ground Zero HAMosk and, of course, his appointment of a jihadist judge to the NJ Supreme Court.

[Frau Farbissina]

I agree, they all FEAR a Third Party

---

Ve fear you splitting up the Nazi party into two LOSING FACTIONS.

[Frau Farbissina]

Meanvhile, all HELL is breaking loose in the Mideast. Egypt, Tunisia, and LIBYA are the ONLY places the US has any control!!

The dearth of leadership EVERYWHERE is most worrisome. This is the type of situation that seems primed for a one-world leader to emerge, and it ain't ever going to be der Obama.

Herr Doctor!! Maybe it's time for a broadcast, ya?

[gringoman]

SARAH PALIN: “I need NOW’s defense like a fish needs a bicycle.” And Ann Althouse comments: “Sarah Palin’s joke writers are better than Bill Maher’s.”

Posted at 2:32 pm by Glenn Reynolds

[gringoman]

Other than that, if Barry decides to run again, he will win.

POSTED BY: DJ | MARCH 25, 2011 AT 09:43 AM

--

I really don't agree with this. McCain had to work hard to lose with his fuddy-wuddy passivity and even then an eager-beaver media needed to talk down the economy to push the Bama into office.

But yes, if they put up some RINO like the Neut or the Jebbie or the Huck people will stay home and the Obamanistas will feel a sudden surge under their wings.

And even then things might be close.

.

Posted by: Ummahgummah | March 25, 2011 at 10:21 AM

DJ means that if Sarah Palin and Donald Trump and Michel Bachmann and the Tea Party don;t cut it out and make way for a third party, all is lost. Whereas others think that this third party will ensure that all is lost.

.

[Ummahgummah]

.

Gringoman, since we've been comparing love Godesses and everything, whom would you prefer if only Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann were left to chose from to take on the Bama in the general?

.

[Ummahgummah]

SARAH PALIN: “I need NOW’s defense like a fish needs a bicycle.” And Ann Althouse comments: “Sarah Palin’s joke writers are better than Bill Maher’s.”

Posted at 2:32 pm by Glenn Reynolds

POSTED BY: GRINGOMAN | MARCH 25, 2011 AT 02:52 PM

--

I don't think Sarah has joke writers. I think she made it up all by herself.

She's definitely serving notice on the enemy that she is prepared to give as good - or better - than she gets.

.

[Ummahgummah]

.

should read AS she gets.

.

[Ummahgummah]

DJ means that if Sarah Palin and Donald Trump and Michel Bachmann and the Tea Party don;t cut it out and make way for a third party, all is lost. Whereas others think that this third party will ensure that all is lost.

.

POSTED BY: GRINGOMAN | MARCH 25, 2011 AT 03:00 PM

--

I say if one of them is the nominee there's no need for a Third Party.

Yet.

Although the cryboner's wet firecracker performance so far in the House suggests that DJ may be right.

Who set this loser up to be Speaker anyway?

Surely there are feistier, more principled and daring people within our ranks who can and want to do the job we need done.

.

[Ummahgummah]

.

Maybe I will start a Viagra mail-in campaign to give this boner some much-needed rigidity.

We could call it the Million Viagra March.

.

[Ummahgummah]

.

The guy's name is boner so the question is why is he so [email protected] flaccid?

.

[DJ]

DJ means that if Sarah Palin and Donald Trump and Michel Bachmann and the Tea Party don;t cut it out and make way for a third party, all is lost. Whereas others think that this third party will ensure that all is lost.

.

Posted by: gringoman | March 25, 2011 at 03:00 PM

----------------------------

Not quite Gringoman.

DJ means: the solutions to the problems America faces will NOT be forthcoming from those that created them in the first place -- meaning the "two party system".

The reason Obama is president today doesn't have so much to do with the fact McAnus ran a feckless campaign. No! The reason Obama is president today has MUCH MORE to do with the FACT Dubyah and the Republican dominated House of Reps and Senate for six years revealed themselves to be anything other than conservatives. THEY HAD TO GO!!!!

I, for one, have had enough of the trickery the Goopers have to offer. Obviously Gringoman is hungry for more. At least he still beleives the G.O.P. can be refoemed. HEH! Good luck with that. I maintain the third party route is the way out of this mess.

