Has anyone else noticed all the references to Iran’s role in southern Lebanon since the Israeli revenge machine unleashed its furor on the fledgling democracy next door? Day 2 the news shared Israel’s concern the two Hezbollah captured soldiers might be moved to Iran. Day 4 Israeli intelligence “leaks” analysis that 100 Iranian soldiers are in Lebanon and responsible for the missile attack on the Israeli naval ship.
Bush went from virtually no comment early in the offensive to “the President won’t make decisions for the Israeli military”. In between he ordered John Bolton to veto a resolution condemning the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip. The United States stood alone as the only Security Council member voting no, which happened to have veto power.
Meanwhile Bush blames Hezbollah, the Shiite political party in Lebanon for Israel’s aggression. Wasn’t he just bear hugging another Shiite leader in Iraq, Prime Minister al-Maliki just weeks ago? How did Bush’s non-intervention and later direct support for Israel go over in Iraq’s Shiite community? A lead balloon got more lift than George Bush. It appears the United State’s invitation to stay in Iraq may well be in jeopardy. If that is the case, Bush might as well exit the region fighting.
The pieces are on the board. The players move them around, capturing spaces and taking each other’s rooks. The problem is war is not a game of chess. It involves real people as loved children of God are on all sides. The people pay the price for leaders’ inability to communicate, to work through issues peacefully, for their need to punch a hole in things or people that frustrate them.
The people pay dearly now. This will get worse as leaders execute their game plans of intentional violence, death and destruction. If George Bush cannot open his mouth to have Israel stand down on behalf of 25,000 Americans in Lebanon, then we all are disposable. A world leader would intervene on behalf of innocents everywhere. A small man can’t lift his finger to save his own family, his own countrymen and women.
Ironically, the Presidency is a job with built in disposability. What happens when George W. Bush stands in front of that mirror in 2008? Will he be able to give up the power to destroy? My guess is no. If he will not respect that all people are God’s children, will not honor the constitution and its built in separation of powers, why would he respect a small thing like term limits? It wouldn’t do to hold an election should World War III be in full expression.
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