Iran could turn out to be Obama’s salvation (and America’s damnation).
The economy doesn’t look like it’ll uptick enough to make a dent in Obama’s favor come November. To nearly half the voters – Romney, with all his quirks and Bain baggage, seems a reasonable alternative – as it stands now ten months out. The right has begrudgingly determined to hold its nose and get behind the nominee whose only credential is electability against the despised black guy in the White House. Hate drives them into the arms of a strange bedfellow with magical underpants. (Their passion is not love of Christ, but contempt for Obama. Whose god do they really serve?)
The election-year card most Republicans didn’t expect is IRAN. If the Strait of Hormuz is blocked by Iran, energy prices would skyrocket – even if the U.S. intervenes. The conflict would escalate naturally, and John Bolton’s most exhilarating wet-dream would be transformed into more than mere fantasy – except under a Democratic president, not exactly in the original script.
Fresh military engagements tend to solidify an incumbent into power. Imagine the confusion when war-loving rightwingers observe a Democratic president using force against Iran. The assassination of Osama bin Laden has long been explained away by FOX and friends as a Bush triumph while they’ve dismissed all other Obama international successes. But Iran?
The US and Russia are two big fish about to get hooked into a situation they can’t survive. The fishermen safely onshore are Israel and China. Israel, of course, doesn’t give a damn about any other nation except itself. Even its sole benefactor is dispensable in the long-range scope of things, especially if a Democrat sits in the White House and an extreme militant rightwing prime minister calls the shots from Jerusalem. Like US Republicans, Netanyahu loathes Obama and is, in fact, in constant collusion with the American right seeing how he can somehow influence elections.
HOOKS IN THE JAWS
Once the Hormuz card is played, the dominoes fall. The US would retaliate, Iran would attempt a strike against Israel, then all hell would break loose. I’m sure the Mossad has fully rehearsed this scenario. Except for perhaps the big bear to the north.
Russia’s role following the initial stage is crucial. If they back Iran militarily, game over. And if they don’t? Game over – as for trust among allies, former and present.
“And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them thoroughly equipped, a great assemblage with targets and shields, all of them handling swords. You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, a great horde, a mighty army.” – Ezekiel 38:4 & 15
When considering these horrifying current potentialities, the Mayan calendar doesn’t look too far off. The US would be hooked to back Israel and Russia would be hooked to back Iran. Perfect Storm.
Just when America thought it was getting untangled from the idiotic wars deliberately set by Bush and Cheney, here comes another. Except bigger. The notion to downsize defense would, of course, be off-the-table, enough to make Republicans salivate all over each other.
BARBOUR’S BLUNDER
Haley Barbour’s little misstep in Mississippi is another gift to the DNC. What was he thinking? Who ever heard of a far-right Republican governor releasing 200 or so convicted criminals on the streets to re-torment victims and possibly repeat offenses? Not to mention – in a SOUTHERN state?
Surely, there’s more to the story. It would seem Barbour had to be blackmailed, because even a come-to-Jesus moment wouldn’t have inspired him to release twenty-one murderers who could wreak vengeance.
Years ago a friend gave me a nugget of truth. He asked, “Loren, do you know the three most powerful words in the English language?”
“No,” I responded.
Bill answered, “I’VE GOT PICTURES.”
I thought about it for a second, then smiled as I recalled all the scandals where damning photos, documents or videos mysteriously came to light sealing the fate.
Someone might have an interesting video of Barbour in the governor’s mansion or elsewhere. Or maybe he yielded to temptation at an unsecure location where photos were snapped or a surveillance camera happened to be on. I just cannot imagine a conservative southern governor, tough-on-crime and former Chairman of the Republican Party, pardoning hundreds of convicts – except if one or more inmates happened to have injurious personal information with visuals as proof.
Democrats could re-take Mississippi, of all places. What a strange year.
Obama’s re-election could hinge on events overseas, not the economy or jobs. No need for an “October Surprise.” Israel could force us into a conflict they’ve been eager to launch for a long time. Iran’s nuclear arms’ ambitions may be true or false, but the point is – Israel doesn’t want to take any chances, and they’ve got to pull their big brother benefactor into the abyss to win.
But the cost of this war could be survival if Russia gets entangled.
Our only hope is that Obama will be wise enough to resist and steer us clear of an early sunset. Unfortunately, his past pattern undermines confidence.