ROOTS , BASIC CAUSES AND HERITAGE ........

Most experts of the geopolitical scene in the Middle-East  agree by now , that the establishment of the modern Middle-Eastern political boundaries , and the establishment of its different countries , started during world war I , and came about to its final shape in the few years after ; 1919 - 1922 , when winners allied countries headed by Britain and France , introduced an artificial state system into the M-E , that transformed the whole region into countries that have not become real nations even today .


Imperialism , very quickly turning into colonialism , created borders and artificial states , extending from the southern Russian frontiers to the Indian ocean in the south , and from the Caspian sea in the east to the Mediterranean in the west . All to divide , conquer and annex lands ruled until then by the looser in war , the Ottoman empire .


In  fact , Arabs from the Hijaz and Egyptians , Syrians and Iraqis , Yemenis and North Africans , were all peoples of different histories , ethnic backgrounds and outlooks . The fictitious mosaic of peoples , all in abeyance and dormant for more than 500 years under Ottoman  rule , never managed to mix well , except for Islamic affiliation and connectedness to a certain majority.


Islam had always a semblance of unification , as the nation and its peoples believed , aspired and obeyed the reigning Musslem theocracy  rather than a national Turkish or Ottoman state . The Caliph was a symbol of Islam , and accepted strictly and only as a successor to the prophet Mohammad . All this changed in a matter of some very short years , 1919 to 22 of our last century .


It took Europe more than 1600 years to come to terms with its social and political identity  after the Roman era ended , and not until recently could they determine which nations were entitled to be states . In the modern M-E , it is far from being settled , whether it's religion or statehood , dynastic family rule , national states or little enclaves and city states . Whether it is Sunni or Shi'a , Christians , Alawite , Druz or Jewish Israelites .Who would command who , and rule ? or possibly all would , each within his little fief .


States all over the Middle-East were created , and boundaries were mapped to suit British and French interests , and Israeli  Jewish  aspirations , rather than those of the real local populations . The outcome of this paradoxical puzzle throughout the modern M-E , are entities that managed to come together , while others came apart , some countries learned to accept their borders and imposed frontiers , while others do not . Some grew into accepting their neighbors as independent states , others did not .


Mostly , countries of  British and French creation , under the famous " Sykes-Picot-Sazonov " arrangements and agreements , as in Saudi Arabia , all the Gulf Emirates , Iraq , Syria , Jordan ,Israel and Lebanon , even Egypt , the Sudan and north African states , all of these provide extensive and sufficient  examples of political immaturity , incompetence , brutality and hegemony .

If the Middle-East in its entirety is ever to achieve settling down and some durable peace and democracy , the real and only question would be ; when and how ?? The sure and down to earth realistic answer would be ; Not very soon .  My as always thanks to all .             

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 .         

SOME GODLY INSPIRATIONS .......

Scientific truths do not rest on the  word of their discoverer ;  gravity  does not function   because  Newton said so . The same would be true of all Godly religious doctrines . Confirm them by experience , by rationality and sound discussions , and not by whether Jesus insinuated  acted or spoke them , or the followers of the Kor'an  recited them and later put them down in a book , nor  because the old  Hebraic Bibles writers imagined and  inscribed  rules , doctrines , covenants and promises .

Religious doctrines and Godly rules should therefore not only bring and repeat fixed  ideas of ancient times , rather the sentiments and actions of our times , reflect the nowadays perceptions , reflections and needs . And judge them by modern universal standards . Any God , king or ruler who is responsible for everything , is in most cases if not always , a God or ruler of violence , pain , misery , injustice and cruelty .

If everything must have a cause , then God too must have one ,  if there is anything without a cause , it might very well be " us/me  as gods , or in his image ."  Early  metaphysical  and theological thinking and behavior , was done at a time when rulers , kings or their equivalent , ruled  with despotic authority  over property , behavior , ideas and all practical  aspects of life . Consequently  people thought about  absolute doctrines , always reigned  by a male and an almighty .

 The most obvious actual neighbors of mine nowadays to come to mind and who answer those archaic modalities and applications of governance tactics , are clearly, The Syrian regime , and Israel's neo-cons orthodox  rulers , today's Syria looks as if out of place in the modern world , like a ruined temple of classical antiquity , with some of its shattered columns still erect and visible to outside viewers , exactly as does most parts of the Palestinian  under occupation West-bank  and Ghaza .

As the good old saying goes ; " If  God  is  God , then God is not good , if  God  is  good ,  then  God is  not  God . he  can not  be  both  God  and  good ."

