Organized Crime

Two countries, Iran and Israel, led by their respective extremist groups, are fighting once again.  Normally, this would be a shocking headline, were it not for the fact violence has plagued the region for much longer than any sane person would care for.  It is an escalation, with Iran being a pretty formidable opponent, but Israel does have the advantage, considering it has the United States to back it up. 

The American government has always been Israel’s closest ally, and Donald Trump has not only maintained the course, but it seems he has managed to make the bond even stronger.  The Israeli leader has taken advantage of this, (as Israel always has), and emboldened himself, ridding himself of all filters, continuing his incessant bombing in defense of their citizens who were killed, or kidnapped by Hamas.  It can be said, though, that killing tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians in the process is heavy handed, which it is.  No one in their right mind can justify something like this.  

Israel’s seemingly unprovoked attack on Iran’s nuclear and government facilities last Friday came as a surprise to almost everyone.  Trump, (who’s diplomats were simultaneously working out a deal with Iran, where the U.S. would relieve sanctions against them, provided they scale down their nuclear programme), attended the G7 summit in Alberta, where he admitted he was informed the attack was going to take place.  The Israeli government sited the   attack was preemptive, in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, thus safeguarding Israel’s future.  Am I missing something here? I must be.  What kind of diplomacy is this?  The U.S. is trying to get Iran to cool off on nuclear proliferation, yet while these negotiations are going on, the U.S. also knows that Friday Israel is going to bomb Iran, with the same purpose in mind, but with missiles.  To top it all off, the Americans had another meeting scheduled.  Did they seriously think that the Iranians would still show up?  Or is no one communicating in the White House?  It seems to me that the lives of ordinary people are being played with.  

Now Trump says he’s not getting involved, preferring to let them duke it out.  I would just like to know when our leaders will start looking him in the eye.  I cannot believe that they’re all too scared to take him on.  Maybe not alone, but banded together, they could choke the current government out of office and maybe into jail.  Canada even invited him over, after all the crap he’s thrown north of the border.  We need to collectively unplug him.  The world will take the jolt.  

We are all much better without them, and maybe next time we put all of our eggs in someone’s else’s basket, we’ll think twice, or maybe more.  This Middle East crisis is not going to end.  As long as extremism walks hand-in-hand with religion, there will never be peace. Also, the strategic importance of the area to the United States will also hinder whatever peace may eventually come. 

One thing we must also remember is while Trump has us looking toward the conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, we’re distracted from the lawlessness that he has imposed on his own people.  It’s a real wake-up call watching what on the outside seemed to be a haven for many throughout the world, could end up on its knees at the foot of one brainless tyrant, who’s out to exact revenge on those who crossed him, no matter the means.  I hope we all learn from this.

Fiquem bem,

Raul Freitas/MS