1956, the great military hero Moshe Dayan, speaking at the funeral of a yoing kibbutz commander said this...."For eight years now,they have sat in the refugee camps of Gaza and have watched how, before their eyes, we have turned their lands and villages, where they and their forefathers previously dwelled, into our home" and predicted that the enmity will last for generations.
     Sixty years , four wars and many incursions later, the enmity endures. Death and destruction have been the constant companion to misery and deprivation and as each year and generation go by the  gulf becomes deeper and the despair and degradtion grow more keen. From tine to time the Israelis go "grass cutting", launching military assaults and the Palestinians launch rockets in return ( in the latest in mid-0November, over 100 Palestinians and five Israelis were killed ). Death and destruction. No escaping the cycle. The Israelis finally left Gaza in Sept.2005, drained and frustrated and in 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, better known as Hamas won the election, drove out the Fatah party  and has ruled there. Fatah/ PLO  remain in power on the West Bank.
      Many attempts at peace, have been made but none have been succesful. The closest was , when Yitzak Rabin was Prime Minister but he was assissinated by a religious Jew, because he dared to give up the "biblical" land of Judea and Samaria. The present Prime Minister Netanyahu,  has been influenced too much by his Zionist father, and is not eager for peace, if it means alienating the settlers/colonists and the religious zealots (he needs their votes to stay in power). Hamas does not accept the Israeli state, while Fatah does, but you need all three to make peace. 
     As the years and the generations have gone by, peace has become more intractable. Israel expands settlements and peace talks stop. Hmas launches rockets from Gaza and peace talks stop. Israel seizes more Palestinian lands on the West Bank and the PLO walks away. 
     Nov,29, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted by an overwhelming majority of  9 with 41 abstentions to recognize the Palestinians as a non- member observer state, the same as the Vatican. This was  diplomatic setback for the USA, Canada and Israel as they could muster a few "minnows" Palau, Panama, Czech Republic, Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Nauru (beholden to them) to vote against, while France, Sweden, New Zealand, Belgium and Spain led the "yes" side. 
     America fumed; Canada fulminated and Israel railed and threatened, especially after Mahmoud Abbas told the General Assembly that "it was being asked today to issue the birth certificate of Palestine". Netanyahu was beside himself, calling the Abbas speech "defamatory and venomous", saying that it was "full of  of mendacious propaganda", even accusing the UN of violating past agreements between the Israelis and the Palestinians .
     The Palestinians have finally gotten a victory and as they proudly unfurled their flag on the floor of the General Assembly, you could imagine Arafat and the thousands who have fought and died for their cause, gently applaud, smiling . 

     Pres. Obama's visit to Myanmar/Burma and Cambodia has made it clear that America is focused on the East. This is where the action, political, economic, military will be and Obama has recognised this. This visit will be even more important than Richard Nixon's visit to China (It most be noted that Pierre Trudeau of Canada had gone to China before Nixon but Canada was more the John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus).
     By viviting Myanmar, Obama has sent a message that democratic changes with respect for human rights will be rewarded by the USA, and by visiting Cambodia, he has formally welcomed thsi country  into the fold with the same message of rewards for democracy. 
     This is China's backyard and the USA is announcing that they will trade and otherwise interact with these countries . China has recently had a change of leadership and it was very important for the USA to send these messages, and send them early.
     China has recently been engaged in land disputes with Japan and also with Taiwan, Vietnam and the  Philippines and the USA has to  show that itis aware and is engaged. This has to be clearly stated and  Obama has done so with his visit. Myanmar has had a close  relationship with China but has been moving away partly because of the Chinese exploitation of its resources. Now with the relaxation of dictatorial rule, the freeing from house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi and the recent election, it has brought an easing of embargo and an opening for trade with America and the West  
     Obama's trip is also a sign that the USA has moved intellectually, economically, militarily and diplomatically from the West/Europe with its weakened economy/ state structure/ aging population and thus clout, to the East with its growing economy, literate population and thus clout. It is China, India, Indonesia, Australia and yes Japan and still Taiwan, Korea, the Phillipines, Malayasia and Singapore. This is where the action will be for the  next years, growing by leaps and bounds . Not only trade for resources but also intellect, even as Europe was 60 years ago. 
     Europe could not rebound from the loss its colonies, whose resources (they were so reliant on) kept it going. These countries (France, Britain, Italy, Spain etc) would not adapt and change to meet the changing times and demography, and they  lacked the  leadership who were more  prone to look inwards than outwards and failed to utilise the intellectual resources of those who were different but who were part of them but not fully so.  The USA on the  other hand has shown time again that with visionary leaders it can re-invent itself and remain relevant and strong. As President Obama  (to make a point about accepting changes) pointed to his skin colour, (in Myanmar) to show what could be accomplished with tolerance, acceptance and inclusion.
     There is one pitfall the USA has to avoid. Understand the culture, the values, the beliefs, the idiosyncrasies of those with whom you will deal. Bowing and putting hands together and not handshakes or kissing cheeks. It is  so much more polite and decorous and less clammy/sweaty and  oh, don't forget to take off your shoes when entering Holy places. Leave the detritus and your "ugly" attitude behind or you will screw it up. Namaste. Salaam, Ni Hao, Arrigato y'all.    

