Sharon Outflanked from Right--In Other News, Hell Freezes Over

I lied a little bit. The fact that there are Israeli citizens who are even more wrong-wing than Ariel Sharon isn't surprising, nor is their rejection of a proposal that would result in the withdrawal from Gaza.

Still, this could be good news. Billmon considers this a positive sign, if only in the sense that this could be Ariel's swan song. He thinks Netanyahu will pick up the torch, and, while a despicable man as well, Bibi might be willing to pander a little more to US interests. So, the no vote is good news, but on a highly relative scale.

For more background on what sort of scale we're looking at, here's today's Middle East news summary from the BBC. A few highlights:

At least Four US soldiers killed in Iraq.

More fallout regarding the abuse of prisoners in Iraq.

Foreigners leaving Saudi Arabia amid fears of violence.

More opinion regarding the vicious beating (by her husband) of a Saudi Television personality.

Photographs showing the aftermath of the Fallujah siege.

BTW--regarding Fallujah: the degree of denial regarding what happened in Fallujah is astounding. Patrick Cockburn has more on this, and Billmon, as always, provided insightful commentary. The installation of Jassim Mohammed Saleh as overseer of the troubled city is indicative of what Cockburn calls "[perhaps] one of the most extraordinary defeats in history." One would never know this from a reading of this CNN transcript with, among others, Daniel Senor, Carl Levin, Chuck Hagel, and, I guess for SOME balance, Sy Hersch, who helped break the story on the abuse at Abu Ghraib. The transcript and the New Yorker article are worth looking at.

I don't know how much more clear it could be to see that the US Middle East policy is a GIGANTIC failure. If this were a term paper, I don't think it'd even get an "F," because that would be too generous. You'd almost expect the prof to say "no grade," and demand a start-over. Too bad this isn't school, though. It's perhaps the most volatile region in the world. No retakes and makeups allowed. And "F" is bad for everyone.