BTW, the only thing that kept McAnus's campaign from an even more embarrassing defeat was Sarah Palin.

I say reject all the BS the experts feed you, the fact is: if it wasn't for Sarah Palin, McAnus would have lost by a much larger percentage than he did. Choosing Sarah Palin was the ONLY thing positive about McAnus's presidential campaign.

[DJ]

If the Republicans can't give us a candidate that we WANT to vote for, then they will NOT get my vote. I refuse to make Obama's negatives the reason for voting for a RINO. It's not about Obama. It's about putting someone in the White House that will work FOR us instead of AGAINST us. Can anyone honestly say the HoB worked for the best interests of the American people? Is McAnus "looking out for the folks" or is he a bought and paid for whore too? What about Romney or Newt or Pawlenty or Huckabee? Are they not insiders? Are they not bought and paid for? From my perspective, the person I see as the nearest thing to resembling an outsider is Sarah Palin... and doubt she'll run.

[Frau Farbissina]

Terrific. President Hillary, here we COME!!!

And Vice President Obama. You guys will vent your SPLEENS!!

The fembots? Pop their HEADS!!

[LongRifle]

DJ said: "I say reject all the BS the experts feed you, the fact is: if it wasn't for Sarah Palin, McAnus would have lost by a much larger percentage than he did. Choosing Sarah Palin was the ONLY thing positive about McAnus's presidential campaign."

Absolutely dead on. A third party IS the only Salvation, but like the original American Revolution, will be hard fought on all sides with more than a little bloodshed (real or imagined). To ensure its success, we may need a martyr too. (politically speaking for the vitriol police)

[Dgscol]

McCain said some intelligent things the other day - on the situation in Libya - about twice as presidential in appearance as Obama.

The perceived weakness of the US also drives the process in Middle East, as well as in other places. We need to revialize economically, not by taxing, nor by printing money, or even cutting ... actually as a nation we need to be more assertive internationally, and also domestically where it involves individual actions that harm our economy. That is the only answer.

Soros is advocating ridding the international community of the dollar - that is the direction we are headed without taking action. Expect large inflation, and all that bad stuff people have been talking about within a few years.

[jay]

See on the news where General Electric is paying zero taxes? The GOP will be proud of their loopholes. . Mark Twain knew politics very well, too. Lobbyists, the curse of the country. But, the rich's best friend. For they pay them dearly.
But, it costs us even more.

[Ummahgummah]

.

Wow, Jay is really zinging us here with a blistering critique of GE and the GOP.

Wasn't Jeffrey Immelt one of the featured Boys from Brazil on the Bama's giant trip?

Does not GE get all these "green technology" contracts from the DEMONRAT government in exchange for directing PMS/NBC to promote warmology so they can sell their "green technologies"?

But to a lib "facts are stupid things", right?

Never let a "stupid thing" get in the way of a talking point. Not many people know the facts these days so any accusation can be made to be factual when in fact it is anything but.

Sorry, almost anywhere. But not here.

.

[Ummahgummah]

I say reject all the BS the experts feed you, the fact is: if it wasn't for Sarah Palin, McAnus would have lost by a much larger percentage than he did. Choosing Sarah Palin was the ONLY thing positive about McAnus's presidential campaign.
POSTED BY: DJ | MARCH 25, 2011 AT 04:12 PM

--

THAT IS 100% TRUE. and look at how she was treated by the ANUS's campaign after it was over.

The Goopers, like the RATS, are our enemies, I know that for a fact.

Which explains why they, too want the borders as wide open as possible.

Divide and rule.

.

[jay]

ummah, the facts are the loopholes are loved by the GOP. The dems wanted the rich to pay more in taxes. Also, the lobbyists are also loved by the GOP as well. NO corporations pay the "35% in taxes. They all find the way to pay far less.
In this cut the debt that the GOP and tea Partiers want so badly. Wouldn't the rich paying their fair share help? Doesn't take a "Lib" to think so. The GE used their tax experts , lobbyists to do whatever they could to get GE to pay ZERO. They are not alone, either.

[jay]

And, maybe it takes an average person to feel that corporations shold not get away with zero taxes. For, the rich are having a ball.
Mark twain was so intelligent.
"We have the best politicians that money ever bought"
"Politicians need to be changed as often as a diaper. And, for the same reason."

