Catastrophe Scenario

Abdulwahab Badrakhan     Al-Hayat     2003/10/6

And now, Israel has started enjoying its strategic 'gains' from the American occupation of Iraq, initiating a game of expanding the confrontation in the region; yesterday, it was against Syria, and today or tomorrow it could be the turn of Lebanon or Iran. In fact, it has attempted to do this in Lebanon for years, not sparing any place where Palestinians were, but the attempts were in vain.  

Israel's problem is the occupation, though it thinks that the solution is in this occupation. In order to protect and prolong it, it is now working on sparking a traditional war with Syria; but such wars no longer exist, for reasons that are well known, like for instance the balance of power. As for the tactics of targeted and limited strikes, they did not work in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip or Lebanon. As such, they are hopeless in Syria's case.

Anyway, striking Syria is a dangerous move that cannot be addressed with ease or through a routine retaliation, because Israel is aiming at what it called targeting "a training camp for the Islamic Jihad," with the design of imposing a new fact and phenomenon in the region. To that end, it is relying on the 'American demands' which Colin Powell was appointed to take to Damascus, mentioning the need to shut down the offices and military camps belonging to Palestinian factions, which are described as "opposing peace" or categorized as "terrorist." Those were in fact Israeli demands, which the American postman delivered without even thinking of asking Israelis about the reason why they mistreat Palestinian peace supporters, and why they are being so brutal and violent against Palestinians in general.

It has become clear why Israel suddenly pushed the buttons to fabricate the whole "Guantanamo spies" comedy and the alleged relation to Syria. Many of those present in the detention camp might well have gotten there thanks to the Syrian security cooperation with the U.S. in terms of fighting terror. But it is all right to forget about all that, as long as the Zionists in the institutions and the media want to serve Israel and pave the way for the next stage of its war. Besides these "spies," there is, of course, what is being said daily about "Arab volunteers" inside Iraq, which could mean that the American-Israeli war has already begun and does no longer consist of simple threats or warnings. It could also mean that "Accountability" has become a reality, with or without a Congressional law.

This serves the agenda of the American administration's hawks, who are seeking salvation from the almost daily criticisms for the mistakes they have made in Iraq and for their destructive projects and even financial corruption in managing the occupation of Iraq. These criticisms are posing a real threat to George W. Bush's odds in his electoral battle. Nevertheless, Israel's Likudniks and the U.S. administration will not miss the opportunity of seizing Bush's first mandate to guarantee the involvement of any coming president and administration. They all agree and insist that war on Iraq was no more than a link in a series of wars meant to subdue the governments and populations of the region.

There is an undeclared "accountability" awaiting the U.S. for the war it waged, which will take place through the debate on the role the UN is supposed to play in Iraq, to the effect that an illegitimate war cannot receive legitimate help as to share the burdens of the occupation. No matter what this "accountability" achieves, it also indicates a disparity in the standards of the international community, which is not showing any severity towards a country such as Israel, which disrespects international law and behaves like a regional mafia that knows no limits. If the American wars are inspired by the Israeli terrorist experience, nothing justifies why Israel should not be held accountable for its terrorist acts. That is an old condition, which the international community keeps avoiding and ignoring in terms of its catastrophic results.

If the Middle East is reaching a stage of hesitation because of the sterility of American policies and the involvement of the U.S. administration in the electoral cycle, then neglecting to set any limits would give Israel total freedom to mess around whenever and wherever it wishes. Such a situation cannot but carry surprises, and it does not mean that the UN or the major countries are innocent from having dragged the region into a disaster.