At the risk of sounding simplistic, this shit is bad.

I certainly hope the rest of the world can put an end to this, since the US seems both unwilling and powerless to do anything about it. I guess it’s up to “old” Europe and the grownups to do something. At this point, I think we can only hope that Bush, Condi, Cheney, Rummy, the worthless and cowardly Republicans & Democrats, and the rest of this pathetic government of ours stay the hell out of things, unless they’re willing to muster up a little courage and tell the Israelis to stand down.

As others here have remarked, the ususal suspects, Kos, Atrios, DU, etc., seem to be remakably silent on the subject. Kos had a post about how he “grew up in a war zone” (he was born in Chicago in 1971, but was raised in El Salvador until he was nine or so, when the family came back to the US in 1980), and learned that until “both sides” decide to stop killing each other it will never end. As true as that may be, I’m not sure what that’s got to do with killing innocent Lebanese men, women, and children, and targeting Lebanon’s civilian infrastructure; whether or not you agree that Israel is entitled to go after Hezbollah, the attacks on Lebanon seem far from justified. But then, I’m not as worldly as he is. Kos also links to a post from Kevin Drum, who discusses why he doesn’t write about an active war in the Middle East (something about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict being 50 years old and very complex (presumably we’re all too stupid to understand it, and he doesn’t have the patience to ‘splain it to us), and besides it makes for a whole bunch of meanie comments.

The one exception seems to be Juan Cole, who, typically, continues to be unafraid to write intelligently about what’s going on, and how pathetic our government continues to be. And of course there are the alternative news sites, like Counterpunch, Truthout, Democray Now! and others (I won’t list them all – if you’re reading this, I’m sure you know who there are, and if not, I’m sure there will be lots of copying and pasting of articles from those sources and others).

I just find it kind of sad that our well known “liberal” bloggers seem to be afraid or unwilling to discuss the issue. To be sure, it would take a certain amount of guts, as there are certain elements who will brand anyone who disagrees with what the Israeli government is doing as “anti-semitic” – just as some will brand anyone who criticizes the Bush administration as “anti-American” (even treasonous). And of course there are plenty of people who would excuse anything that Hezbollah might do, too. Personally, I think it’s time to stop rationalizing terrorist behavior, no matter who the perpetrators are. Right’s right, and wrong’s wrong, whether it’s in Baghdad, Darfur, South Dakota, Beirut, Gaza, or Haifa.

One thing’s for certain, if things continue to escalate, this will only turn out very badly, and $4/gallon gas will be the least of our worries. And even if disaster is somehow averted this time around, unless the entire world insists on some form of justice that all sides can agree to and live with (and I have to think that a big part of that would getting the US the hell out of the region), the fire will only continue to smolder until the next crisis.

Then maybe we can get back to ignoring all of the other unspeakable (but not quite as dangerous on a global scale) horrors that exist in the world, and wait for global warming or that killer asteroid to hit the reset button on the human race, and see if evolution can’t do a better job next time.