Centerfield

Happy Bastille Day, everyone!

*Ca ira, ca ira, ca ira....

*In the interests of full disclosre, I am part French (or part German, depending on who was claiming Alsace-Lorraine during the nineteenth century.) and descended from a long line of oppressed peasants. To the lamp posts! ;-)

So I look around the world and get depressed. Most recently, Hezbollah (with or without the sanction of their paymasters in Syria and/or Iran) and Hamas seem to have miscalculated how close Israeli patience was to running out. State-sponsored (originally, in maybe not currently; at least officially) terrorists out of Pakistan are doing their thing in India and Afghanistan. Kim is proving to be a loose cannon, beyond the control of even China. Iran seems determined enough to make nuclear weapons that even the Europeans are about ready to consider giving up on diplomacy.

All of which, taken together, causes me to wonder: how badly will the US economy be impacted when (I am losing hope for if) the conflict goes to general war in south-west Asia -- especially if North Korea decides that that's the moment to try extortion on a serious scale? Call me both self-centered and pessimistic if you will. But totally unrealistic? I only wish!

Uh uh. You're not foolin' me! You're really one of those Roman-Celt Alamannis who went underground when the Franks and Goths marched in. C'mon, 'fess up! (And put down that knitting...) ;-)

(My own "French" ancestors had to flee Brittany and Alsace and become Austrians after the Bastille. The British didn't want 'em. Long story.)

Since everyone is coming out of the closet, here, I'll state that I have more French blood in my veins than any other single ethnic group. However, I have no idea of what flavor. Most likely French vanilla, which is actually pretty good.

Im as Irish as a Killians, and I think that the use of nuclear weapons on this planet in combat will happen sooner rather than later. It is suspected that Israel has several tactical nukes at its disposal. I can see Damascus going up in a mushroom cloud, and maybe Tehran too....

If I had to guess who'd be next to use nukes, I'd bet on someone who doesn't have them yet.

Since we're cataloging: German, Welsh, Irish, English, and Scottish are the ones I know about for sure. I've got ancestors among both the oppressed and the oppressors.

By the way, Israel is far too rational to use nuclear weapons first in a conflict.

Now, if Iran were to send one their way, then I'd stay out of Persia for the next 10,000 years If I were you, but first? No chance.

Okay, I have to admit to some Frenchness. My grandmother's maiden name was Verfaillie, but my French friends tell me the name is Belgian. My grandmother tells me her family was originally from Alsace, but moved to Paris before coming to the US. I do love Belgian beer though. Hmmm... On the other side of the family my great grandmother's maiden name was Vochelle, so I'm stuck with some degree of froginess either way. Then again, what could me more American than being English, Italian, Spanish, French and Irish? (Probably being all of those with some Lenape and West African thrown in would be more American, but who's counting?)

If Iran takes any military action, I think there will be a quick response to destroy Iranian conventional weapons. I would not be surprised to see the US involved. It is strange how many in the world are surprised over this situation. India, Egypt, Jordan, are not surprised given attacks and Iran's constant declaration that Israel would be wiped off the map. How obtuse do you have to be to fail to understand that?

I am optimistic about the outcome given the dead seriousness of Israel, the positioning of US assets, the understanding of England and Germany, India and Japan that Islamic terror cannot grow under some pretense of Status Quo. Technology and money can easily generate global terror.

Syria is in default over the UN probe of it’s assassination of political opponents. Jane's has exposed the Syrian/Iranian wmd pact. I am optimistic that Russia will not escape the Iran issue at the G8 meeting. I do not think the Europeans are in complete denial that technological advances and lots of oil money will create a much more dangerous situation in just a few years. Iran is already supplying missiles to Hezbollah and IEDs to Shiite insurgents in Iraq. They openly declare to sell weapons cheaply to all who oppose Israel and the US. Imagine what they and North Korea will export a few years from now.

I am even optimistic that Russia and China when confronted by Allied determination to pre-empt terrorists, will be forced to stop their support of Iran, North Korea and Syria along with Hamas and Hezbollah. As usual, it is America that guards the approaches and the Democrats are embarrassingly silent. After years of claiming "a few terrorists" hardly warrant Big Brother and Pre-emption, they shun taking a good look at reality's dialectic. Hezbollah launches a drone at an Israeli gunship. It explodes with explosives. Just how long does the antiwar-at-any-cost think it will take before PMDs (Powerful Means of Destruction) will become more available. Fire missiles from civilian areas or even covertly from the sea and air? Then microbes, or radioactive material could be smuggled into populated areas. What force will stop this? If you don't make supporters of this dangerous asymmetry pay a price, they have no incentive to stop. I ask Democrats who they would prefer to take the helm. One poll suggested McCain was Democratic centrist's pick. Hillary has a big speech coming up. Zogby tells CNN our troops are trapped in Iraq while Israel drives Syria and Iran into possible confrontation. Hhhmmm. Trapped? More like a Trojan horse in the right place. Who thinks that without Saddam and the US, Iran and Syria wouldn't carve up Iraq? Well, let’s hope Zogby’s take doesn’t speak for Democrats. Lieberman’s polls must be going up.

I am less optimistic however, that with leadership wars, Democrats can adapt to obvious selection pressure. Let's hope Bush has planned for the likely with better accumen than he did for Iraq.

And the French? They just celebrated Dreyfus Affair Day. How quickly they forget...

Drone hit Israel ship. Recently, Iran sent drone over US ships in the Gulf. Drone missiles from Iran? Now put something more serious in them.

