Naivete and Lies

Good evening all...

For as long as I can remember, I have heard the adage that World War III would begin in the Middle East.  With that notion came the obvious implication that Israel would somehow be involved.  It never dawned on me that it would be otherwise.  There is the naivete.

The man who self-immolated in Tunisia more than two years ago did not care about Israel.

The woman whom Egyptian police forced to undergo a physical examination for proof of her virginity did not care about Israel.

The teenager with a can of spray paint in Syria did not care about Israel.

All of the other people, of Iran, of Iraq, of Jordan, of Saudi, of Dubai, where similar rumblings have been heard loud and clear, do not care about Israel.

Could it be that the people in all of these countries do not actually think that Israel is responsible for their problems?  Could it be that the lies that the governments of these nations have perpetuated for decades have never been believed in the first place?  Could it be that nations with prisons such as the type that exist in Syria or in Iran coerce such "beliefs," knowing that the population will find it safer to believe comparatively benign lies than to risk torture?

It could be.

And today, news reports say that Iran has deployed 4000 soldiers to Syria with the goal of helping to keep the butcher of Damascus in power.  The reports say that there is a desire to harass the Israelis on the Golan.  On Friday, the US announced that it would start arming Syrian rebels.

So yes, the adage about the beginning of World War III is most certainly coming true.

Albert Einstein once said that "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

I hope that adage does not come true.

Good night.

R/SCG