Silence is Golden

Hamas Today, Usama Tomorrow
In the long history of struggle for nationhood no-one should be more acutely aware of the virtually seamless transitions from terrorist to freedom fighter to activist to statesman, than "my fellow Americans". But of course as everyone knows a terrible lag in zeitgeist is a hallmark of western foreign policy and more sharply its media.

From Washington to Mandela, Ghandi or Begin, the pages of history are (g)littered with one-time boogie men who became leaders of a popular movement and thence players on a national or world stage.

The electoral victory of Hamas is ironically a victory for America and, yes, Israel. With elections overseen by the US and a movement all but created by Israel as a foil to Arafat's PLO in the 60's and 70's, the elevation of Hamas from movement to government will, I suggest, be seen in the light of future historians as a victory for free democratic expression.

Of course the press, and the US press particularly, seems to have been blindsided once again by Hamas' poll win. Aside from the more considered commentators (on the left and right), the headlines and punch lines of today’s throw-away press are either concerned with nomenclature or immediate gratification. As if they were watching the bully in the playground getting away with kicking around the little kid, while all the while waiting for the victim's big brother to arrive fists flailing, the press is holding its gleeful breath - probably in vain - for America, and more pointedly its "leader" to say something, anything, of weight.

It took almost 24 hours for anything like a considered response. And even that wasn't too considered. With a stumbling, embarrassing comment by 'W' on the day of the victory followed by posturing and threats the day after, the US, once again, strode out on the world stage like a gunfighter in a cringingly cheesy B movie western starring Lash LaRue.

The US and Israel will talk to Hamas if it can hang on to popular power, eventually. The alternative is too grim to contemplate. The political reality of the Palestinian's vote for Hamas is a pure reflection of the loss of patience with Muslim leaders who have tried to pander to the Zionist influence of US foreign policy by awkwardly espousing Islam-Lite, in order to get their feet under the negotiating table. The current situation in Pakistan, where Musharraf's perception as a client state(sman) of the US, is another flashpoint in an ever increasingly complex region. One can only hope that the State Dept. won't be as blind-sided when that country's popular opinions ultimately boil over into the fire of extremism.

And what of the forgotten leaders of "yesteryear"? Usama Bin Laden's recent audio tape offering talks on one hand and terrible vengeance on the other has been lost in the news cycle it seems. With stunningly shrewd foresight, it demanded what the US government was contemplating already - withdrawal from Iraq - thus putting a pullback in play and making the reality of that move a lose-lose situation. If the US starts to withdraw its troops for political expediency leading up to the November 2006 mid term elections al Qaeda will claim victory. If it doggedly "stays the course" in Iraq we will continue to be the target for, and epicenter of, Muslim extremism and violence.

Bin Laden, it doesn't need repeating here, is a clever man and plays politics better than Carl Rove. Just like Rove doesn't really want to ban gay marriage or outlaw reproductive rights, and Bin Laden doesn't really want a western hands-off in the Middle East. The issues play too well with the base. And what is al Qaeda's literal translation into English? "The Base"

Hamas' victory this week highlights that the base is activated, better informed than most Western constituents, who are more concerned with Brad and, whoever Brad is with at the moment, or with celebrity Big Brother, and all too sharply illustrates that democracy is only the answer if the question is one that WE are asking.

Time to take a stand

It seems that we have almost become immured to the blatant chicanery of this regime. To parade the circuit court in front of the Senate Hearings and endorse this man who has, almost consistently voiced minority opinion and pro-business and anti-individual rulings is not only unprecedented, but stunning in its chutzpah. As long as we keep letting them get away with it they will keep subverting our rights, our system and the constitution that the country is built on.

The Democratic caucus has to stand on the principles defined by the Bill of Rights and push for a filibuster. To be afraid of being seen to be on the losing side of the issue is no excuse for doing what is right. Sadly, and carefully as a foreigner, I have to say that the current situation almost highlights the inconsistencies and faults in our political system that the framers, it seems, did not envision 230 years ago.

As, little by little, small chips are taken out of the structure of our country we risk leaving to our children a system that is beyond redemption and irretrievably broken. No-one can complain about one party being in control of the three branches of government, but the perfect storm of; a disinterested, distracted and uninformed populace; a regime willing to push the envelope by small degree towards – yes – totalitarianism; a congress not willing to do its job of oversight; and a fourth estate more concerned with ratings than its constitutional duty, leads me to sadly conclude that we need to "...hang together, or most assuredly we will hang separately".