Damned If We Do...

(Courtesy of/http://pretmetmohammed.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/pmm-shia-sunni.jpg)

Reformations are not pretty (that's to say the least.)

Look at the example now throughout the Middle East.

Muslims, having splintered into multitudes of sects,

Each of them interpreting the same religious texts

Do not trust each other well enough to compromise;

Ancient grievances behind the chaos on the rise.

Every time we've intervened we've just made matters worse.

Every time that someone dies it's us the mullahs curse.

Time we let Islamic leaders deal with their own crap;

We should stick to wiping ISIL forces off the map.

There's no winning strategy to fight religious wars.

All that we'll accomplish is to die on foreign shores.

Failing in Yemen

(Courtesy of/news.yahoo.com)

No one wants to say that Yemen's failing as a state

But the situation on the ground ain't looking great.

President has fled the country; Houthis hold the streets...

I'd say the criteria for failing's one it meets.

Saudis and Iranians engaged in proxy war;

Former leaders want to loot the country even more.

Sunni fighting Shia with al Qaeda in the mix

Yemen's problems may yet prove impossible to fix.

On the brink of civil war - the final coffin nail -

What else would you call this if it's not an epic fail?

U.S. forces left already; writing's on the wall

As another sign of Arab Spring becomes its Fall.

Middle East Update - Bad Timing for a Visit

Secretary Kerry doesn't seem to be enjoying himself on this trip.  (Photo/Presstv.ir)

Secretary Kerry has been in the Middle East;

Pretty awkward timing for his trip - to say the least.

Many of our "allies" in the region aren't thrilled

With our current policies and so relations chilled.

Kerry went to Cairo first; he'd not been in a while.

Next day, Egypt put its former President on trial.

Military overthrew his government and now

Claims that it was not a coup...  But I cannot see how.

Even though it's clear from all the evidence we've got,

State Department hasn't said if it's a coup or not.

U.S. law forbids assistance to a government

Which has come to power through a coup. The law is meant

To promote democracy, so now we're kinda stuck...

'though we'll send them aid, their military's out of luck.

Kerry went to see the Saudis next; they're also mad.

Feel the U.S. backed out on agreements that we had.

They've turned down a Council Seat 'cause we did not attack

Weapons sites in Syria...  Ain't chutzpah that they lack.

Any place where radicals are bred goes back to them;

They're the ones who fund those mosques and schools (which costs a gem.)

Now they're scared those angry chickens may come home to roost...

Here's an idea for you; just stop giving them a boost.

I wish Secretary Kerry luck - which he will need -

'cause the only thing on which the region has agreed

Is that the United States is, somehow, all to blame...

I guess it is comforting that some things stay the same.

Middle East Update - Making Friends Wherever We Go.

Iraq isn't better with us gone; in fact, it's worse.

Sunnis and the Shia are both fighting to reverse

Any signs of progress that their country may have made.

Now, it seems, they're wishing that our weapons systems stayed.

Sharing common borders with the Syrians, Iraq

Is a frequent target of a suicide attack.

Someone blows themselves - and others - into bloody bits;

Almost every single day some random violence hits.

Saudis are unhappy we've not played a larger role;

Don't believe it's possible that we'll achieve our goal

Of a peaceful Middle East until Assad is stopped.

Israel's not thrilled Iran might get its sanctions dropped.

Egypt's mad at funding cuts (because they had a coup.)

Pakistan and Libya are angry with us, too.

Nation building's not our strength so, once a war gets won,

We should not just walk away from countries...  We should run.