The Middle East Again, Still, Always

This morning we are made aware that the continual state of low grade war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas has heated up again. Yesterday Israel killed the Hamas military leader and today rockets fired into Northern Israel have killed three civilians.

In protest Egypt has recalled their ambassador to Israel. When one considers that Egypt and Israel has been the bond that kept the Middle East together this is very problematic. Egypt makes up almost 40 percent of the arab population of the world and the United States has no real idea in what direction the Muslim Brotherhood is going to take the country.

In Jordan street protests and street fighting is gaining everyday. Is it possible to foresee a future in Jordan without the royal family.

Syria's Civil War has not slowed at all, a recent cease fire was not honored, and while things have been a little quieter the last weeks one senses that is more a reflection of a reduced Western coverage than an actual reduction in violence. We are told that Syria has a unique ability as a Civil War to spread throughout the region. With Sunni and Shia fighting each other, with President Assad's government part of a small Alewite minority. This country is on edge but the damage it's trouble could do to is even more significant. Already trouble has spilled into Turkey and Lebanon.

Iran continues to be a problem no one really knows how to deal with. Afghanistan is a disaster that we cannot get out of soon enough. Pakistan has nuclear bombs and no real government and Iraq continues to have daily bombings and violence.

Added to this we have Libya who recently killed our ambassador and our United States Congress wants to get bogged down in an investigation. From some recent in depth articles I have looked into it appears that it is quite possible the CIA was running a gun running operation in Benghazi to get weapons to the the Syrian rebels. Who we do not claim to be arming, but of course we are.

And who are we giving those guns in Libya too? Al Queda. Here is the other news we do not like to think about. The elements who drove Quadaffi out were widespread in Libya. Still the main group of fighters were based around Benghazi and much of those high level fighters were Al Queada. Who are the leaders of the groups trying to take out Assad in Syria. Al Queada.

This is the problem. It is easy and right to criticize the United States for working with or backing despots. However what we must understand is that if you take out a despot American style democracy, at least in the Middle East, does not replace it. What does? Whoever has the most power and in most cases is the most ruthless. And who are those people. Look at Egypt. Look at Libya and imagine who it might be soon in Syria. Al Queada led groups.

Al Queda in this case means Western hating, terrorist or terrorist sympathizing groups, that in most cases believe in a fundamentalist violent Islam.

It is a situation with no easy answers. None. Whatsoever. There is nobody in the Middle East that is our natural ally except Israel. Anyone else who works with us does so because we are buying their loyalty. Nothing more, nothing less.

Think about Israel. Should they be giving up some of the territories. Yes. However in the next year they are faced with Islamists in control in Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and of course Hamas in Lebanon.

Being President? Not an easy job.

My first suggestion to Senators Lindsay Graham and John McCain. Please shut sit down and shut up. This is not the time to score cheap points.