Obama's Mid East tour

While the corporate media fawned over the Obama's tour of the Middle East, Ali Abunimah commented on what Obama missed while he was meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, Tim Shorrock revealed the "Hawks behind the Dove," Politico pointed out the weirdness of not allowing anyone in his entourage to wear the color green in Israel or Palestine, UCI historian of Islam and the Middle East, Mark LeVine,  pointed out the conceptual and political failings of not distinguishing between the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and the architect of the Soviet Afghan trap, Zbigniew Brezinski warned of the danger of replicating the Russian experience.

A Consumers' Republic

Here Joe Bageant, a RedState Rebel, offers what may be the most brilliant political analysis I've read all season. He explains the Obama phenomenon in terms of the dual, and interrelated, ascendances of the cultural left and the economic right. We've entered into a new "post-partisan" age in which politics are totally devoid of meaning. All that matters is style and branding. We live in a Consumers' Republic. We choose presidents the way we choose cans of soda pop.  

Obama tours Gaza; Calls for an end to the Siege

Just seeing if your payin' attention... 

Palestinians not excited about Obama (NYT)

An anthropological look at the struggle to defend the Iraq-Pakistan border

Here anthropologist William O. Beeman explains the weird rituals of the US-Iran war dance. Towards the end he makes an important point about the political leverage that an Absolute Enemy like Iran/US (in the various cultural contexts) offers. He references the common conspiracy theory that the US GOP will initiate and October Surprise war with Iran to help McCain's (otherwise dismal) chances at the polls. But he also mentions that all candidates stand to gain from the "Iran threat." All of the major candidates (Hillary, Obama, and McCain) have sought to demonstrate their "foreign policy credentials" by demonizing Iran. the threat from an enemy serves to silence dissent, and demobilize the citizenry. Most of all the super-bowl of the clash of civilizations makes sure that our attention remains directed safely away from any analysis of the distribution of class power both within the United States and globally. 

On McCain's effort to defend the Iraq-Pakistan border, watch this.

The Fate of Empire

In the summer of 2006, Israel waged savage if ultimately unsuccessful war on Lebanon to get its two captured soldiers back (while Obama led the cheer leading section, its worth adding). It failed. It was forced to recognize, yet again, that there are clear and absolute limits to the kind of power that "flows from the barrel of a gun." Israel, once seen as nearly omnipotent in the face of its Arab neighbors, faced military defeat at the hands of Hizballah for the second time in less than seven years. 

Well Israel got the bodies of its soldiers back, but not under the conditions of its own  choosing. This is what it looks like when Empires fall. 

Here are the coffins of Arab bodies that Israel was forced to hand over to Nasrallah:

The Fate of Empire

A word to would be Empires:

This is what defeat looks like. You may want to get used to it.  

Angry Arab warns: "Make no mistake about it: the Supply of Arabs willing to fight Israeli occupation  will never deplete. Never."

NetRoots, NetPower

This one got me:

"Move Over MoveOn.org"

as did this one:

"Netroots Nation, or Nation of Sheep"

I signed up

Note to Sheep: Beware of Wolves