The Democratic Convention in Chicago has taken over most of the news cycle. It’s not like there is anything newsworthy there. It’s all a big dog and pony show to gain support for a candidate who is avoiding interviews and doesn’t say anything of substance about policy. We did get a pep talk speech from former President Obama. I remember him as the architect of the “Arab Spring” that caused a lot of upset in the Middle East. The Syrian Civil War that grew out of misplaced hope in America caused millions of deaths. Is that the kind of relationship Kamala Harris will have to our region?
Alongside the convention there are demonstrations by Hamas supporters. In addition to calling for a “Free” Palestine, those groups are burning AMERICAN flags and shouting “Death to America” as well as “Death to Israel”. They are true believers in the Iranian Ayatollah whose words they are parroting. The entire US needs be protected from them, not just the Jews.
Iran has not yet attacked Israel. But Iranian representatives are saying that their response is “inevitable”. I don’t hear condemnation of that from American sources. But if Israel were to make similar declarations the US government would be quick to intervene in order to prevent a wider war.
The Israel-Lebanon border is still a combat zone. Both sides keep shooting. Israel does so to make Hezbollah stop firing at Israeli civilian targets (thousands of Israelis have been evacuated from their homes in order to try to keep them safe). Many Lebanese have also fled the anticipated war zone, but they have done so without assistance, foreign or domestic.
Hezbollah thinks the reason the IDF has not moved in on the ground is because their strength is acting as a deterrent. They apparently don’t hear the Americans urging restraint on the Israeli government. There is no credible attempt by the US to get Hezbollah to halt the shooting (which Hezbollah initiated). Hezbollah is not a national government and there are no “normal” diplomatic channels between them and America.
Wetherhorn 