The World At War Week

Korean Missile Fallout
I've been avoiding making a mention of the North Korean missile issue because when it comes right down to it, I don't think the world has taken note just how dangerous the North Korean Regime still is and so one comes over like Pandora on Paranoia pills. I can' say for certain that Iraq under Saddam truly was a 'rogue' nation, but North Korea certainly qualifies for that title.

Last week, they fired 7 missiles as a test. The thinking goes, they are seeking a nuclear deterrent because if there's one thing the Americans won't do, it is attack a nuclear capable nation. So they, like Iran are busily working on a nuclear insurance policy. Understandably, The USA and Japanese want something done, but Russia and China are dragging their heels. What on earth do they see as an upside to a nuclear North Korea, is not entirely clear.

However, by the end of the week, all parties agreed that they should sanction North Korea. North Korea of course 'rejected the vote', though what that means is not much.

North Korea said on Sunday it was not bound by a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing weapons-related sanctions on it and insisted the country would "bolster its war deterrent" in every way.

The Security Council had acted with "irresponsibility" by voting unanimously for a resolution requiring nations to prevent North Korea from acquiring dangerous weapons, an unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

"Our Republic will bolster its war deterrent for self-defence in every way, by all means and methods, now that the situation has reached the worst phase due to the extremely hostile act of the U.S.," the spokesman was quoted as saying by the official KCNA news agency.

North Korea refers to its military build-up and its weapons of mass destruction programmes as its war deterrent, saying the U.S. military presence and drills on the Korean peninsula are a prelude to war against it.

Washington says its 30,000 troops are deployed under an alliance with Seoul to deter a military threat from the North.

Chinese President Hu Jintao called on Sunday for a resumption of six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

Talk about going to hell in a basket. China wants North Korea to be a deterrent against the Japan-USA alliance. The question they're not answering is "Do the really want to put Kim Jong-Il in charge of the swtich that could start nuclear annhilation?" Russia and the USA are going to be cautious because they might be the ones having to send in ground troops at some point.

During Saturday's U.N. session, North Korea's ambassador Pak Gil Yon angrily denounced the Security Council resolution as "unjustifiable," and accused the United States of what he called "strategic blackmail."

Rice said she expected this kind of response.

"Now, I'm not surprised that the first reaction of the North Koreans is to reject it," she said. "That's the way that the North Koreans are. But they've got to be a little surprised at the strength of the resolution. They've got to be a little surprised that the unity of the community was maintained."

The U.N. resolution was also supported by Russia, another country that holds a Security Council veto. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told CNN's Late Edition the resolution signified a balanced approach toward Pyongyang.

"The Security Council just ended a very difficult negotiations, achieving a balance, which very strongly demands from North Korea to stick to its previous commitments, but at the same time, does not threaten North Korea, which would be entirely counter-productive," said Sergei Lavrov. "Let's give some time for this resolution to work."

Japan and the United States had pushed for a version of the resolution that referred to Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which makes a Security Council resolution enforceable by military action. But China and Russia were among those who opposed earlier drafts of the measure. The final version calls for sanctions, but does not include references to military action.

At some point they're going to have to figure out how to bring North Korea in from the cold. The Russians and Chinese had better figure out a plan because clearly the alternative is going to be armed confrontation, thanks to the outlandish North Korean belligerence, even if all parties try to stave it off by talks. Going forwards, there's just not enough good faith to save this situation.

The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Bombings
That would be the Lebanese hill north of the Israeli border.
How did we get to this point? Here's a quick chronolgy.
As far as we can tell, Israel is trying to force everybody's hand including those of Iran and the USA by going after Hamas and Hezbollah at the same time. This is producing no amount of joy.

Israel operates on the principle that anyone who attacks it will pay a price and argues that, like it or not, this is part of what the Middle East is about.

However, it has another agenda and the worse its casualties, the more it is propelled towards trying to fulfil it.

This agenda is to disrupt and reduce the power of Hezbollah, with whom it has old scores to settle.

It is also the main threat to any of Israel's borders and indeed, as Israel has again discovered, to some of its major population centres.

Just how far it is prepared to go remains unclear.

The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, for whom this is a baptism of fire, has spoken of "far-reaching consequences" after the attack on Haifa claimed eight lives, but has not been specific.

Haifa was a blow for Israel, as the attack on its warship was. Such blows will influence Israeli intentions.

So it's time to settle some scores rather than endure another 'Peace Process'. Sort of a 21st Century political version of lancing the boil. A lot of puss is going to come out of this one.

The risk of course is that the conflict will spread.

Israel is already laying down a barrage of blame on Syria and Iran, both backers of Hezbollah.

But will that become a barrage of fire as well, especially aimed at Syria? Iran is too far away.

Israel could undertake some kind of warning or punishment strike just to remind Syria which is the strongest power in the region - it has done that before - but it depends on how far it wants to take this.

In the meantime, diplomacy is bogged down.

The United States is reluctant to act and has lost influence in the Arab world over Iraq. It is giving Israel some time to accomplish some at least of its goals. There is no Henry Kissinger on the horizon.

The G8 has issued a compromise statement that does call for the release of the Israeli soldiers, restraint by Israel in Lebanon and a withdrawal of its forces from Gaza.

Is that a hint that the US has a time limit for all this? Or is it a green light for Israel to carry on with what it is currently doing?

A widening of the confrontation is not inevitable. Sometimes the Middle East does draw back from the brink.

That does not sound promising at all.
None of the parties have a better plan on a better way to resolve their differences. It's all about airing of grievances without addressing the other's. And ther are those who are committed to violence because there's nothing but violence in them. It's a hard terrain to navigate towards peace.