Turning the clock back 20 years

Ah, where to begin. India? North Korea? Iran? Iraq? No, obviously, Lebanon.

I've been forced to endure CNN as a primary source of news for several days now, and I must say that I've come this close to throwing the TV out the window. The bias, whether it be because of ideology, culture, or logistics, is unbelievably transparent.

The Israeli narrative is taken as normative, obvious: the Jewish state is the victim here. Anything that contradicts this point of view is treated with deep suspicion, if not outright hostility. IDF spokespersons, ambassadors to and from Israel (current and former), and pro-Israel pundits reign supreme when delivering "context." Correspondents report with empathetic dispatches from Haifa and Jerusalem. This is natural, we're informed, since the networks don't have as much of a presence in Lebanon. The odd Beirut hand files dispatches, but usually without anything approaching the visceral feel of "terror" we get from the other side of the border.

Israel "retaliates." Everyone else "attacks." Syria and Iran supply the arms, we're ominously told. To even think about who supplies Israel is out of the question, apparently.

"Hezbollah is a terrorist group." "Israel has a right to defend itself." Therefore, Lebanese civilians are blown to bits and forced to flee their homes amid ongoing attacks against "terrorist" infrastructure. This is "regrettable," the laments go, but necessary. When rockets are fired towards Haifa, only then are sobering words about "escalation" heard.

What's that? The kill score is currently 235 to 25? Unfortunate. But Israel must do what it must.

Gaza? Huh? That's not relevant here. Didn't you know that history began on July 12 (or, alternatively, on June 25)? Nothing happened previously that's of any import. This was started by the kidnappings. Yes, don't forget the kidnappings. They were "unprovoked."

Meanwhile, prominent liberals alternatively run away from giving an opinion about what's going on, bravely assert their alliance with the "Jewish state," or heap scorn on Bush's failure to intervene. "Do something!," they cry, apparently not noticing Bolton shooting down yet another UN Resolution or the obvious cheering on the sidelines.

On the other end of the spectrum, neocons fantasize about World World III or IV or whatever Ledeen & Co. are calling it nowadays, no doubt with ideas about a "clean break" dancing in their heads.

And so it goes. I get the feeling we're not going to be turning around anytime soon. Indeed, if past patterns are any indication, the juggernaut of war and destruction will probably roll on, opportunistically, to Damascus and/or Tehran. The future remains as cloudy as ever, but I fear we won't be putting this genie back into the bottle.