NEW MIDEAST FLAREUP – AT 9:03 A.M. ET:  And a new one seems to crop up almost every day, a direct result of the signal being sent from Washington that America is now a weak, vacillating nation with no real foreign policy to speak of.  The Israel/Gaza border has flared up as a result of incessant rocket attacks from Hamas terrorists (known as "militants" in the politically correct press).  They wouldn't be doing this if they felt there was a price to be paid.  But the price, some mild statements from Washington, is very small indeed.  From the Jerusalem Post: 

IDF chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz requested the call-up of 40,000 reserves in order to replace conscripted forces in the West Bank, and enable their deployment to the Gaza border.
The Prime Minister's Office would not confirm reports that the security cabinet approved the request which was made hours after Operation Protective Edge was launched in an effort to quell rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

The IDF had previously called up 1,500 reserves on Monday.

Operation Defensive Shield, which has seen the IAF strike some 100 terror targets in the Gaza Strip, came after more than 250 rockets were fired into southern Israel in recent weeks.

The rocket fire continued on Tuesday, with at least 30 rockets fired into Israel, including some which targeted Beersheba and Ashdod.

Following high level security deliberations Tuesday morning Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu decided to expand the military operation in Gaza, including beginning preparations for a ground operation.

No time limit was put on the operation but senior diplomatic officials said it could be "for a long time."

COMMENT:  At the same time, Field Marshal Obama gave an interview to Israel's most left-wing newspaper, which largely features Israel-hating Israeli writers, in which he called, as usual, for "restraint."  That's a code word for pressure on any American ally that happens to be defending itself at the moment. 

Japan recently upgraded its defense plans dramatically, understanding that it could no longer depend entirely on the United States.  I'm sure Israel is getting the message, as are those in Iraq and Afghanistan who tried to help us, and are being abandoned.

The Mideast/west Asia region is the most explosive it's been in decades.  Congratulations Barack!  It's not all your fault, but finding anything you did positively is almost impossible.  In the immortal notion of Dwight Eisenhower, if you give me a week, I might be able to think of something.

July 8, 2014