The War Criminals' Delight

American media are waving their hands, Thomas Friedman is blubbering, Condoleeza Rice is preaching, and American and Israelis generally are doing the standard line: "It's all the Palestinians' fault".

What's actually happening? Israel occupies Palestine for 40 years, systematically rapes the land, kills the people. The US arms Israel to do still more of same. Palestinians demand the very rights Israelis and Americans demand for themselves. Palestinians exercise their democratic rights. Israel and the US apply ever harsher measures. Palestinian society falls apart.

And then the Americans and Israelis say, "See? We told you so."

There is no people, no animal, that could be treated as Israelis and Americans treat Palestinians without cries that a crime is being committed. Yet in the case of the Palestinians, Friedman, Dershowitz, Rice, Cheney, their fellow war criminals blame the victims without fail.

Later this year -- in September -- we will see the 25th anniversary of the Israeli (particularly Sharon) orchestrated massacre at Sabra and Shatila. My prediction: the US and Israel will ignore it. Or they will blame the Palestinians. And if anyone dare criticize Israel for that crime, that person will be attacked in the style exemplified by Dershowitz.

Burn, Baby, Burn (or "From Paris, With Love")

Oh the shape of things to come. Poor Paris. Found prison didn't agree with her. It's tough going 15 minutes without a cellphone or a chance to check your pout in the mirror.

And what about us? Who's fiddling while Rome burns?