WB: The Flypaper – Moon of Alabama

August 11, 2006

WB: The Flypaper

Billmon:

We’re stuck to our own flypaper. Which means that phony or not, today’s hysteria probably is an authentic glimpse at the shape of things to come. We’re going to have to get used to the idea of standing in two-hour lines at airport security and toting our carry-on items in a clear plastic bags. But these inconveniences are absurdly insignificant compared to other risks we face if we remain on the road we’re on — the one that leads to that clash of civilizations the uberhawks are clamoring for.

The Flypaper

Posted by b on August 11, 2006 at 01:50 UTC | Permalink

Comments

How do you Liberate people in a Clash of Civilizations?

Posted by: a-train | Aug 11 2006 2:38 utc | 1

just ask the injuns.

Posted by: bianco | Aug 11 2006 2:47 utc | 2

Unless there is massive and immediate confirmation of this story, Tony Blair probably shouldn’t bother returning from Barbados. Maybe he ca fly to Washington and ask George 9/11 for asylum.

Posted by: Brian J. | Aug 11 2006 3:00 utc | 3

It could be that the esteemed authors of the US/UK Pogrom for an Imperial Century simply didn’t read as much Joel Chandler Harris in their formative years as I did, and haven’t learned to distinguish between fly-paper and a tar baby.
Or maybe they read more than I did, and B’rer Empire has a “briar patch” gambit in the works that I just can’t, for the life of me, seem to see.

Posted by: Monolycus | Aug 11 2006 3:02 utc | 4

The true believers’ reptilian brain is so powerful they cannot comprehend that their policy of killing every Islamofacist and bombing the rest into moderation is doomed to failure. Genocide only works with hunter gatherer societies. Agricultural civilizations survive and in the end the Akkadian, Hittite, Kassite, Mogul, Tartar, Crusader, Ottoman, British and American invaders disappear and the farmers remain.

Posted by: Jim S | Aug 11 2006 4:04 utc | 5

Haaretz is interesting reading tonight…
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749477.html
‘The U.S. administration is troubled by what a senior Defense Department official termed “a rise in Syria’s self-confidence.” ‘
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749019.html
Breakthrough in talks over cease-fire resolution; Security Council expected to convene Friday
Revised draft calls for ‘progressive’ IDF withdrawal from south Lebanon
Maybe, just maybe, sanity will get a toehold. If so, the Israelis are going to have to take a long, hard look at their own morality- they slaughtered north of a thousand people, destroyed most of Lebanon’s infrastructure, and wrecked the only possible future ally they had in the region. For nothing.
A nation that regularly resorts to force to accomplish its aims quickly finds that “hard power” is the least useful power of all.

Posted by: Brian J. | Aug 11 2006 4:52 utc | 6

the farmers remain
the farmer in the comments
Threat assessments from on high,
Fearsome frets that mystify.
Colored sirens to alarm,
The grave risk of public harm.
Prismatic hues upon his desk,
Gov. Tom Ridge, he gets no rest,
One hundred threats we’ll get today,
Ninety Nine he’ll file away.
Trained to dole out campaign ham,
Trained in supple, histogram.
Men who fight by poll and smarm,
Ensuring us with nuanced charm.
Prismatic hues upon his desk,
Gov. Tom Ridge, he gets no rest,
One hundred threats we’ll get today,
Ninety Nine he’ll file away.
Close to hearth a nation waits,
New tokens warn of dismal fates.
Red severe – High emphasis.
Orange is just a little less.
Yellow needs further assess.
Blue is guarded general stress.
Green is good, a low risk swoon.
A ripcord farce, rainbow balloon.

Posted by: annie | Aug 11 2006 4:56 utc | 7

[Cheney rests in the peaceful glade
among his gathered Senators]
Olmert: Worthy Senators! Hail Cheney!
There are many slaves, whom we have
put into prison within the barrenness
of their own wastelands, reports, the
Mujahadeen with two several powers are
entered in the Roman territories (now
Kingdome of Judae, a Kingdome Properly
So Named, constituted by the Votes of
the People of Israel in peculiar manner;
wherein they chose God for their King
by Covenant made with him, upon Gods
promising them the possession of the
land of Canaan),
And with the deepest malice of war
Destroy what lies before them.
Cheney: ‘Tis Hezbollah,
Who, hearing of our Powell’s banishment,
Thrusts forth his horns again into
the world,
Which were inshell’d when Powell stood
for Canaan,
And durst not once peep out.
He will shake your Canaan about your ears,
As Hercules did shake the mellow fruit!
Olmert: But is this true, sir?
Cheney: Ay, and you’ll look pale before you
find it other,
All the Arab regions do smilingly revolt;
And who resist are mocked for valiant
ignorance,
And perish constant fools.
Olmert: We are all undone, unless the
noble mullahs have mercy.
Cheney: You have brought a trembling
upon Canaan, such as was never so
incapable of help.
Olmert: I do not like this news.
Cheney: Nor I.
Olmert: Let’s to the Capitol. Would
half Canaan’s wealth
Would buy War with Iran for a lie!
Cheney: Oh, you shalt have’t, and more!
Olmert: First, the gods bless you for
your tidings; next accept my thankfulness.
Cheney: It is done. I shall have my
Bush speak oft of it in the presses,
and we shall find agents provocateur
to raise great commotion in the
marketplace, and wail of Apocalypse.
Olmert: I would pawn my honor for
this untruth, as if I had been a
mercenary.
[Exeunt]

