RUTHFULLY YOURS

When all is said and done, at the end of this United Nations week the world seems closer to a war in the Middle East, not farther away.

Next week Israel’s 10-month moratorium on housing settlements in disputed territories is set to expire. If Israel resumes development, it seems likely that the Palestinians will leave the direct talks.

“If we fail on the 30th (of September), expect another war by the end of the year,” Jordan’s King Abdullah warned on the Daily Show last night. “And more wars that I forsee in the region over the coming years.”

That’s because, Abdullah said, “if the issue of settlements are still at the table on 30th, then everybody walks away. And if they do, how are we going to get people back to the table? I don’t see that happening in the near future.”

This, combined with President Obama’s plea at the UN for Arab countries to step up to the plate and help the process move forward — combined with the president’s new language that the talks should continue regardless of what happens to the housing freeze — all seems to spell bad news for peace in the region.

This afternoon President Obama will work to stop war from breaking out in the Sudan. On January 9, Southern Sudan will likely vote to break away from the rest of the country, taking 80% of greater Sudan’s oil with them. Needless to say, President al-Bashir does not plan on letting this happen, and more genocide could well be in store. In February, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.), then the director of National Intelligence, told Congress that Southern Sudan was the most likely place for “a new mass killing or genocide.”

That’s because, Abdullah said, “if the issue of settlements are still at the table on 30th, then everybody walks away. And if they do, how are we going to get people back to the table? I don’t see that happening in the near future.”

This, combined with President Obama’s plea at the UN for Arab countries to step up to the plate and help the process move forward — combined with the president’s new language that the talks should continue regardless of what happens to the housing freeze — all seems to spell bad news for peace in the region.

This afternoon President Obama will work to stop war from breaking out in the Sudan. On January 9, Southern Sudan will likely vote to break away from the rest of the country, taking 80% of greater Sudan’s oil with them. Needless to say, President al-Bashir does not plan on letting this happen, and more genocide could well be in store. In February, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.), then the director of National Intelligence, told Congress that Southern Sudan was the most likely place for “a new mass killing or genocide.”