Prediction 2007: Three Civil Wars

Yes, kind audience it is true. A handsome three civil wars is the prediction for 2007 in the Middle East. Yes, King Abdullah II of Jordan shared with us this interesting (and honest) little tidbit on This Week George Stephanopoulous yesterday . Let's name them, shall we?

• Palestine. The chaos in this situation is abounding and never ending. Why? Because we have allowed and supported it. Israel is one of our main allies in the region and because of such pitiful attempts for negotiations on our part, the situation has only allowed to fester into a gangrenous, moldy goo. The emotional turmoil embedded in the situation that is Palestine is one of the core issues that the Middle East is facing in each of the following civil war scenarios. The emotionally torn public has been faced with nothing but unfair torture over the past fifty years, and because of this emotional inner chaos, the spark and spread of insurgency is created. One must take note of the emotional rip the Palestinians have been forced to live with and how the unfortunate circumstances in Palestine are translated to other major issues in the Arab world today.
  
• Lebanon. Poor Lebanon - this country has been in political turmoil since April of 1975 when a gunman was hired to shoot Pierre Gemayel, founder of the main rightist Christian militia. Though in '75 Gemayel was not killed, just last week Gemayel's grandson, government minister and symbol of Lebanon's besieged Christian, pro- Western community, was assasinated. Today Lebanon is torn internally due to the sharp contrast between the Iranian- backed group Hezbollah and the Western-backed ruling coalition. If not supported and advised properly with diplomatic talks and communication between the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran - Lebanon can, and will be, easily added to the civil war list.
  
• Iraq. Though we all know of the war in Iraq, barely a quarter of the American public are actually aware (or interested) in what is actually happening on the ground. The turmoil between Sunni Muslims and the Shi'ites in the region is thick as toxic smoke. The problem the United States is having has to do with the lack of knowledge of the people in this region. The one way to solve the civil war in Iraq is only through diplomatic talks with Syria, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. The good news? Bush is actually taking diplomatic steps towards a resolution. Next week Bush will be meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan to discuss important political strategy in Iraq. The bad news? Moktada al-Sadr, the powerful Shi'ite cleric, has threatened to withdraw from the government if the prime minister meets with President George W. Bush, because of his sordid hate for the Americans. Fantastic. So Maliki is in a tough position - either he can meet with Bush and face furious dissapointment from his Shi'ite counterpart (who is an extremely powerful man and influence in Iraq) or he could meet with Bush to host discussions to help aid the United States in getting their ass out of this mess without having to go through another Vietnam scenario.

I terms of America's position in all of this, I have four words: We're not completely fucked.

Now, we're almost there, but we're not completely screwed on this one. Why do I say this? Because - the important key fact to note is that we are in a position to make steps towards peace. And that is what it has all come down to. Yes, Mr. Bush, you have shouted "peace!" and "freedom!" this whole time, so buck up and give us some damn results. Forget your profits and your oil money, and your political elbow rubbing - you and your administration have failed in accomplishing your goals of mass profits, and since that has failed, you now have no other option than to play the strong counter-support in the "peace process" you have been wailing about since day one.

Get ready America, we're in this for the long-haul. That's right, fasten your seatbelts, kind American citizens - we have three civil wars to aid, solve, and support! (Do I feel a draft in here?)

Now - Who wants to make bets that the fifty-first state will probably be established in the Middle East along the way?