Bibi's High Stakes Gambling

The recent strike on Syria by Israel seems to be stupid, unless you realize those that initiate force are not interested in the safety of their people, but are instead playing a high stakes game to keep and increase their power.  It would be helpful if the U.S. and Israel would learn to stop kicking a dog when it's down; indeed, it would be nice if they'd stop treating Syria like a dog in the first place.  The Syrian rebellion, and much of the so-called Arab Spring, is an United States State Department invention.  Hilary Clinton is probably the primary driver behind the current remodel of the Arab world, but it would be unkind not to make sure both sides of the aisle share the blame.  There are certainly plenty of neocons who are pretty much in agreement with her imperialism.

So, in the midst of this, Bibi calculates he can strike Syria and get away with it.  Iran, Russia, and China have warned against this sort of thing, and were quick to condemn it after it happened.  Additionally, anyone actually interested in Israeli citizens being safe should condemn it too, and I do too.

As economies around the world contract, politicians will increasingly be drawn to war.  Indeed, the anti-Syrian, anti-Iranian propaganda of the past few years has been an attempt to gain traction for a war.  Bibi's gamble may not have occurred without the State Department's blessing.  In other words, he may be a willing participant in the larger imperial strategy because he thinks it is in his best interests.

Meanwhile, Israelis are more exposed than ever.  Syria is already dealing with subsidized armed belligerents in their country, so the likelihood that they have the ability to target Bibi, or any of the other people in the Israeli government who are responsible, is low.  Instead, they are being provoked, both in highly public ways like this strike, and privately, to retaliate in any way that they can, which would likely result in a lot of civilian casualties.  In turn, the media in Israel and the U.S. would use such an event to ratchet up popular opinion against them.

Now, what I have said above is what happens if Syria and others play into the propaganda the U.S. and Israel has set up over these past years. The another, less visible retaliation is possible.  The logistics of empire are vulnerable, and they don't necessarily need to tell their enemy who they are, or what they are doing.  I don't know if anyone on the ostensible 'other side' is smart enough to play things the right way, but at this point Russia Today is more compelling than any of the so-called American news outlets. Not that I watch much of anyone's propaganda.