Lines In The Sand

The Middle East and northern Africa circa 1914. (Courtesy of/www.clas.ufl.edu)

Middle Eastern borders, once imposed, are breaking down.

Saudi forces bombed another Northern Yemen town.

Libya has splintered; there are Syrians "in hell."

I can't name a single country where it's going well.

ISIL's killing refugees who've fled from Palestine.

It's not safe no matter where you draw some borderline.

Mix religion, history and tribal loyalties

And you get a situation where no side agrees.

I predict it won't get better 'til it's gotten worse

Meanwhile, we're the common enemy that many curse.

Every time we pick a side we make the others mad,

Angering established allies we might once have had.

 

We aren't winning hearts and minds and I have little doubt

Only if the countries in the region sort it out

Will they make a peace that has a chance of being kept.

Wish we'd thought of consequences there before we leapt.

Unsolicited Advice for Israel

Bibi Netanyahu's won a clear majority

Because most Israelis trust him with security.

Wants a coalition formed with parties to his right

Making any chance for peace with Palestine seem slight.

Bibi's withdrawn his support for the 2 state solution

Even though his new position could spark revolution...

Even though the world believes there's gotta be 2 states

Bibi wants to keep on building walls and closing gates.

'though I'm not from Israel and don't walk in their shoes,

I can't see how that improves security for Jews.

Killing hopes of Palestinians still talking peace

Seems to guarantee that fighting there will never cease.

Unsolicited Advice for Hamas

(Cartoon/Courtesy of youngcons.com)

Egypt tried to broker peace inside the Gaza Strip.

Israel stopped shooting but Hamas just let 'er rip...

Not just "accidental" missiles - they've shot 35 -

So, Israelis' war machine is shifting back to drive.

I can't say I blame them, either...  I'd be pretty mad

If my government did not use everything it had

Making sure that people shooting missiles at me stop.

What's the matter with the Hamas leaders at the top?

Don't they care that their civilians are the ones who've bled?

Can't they see it's Palestinians who end up dead?

They can't win the shooting war they're fighting now, so why

Won't they give a brokered peace with Israel a try?

Not So Far, Far Away

Israel has called up reservists and positioned tanks along its border with the Gaza Strip. (Photo/Courtesy of TimesofIsrael.com)

Israel's preparing to invade the Gaza Strip;

Planning to impose a peace by tightening its grip.

After 3 Israeli teens were murdered - in revenge -

One young man was burned alive; Hamas swore to avenge

Terrorism by some Jews on Palestinians,

Claiming that the vicious few make all barbarians.

Growing anger in the streets became a major factor;

Hamas fired missiles at a nuclear reactor.

Israel believed it had no choice and fired back.

Eighty Palestinians were killed in the attack.

Airstrikes in the hundreds have been going on all night.

Missiles out of Gaza have been shot down in mid-flight.

But, if even one gets through, those tanks are bound to roll

And it's Palestinians who'll pay the highest toll.

The Israelis also lose for, as they tighten grips,

Fast and far away the hope for peace between them slips.

"No-one's Ever Lost Money Betting Against Peace in the Middle East"

(Courtesy of Truthdig.com)

Israelis and Palestinians are on the outs...

Secretary Kerry wants to soothe them.  I've my doubts.

Israel's reneged on deals to set some prisoners free.

Talks are breaking down because the 2 sides can't agree.

Netanyahu doesn't trust Abbas (who feels the same.)

Currently, they both insist the other guy's to blame.

Palestinians are angry, and they have a right

Watching new Israeli settlements grow overnight.

Now Abbas is saying he'll appeal to the U.N.

That derails the framework talks and nothing happens then.

Kerry's gone to see if there's another thing to try;

Rumor says we might release an old Israeli spy.

If we plan to free their spy we should get something back;

Major issues needing breakthroughs aren't a thing we lack.

Make them stop the settlements and honor deals they've made;

If there aren't concessions then it isn't worth the trade.

Israeli Settlements - An Irish-American-Agnostic's View

(Map/Courtesy of BBC News)

I am not Israeli, so I can't know how it feels;

Do not have a history of loss time never heals.

Don't know what it's like to have bombs falling from the sky;

Every day - afraid someone I love is gonna die.

I'm not Palestinian and can't know how I'd feel

Watching as Israelis do their very best to steal

Land that once belonged to me...  And, why? Because God said?

Their belief my neighbors want to see all of them dead?

I was born of Irishmen with Troubles of their own.

Saw the hatreds grown through seeds that history has sown.

Any time you mix God up in boundary disputes

Peace trips on religion and it tumbles down the chutes.

I am an American who doesn't understand

Why is it that settlements are built on Arab land?

Surely, everyone can see that's making matters worse?

Numbers should be falling but they're doing the reverse.

I am an agnostic; I don't follow any church.

Doesn't mean I think that God has left us in the lurch.

I believe that God is there and angry at the mess

We have made out of the gifts which He gave us to bless.