OPINION

02/26/2002

The world news has mellowed out this week compared to previous ones. The atmosphere in the Middle East is more optimistic than it has been in months. The main cause for this optimism comes from the desperation both the Israeli and Palestinian people are dealing with. Hundreds of people have died over the past year in senseless acts of violence. A leader in Saudi Arabia late last week, proposed a peace plan in which Israel retreats from all of its occupied territories within Palestinian controlled lands. Also, they wnated to make East Jeruselum Palestinian and West Jerusalem Israeli. More like keep it that way. There really is NO other solution other than all out war. FOR ONCE ALL of the leaders of the world agree that this is an excellent plan, even Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is seriously considering it. However, if there is another major attack on Israeli citizens by a member of Hamas, Hezbollah, Infintada? (I think thats the name), or just a random pissed off Palestinian, then all hell breaks loose again. The people of Israel are intensely divided upon whether to exterminate the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO-Arafat's crew) or to get out of the occupied territories. I'm hoping they get the hell out of those territories even though it's pretty likely that more attacks will be made against civilians, especially those in the disputed territories.

Enough on the Middle East, that's only one of several issues heating up around the globe. This past week 2 tragic events took place where Americans died. In the Phillipines, 10 special forces soldiers died in a helicopter crash. In Pakistan, reporter Danny Pearle who had been kidnapped was discovered to have been killed pretty damn brutally...those bastards. Our forces are spread EVERYWHERE across the globe. Will we be able to handle the upcoming battles against terrorist groups and possibly even national armies WITHOUT full support from NATO and UN allies? Yes, we will. The cost, I think, is going to be the heaviest casualties that we have seen since the Vietnam war. Our next likely target is going to be Iraq, to get rid of Saddam. He is a bastard, but should we militarily go in and take out hte whole regime. Civilians WILL die, as they always do in war. In Afghanastan, THOUSANDS of civilians died. In Iraq, if we attack Bagdhad, a repeat scenario could unfold. Is this the best solution? I'm not sure yet.

One way it seems that the governemnt is quietly getting us "prepped" for the extended war on terrorism seems to be the recent explosion in war movies. Back after the 9/11 attacks, Hollywood teamed up with the military to strategize ways they could help fight in the war against terror. I believe it was told to us that they were using their creativity to discuss all of the possible attacks that could be waged on American soil. It seems also that they may have taken suggestions by the government to throw out several war movies in a row. This is just speculation, and I'm sounding like a conspiricy theorist, but it's possible.

The more likely scenario is that hollywood is churning out the war movies becasue we are at war, and its a way to make more money. Blackhawk Down was a blockbuster success. As will "we are soldiers" with Mel Gibson be in the next couple of weeks

I've really gone off track so that's a sign that enough's been said...8^)...Ev

...Ev
Evan Lowery