And you thought I was crazy...Patreus hints at support for military actions among our Gulf Allies

Some of you may have read my post, Battle Cries in Saudi Arabia, and thought I was making some extreme postulations about the increasing indications of growing war footing in the Sunni Gulf States. I can't help but feel a bit vindicated by the March 7th Fareed Zakaria interview with CENTCOM Commander Gen. David Patreus. At about the 6 minute mark, Zakaria starts questioning Patreus about a transition to Containment in the Gulf...and General Patreus makes some very surprising and revealing comments about the positions of our Gulf Allies with regard to military solutions to the Iran problem.

Gates in the Gulf...Leaving Patriot's in lieu of failed sanctions

While V.P Biden's ME traveling circus in Israel and the West Bank have been stealing the headlines, Defense Secretary Gates has been on a public follow up tour of Sunni Gulf States to attempt to placate our allies after they quietly accepted US anti ballistic Patriot Missile batteries (and their accompanying US troops).

While the tour is ostensibly in concert with US efforts to secure a harsher round of sanctions on Iran, there are increasing signs that our Arab allies, who have a close view of Iran from across the gulf, are doubting the efficacy of diplomacy and preparing for military eventualities. This week's report that large muti-nationals including Shell will stop exporting refined gasoline to Iran (despite being a net exporter of oil, Iran's refining capabilities are so antiquated that they are forced to import and heavily subsidize gasoline) was lauded as a promising step for sanctions, however, the realities are far different.

Excuse us Mr. Biden as we throw some mud in your face.

This week has seen a series of ups, downs, left, rights and general confusion in the never ending saga that is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The week started on a high note as Palestinian negotiators accepted an Arab League endorsement for the resumption of indirect negotiations. After a long period of ceremonious standing and posturing between Bibi's coalition and the faltering Abbas government in the West Bank, there was finally a glimmer, however faint, of hope that the two sides could capitalize on a unilateral partial settlement building freeze to pursue peace.