I gotta say it: After how many years with GW's infamous "axis of evil" speech, what other word so concisely encapsulates what NK and Iran are doing?

Other than shouting that the "other guy is wrong" does anyone have a clue as to how to respond to NK or Iran?

I would like to think our military knows what it will do. North Korea isn't going to land any missiles here soon and Japan is gearing up. We must try to stop materials from leaving North Korea. Iran has been war-gamed numerous times I suppose. I hope those simulations included the latest Iranian hardware. It doesn't appear the Israelis had a defense against drones.

I had little trouble with the Axis of Evil speech with the exception of a lack of criteria for the response to such "evil" behavior. It was in a stiff diplomatic pose without any elaboration of the Liberal Freedom that is at risk and the sacrifice we must make as the "free World" to triumph. Exorcism isn't an option. Our enemies are not idiots And they have been stepping up efforts since Bush's speech.

The best way it seems for now to deal with Iran and North Korea is with a united domestic and international front. Will that happen? Ask Dean, France and Russia. It looks grim if you read the Left Blogworld or statements from Russia, China, France and Chavez..

NK, Iran, Syria, and others are simply defending themselves from our Imperialism, or Zionism. LOL

I think at this hour, I am most saddened by the Democratic leadership’s failure to read the political and global dialectic at work. Even the Arabs have not come to Hezbollah's aid except Syria. here The fault is not in the the stars, dear Brutus…...

I'm a mongrel.

Troubling times. But what is a nation to do?

May you live in interesting times.

some interesting reading concerning missile defense

the Israeli ship that was hit (see defensive systems)

some other systems against missiles the Israelis are creating with US help

Let's hope the G8 will unfreeze some road blocks..

I definitely have some french in me -- the ancestor I'm doing my genealogy on was a french huguenot who emigrated to New France in the 1750's. I also (on my mother's side) have an ancestor who fought in the Revolution (on the American side), so I suppose I qualify for the DAR. I had ancestors on both sides of that conflict!

I am suprised that so many were surprised by Israel's response to Hezbollah. Given the size of their country compared to their surrounding Arab neighbors, they HAVE to be tough to survive and be taken seriously. I'm pretty much with maxtrue on this one.

OK, I didn't dig too deep, but here's my nomination for the Bottom Wire Story of the Day.

Peruvians Shear Vicunas in Annual Roundup

Im as Irish as a Killians

Does that mean your ancestors are from Colorado?

I'm a mongrel.

Me too. A "deep" examination of family lines led me to the conclusion that about the only thing missing is Asian, and hell, the Mongols probably sent some of that forward via the Europeans....

Known: German-Irish, Czech-Austrian (but the "Austrians" started in Brittany and Alsace), Scots, English, Texican mestizo, Texican who-knows, and Choctaw/black.

Which makes me an American. :-)

"Does that mean your ancestors are from Colorado?"

Killians was, until a few years agom an Irish import. And I believe it is still made in Ireland, just bottled by a drunk driver.

The original recipe comes from a family recipe in Enniscorthy, Ireland, County Wexford, and was first bottled for sale in 1864 by Lett's Brewery of Enniscorthy under the name of "Enniscorthy Ruby Ale." The brewery was founded by George H. Lett. It ceased operations in 1956, and the recipe was sold to Coors in 1981. It was also sold to French brewer Pelforth, who makes it for the Euro market. The last owner of Lett's (and the seller of the recipe) was George KILLIAN Lett. Sound familiar?

It's actually a bottom-fermented lager, not a top-fermented ale, despite the original name.

Uh uh. You're not foolin' me! You're really one of those Roman-Celt Alamannis who went underground when the Franks and Goths marched in. C'mon, 'fess up! (And put down that knitting...) ;-)

ROTFL! Dang, Tully. You guessed and now I’m going to have to kill you. And just when we were having such fascinating discussions too. ;-)

Sorry, I’m too needle phobic to do any Madam DeFarge impressions. Usually, I just send my ancestor the Queen of Hell to deal with those who annoy me.
(No, Pat, I'm not sure whether she qualifies as oppressed or oppresser. She was certainly regarded as an oppresser in her day, but she's more of an oppressed person now.)

(My own "French" ancestors had to flee Brittany and Alsace and become Austrians after the Bastille. The British didn't want 'em. Long story.)

Really? It sounds fascinating. You'll have to blog on that next time there's a slow news day. (I love swapping hard luck stories. Part of my blueness, I suppose.)

Sorry about the late answer, but I got caught up in reading Druid’s Sword, and had to finish it. Maybe my tinfoil hat broadcast that message to the fillings in your teeth.

Yes, but does your Frog match my Frog? Dad's Alsace-Lorraine ancestors may not qualify, but Mom's Bissell-Greenleaf Huguenot ones certainly do. Besides that, there's German, Norwegian, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Danish-not nessarily in that order.

But you're right, Tully. We're both 100% American. :-)

Fun fact; the the Marquis De Sade was in the Bastille a few days before it fell. He was busy writing 120 Days of Sodom, yet he still took time off to shout "They're killing the prisoners!" to the the rioting crowds below. (They weren't, of course, but it sounded good anyway.) The authorities decided he was a bit of a trouble maker, so they transferred him out a day or two before the Bastille fell. (De Sade was later convicted of "moderatism" for supporting Murat, perhaps the first and only time he was ever accused of being a moderate.)

Class dismissed!

The Marquis, a troublemaker? Say it ain't so! LOL

"We're mutts! See? His nose is cold!"