Keep an eye on…the world

Hot spots around the globe are mounting. If you aren’t paying attention, well… you are probably having a great day. I envy you the ability and willingness to duck, cover and close your eyes and ears as to what is happening. There are a couple you really do not want to hear about, all taking place in the last three days or so. Warning: do not read further if you wish to maintain your tranquility.

Let’s take the latest three. Depending on time zones, two days ago, July 17, Israeli ground forces entered Gaza to rout out tunnels dug by Hamas, a terrorist group, to store and launch weapons and rockets against Israel, as well as a way to enter Israel by digging underneath the wall(s) erected by Israel to keep Palestinian terrorists out of Israel. This air and ground offensive was in response to Hamas firing hundreds of rockets into Israel. In June, 2014, Hamas joined the Fatah Palestinian government in an official political capacity, no longer just operating as a terrorist group. Here’s the thing: the United States lists Hamas as a terrorist group and yet, we are now still giving $440 Million in aid to the Palestinians, thus aiding those who want Israel annihilated.

Next up: A Malaysian airline plane was shot out of the sky, killing 298 passengers and crew on July 17 and scattering bodies and body parts over a 10 mile radius in the disputed territory of the Ukraine. The dispute is between the Ukrainian government and Russian separatists. The plane went down in the area controlled by the Russian separatists, about 20 miles from the Russian border. The surface to air missile is said to have been an SA-11, made by a Russian defense company, that just, coincidentally, on the evening of July 16 was sanctioned by the U.S. government, along with at least seven other Russian companies. There are recorded transmissions between the Russian separatists and Russian “advisers.” Despite an international outcry and multiple investigation teams sent to view the wreckage, the investigation teams have been stalled or granted very little access to the debris field. The dead are lying in 80 degree heat and have been for two days. The black boxes are said to have been immediately found, seized and sent to Moscow.

Third: The July 20, 2014 deadline talks with Iran over its nuclear program has been extended an additional four months into November. Iran has conducted a proxy war, sponsoring and using Hamas to wreak havoc on Israel, as has Syria, a client state of Iran.

Russia and Iran’s greatest export is oil. Europe is heavily dependent on Russia for their oil needs. If we truly want to deal a blow to both Russia and Iran, we could immediately announce all regulations off our developing oil independence, and our desire to supply Europe and our allies with oil. The Keystone pipeline project with Canada is just one avenue. Latest developments in fracking have analysts predicting that the U.S. will outpace Saudi Arabia in oil production by 2015.

One announcement, one change in energy policy, no shots fired, no U.S. lives risked. Huh.

Just a thought.