[DFW-TX]

"With the exception of Israel, the entire Middle East is revolting!"

No argument there.... but what's your point?

[Ummahgummah]

"We have the best politicians that money ever bought"
"Politicians need to be changed as often as a diaper. And, for the same reason."
POSTED BY: JAY | MARCH 25, 2011 AT 07:06 PM

--

I don't think Mark Twain was speaking exclusively about politicians of a particular party.

What he was saying resonates with Tea Partiers far more than with the establishmentarianists and the special interests they feed.

.

[thebuckstopshere]

lookie here huck finn, "they" don't fear a third party, they fear an honest to God SECOND PARTY.....& yeah the rinos will try to end run the tea party movement but to their own detriment imo. VOTERS OF THE WORLD UNITE! NO MORE OF THE SAME POLITICAL HACKS REGURGITATING PROMISES OF WE WILL FIX EVERYTHING, they only thing they fix is a cush cush job for themselves & azz sucking followers....need I mention Rambo Emanuel? & as for the former Senator "from NY", may I politely suggest carpet bagging & more for the Clitons who are frankly already set for LIFE....

TRUMP/PAUL (either one, any order) 2012

[thebuckstopshere]

not for nuttin, but paying taxes only seems to grow gvn't, regardless of who's paying them & what are the benefits? all go to entitlements, either corps (GE & Mr Imelt, is a GOOD one, he now has a political appt from the O himself) this was after shipping all those jobs to Mexico, where he admitted that might not have been such a great idea, so what did Jeffery do, stood up & said green is great & I want those tax breaks & incentives for green energy!
then we have the unfortunate, who has program after program to self betterment.....give a man a fish, he's got a meal, teach him to fish & he has a lifetime of substenance....

true teaparties want the gvn't out of their private & personal business. they want less of it cause they know some of the most entitled are those in gvnt jobs sucking off the public tit.

TRUMP/PAUL 2012

[jay]

I don't think Mark Twain was speaking exclusively about politicians of a particular party.

What he was saying resonates with Tea Partiers far more than with the establishmentarianists and the special interests they feed.

.

Posted by: Ummahgummah | March 25, 2011 at 08:42 PM

Ummah, he meant all politicians. Just pointed out that A big part of GE not paying any taxes. Infact, corps don't pay as much as people think. Is because of the lobbyists that help pass laws to benefit their rich buddies who paid them to do so.
Lobbyists costs us more than what they are being paid. A lobbyist with the insurance company told Obama and the others who wanted to pass Obamacare. That, the insurance indystry would only go along. If, ALL people had to buy insurance. The Dems didn't have to go along, of course. But, backroom deals have been done by politicians forever. Look at Twain's first quote.

[jay]

In Mark Twain's time. The third party were Copperheads.

[jay]

also,lobbyists out number the politicians like 3-1. At least it was during the time of having ObamaCare being written up. That could be the status Quo.

[jay]

should have said Insurance company lobbyists were 3-1. Bet all lobbyists would be many times that. Maybe a quarter of DC? LOL

[jay]

true teaparties want the gvn't out of their private & personal business. they want less of it cause they know some of the most entitled are those in gvnt jobs sucking off the public tit.

TRUMP/PAUL 2012

Posted by: thebuckstopshere | March 25, 2011 at 08:59 PM

Not saying to tax, tax, tax. Or, spend, spend ,spend. But, even out forefathers knew that some government was neccesary. Many say, the Pilgrims didn't have this. The forefathers didn't have that. But, they didn't have a complicated world as we do now.
Then, kids had to work in the fields, people didn't live as long as now. Maybe average lifespan was 35-45? People needed musketloaders to hunt for food. Didn't have an army. Created a militia. Going across the oceans took at least a month. We can go to the moon in far less time.
We were really just 1 country far removed from the world. Now, we get alot of our materials from overseas.
taxes by themselves is not a dirty word. The Republicans made it so. We do need some taxes to pay for what we do need. We need to cut alot of Foreign aid, yes. But, let's don't get rid of what we need to continue as a super power. For, as of now That's in jeapordy. We have to catchup to other countries now. When, in the past, they had to catch up with us.
Clinton knew we had to live within our means. The GOP just wants to cut taxes, cut,cut, cut.The GOP created the loopholes for corporations like GE.

