http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49002920100602

But I will concede you can never be sure with politicians these days.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3898177,00.html

The Economist in its March 31 issue published an article, titled “Hamas hangs on”, listed a few of Hamas’ achievements during the last four years:

1. Cement which cost US$80 two years ago, has dropped almost tenfold in price – precipitating a spate of buildings for the first time since Israel’s attack a year ago which reduced 4,000 houses to ruin.

2. Israel’s seige still causes misery. Yet some economists say that the strip is going faster than the West Bank run by Hamas’ rival PA (Fatah).

3. The petrol pumped into Gazzah by underground pipes and hoses from Egypt cost a third of what it cost in Ramallah, Mahmoud Abbas’ capital where gas is supplied by the Zionist entity.

4. Free health-care is more widely available in Gazzah (even not available in the US but Washington do subsidizes free healthcare in Israel).

5. The web of Israeli checkpoints that still impede Palestinian movement and commerce in the West Bank are absent in Gazzah.

6. The civil-servants in Gazzah receive salary on regular bases which is not the case in the West Bank.

7. In the 14 months since 23-day Israeli invasion, Hamas has swept up much of the wreckage. The Islamic University bombed the Zionazis – sparkles again. New caf’es have opened across Gazzah city.

8. The recent US sanctions imposed on main Hamas-owned bank, but the informal hawala banking system that straddles the border keeps the Strip solvent.

http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/thumbs-up-for-hamas/

Netanyahu may indeed have done the US a favor, if the blockade in Gaza is broken due to miscalculation. Obama seems to have been incapable of just telling Israel to end the blockade. Haim Saban would not approve.

The foolish Israeli blockade of Gaza obviously has not caused an uprising against Hamas, and it seems completely unlikely that continuing the blockade will cause Hamas to be rejected by the Palestinians in Gaza (and elsewhere). The singular stupidity of the US effort to overturn the election result, has certainly not furthered the cause of a settlement of the Israel/Palestine problem.

Hillary Clinton has no sense of history, and little strategic thinking ability. This is why she spouts a talking point about Israel “needing to be secure” when she obviously is incapable of comprehending that Israel’s vicious stupidity is making Israel insecure. And the vicious stupdidity is continually aided and abetted by third-rate American leaders.

Thanks for the link to Peter Lee’s article, and your own perceptive post.

This passage from Lee’s article is also worth highlighting:

“As for the United States, it welcomes a manageable security crisis in North Asia. If the issues are economic, the US is on the outside looking in. But when North Korea misbehaves, the 7th Fleet, 29,000 troops in South Korea, and US shuttle diplomacy look like essentials, not anachronisms.”

This brings to mind a central point in Paul Kennedy’s great book from a few years back, The Rise and Fall of Great Powers. The apparent strength of a world power, as represented by its military might, is often greatest when the real strength of that world power is at an ebb, because the economic underpinnings of the world power’s strength (which are what really count) usually start to decline long before the battleships and rifles acquired with its former economic wealth have rusted out.

The US may rattle its sword over Korea, but I cannot imagine it would ever use it without China’s acquiescence, which is hardly likely to be forthcoming. Sooner or later the US’ sword will rust, or the US will put it back in its sheath because it will recognize that no one seems to be cringing any more.

As Lee writes, time is on China’s side, and China knows this. Iran might learn something here from its new friend in the Far East.

Israel turned those guns on the US long time ago – and the list is quite long. For example, USS Liberty and USS Cole – ignoring Israel’s controversial part in 9/11.

“Does anybody remember the USS Cole? In October, 2000 while refueling in the Port of Aden, the USS Cole was sunk by a small boat loaded with explosives, resulting in the death of 17 soldiers and injuring another 39. Samples of the explosives taken from the ships hull revealed that the explosive was of a type only available in the U.S. and…(drum roll please) that’s right-Israel!

How about the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Sa’ana? In October 2008 Yemeni security forces arrested a group of alleged Islamists militants linked to Israeli intelligence in connection to that provocatuered attack. The network was described as 40 people from different Arab nationalities that were spying for the Mossad. Say it ain’t so, Joe!” – Keith Johnson in “Yemen, the Gold Watch and Everything!”

The US , Britain and France had been selling arms to their Arab puppet regimes for decades to run their armament industries and to support their proxy regimes to fight Islamists.

http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2010/03/09/yemen-red-sea-and-israel/

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/LF03Dg01.html

His opening paragraph reads: “The Cheonan incident has emerged as a potentially major gambit in South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s efforts to distance his country from China, establish it as America’s full geopolitical partner in North Asia, and substitute the United Nations Security Council for the six-party talks as the primary venue for international engagement-cum-confrontation with North Korea.”

What he captures well is the battle for who might own the re-unified Korean peninsula. Right now North Korea is a strong ally of China, and South Korea’s major trading partner has moved from Japan (during and immediately after the occupation) to the U.S.(the blessed liberators) to, what?… China!

In other words, left to itself, all of Korea will soon be firmly within the Chinese economic orbit.

These are high stakes, time is on China’s side, and the reach of America is slowly being turned back. The Cheonan incident is meant to be a high hurdle to that continuing evolution, and to reaffirm the more traditional role of the U.S. and South Korea vis a vis the aggressive, insane north. But trying to move the clock backwards will offer very short term relief, if it is relief at all.

I think China saying “no, not now” to Secretary of Defense Gate’s proposed visit has everything to do with Korea and Taiwan, and China’s rather clear understanding of America’s on-going desire to encircle it while limiting its political influence. Nor do I think Secretary of State Clinton has the cultural-historical literacy to be a useful leader in terms of American foreign affairs.

The Iran China relationship will continue to strengthen and evolve within this context. Will China militarily support Iran or guard its back? No. Will it continue to increase trade and investment? Yes.