The latest diplomatic effort by Bushites...

The latest diplomatic effort by Bushites seems specifically designed to drag the whole region into major sectarian conflicts.

Fear mongering is, once again, at the very core of the strategy adopted by Cheney-Bush-neocons as they proceed with their "surge" in U.S. troops in Iraq, a surge that will, most likely, lead to an even larger civil war.

In fact, the latest diplomatic efforts in the region, if implemented, would drag Iraq's neighbors into civil wars that have yet to unfold.

Given the failur of the Cheney-Bush-neocon plan to restructure the Middle East in their image, a new approach is seemingly in the works that would transform the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a Palestinian-Palestinian civil war and the Arab/Muslim-U.S./Israeli conflict into a Sunni-Shiite confrontation encompassing the whole region.

That seems to be the message Condi Rice is charged with in her present visit to the region, albeit not one that will be spelled out overtly to her hosts or promulgated publicly.

It will be interesting to note the reaction of so-called moderate states to her plan, as she points out the growing influence of Iran in the region in an attempt to drag Sunni majority nations such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait into the mess Bushites triggered in Iraq.

Should she succeed in her efforts, it won't take long for the whole region to go up in flames with dire consequences for the world at large given the reliance of industrialized nation on oil imports from the region.

Desperate Administration officials are well aware that time is running out for them to claim "victory in their unprovoked war, given that support is at an all time low and...rapidly dropping.

Consequently, rather that withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq, they are seemingly willing to drag the whole region into their mess, regardless of consequences.

As Bush has said repeatedly, actions taken today will be judged in historical terms as having been "necessary to bring "democracy" to the region. The fact that for democracy to flourish it must grow from within, is totally ignored by the right-wing powers-that-be.

The fact that U.S. meddling in the Middle East is almost universally resented and rejected is also immaterial as far as U.S./Israeli leaders are concerned.

There is, of course, a rational course of action but it is not one that right-wingers are likely to pursue:

a) allow the establishment of a viable Palestinian state with E. Jerusalem as its capital in order to remove a major bone of contention in the region; b) take unilateral steps (to accelerate the process) to disengage from the West Bank and remove all roadblocks so that Palestinians can see progress and demand an end to attacks on Israel by extremists; c) engage in direct talks with friend and foe alike (Iran and Syria) given that leaders in the region react positively when treated with respect and negatively when treated as "evildoers;" d) withdraw U.S. troops from Arab/Muslim lands given that their presently is a major source of resentment (how would we like foreign troops stationed in, say, TX, CA, ND and VA?); e) stop comparing the present situation to the 1930s and WWII at which time nukes were non-existent and the U.S. was not in a position to respond with overwhelming force, if necessary.

Yes, I am well aware that individuals who suffer from greed and paranoia are not likely to take such a rational course of action. After all, to do so they would have to answer the question "why do they hate us?" honestly, something they are not willing to do.

Instead, their hypocritical stance and double standards will continue to breed ever-growing contempt from the world at large.

Reminder: You can NOT fool most of the people...all of the time.