“The rulers of the world have always been stupid, but have not in the past been so powerful as they are now.” The tragedy of that line by Bertrand Russell is not just what it says on its face, but that it was written in 1930, when the carnage perpetrated by the world’s most advanced civilizations was just warming up.
Nowhere has the stupidity been such a cult to failure as in the Middle East since 1945, and more particularly since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. First British and French leaders, then Israeli, then American and Israeli failures amassed mass graves bloated by the myopic fanaticism of Arab and Persian complicity. Each war begat a lesson unlearned, with intensifying stupidity as American wars of choice became the accelerant to catastrophe in the last 25 years.
George W. Bush invaded Afghanistan and Iraq thinking he’d remake the Middle East in his image. He lost both wars and forced subsequent presidents, including Donald Trump, to pick up the pieces until they surrendered and withdrew. Not only did these colors run. The red fertilized bounties of bloodletting. ISIS replaced Saddam. Iraq became an Iranian protectorate. Syria and Yemen joined Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank as new circles of hell.
Israel has invaded Lebanon, a country about one and a half times the size of Palm Beach County, a dozen times since 1978, each time claiming it would once and for all clean up the problem to its north, whether it was the PLO or Hezbollah. Lebanese civilians in the way were less than garbage. Israel has assassinated enough Arab leaders to fill the United Nations General Assembly and massacred enough Lebanese to pave Palm Coast’s Western Expansion with graveyards.
Condoleezza Rice, Bush’s secretary of state, once called it “the birth pangs of a new Middle East.” Solzhenitsyn once wrote that “Stupidity always follows on the heels of smugness.”
Israel has invaded Gaza, a territory about the size of Bunnell, as many times as it’s invaded Lebanon, claiming each time it would be the last. It even built a Hollywood set-like fake Gaza just to give its troops extra practice on the way to the genocide. Yet here we are in the third year of the latest war, with Hamas still in control of half the territory, peace a fake FIFA trophy and yet another generation of young Palestinians growing up with vengeance for veins.
In comes peacemaker Donald Trump naturally teaming up with brilliant Israel, the loser of Gaza, inventing a new war against a foe that had never once threatened the United States. Iran no Bunnell. It is twice the size of Texas. It is the 18th most populous nation on earth. Its civilization is 12 times as old as the United States. No invader in those 3,000 years has successfully controlled Persians whose pride and power made even ancient Spartans shiver. Trump thinks he can drop two billion dollars a day’s worth of bombs as Israel’s weaponized concubine, the regime will magically change, and he’ll get to rename Tehran’s Azadi Tower after himself.
The stunning stupidity traces its roots as far back as the Crusades, when a bunch of loser French warlords itching for a fight, for easy riches and bronze pussy wrapped themselves in Catholic hubris with two dozen popes’ blessings and spent the next 200 years laying waste to the Levant until nothing was left of them but castle ruins that make for some of today’s best tourist destinations. Some of my best memories as a not-yet-fallen Catholic child were visiting those ruins, like the Castle of the Sea in Saida, in south Lebanon, and the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria, whose ramparts stand like running jokes to Christian lunacy.
The Ottomans after them had the good sense to control territory without controlling local politics, resulting in half a millennium of calm. Then came the French and the British, who arbitrarily and ignorantly cut up the Middle East into the countries we know today–in one case, literally drawing red lines on a map to create Iraq and Saudi Arabia–and threw Israel in there, inaugurating a century of warfare that has yet to end.
Pink ties and pedophilic dog-wagging aside Trump is doing little else than continuing that same brainless tradition, minus the strategic pretensions of his predecessors. If Arthur Balfour was the British prig who thought the Middle East an exotic country estate to deed to Jews and Kissinger was the gravelly-voiced footnote who mistook the place for a chessboard, Trump is more like a sugared up thug on a wilding expedition with no endgame in mind.
