A HISTORY OF HATE ........

Let's face it , in America many whites don't really like black people , and it's not the person himself or herself , but blacks in general , all shades of black .  Albeit  not all whites , but a good percentage share uncomfortable feelings and harbor some ill sentiments and susceptibilities to say the least .


Even whites who sincerely believe , that they are above traditional stigmatization of blacks in general , a black colleague at work , or a black neighboring  family and their kids befriending ours . There's always the little hidden feeling of discomfort , or sensitivity upon learning of a new moving and settling of a black family in one's neighborhood , and how might it influence real-estate prices .


Whites in all their aspects and variations , as in white blue eyed Anglo-Saxons , or less white Latinos , even white yellowish Asians , total off white  Indians , white Protestants , Catholics and most certainly white Jews or newly settling Arab immigrants , all harbor the same hidden sentiments and a certain lack of sympathy towards black individuals and communities .


The U.S  has of course , leaped some great deal toward maturity and civility , in its various societies , mostly in urban areas ,  where law enforcement were the major deterrent  and imposer of peace and some harmony  between the different communities .


All until we hear and see some barbaric terrorist action , albeit mostly carried out by disturbed individuals , that only reminds us all , of the still very alive and existing back ground hatred , and intolerance exercised in many communities and families in different areas of the nation , rich and poor , affluent or not .


Admittedly , and for fairness sake , a nation the size of the U.S and its populations , should not be judged nor rated by some isolated , crazy and barbaric incidents , but !!!.  Finally I should add , that our eternal obstinacy  with mad notions of  owning , displaying and using fire arms , the ease of it all , is still a major reason for most if not all crazy criminal acts , and surely not a sign of maturity or civility in American society within the modern world .


Morality , maturity and mellowness is not necessarily  the natural province of the highborn , or the professional intellectuals , or the rich , nor is it achieved by accident or luck , or by the passive passing of time , but by working constantly on ourselves , our families , neighborhoods , our backyards .


 At this point in time it is no big good to perform good deeds and say loudly good words , only to win favor with the gods , religions , or the admiration of others , but to work hard toward achieving a real and lasting inner harmony , goodness , and acceptance of all others , thus attaining a real civilized personal and societal status . As what matters most for our future , and our sons and daughters future , is what sort of persons we are becoming , and what sort of life we want to achieve .


When violence undermines civility and harmony , the limits of self denial are exposed . My usual many thanks for your time .   

IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT .......

Among world governments , as well as media officials and private citizens , there have been very few instances of anger at what took , and is taking place on the ground in the Middle-East in general and all its countries , populations and different ethnic and religious groups .


I'm not only referring here to Arab or Musslem regions , albeit their numerical dominance , but surely to all entities including Israel and its Jewish populations , and Christian more or less politically dominated Lebanon .


The whole of the Middle-East today is merely a fading echo of earlier ages . All the area's rulers practically from independence till nowadays were nothing but  chauvinist  groups who only thought in bald terms of grab and downright sheer brutality .


All Middle-Eastern leaders , whether political , religious ,  dictators or democratically elected , proved to be  totally incompetent to assume true responsibility for an area of such complex interests as the Middle-East . All countries with no exception had become throughout the years totally or partially dependent  and addicted upon foreign powers , politically and financially , a pattern so engrossed nowadays in every aspect of the daily life of these populations and their leaders . Putting the different donors in a position to dictate to all countries and entities .


Another of the fundamental causes of the Middle-Eastern  geopolitical ills , was that most of its countries and populations were being kept historically from achieving real  independence or unity , a situation that continues  under Israeli colonialism and declared hegemony towards all its neighbors , a policy that keeps  real peace prospects  and prosperity dead .


The intolerance of  groups different from the majority , kept most of these countries on the brink of chaos and non governance , the final implosion of most Middle-Eastern entities including the Palestinian/Israeli scene , are only real confirmations of the century long failures of leadership .


An area that lived most of its independent days , in most aspects , in a Quixotic make belief world . Hopefully coming generations might find it possible to see the situation as it really existed .


My usual thanks for listening .     

PROPOSED GEOPOLITICAL SCENARIOS .......

The continued drama of Middle-Eastern geopolitics and modern political geography , as well as the creation of political and ethnic entities , for the past century , is dulled by events covering the entirety of the Middle-East nowadays , and being reshaped by new hegemonic ambitions , mostly going through the Sunni/Shiite divide , and influencing all its various sects and ethnic populations .

No objective observer can neglect the latest quick and frightening events taking place now in the area , whether in the Qalamoun area in Syria , its bordering Arsal town and surroundings in Lebanon , and the latest entry of 20.000 Iranian and Iraqi  Shiite  fighters supposedly to save the Assad regime .

The outcome of Qalamoun and Arsal mini wars between Hizballa  and the various hordes of salafist Sunni Musslems , no matter of how its outcome might turn , and whoever might claim victory , the outcome would invariably be disastrous for Lebanon and the area .

Any strengthening of ISIS and or any of its affiliates is obviously horribly disastrous , while the further Shiite domination and isolation of  Sunni towns and areas , on the whole northern Lebanese territory , and adjacent Syrian areas , will have its impact in a continued Sunni resistance furthering terrorist acts , methods and tactics .

Hizballa is already the major political and military player in Lebanon , it attempted and practically succeeded in 2008 to stage a small scale coup , mostly in Beirut but intimidating the whole Lebanese spectrum . They were not , and are not now in denial nor hiding their hegemonic ambitions , over the entire Lebanese political and military system , of course always with a smart policy of alliances  with naive and selfish Maronite figures and other factions , mostly under the Syrian regime's direct influence .

With the undeclared Iranian recent takeover of the the Syrian capital , its corridor to the Syrian coastal areas , and a total control of more than 50 %  of Lebanese territory , all executed now through direct Iranian and Hezballa fighting forces , geopolitics as we know it could be  in real jeopardy , and in the process of being totally reshaped . The military might and hegemonic ambitions of both Hizballa and Iran is no more under disguise , imposing in Lebanon their ally as a president , a total supremacy over a deliberately weakened government and an intimidated puppet parliament would allow them and their allies the needed free hands , needed for any new scheme being drawn for the area .

The de facto divided Syria plus a controlled Lebanon all under  Iranian territorial and political sphere is an incomparable win to the Iranian regime , and indirectly its Russian ally , Assad and other Lebanese politicians will be of minor importance and influence , a fictitious preservation of  ethnic minorities , could and will be maintained , only "pour la form" and to silence international concerns and temporarily improve the image of the Shiite side vis-a-vis their Sunni opponents .

Many signs have been floating in favor of such scenarios , but the conclusions of the newly staged Qalamoun and Arsal mini wars , and the recent massive influx of Iranian elements would signal the real go ahead of this new faze for the area .

Finally , what remains to be closely observed , is the degree of involvement and interest of Israel and the US in this whole major change for the  area , and if one or both countries are seriously involved in directly influencing and/or  negotiating this modern reshaping of borders and geopolitical new entities and realities .


My as always , many thanks for your time and patience .