Posted by: Harley Freeburn | Aug 11 2006 5:12 utc | 8

The British political dimension raises all sorts of questions. John Reid gave a widely-publicised speech the night before, aimed at those pesky civil libertarians (and judges) who don’t like NuLab’s crappy authoritarian legislation. More’s coming in the autumn. He obviously knew about the investigation.
Blair’s in Barbados. Prescott is a joke. Reid is, for all intents and purposes, running the country. Could this seriously be a bid to knife Gordon Brown by giving the stage to the party bruiser?
As for the American implications? Bush gave the red-alert order the night before, and knew about the investigation last weekend. The decision to bring Cheney out of his coffin to snarl about those pussy Dems was obviously done with the benefit of inside information.
My bet is on this being more advanced than anything else that’s come out of the UK, save the July 7th bombings, but still fitting the past M.O. — disaffected, radicalised British Muslims for whom Iraq and not Afghanistan was the turning point.

Posted by: pseudonymous in nc | Aug 11 2006 5:21 utc | 9

Brian J
…wrecked the only possible future ally they had in the region. For nothing.”
Perhaps not.
Link

Posted by: ww | Aug 11 2006 5:24 utc | 10

Assuming that pipeline scenario is correct, the IDF weakened its position, not strengthened it, with this war. They demonstrated that they can’t control the Eastern Med, and are driving Syria into the Russians’ arms. So that Baku-Ceyhan pipeline becomes less likely than before, at least unless its consortium gives Russia a chunk of the proceeds- which would, of course, destroy its raison d’etre.

Posted by: Brian J. | Aug 11 2006 5:50 utc | 11

Brian J
I agree with you and don’t know how reliable this source is, but he has another article detailing the US-ISR-Turkey military alliance. Scrolling down he discusses the replacement of the army chief for the end of August who is pro-Israeli. I realize this alliance has not always worked in the past, but the pressure on Turkey, both internally and externally, could increase dramatically. That is, of course, if there is credence to what he is saying. Bear with me for another
Link

Posted by: ww | Aug 11 2006 7:29 utc | 12

@ww – good link – recommended

Posted by: b | Aug 11 2006 7:50 utc | 13

“Sanctions against Israel must be adopted by member countries of the United Nations. And if they are not adopted or ratified by the relevant government or inter-governmental authorities, then the officials representing those authorities should be held responsible for “war crimes” under the Nuremberg Charter. If the national legislatures of UN member countries uphold governments which condone Israeli war crimes, then those members of parliament must also be unseated.”
I really like this, but it would mean a really influx of inmates in The Hague. Something like 70-80% of all MPs of Western countries. Then of course, at least 80% of the MPs in pretty much every country are just scum…

Posted by: CluelessJoe | Aug 11 2006 8:30 utc | 14

Billmon, you are in fine voice today my friend.
“1.6 million” is a good place to start, it calls to mind the Finnish quote about how America fears the Jewish vote and Europe fears the Muslim vote.
My two favorite quotes from the Bush administration are “Fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here” and “he gassed his own people.”
Oh, and “But we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.”
My THREE favorite quotes form the Bush administration are …
Actually my favorite is he gassed his own people. But first he gassed a ton of Iranians, and of course we know that he has “weapons of mass destruction” because we kept the receipts.
“He gassed his own people.” You can’t get up after that.

Posted by: jonku | Aug 11 2006 9:18 utc | 15

Galloway! This one is as usual very good oratory, regardless what some may see as his shortcomings

Posted by: YY | Aug 11 2006 10:20 utc | 16

I see the Chossudovsky article about Lebanon and oil has been posted again.
This blogger, whose English is not perfect, posts about these issues, and has complained that M. Chos. is quoted while he is ignored. (He did that in a friendly way.)
I stumbled on him when I was trying to figure out how much oil the US army used, as that is generally not reckoned anywhere.
Anyway, there are some very good posts there, he cites and links to all his references, when that is possible.
Sohbet
His post on this issue here:
link

Posted by: Noirette | Aug 11 2006 17:00 utc | 17

Pipedream might be more accurate than pipeline at this point in time.

Posted by: Malooga | Aug 11 2006 17:33 utc | 18

Following the script for a previously exposed and foiled operation doesn’t exactly seem like a global terrorism best practice.
If at first they don’t succeed they try try again. The World Trade Center was previously hit years before 911.
But this does have all the markings of the cry wolf diversionary tactic. Expect more “see how we are working to protect you?!” red alerts the closer the election is. After the election it’s back to snooze control, and ignoring any insider warnings that matter, and to stealing the treasury blind.

Posted by: gylangirl | Aug 11 2006 21:51 utc | 19

Back to Main