We know how this ends. Cue the Mission Accomplished speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln hastily renamed for Trump as Iran hobbles on the way Hezbollah and Gaza hobble on, razed but not erased, those not in massed graves massing hate and belligerence in spades for an Israel and a United States increasingly more isolated and relegated to the ranks of morally and financially bankrupt imperial powers. Anyway, 250 years wasn’t such a bad run for the last western empire. Trump can at least take credit for ending what another George started, and I don’t mean either of the Bushes.
Pierre Tristam is the editor of FlaglerLive. A version of this piece airs on WNZF.
Pogo says
starryidgirl says
Pierre, do you consider this article 501-3C material?
Pierre Tristam says
As 501-3-c as ACLU advocacy for justice, SLPC advocacy against hate, or CJR articles about Americans’ pitifully poor grasp of journalism, especially, it appears, nonprofit journalism. Would you ask the same question of the National Review Foundation or Turning Point USA? AIPAC? Didn’t think so.
Tony Mack says
The writer probably doesn’t know what CJR means…Columbia Journalism Review
Donald T says
No mention of Obama or Biden who played very significant roles too. Gee, wonder why….
Dennis C Rathsam says
Yes its true, the USA, & the Middle East have had their disagreements, You can add Europe to that also. This is a different situation. For years the Mullars have been playing with America. They thought TRUMP like any other US president before him would do nothing, as Iran & its cohorts continued to attack various US sights, & oil tankers. The party’s now over, all their leaders are dead, the rest scurried like rats underground. TRUMP has done an amazing job, along with the IDF. With past presidents talk was cheap. We had Obama, throwing money at them, so they could murder & mame Americans through out the region. Then came Biden, more cash went their way. Thank God TRUMP sent them something different. Something they thought would never come. Now their Navy sits at the bottom of the Persian Gulf, & the Strieght of Hamous, along with thier Air Force. Our elite special forces are headed for Irans buried uranium. Funny, all of Irans, Middle East buddies have turned on them, like a plaque. They all jumped at the chance to help TRUMP.
Jim says
It’s great that you think this is an outstanding success. However, a few minor points to consider:
1. No Middle Eastern country is participating in the war. Many have been attacked by Iran. None have responded other than to shoot down as many incoming missiles as they can.
2. For those Middle Eastern countries that have made their positions available, they are very upset at the USA and Israel for this war. They all counseled against it. That’s probably because they have all known for decades that if this ever occurred, Iran would respond by blocking the Strait of Hormuz (which they have done). They all knew that this would be a financial catastrophe (which it is). Are they mad at Iran for sending missiles and drones at their countries? Absolutely. But they know it’s not as bad as it may get. Iran has made it clear that if Israel and/or the USA bombs/destroys their infrastructure to ship oil they’ll do the same to all oil-producing countries in the area. And it appears they are very capable of doing just that despite all our success.
3. There are absolutely no signs that the populace of Iran is going to rise up and take the government. That might be because our bombing campaign has done virtually nothing to remove the AK-47’s, RPG’s, etc. that the Iranian guard, police and other para-military units in Iran possess. So if the populace stages an uprising, thousands (or more) will die for nothing (although Trump has told them he’ll “help”).
4. Regarding Iran’s “buried uranium”, it is estimated that they have 440 kg (970 pounds) of 60% enriched uranium in their possession. Good luck finding that in a country over twice the size of Texas. By the way, it has to be enriched to 90% to make an atom bomb.
5. Gas is currently at $3.80/gallon (maybe more – it’s been two days since I bought any). Oil experts are expecting it to go to $5.00/gallon or more as this drags on. (Now, I know, every one of those “experts” is a liberal, Democrat, commie…) The good news is that Trump has told us all that when oil prices rise, America makes a lot of money! I was glad to hear that. Here I’d thought paying $3.80/gallon for Trump’s $2.00/gallon gas was painful but now that I know it’s actually putting money in my pocket, I’m happy to do it. Bring on $10.00/gallon gas. We’ll all be rich!
6. That $1B/day price tag that gets thrown around isn’t the whole cost by far. It does not include the cost of replacing all the Tomahawk, Patriot, THAAD, AEGIS and other anti-missile/drone weapons in use. Nor does it include any and all bombs of other types being used. Not to mention the three F15’s and KC-135 Stratotanker that we’ve lost so far. Other assets of the USA have been hit in the region as well and all will have to be repaired or replaced. Several of these units have allegedly been damaged or destroyed at a cost of over $0.5B/unit.
