Mid-East faces uncertain future...Who will emerge with what?

[ProSense]

Mid-East faces uncertain future

By Roger Hardy
BBC Middle East Analyst

Snip...

Will it make it easier or harder to resolve the pressing problems of Palestine and Iraq - and the much bigger battle against Islamic extremism?

The more immediate question is: Who will emerge with what?

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, says he wants three things: to secure the release of Israeli soldiers, to clear Hezbollah fighters from south Lebanon and to see Hezbollah disarmed and dismantled.

Snip...

Israel may be able to weaken Hamas and Hezbollah in military terms, but it is unlikely to force them out of business.

Snip...

Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have taken the unusual step of pinning the blame for the conflict on Hezbollah and Hamas and their regional backers, Syria and Iran.

Snip...

As Arab rulers are only too well aware, the current conflict has inflamed anti-Israeli and anti-American feeling to a new pitch.

more...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5204346.stm

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. So..... more people hate Amurka, more terrorists are available

to warrant the invasion of yet more countries. Yippee.

[joemurphy]

2. The U.S. will "emerge" as the big loser.

1. Our adventure in Iraq will culminate in our ultimate withdrawal (unbloodied if we leave quickly, very bloodied if we leave later).

2. Iraq dissolves into three nations -- Kurdish, Shia, and Sunni. All will be unstable. The latter two will hate us immediately. The Kurdish one will come to hate us when we side with the Turks against them.

3. Iran will become more radical and unstable in reaction to American threats.

4. Syria will remain pretty much the same -- backward, autocratic, and supportive of terrorists that keep Lebanon and Israel in turmoil. The Syrians will also be supporting the Sunnis in Iraq against the Kurds and the Shia.

5. Lebanon will devolve into chaos again.

6. Israel will remain its militant, warlike self -- relying on U.S. aid for its continued existence. It will be hated by all in the Middle East. Life there will be worse as terrorists try to revenge the Israeli attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.

7. We'll be the big loser. Our all-volunteer army will have to be rebuilt from scratch. The costs of the Iraq debacle will be a drag on our economy for years to come. We will have to totally redesign our Mideast policy and spend years in trying to recoup our former good name. We will be plagued with additional costs of combatting terror that didn't exist 5 years ago due to Bush's hamhanded methods and tactics. You and I will be frisked, patted down, and showing three sets of IDs to moronic security people for the rest of our lives.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. The answer is so simple as I heard on the telly. All we need

is more troops on the ground everywhere in the world. Simple.