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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 20-Nov-2013
20-Nov-13 World View -- Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict

Web Log - November, 2013

20-Nov-13 World View -- Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict

Japan's anti-China diplomacy given boost by Typhoon Haiyan

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict
Japan's anti-China diplomacy given boost by Typhoon Haiyan

Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict

Bomb site outside of Iranian embassy in Lebanon on Tuesday (AFP)

Bomb site outside of Iranian embassy in Lebanon on Tuesday (AFP)

Twin suicide bombers attacked the Iranian embassy in a super-secure area of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, killing dozens. The first suicide bomber approached on a motorcycle, and did relatively little damage. As crowds rushed to the scene, a second suicide bomber arrived in a large Sports Utility vehicle, packed with explosive. At least 25 people were killed, and hundreds were injured. One of those killed was an Iranian diplomat.

Iran's foreign ministry called it "an inhuman action," and reflexively said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran takes the Zionists and their mercenaries responsible for this action." But as the Iranians and everyone else know, it's much more likely that the perpetrators are Sunni jihadists who are targeting Shia Iran and Hezbollah for their support of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad. In fact, in view of last week's desperate statement by Iran's foreign minister warning of the rise of Sunni jihadists, it's possible that the Iranians were aware that something like this was coming. (See "12-Nov-13 World View -- Iran's statement on Syria shows signs of desperation")

The al-Qaeda linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades have taken credit for the bombing, which appears to be a major new step in the escalation of the sectarian Sunni versus Shia conflict in the Mideast. The trigger that started this growing sectarian conflict is the actions by Syria's Shia/Alawite pathological genocidal monster, Bashar al-Assad, using everything from mortars to chemical weapons to kill innocent Sunni civilians in Syria. But the conflict has been made much worse by the catastrophic actions of Russia and Iran in supplying weapons and fighters to support al-Assad in his mass slaughter. This has drawn Sunni jihadists, sometimes funded by Saudi Arabia, from countries near and far to come to Syria to fight against al-Assad. The war may have been largely restricted to Syria up till now, but Tuesday's bombing is a major step forward, on the road to a major war engulfing the entire Mideast.

At any rate, Tuesday's bombing is blowback from Iran's own actions, and is well-deserved retribution. So what's Iran going to do now? If they strike back against the Saudis, they'll escalate the war; if they don't, they'll show weakness, and invite more bombings. We'll have to see how Iran resolves this conundrum. Daily Star (Beirut) and Fars News (Tehran) and CS Monitor

Japan's anti-China diplomacy given boost by Typhoon Haiyan

Since taking office less than a year ago, Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe has visited all ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a first for a Japanese leader. Although Cambodia and Laos have traditionally been close to China, Abe expects the other eight countries to join Japan in a united front against China in the numerous territorial disputes in the region. In particular, China is claiming territory in the South China Sea that has historically belonged to Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, while Japan itself is facing daily military confrontations with China around the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

Japan's case has been boosted by China's niggardly aid response to the Typhoon Haiyan. (See "19-Nov-13 World View -- Philippine typhoon disaster draws clear lines between US and China".) According to one Japanese analyst:

"Some ASEAN member countries are very much vulnerable to China’s economic and political influence. [By boosting military cooperation,] we are giving assurance we will stand by those ASEAN member countries. As China’s neighboring countries develop their own capability, China needs to think twice before taking assertive actions."

On the other hand, China's government-run news agency hits back:

"But Abe has not yet held formal talks with leaders from China and South Korea, with whom ties have been stalled by the hawkish Japanese leader's hard-line policy on territorial disputes and his unapologetic attitude toward Japan's 20th-century wartime atrocities in the two countries."

Bloomberg and China Daily

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 20-Nov-13 World View -- Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (20-Nov-2013) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 20-Nov-2013 20-Nov-13 World View -- Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict

Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict

Japan's anti-China diplomacy given boost by Typhoon Haiyan

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 20-Nov-2013
20-Nov-13 World View -- Lebanon bombing sharply escalates sectarian Mideast conflict