Hoping for Cool Heads

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As was right and proper, in view of the horrendous murders and injuries perpetrated by ISIS/ISIL/Daesh terrorists in Paris just 24 hours previously, Saturday evening's Democratic presidential candidates' debate put strong emphasis on foreign policy. All three candidates had a good night, we thought, there was no obvious winner or loser; even Martin O'Malley who is far behind the other two candidates in those ubiquitous polls, put forward lot of good points, especially highlighting that new and fresh ways of approach are needed now, in the 21st century. Senator Sanders pointed out that the huge array of insanely powerful weaponry the United States has at its bidding is of no use at all against these kinds of terrorist attacks.

The history of the Middle East is such a complex and tangled net, even relatively recent history is enough to make accomplished historians fumble. Reaching back even further into the mists of centuries past, there are, no doubt, factors which have fed into 20th and 21st century issues, but humble intellects such as my own simply cannot take it all in.

Putting a magnifying glass on just what's gone on in the 21st century until now, there has been much increased internal fighting between various religious factions within the Middle East. It does appear that the US invasion of Iraq has been instrumental in growing extra factions of militants who will try, in any way they can, to avenge destruction they have seen perpetrated by Western powers during their lifetimes, not only by USA governments and forces, but by the militaries and governments of France, UK, and other European countries. Governments of these Western nations have meddled in the Middle East for decades for their own gain. This has been in tandem with constant in-fighting among religious or political Middle Eastern factions.

All that this combined madness accomplishes is a never-ending cycle of death and destruction. Yesterday French fighter planes dropped 20 bombs on an ISIS stronghold and training camp in Syria. May that be an end to it!

I do hope cool heads will prevail in coming weeks.

The Week That Was

The Week That Was was a very wet week here in Oklahoma. On Thursday evening while watching a Democratic Debate on TV the programme was interrupted twice by local emergency services warning inhabitants of our town over and over again to "stay home, stay safe" due to many flash floods in the area. Kathryn Cassidy's blog entry on 27 June "Cosmic Clocks and more" was an interesting view of possible astrological reasons for current unusual weather, both here and in the UK.

I'm told by HeWhoKnows that the continual rainy weather we're experiencing is very unusual for this area of the USA. Heavy rain has fallen on Oklhoma City on 15 consecutive days, breaking a 70 year record. It's certainly much different, so far, from the other two summers I've spent in Oklahoma. Last year we experienced the other extreme - weeks of drought, grassfires, extra-high temperatures. Whether astrological effects, climate change, or in Oklahoma's case, the delayed effects of Native Americans' rain dances last year are to blame, I doubt we'll ever be certain.

In the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at last made his exit, stage left. Gordon Brown stepped into the limelight, and was immediately presented with an emergency in the shape of a potential terrorist atrocity, the London car bombs. Thankfully the threat was discoverered in time (or the bombs had failed to explode, I'm not clear about this.)

Threats of one kind or another are always with us these days - from the climate or from those who wish us harm. Vigilance has to be our watchword, and gratefulness for those whose job it is to keep us informed, and to deal with these threats as they arise. Saturn's move into service oriented and caring Virgo, in a couple more months, could be helpful to these folk, who must be forever on guard.

(Photograph: Flood rescue in Oklahoma City. Associated Press, Sue Ogrocki)