7. China is getting a great insight into our current military capability. Also, China can now use the same “logic” that we have to justify their takeover of Taiwan. They might even move it up. We’ve expended a lot of our high-tech weaponry already and it takes a lot of time to replenish. None of this stuff is built on high-output production lines (I know that for a fact). Maybe they’ll decide to take their shot while we’re engaged with Iran. If they do, I think we might very well do nothing.
8. It doesn’t appear any of our historic allies are rushing to our aide. I can only assume that when you’re constantly criticized and bullied and subject to high tariffs, your attitude about offering assistance cools.
9. And let’s not forget Russia! Higher oil prices are exactly what Putin needs right now to finance his “special military operation” in Ukraine. Until this hit, it was thought Russia was approaching a financial crisis that might force them to settle for peace. Not now. We’ve told India to buy Russian gas (after threatening them with God’s wrath) for the time being. And Ukraine? Well, they are on their own. The war is their fault anyway….
So, you’re welcome to your view of the great success we are witnessing in Iran. However, please try to keep your praise of this “Epic Fury” somewhat in line with facts. And, just for counter-thought…., I think that this whole episode will go down as “Epic Failure” when it’s over. Trump’s stepped into it and I’m very curious to see how he gets out.
PaulT says
Do you write your own news bulletins Dennis andyour own fact free pseudo history? Then do you recite it to yourself?
Your comment is full of misspelt mumbo jumbo, if this is what you’re seeing and hearing on Fox and Newsmax and OANN I suspect you’re in need of new eyeglasses and an upgrade to your hearing aid.
Because your post is arrant nonsense with just a tiny sprinkling of misinterpreted fact.
The dude says
I hate it when those Mullars mame. They shouldn’t do that.
DMFinFlorida says
@ The dude says.
LMAO … me too.
Willy James says
Dennis,
Once again, you go on record as the village idiot. I look forward to reading your posts, for I know they are full of shit, and I need a good laugh! Again, you pass out comments that are worthy of some drunk sitting at the local bar. Your wisdom and knowledge of world events, military tactics, to say nothing of world history, simply amaze me. But then, you are a simpleton with a very NARROW mind.
PaulT says
The current war was prompted by Israel and is for the benefit of Israel. I fail to see how the US will benefit. in fact the war’s aftermath is likely to become far more of a millstone than Iraq or Aghanistan.
As Pierre points out, US presidents have been meddling in the Middle East for far too long, supposedly to provide stability but in fact to exert control over oil supplies and to attempt to exploit mineral resources.
The ‘Mandate System’ for division of the post Ottoman Levant was actually President Woodrow Wilson’s idea, proposed in his ‘Fourteen Points’ speech to Congress in 1918 As administered by the Leaugue of Nations it probably tidied up the prospect of squabbles during planned annexations by Britain and France after world War 1.
It was an unfair, untidy system which failed to achieve the promises of a sovereign Arab State made by the British during The Great Arab Revolt of 1916.
What I don’t understand is why so many Americans still offer unconditional support for Israel despite it’s record of brutality and inhumanity towards it’s neighbors which started even before it became an independent state in 1948.
Do Americans feel deep hereditary guilt over refusing Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany or are American Christians fixated on Ezekiel’s prophesy which was quite probably intended to do no more than encourage the exiled Jewish community in Babylon, perhaps to give them hope of a return to their own land..
Why are American Christians so desperate to bolster Israel and accelerate the notional coming of the ‘End Times’? Are their lives on this planet, in this country so miserable, so unfulfilled?.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being snarky or critical. I’m just baffled.
Skibum says
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, three times, as many times as my glorious, best-ever president has done, I still have no shame because my name is Dennis C Rathsam and I will continue to worship and adore him no matter what!”
Right, Dennis???
Trumphole says
Dennis tells it like it is. Good job.
Sherry says
Perfect handle for you!