Comments on Reads 8/22

JOSHUAPUNDIT: Khaddaffi: The Fall Of The Brother Leader

At this point, Khaddaffi's arsenals have been looted and the booty widely dispersed, including cute little toys like SA-7 missiles, portable shoulder fired surface-to-air heat seeking missiles that can be used against civilian and military aircraft.
What happens next? My bet is chaos as various factions fight for the spoils.And I doubt the ultimate outcome is going to be what the Obama Administration expected.
I only hope he doesn't waste more of our money on another farcical nation building extravaganza.
Between this and an Islamist regime taking over in Egypt, the foundations for the New Caliphate have likely been laid.

FP: Some of those SA-7 toys were captured by Egyptians on their way to Gaza. What about those that are not captured? Or what happens when the Brotherhood rules in Egypt? Don’t know about the Chalifate, but the West can only expect hostility from whatever emerges in these failed states. As to money, the dhimmified West will continue to bankrupt itself by throwing jizziya at them to prevent that hostility from getting even worse (see next).

Obama promises US aid for post-Gaddafi Libya

US president urges rebels poised to depose Libyan leader to not seek justice through violent reprisals.

FP: Like clockwork.

Eyal Zisser: Egypt's revolution has a new scapegoat

Cairo's frustrated masses, looking for an outlet for their grievances, point the finger at Israel.

FP: That’s what I wrote when the uprising started.

Jonathan S. Tobin: An Invulnerable Hamas is the Face of Palestinian Independence

Israel can continue to try to use air strikes to hit the leadership of the groups behind the Thursday attacks as well as weapons factories and other military targets such as the tunnels through which military supplies are smuggled into Gaza from Egypt. But as devastating as these blows can be, they do not change the basic equation of the situation. Hamas is dug in inside Gaza and believes it can hit Israel with impunity. And it is counting on its international cheering section to treat any Israel counter-attack as if it were a war crime.
So long as Hamas can attack Israel any time it wants, it can effectively veto any chance of peace with Palestinian moderates should any turn up who would actually be willing to sign a peace accord. The missiles from Gaza should also serve to remind both Israelis and the international community that Hamas’ deadly attacks are the true face of Palestinian independence. While the vast majority of Israelis would be glad to accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank provided this meant the end of the conflict, Gaza provides a glimpse of what that state might well become. That is something no one in the Obama administration seems to want to think about as it continues to push for Israeli concessions. And it is also something UN member states should consider when they are asked to vote next month in favor of Palestinian independence without first forcing them to make peace with Israel.

FP: I’ve argued for a long time that Israel has dug itself into a hole from which it’ll become increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to dug itself out. True in both Lebanon and Gaza. Now with Egypt practically Islamist, a solution has become almost impossible. Any cooperation of massive attacks between Hizballah and Hamas with Iranian support and in the presence of a hostile Obama, EU and UN could bring a second Holocaust. And with Assad becoming desperate, this is the most likely scenario, as the latest terrorist attack demonstrates.