[wretchard]

Even if you cut through the spin and disinformation, this much seems clear: events have taken on a life of their own. The Israeli-Palestinian war is like a tributary running to join a mighty and grim river. Ordinary people like to think that Presidents and Kings and such "know" what is going to happen. That there is a plan.

I don't think anyone knows what is going to happen next. Deep forces have been released, and politicians are struggling for control. The situation is now officially out of control.

We may be past the time when anyone can stop the train wreck from happening, much like August 2, 1914. "The lights are going out ... we shall not see them lit again in our lifetimes."

[happygrl]

"The lights are going out ... we shall not see them lit again in our lifetimes."

I hope this quote does not apply.

It's not hard to imagine how deep the unraveling could become, but the psyche resists it.

We've never experienced what our parents and grandparents lived through: a world-wide war.

Will we look back and see this time as full of light ?

[Euro-American Scum]

We may be past the time when anyone can stop the train wreck from happening, much like August 2, 1914. "The lights are going out ... we shall not see them lit again in our lifetimes."

That's ominous. And, like this war, that one got started one small step at a time. The situation is much graver the media or the administration is letting on, I'm sure.

[Stavka2]

Hardly, this is not, after all the Cold War. Russia will not intervene on the side of the Arabs...1. 1 million Russian citizens live in Isreal and figuring that on average they have 5 to 10 close friends and relatives in the Rodina...that's a huge lobbying group. Secondly, I'm sure, Russia would like nothing more then to see the Arabs destroyed...amazing what that will do to the Russian Chechin problem. Bastards can't attack the Rodina if they can't get money for bombs.

As for America, even with all its moral wabbling, I don't think they are that wacked out to side with the Arabs...that leaves China and the EU. China is just to far away. EU...not yet a credible force.

So this will be a one sided fight.

[ClearCase_guy]

We may be past the time when anyone can stop the train wreck from happening, much like August 2, 1914. "The lights are going out ... we shall not see them lit again in our lifetimes."

I saw an interesting comment somewhere (probably the Wall St Journal) that indicated that the last time the world had a truly Global economy was the first years of the 20th century. It began late in the 19th century, but it ended in 1914. That was a time when you could order goods from just about any country and really expect them to arrive at an agreed upon price. Everybody did business with everybody. But WWI ended that. Then came the Depression and tariffs, and then WWII and then the Cold War.

It is only since about 1990 that the world has returned to a global economy where you can mostly buy anything you want from any country in the world (no Cuban cigars -- but they're the exception that proves the rule).

Now in the Middle East we may well be seeing an event which will either a) cripple the global economy or b) usher in a new world where both socialism and terrorism have been vanquished.

Either way, it seems to me that we are (once again) witnessing events of great historic importance.

[LarryLied]

The situation is now officially out of control.

Yup. The American was on terror has been hijacked. Both the Islamic terrorists and Israel wanted our war turned into an Israeli/American war on Muslims. And they've done it.