Indeed , from  the  lands that  invented and promoted the Gods and the one and only God , one has to observe , admit  and  conclude .

My usual  many  thanks for your patience and time.    

GOING AT IT WITH A VENGEANCE ....

Many or most dictators and their regimes , are permanently reborn with some of the darkest legacies of the human character . Narrow mindedness , provincialism , anti-intellectualism , cold heartedness , bigotry and a false continual feeling of supremacy . Surely all leading to cruel oppression and suppression  of any type of liberty or democracy . The Syrian scenario is definitely no different .

Arab populations in general and more so Syrian people , lost forever  the confidence in their capacity to govern . The notion of government itself  has turned into an eternal enemy of the republic  and its citizenry , a notion very familiar nowadays in modern Syrian history .

The Syrian leader , its regime , armies and security apparatus , versus their adversaries from the different factions of the opposition , mostly scattered  in all parts of the country and the world , plus the many turned speechless in the various jails and dungeons , do not share any common language or future view .

Both sides with time , proved mistaken in their predictions , false in their analysis , wrong in their advise , that led through the results of their interests and  armed conflicts , to highly injurious and deadly scenes to the country and its people .

The unmendable policies and interests of both the regime , its leader and his thugs , and the different opposition factions , is taking the country into the abyss of small enclaves , totally run by their local warlords . Where no government exist , no law , and definitely no freedom or democracy will ever be achieved .

Leading us into a situation where , all the politics of our times  including the politics of war , be it in Syria , Iraq and many other Arab countries , and for decades to come , will only be the politics of the crises . No one side or party can safeguard the interests , needs and rights of the entire population .

Of course external forces and influences are there to arm , inflame and  strengthen all these destructive internal forces , Saudi and Gulf , plus nowadays Sunni Turkey are a side , hopefully declining due to their internal fears , problems and worries , plus on the other camp , the growing tensions and changes between liberal and conservative factions , becoming more acute in Tehran , these internal disputes could dampen Iran's foreign aspirations , as it could happen on the Arab and Sunni side .

Hopefully this alleged fatigue , could affect directly the progression of the Syrian war , and others as well , and the fate of their ill-fated regimes .

Sad , sad situations indeed , only benefiting greed , hegemony and colonialism , and of course the international arms dealers and cartels . My as always , thanks for listening .         

THE POLICE FORCE .......

In fact today's writings could be the perfect sequel to my previous " law enforcement " on Feb 12- 2015 , we hear nowadays more of police activities and ..... , lately an almost daily news event .


The police !!  Almost a sacred institution , an untouchable one , and surely rarely if at all scrutinized ,  that is in most of the world's countries on all continents . But the words sacred or untouchable etc... have different meanings to different geographical areas of the globe .


All dictatorships , absolute rulers , Musslem monarchs  and emirs ,  and many other wealthy and industrial countries like  China , Russia and Israel  and many others , understand  these words as total , literal , absolutist , only applicable through ruthless apparatus , violence and brutality are  always the only hand to play , and surely no questions ever to be asked .


The same words to a European , and more so to a western European , ultimately to a Nordic or a UK ear , have a different interpretation , civility , less or no brutality , and more interest in the people's social problems . Canada is a slightly modified version of the European West in general .


The US , has always taken a much stronger , and more rigid attitudes in applying the rules and tactics of law enforcement , use of arms has of course always been with the forces , the sacredness and untouchability were always present , albeit in semi hidden ways , but American police were never far from brutality and homicide in their history, and more so in the past century , on the contrary it's a  constantly  increasing  trend  with the years , and lately to alarming levels .


Some funny statistics came up lately whereby the American police killed more people in one month than the entire UK police have killed since 1900 , in March of this year 111 people were killed by police . Funny heh.... I have to admit though , and very openly , that the country is turning into a more brutal , weaponised , and ruthless , at all aspects and echelons of the population , the younger ones are more prone to gangs and drug distribution circuits  , the Black youth even more so than others , but everyone is following including Whites .


Could it be now the awakening call , coming through this spree of killings writely and wrongly , meditated or not , against special races or not . The call for more scrutiny , transparency , and humanity in the training at all  police academies , a half way of meeting our European counterparts , surely not our greatest  Allie though . we could start by applying some more efforts of limiting the militarization of our law enforcement's agencies , of easing the racial tendencies of most of our law enforcers , and modifying the processes of  training and indoctrination at all levels of police forces .




Thanks as usual to all for your good monitoring , and propagating my writings .