The Eclectic Interweb

I’m really getting cynical in my old age. There was a time when a visit by a US President to a friendly state would be nothing to comment on other than to note how nice it was to receive a visit from a foreign dignitary.

Well, I’m very aware there is little dignified about George Bush these days. The recent debacle of his election setbacks has left him a lame duck president… so what is the point of his visit?

Well for a start you have to recall that just a few short months ago the Israelis felt their hawkish relationship with Bush was so strong they could risk an invasion of Lebanon without censure from their strongest ally. Of course they failed to recover the soldier they ostensible invaded in order to rescue and had to retreat in ignominy having killed thousands of Lebanese civilians and caused billions of dollars of damage to the infrastructure for no good purpose… but who’s counting.

Well ‘who was counting’ was the American people who began to fear Bush was going to either invade, or allow to be invaded, more Middle Eastern countries with the accompanying heavy death toll of their sons, husbands and fathers.

So what happened? Amazingly, right out of the blue, Israel decides it will call for a ceae-fire with Lebanon. Not only that, even when they are shelled with rockets… they do not retaliate. What could have brought this sudden change of heart? Could it perhaps have something to do with Bush now having to deal with a non-compliant with the House of Reps?

Cynical moi? Shirley knot.