Saddam, my enemy's enemy .... Sharon rejoices in his downfall

From a certain perspective, it could be said that the illegal invasion of Iraq and Saddam's removal was undertaken simply for Sharon in the "fog of war", to finally resolve his Palestine problem.

Saddam’s fall, soon to bear scrutiny in a victors court, has ushered in Likud's and Sharon’s dreams of an Israel with fixed borders surrounding a rapidly diminishing group of Palestinian Bantustans which will, over time, simply disappear.

An ancient Arab proverb states, "my enemy's enemy is my friend".

On Monday the Israeli cabinet said it will suspend contacts with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), one day after three Israeli settlers were killed and four others wounded by Palestinian militants in the the Gush Etzion Jewish West Bank settlement. In another shooting at Eli one Israeli was wounded.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed offshoot of the Palestinian mainstream Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the two shooting attacks.

Sharon is due to meet Mahmoud Abbas in early November – it is difficult to believe that the Israelis have the slightest intention to resurrect talks.

Bush is mired and distracted with problems in his divided administration, and worried by the upcoming 2006 mid-term Congressional elections.The European Quartet who are supposed to oversee the road Map maintain a happy and antiseptic distance.

Contemptuous of worldwide opinion, Sharon can do anything he wants….. and he will.
Ready to be shot like fish in a barrel , he has loosened border control with Egypt at Rafala to allow the despairing refugees out, to clog Egypt and Jordan and foment more internal problems for them.

Meanwhile ,quietly, as reported in the Guradian today they are busy building in the West Bank, expropriating since the Gaza pull out more land in the West Bank than they have given away in Gaza – except it has no “cockroaches” on it.

Last month, Sharon told a meeting of his Likud party allies that it was important to expand the settlements without drawing the world's attention. "There's no need to talk. We need to build, and we're building without talking," he said.

Israel of course have never been part of the Coalition of the Willing, they have never fired a shot, sent a soldier, launched a missile.... are they the only people who have benefited ?.. at no cost in treasure or blood?