Bigworld, The Middle East mayhem is the biggest problem right now. The US media is trying to play up the increase in US unemployment as the cause for this sudden global stock market meltdown, while ignoring the Middle East lunacy. But objectively, it looks like Netanyahu has decided to 'go for it', and try to force the 'US bombs Iran' scenario.
Several factors at work -- Iran is reportedly very close to getting a nuclear weapon, or may already have one, so Netanyahu is desperate and in a race against time. He tried to gin up the 'US bombs Iran' scenario back in April, but Biden refused, forcing Netanyahu to pin his hopes on 2025 and a Rep administration full of Neocons. However, recent events have changed his analysis --> the Trump assassination attempt, and Biden dropping out of the race. Odds have increased that Trump might be gone, therefore no Rep administration is coming. With Biden, Netanyahu & Co at least has some blackmailing leverage (the VP payola), but with his replacement Harris, he won't have that leverage. So out of desperation Netanyahu decides to 'go for it' now.
The big questions are - 1) will Iran take the bait and retaliate big against Israel / US interests, and then - 2) will Biden finally go along with the 'US bombs Iran' scheme? Netanyahu has provided the provocations, so now the ball is in Iran's court, and we should see their response sometime this weekend.
Wildcards include the fact that Iran has only limited control over what its so-called 'proxies' do (Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, etc). We already know that Hamas has received funding from Israel for many years (see the NY Times article), with many of its top leadership bought off by bribes funneled through Qatar. The Houthis have long been suspected of being a quasi US/West vehicle used to foment regional trouble against the Saudis, blamed on Iran, and thus driving a perpetual wedge between the Saudis and Iran. We also know ISIS has been supported by the US/West, as was the Muslim Brotherhood by the British in earlier periods. So just because Iran wants to avoid the 'US bombs Iran' scenario, it doesn't mean their 'proxies' won't do something massive to force the US into a major war with Iran. What would it take? A US naval ship getting hit in the region would do it.
But who knows. Hopefully Biden refuses to take the bait, as do the Iranians, and things can cool down again, as happened in April. Then Israel calls for elections to replace Netanyahu, and Benny Gantz is elected and some sanity returns. In the US, Trump is elected and ends the madness in Ukraine. WW 3 is averted, and the world can return to some semblance of normal. This could just be wishful thinking though.
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AI
