Desperate times – desperate measures By William Bowles

21 August 2006

One thing is abundantly clear, the empire is in deep shit and like any cornered animal, they are extremely dangerous. The ‘terror alert’ is indicative of just how desperate they are risking even the destruction of the airline industry in order to put the frighteners on the populace. But has it worked? On one level, yes as the events on an aircraft from Spain bound for London reveal, with the xenophobic Brits refusing to travel on the plane with two people who looked “Middle Eastern” onboard. Let the government try and deny that its policy has not had the desired effect of demonising ‘Muslims’ and more generally, people of colour.

Strange Attractors: Is the destruction of Lebanon a prelude to a wider conflagration? By William Bowles

6 August 2006

Outrage, anger and disbelief seem to be the most common responses to the US/Israeli destruction of Lebanon, understandably given the sheer ferocity of the attack but let us not let it get in the way of trying to figure out why the pirates resorted to such measures that were sure to ignite a wave of resistance and horror.

Israel: Blackmailing the world By William Bowles

3 August 2006

Israel’s deliberate and continued destruction of Lebanon is intended to force the Western powers to occupy the country on US/Israel’s behalf

I’ve spent the last couple of days doing (almost) nothing but reading, trying to get a handle on events. Firstly, it’s obvious to anyone who knows anything about Lebanon and the place of Hizballah in Lebanese society realises that the idea of destroying Hizballah is ridiculous regardless that it’s Israel’s stated objective. Therefore what are the real objectives of the US/Israeli onslaught?

Is Lebanon the Great Unravelling? By William Bowles

28 July 2006

‘We are farmers, we can fall back on the land, hide in caves, make our own cheese and eat our lambs. The Israelis in their bunkers, this life upsets them. They will quit.’ — Mohammed Mulimh, 29, a Lebanese farmer

I think it’s now clear that the gamble the US took with its proxy force, Israel, is a military-political disaster. Soon, there won’t be much left to destroy in Lebanon, then what? There are several options open to Israel (US), none of them too inviting, yet sooner or later the real world will force the US to reconsider what it has done (if it’s not done so already):

Israel: A wolf dressed in victim’s clothes and why the destruction of Lebanon is a strategic disaster for the Empire By William Bowles

26 July 2006

Are these illegal weapons being used by Israel?
Also check out Depleted Uranium Alert

“It was meant to be over by now. This time last week Israeli military planners were demanding another 72 hours to finish the job: that’s all they needed, they promised, to clear southern Lebanon of Hizbullah.” — Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, Wednesday July 26, 2006

I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down said the Wolf. Well the Wolf is huffing and puffing but the house is not built of straw and Hezbollah (how is it spelt? Hez or Hiz?) are proving to be a very tenacious opponent. Okay, Israel has overwhelming orthodox military power but has it got the means or the political support at home for a protracted war?

A US call to (more) arms By William Bowles

19 July 2006

“A cease-fire that would leave the status quo ante intact is absolutely unacceptable. A cease-fire that would leave intact a terrorist infrastructure is unacceptable.” — White House spokesman Tony Snow, 18/7/06 (See ‘American imperialism wants war’)

One thing should absolutely clear by now, when it comes to Israel’s actions—the US calls the shots. I trust this lays to rest all those deluded individuals on the ‘left’ who subscribe to the fallacious notion commonly referred to as the ‘tail wagging the dog’.

Ariel Sharon still killing from (almost) beyond the grave By William Bowles

17 July 2006

“On the eve of the 1982 invasion [of Lebanon], US Secretary of State Alexander Haig told Ariel Sharon that, before starting it, it was necessary to have a “clear provocation”, which would be accepted by the world.” — Uri Avnery, ‘The real aim of Israel’s attacks on Lebanon’

Israel – just testing the waters? By William Bowles

14 July 2006

“What has proportion got to do with it though … it’s not about proportion is it. I mean human life is not cheap to the Israelis and human life on the other side is quite cheap actually because they strap bombs to people and send them to blow themselves up.” – Maureen Lippman, 23/7/06, BBC TV ‘The Week in Politics’

Maybe it’s denial on everybody’s part but many of my lefty pals seem to be at a loss to explain the actions of Israel as it methodically dismembers Lebanon-aside that is, from the obvious ‘warmonger’ tag, a tag that explains little.

When a war is not a war (unless the media says it is) By William Bowles

14 July 2006

Dawn air strikes on south Lebanon on 13 July 2006 claimed the lives of at least 44 civilians, including over 15 children, and wounded over 100. Israel bombed bridges linking the north and south of the country and all three runways of Beirut’s commercial airport. The Israeli army’s Chief of Staff, Dan Halutz, promised that “nothing is safe in [Lebanon], as simple as that.” — ‘Israel attacks Lebanon’, 14/7/06

But it’s not all going Israel’s way. An eyewitness reports an Israeli naval vessel being hit by a missile and sunk off the coast of Beirut.

Syria: Old whine, new bottle By William Bowles

26 October 2005

The UN ‘report’ on the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese PM, bears all the hallmarks of yet another set-up, no doubt ‘inspired’ by US pressure as part of the build-up to yet another Middle Eastern ‘adventure’.

Even less remarkable is the uncritical, indeed blind acceptance by the Western media of the Report’s conclusions concerning those allegedly behind the assassination.