As we embrace 2009

2008 was quite a year. I have been writing in my current affairs blog, outsiderviews, about Gaza over the past number of days. I thought about what made sense. I thought about all the suffering and the injustice in this world. As we think about how to fashion our world in light of all that has happened, I hope that everyone takes stock of what Bobby Kennedy said some 40 years ago:



I continue to be hopeful.

The Tragedy of Gaza

As I write this, The BBC is interviewing a physician in Gaza about the tragedy that is going on. As I listen to both sides of it, I am trying to make sense of it all. The UN says that they have ran out of fuel to provide food to Gaza. Yet, Israel says that there is fuel available. The tragedy goes on. People are dying and they are hungry. Yet, the world seems to be silent and the blame game seems to go on. I trust that someone listens to the pleadings by the head of UNRWA, who looks after Palestinian refugees.

The more shocking news to me was the arrest of a former Army Engineer on charges of spying for Israel. I don't know what else Israel wants. We provide $ 4 Billion a year to Israel, we give Israel a virtual blank check to do whatever it wants and yet the Government of Israel spies on the United States. That I just don't understand.

We left another interesting week behind. The implosion in Palestine continues. The only folks who are suffering are the ordinary folks. Some have called Gaza the world's largest prison. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail.

Another alternative view of US Policy in the Middle East has also made the headlines. The UN Special Envoy's report chronicles how the Adminstration's mistakes has been so detrimental to the common man in the street. The actual report has been leaked and is available at the Guardian's Website. Here is the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2101676,00.html.

The on-going struggle continues.