A very important Juan Cole blog entry today:

[Junkdrawer]

The wholesale destruction of all of Lebanon by Israel and the US Pentagon does not make any sense. Why bomb roads, roads, bridges, ports, fuel depots in Sunni and Christian areas that have nothing to do with Shiite Hizbullah in the deep south? And, why was Hizbullah's rocket capability so crucial that it provoked Israel to this orgy of destruction? Most of the rockets were small katyushas with limited range and were highly inaccurate. They were an annoyance in the Occupied Golan Heights, especially the Lebanese-owned Shebaa Farms area. Hizbullah had killed 6 Israeli civilians since 2000. For this you would destroy a whole country?

It doesn't make any sense.

...

I've had a message from a European reader that leads me to consider a Peak Oil Theory of the US-Israeli war on Lebanon (and by proxy on Iran). I say, "consider" the "theory" because this is a thought experiment. I put it on the table to see if it can be knocked down, the way you would preliminary hypotheses in a science experiment

...

The second American Century ensues. The "New Middle East" means the "American Middle East."

And it all starts with the destruction of Lebanon.

More wars to come, in this scenario, since hitting Lebanon was like hitting a politician's bodyguard. You don't kill a bodyguard just to kill the bodyguard. It is phase I of a bigger operation.

...



http://www.juancole.com

It's a long article and worth the read.

[Maestro]

1. I think he is very accurate

in his assessment.

[leftchick]

2. damn this is scary....

<snip>

The presentation got kind of freaky then. He said the US government wanted to stop state-controlled Iranian or Chinese (or Indian) companies from controlling the oil. JFR says the US Government is convinced that this battle will decide the future of the world. It sounded like he was talking about 'the one ring' in lord of the rings. he who controls Iran controls them all. '

[izzie]

3. I guess he is right about most.

We went in to Iraq after Saddam went to the euro and we just can not let the banking of the oil money to leave that little pass Thur it does by being trader in dollars. We are in so much trouble already. Besides that how can we let two countries, China and India, by pass us as a world power and it is in the works. Specially with them holding so much of our debt. I have said for weeks, look at the Middle East map. It is scary and for sure the US helped Israel . We had the bombs waiting to go, Israel held off so we could get our people out of Lebanon, and we now just about are in a ring around Iran with bases we have paid for in money or life. Profits for big oil is important to this country. Now what the heck will Iraq do? Why don't they get on the ball and fall in to line. Maybe, just maybe, all the Middle East does not want to be a lap dog to Bush and his profit corp. Army's coming in to save a business have been around a long time.