Loren Adams, 29
January 2012
Iran could turn out
to be Obama’s salvation (and America’s damnation).
The economy doesn’t
look like it’ll uptick enough to make a dent in Obama’s favor come November. To
nearly half the voters – Romney, with all his quirks and Bain baggage,
seems a reasonable alternative – as it stands now ten months out. The
right has begrudgingly determined to hold its nose and get behind the nominee
whose only credential is electability against the despised black guy in the
White House. Hate drives them into the arms of a strange bedfellow with magical
underpants. (Their passion is not love of Christ, but contempt for Obama. Whose
god do they really serve?)
The election-year
card most Republicans didn’t expect is IRAN. If the Strait of Hormuz is blocked
by Iran, energy prices would skyrocket – even if the U.S. intervenes. The
conflict would escalate naturally, and John Bolton’s most exhilarating
wet-dream would be transformed into more than mere fantasy – except under
a Democratic president, not exactly in the original script.
Fresh military
engagements tend to solidify an incumbent into power. Imagine the confusion
when war-loving rightwingers observe a Democratic president using force against
Iran. The assassination of Osama bin Laden has long been explained away by FOX
and friends as a Bush triumph while they’ve dismissed all other Obama
international successes. But Iran?
The US and Russia
are two big fish about to get hooked into a situation they can’t survive. The
fishermen safely onshore are Israel and China. Israel, of course, doesn’t give
a damn about any other nation except itself. Even its sole benefactor is
dispensable in the long-range scope of things, especially if a Democrat sits in
the White House and an extreme militant rightwing prime minister calls the
shots from Jerusalem. Like US Republicans, Netanyahu loathes Obama and is, in
fact, in constant collusion with the American right seeing how he can somehow
influence elections.
HOOKS IN THE JAWS
Once the Hormuz card
is played, the dominoes fall. The US would retaliate, Iran would attempt a
strike against Israel, then all hell would break loose. I’m sure the Mossad has
fully rehearsed this scenario. Except for perhaps the big bear to the north.
Russia’s role
following the initial stage is crucial. If they back Iran militarily, game
over. And if they don’t? Game over – as for trust among allies, former
and present.
“And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and
I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them
thoroughly equipped, a great assemblage with targets and shields, all of them
handling swords. You will come from your place in the far north, you and many
nations with you, a great horde, a mighty army.” – Ezekiel 38:4 & 15
When considering these horrifying current potentialities,
the Mayan calendar doesn’t look too far off. The US would be hooked to back
Israel and Russia would be hooked to back Iran. Perfect Storm.
Just when America thought it was getting untangled from the
idiotic wars deliberately set by Bush and Cheney, here comes another. Except
bigger. The notion to downsize defense would, of course, be off-the-table,
enough to make Republicans salivate all over each other.
BARBOUR’S BLUNDER
Haley Barbour’s little misstep in Mississippi is another
gift to the DNC. What was he thinking? Who ever heard of a far-right Republican
governor releasing 200 or so convicted criminals on the streets to re-torment
victims and possibly repeat offenses? Not to mention – in a SOUTHERN
state?
Surely, there’s more to the story. It would seem Barbour had
to be blackmailed, because even a come-to-Jesus moment wouldn’t have inspired
him to release twenty-one murderers who could wreak vengeance.
Years ago a friend gave me a nugget of truth. He asked,
“Loren, do you know the three most powerful words in the English language?”
“No,” I responded.
Bill answered, “I’VE GOT PICTURES.”
I thought about it for a second, then smiled as I recalled
all the scandals where damning photos, documents or videos mysteriously came to
light sealing the fate.
Someone might have an interesting video of Barbour in the
governor’s mansion or elsewhere. Or maybe he yielded to temptation at an
unsecure location where photos were snapped or a surveillance camera happened
to be on. I just cannot imagine a conservative southern governor,
tough-on-crime and former Chairman of the Republican Party, pardoning hundreds
of convicts – except if one or more inmates happened to have injurious
personal information with visuals as proof.
Democrats could re-take Mississippi, of all places. What a
strange year.
Obama’s re-election could hinge on events overseas, not the
economy or jobs. No need for an “October Surprise.” Israel could force us into
a conflict they’ve been eager to launch for a long time. Iran’s nuclear arms’
ambitions may be true or false, but the point is – Israel doesn’t want to
take any chances, and they’ve got to pull their big brother benefactor into the
abyss to win.
But the cost of this war could be survival if Russia gets
entangled.
Our only hope is that Obama will be wise enough to resist
and steer us clear of an early sunset. Unfortunately, his past pattern
undermines confidence.