The Balance of Power - Part Two

In part one we examined the US strategy (if you can call it that) as regards The Middle East. We described how The US is in the process of moving assets to the Russia Indo-China arena's to balance the growing power emanating from this area. If someone thinks the Russians are a spent force its time to re-evaluate that assumption. The more Russia has its back to the wall, the more dangerous it becomes. But that is a subject for another day. Where does Israel fit into this constantly changing picture?

The personal vendetta between kings Bibi and Barack might make great headline news on CNN, but frankly, the verbal animosity between the two is marginal to the diverging interests of both sides. As the US slowly contrives to create a "balance" in the region, Israel finds itself in a world of sectarian Islamic violence and changing political alliances. The Americans appear confused as to who the greater danger to their interests are, ISIS or Iran. Iran is taking full advantage of the situation. Netanyahu said it all in his speech to congress. Unfortunately nobody in a decision making capacity is listening. Iran, the Shiite Caliphate now controls Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. They have taken Yemen and are well on their way to controlling most of Iraq.

The ISIS mania is spreading like a wildfire. Every small victory over this Sunni Caliphate is greeted with new gains across the region. A short while ago ISIS was a small marginal group of lunatics in Syria. Today they have footprints in Iraq, Tunisia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Sunni Arab leaders are watching these developments with alarm. The double threat of Iranian nuclear capability and ISIS is making for strange new bedfellows. From an American point of view, they can drink their oil. So who are they turning to? Believe it or not...Israel. Without Israel, neither King Abdullah of Jordan or Abbas, president of the non-existent Palestinian entity, would last very long. Egypt and Israel have created a powerful alliance. The seven Arab kingdoms of the Persian Gulf are quietly talking to Israel and a little known fact is the growing relationship between Israel and Nigeria (note how Nigeria votes at the UN).

These positive developments are tempered by multiple threats from Iranian satellites, Hizbollah in Lebanon/Golan Heights and Hamas in Gaza. No one seems worried about Gaza these days and it is interesting to see how Egypt is choking the life out of the so-called "innocent Palestinian victims" and nobody seems to care. Least of all the morality policemen Kerry and Obama. Hizbollah have their hands full with Syria and cannot afford to open another front at present. However their tens of thousands of missiles are still a threat not to be taken lightly. A larger threat to Israel is the potential infiltration of ISIS and/or Iranian players into the Arab populations of Judea and Samaria.

On a personal note, when I look back at the incompetent Obama years (anybody remember the Arab Spring?), Israel has not done too badly. The economy and the population continue to grow, the western world is getting a dose of Jihad, there is zero possibility of a two state solution regardless of who governs Israel (the issue is only one of tactics) and most important, Israel remains a vibrant democracy in a sea of madness.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty ― Winston S. Churchill 

A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what's going on  ― William S. Burroughs

I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them ― Thomas Jefferson