[LongRifle]

The GOP created the loopholes for corporations like GE.
Jay
Yeah, and GE used that to get Obama elected. I believe they were his biggest contributor. Both parties are the same; and they both SUCK.

[thebuckstopshere]

Jay, interesting pts. particularly about clinton & us living within our means, how did signing NAFTA/GATT into law & shipping most of our manufacturing out of the country accomplish that? furthermore I'm not sure the politicos today even want see us as a superpower, rather more as a global partner as in one money, & one government. I really am hard pressed to think of one thing I need that the government "provides" on our money or taxes. So when the gop created those loopholes why didn't the democratic controlled congress eliminate them? I just think it is hard to recognize pigs at the same trough....they all look the same, they all spend the same, & they all want government to GROW! that's their constituency. Public sector vs private sector, & I think I'm quite correct the sector that is growing is the public, & we write their paychecks. And this is at every level of gvn't. No I pay my taxes & I can't think of one benefit.

[jay]

Yeah, and GE used that to get Obama elected. I believe they were his biggest contributor. Both parties are the same; and they both SUCK.

Posted by: LongRifle | March 26, 2011 at 12:56 AM
Agree. Just side more with the Dems since thay care more about the average guy. The GOP? Rich folks all the way!

"Jay, interesting pts. particularly about clinton & us living within our means, how did signing NAFTA/GATT into law & shipping most of our manufacturing out of the country accomplish that?"

From those several links I posted a few days ago. Showed how Clinton was the ONLY one who created a surplus. The loopholes? Remember the Dems wanted to increas the taxes on the Rich. The GOP said," Not if you want the middle class to keep their current taxes as they are.
The services that the government provides that we need? On a more local level. Have kids in school? Drive on any roads? taxes are not just entitlements.
The Dems getting rid of loopholes? Remember the trouble they had with the GOP before the 2010 elections when the Dems wanted something done. The GOP would say not on our watch!
Getting anything done in politics is Never easy.

[thebuckstopshere]

jay, no as a matter of fact I don't have any kids in school & if I did, I certainly would question the curriculum. Firmly believe we are raising a nation of self entitled dumbells equiped with blackberries & sports therapists to massage their aching digitals from texting, even if the are standing next to one another. Losing the fine art of conversation with the electronic "enhancements" & let us not forget "political correctness" which leaves us all in a position to not say what we really think. ROADS, you mean the pothole paths that are always first to go in budget cuts, but not the entitled elite public servants salaries.....LESS GVNT MEANS MORE FREEDOM & MONEY IN YOUR POCKET IMO.

Jay I really do believe I can handle my assets far better than any gvn't entity. & might I suggest to fix the SS problem, just like downsizing, give me a buyout lump sum with a fair interest rate for all those years & I'd take that in a New York minute too!

[jay]

the point being that there are many areas that our taxes help pay for. 2 others are police and fire. Or, would it be a vigilante and give me a firehouse. Our society is far more complicated than the,"our forefathers didn't have," mentality. Once again, not saying tax, tax ,tax or spend, spend. Just have a feeling that many tea partiers want to live back in the 1700s.

[thebuckstopshere]

Jay, the pt. being, how much addition revenue is collected by police depts? PUBLIC SAFETY is politico speak for let's keep you "safe" by buying fleets of new cars, more man power & all the latest technology to issue tickets & bust honest citizens, while those in charge of the "public trust" always whining about needing more MONEY....

as for fire depts, give me a good old fashion volunteer dept any given day of any given week....those men are in for the right reasons imo.

[jay]

"Jay, the pt. being, how much addition revenue is collected by police depts? PUBLIC SAFETY is politico speak for let's keep you "safe" by buying fleets of new cars, more man power & all the latest technology to issue tickets & bust honest citizens, while those in charge of the "public trust" always whining about needing more MONEY"

Where I'm from. the police doesn't bust honest citizens. But, goes after rapists, murderers,thieves, etc. Guess we could have an old wild west where everyone carries a gun. A vigalante nation.
The tickets? Glad they go after speeders, drunks and the like. Also, glad they have EMTs to help with heart attacks, accident victims, etc. Your comments on those issues don't make any sense.