MACH 3'S PREDICTIONS

I dont wish to prophesise about doom and apocalyptic revelations. In fact i dont want to prophesise at all, considering the most obvious fact, i am not a prophet and secondly i may be wrong. But contrary to popular opinion i do have a mind and can rationalise as a person. In light of this i would like to make my predictions for the next few months in the middle east.

First and foremost, what few people understand about the middle east is that everything is linked and that the entire geo-politicl sphere of that region is in a transitional period where superpowers and the not so superpowers are playing high stakes blackjack in an attempt to assert dominance over the region and reshape their future in and of the middle east.

Iran is surrounded by US forces on both sides and they have a legitimate fear that they could be next. Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and Lebanon was seen by the Arab world as a sign of weakness. The US needs the oil and hegemonic status that it used to enjoy in the 1990's. It is a must win situation for all parties concerned and all states are choosing their friends and their foes wisely to advance their goals.

And it is under this climate that Hizbollah guerillas, tugged by the strings of Teheran and Damascus, seized on the opportunity of a fight and kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers two weeks ago. The analogy I like to use is that of a school playground fight. Everyone is either on one side or the other making insulting and aggressive remarks, with the anxiety for the big fight. But here, a little pipsqweak of Hizbollah kicks the shin of the Israelis causing a domino of everyone piling into one another in a free for all.

For at least the next few weeks, Israel will keep up its military campaign in Lebanon with the tacit green light from Washington. At the moment, Syria and Iran have expressed a reluctancy to cause further tension. But let's not forget that just before the outbreak of violence in Israel, the key issue on the table for the international community was Iran's nuclear proliferation and its Stalinist-styled foreign policy. It is reasonable to believe that this attitude in Teheran has not changed over a fortnight and it is not far-fetched to believe that Iran are using Hizbollah to take the heat off them, until the time is right.

In the next few weeks, the water will become clearer as to the reasons for the escalation in violence. Israel will link Hizbollah's arms and soldiers to Syria. Tensions will lead to Israel flying jets over Assad's palace. Syria's intentions will become clearer. Syrian soldiers will be found in the Hizbollah army. Israel will bomb strategic Syrian infrastructures. Syria will turn to Iran. Iran will come into the picture. The USA will be forced to come into the picture, how is uncertain. Israel will be seen as the aggressor in the eyes of the world and will stand almost alone. War by Rosh Hashana. Mashiach now.

SPEAKING OF LAME DUCKS

I have just returned from a trip from Greece (which was fantastic). While I was there, I had a slight case of cabin fever in a hotel room where the only English channels were news networks. After watching CNN nonstop for two weeks, I have come to the conclusion that certain words have entered my black book of dislikes. These words are the United Nations, summits, forum, Koffi Annan and Bono.

I can't stand this beauty pagent version of world peace and international co-operation where the future of the world depends on the world working together under the glorious banner of the UN and global harmony. The reality is that the world works through a global hegemony and this idealist school of putting all the hopes of the world on the UN is lame to say the least.

Don't get me wrong, the UN has done great things in the past. It played a role in resolving the nuclear crisis of the 1960's and has played a great role in galvanising resources together for humanitarian development, education and so on.

But in the past 10 years, what has the UN actually done? It has missed the boat on so many occassions to take a strong stand in the international political arena. And so it has failed to take the next step as the 'world government', as David Icke would like to say. It missed the boat on Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur and the list continues. Yes, there have been resolutions in the security council on world issues. But today, world leaders treat these papers like a German Reichsmark of the 1920's. The UN is tangled up with so much bureaucratic red-tape,and has become so PC and middle fenced so as not to offend any country or rock the boat that it has become a mickey mouse club.

Unlike my most esteemed counterpart, El Hermo, I like to provide solutions in my blog writings. However the only solution I see to the UN is for all of us to realise that it is not the solution of mankind and saviour of world chaos. We should merely accept it for what it is, a forum for international opinion where 200 countries get together,draw on a piece of paper, then translate it into 5 other languages, debate over a word on the paper for 360 hours, agree and then file it in the archives.

BACHISMS

Readers of Mach 3 Gets Militant may be confused at the unfamiliar use of slang words in the blog readings. These are Bachisms and here is a guide to assist readers of this blog.
MOTT- an acronym for mad okes, things and times- it is used to justify spontaneous and sometimes irrational actions.
Carpe diem- a philosophy of enacting MOTT
Look at you- an expression of affection compelling inner-self reflection
I Know- an emphasis conveying an acknowledgement of truth in the previous statement
Cockblock- one who places himself as an obstacle to the intent and actions of a counterpart male
Mission- as in missioning- multiple excursions which lack any point or purpose
Spooning- a process of connection with another human being- may be physical, emotional or spiritual etc.
Mach 3- a procedure of acting contrary to the high statistical probabilities of success
H-levels- an adjective and abbreviated version of heishness, meaning keen or wanting
SQA- an acronym for select quote analyse- a procedure of quick action in circumstances where action is required