     President Obama was re-elected with a commanding majority, 332 to 206, winning the key "swing states' of Ohio, Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvannia and even Florida. Mitt Romney after a week in "purdah" emerged a bitter loser, telling his largest donors that his loss was because of the  'gifts" that Obama gave the voters...contraception to young college women ; immigration to Hispanics; health care to African-Americans and Hispanics, auto workers, women on the whole, (Ryan added urban voters) etc. He will never learn. I guess that after all the make-overs, he is confused.
    The President got no honeymoon. After profusely thanking his team and workers, he was immediately called upon to deal with the resignation of Gen. Petraeus over an affair with his biographer; Isreal's attack on Hamas and of course the so-called "fiscal cliff".
     He reluctantly accepted Petraeus' resignation after lauding him for his service to the nation and made it clear that the voters gave him a mandate to deal with the economy, immigration and Iran etc. He made it clear that he will go ahead with tax increase for the rich and relief for the others and that he is willing to meet with the Republican leadership. He also ststed that he will tackle immigration reform and continue his policy of economic and diplomatic embargo on Iran.
     Israel poses another dilemna. Netanyahu was banking on a Romney victory and when that did not happen, he, Netanyahu realised that he will not get US backing for an attack on Iran. He went after an alternative, Hamas. He blamed Hamas for firing rockets on Isreal (even as Hamas claimed that they did so, only after attacks from Israel), and launched a fierce air and sea bombardment, together with assassination of Hamas leaders. The outcome was that dozens of women and children were also killed and wounded 
( collateral damage, as they say, as if that is acceptable).
     Netanyahu has an election in two months and need the "security vote". So he has started an  unnecessary war ( this man who rejoiced at the assassination of peacemaker, Rabin). He has never benn interested in peace with the Palestinians, as long as the settlers and religious right refuse to give up claim to the West Bank. He has allowed to continuation of new settlement building, anything to placate these "voters". He is all about personal power and struts around like a popinjay, but his days of lecturing  President Obama is over.   
   This war has serious consequences. It will turn this volatile region into a cauldron and will draw in Turkey (problems with the Kurds and refugees and spill over from Syria); Lebanon where Hizballah is eager to yake on Israel again; Jordan where tensions are high; Iraq, where sectarianism is on the rise; Bahrain where there is an uprising and of course Egypt( which was trying with some success to restart the peace talks) and Libya where instability reign.. In trying to win the next election and the  award as the "defender" of Israel, Netanyahu has lit the flare  which may ignite the conflagration.
     President Obama has to use all his considrerable skill and the influence of the US to stop this from happening. 
     It will take the Lincoln in him to do so.

      The end and Barack Obama is re-elected. After all the lies, distortions, misspeak, personal attacks, questioning of faith and patriotism and citizenship, the flip-flops and the ranting, raving and raging and the spending of more than $6 billion ..... a clear winner and a hesitant loser. It took Romney a while to concede, hoping that the final count in Ohio and Florida would be in his favor, but that was not to be. He campaigned up to the last hours, working and hoping to stave off the inevitable. He will be a bitter man, not only because he lost, but especially because he wanted to wipe out the memory of his late father's loss, 1968 (somewhat like Paul Martin jr. wanting to do the same in Canada (his father loss was also in 1968) and failing also, even though he eventually shafted Chretien and then led the Liberals to a minority government. from which they have still not recovered).
     Romney tried to be" everything to everyone", even confusing himself and his staff with his many make-overs. Too late, he pivoted to the center, trying to get rid of the baggage that came with courting the Tea Party, but then he chose Ryan, a leading Tea Partyer,who was supposed to win Wisconsin, his home state and failed, even as Romney failed to win his birth-state, Michigan and his present- home stste of Massaschuetts. Obama on the other hand won both Hawaii and Illinois.
     Both candidates campaigned very hard, criss-crossing the country and visiting "swing" states of Ohio, Florida, Colorado and others, time and again. Billiions was spent, flooding the airwaves and the billboards, but in the end there could be only one winner and that was Barack Obama. I had calculated that Obama would win 304 votes, a drop from the 365 he won in 2008 as I did not expect to win Indiana and N. Carolina. However Ohio and Michigan was in the bag because of the auto-bailout and Florida was reachable because of Obama's health reform. African-Americans were being recruited and registered , by church leaders and community activists and Hispanics were grateful for Obama's move to grant easy passage to citizenship to young Hispanics (who were ileigal through no fault of their own). Young voters who were so crucial to Obama in 2008 were the key and Obama won them over with his plans for student loans,( both access and costs), plus his position on abortion, gay rights, the military and the wars, issues which gave Obama a big lead amongst women also, especially after Tea Partyers Akin and Murdouck, had their say about rape ( they both lost their races also helping the Democrats retain their majority in the Senate).. The Jewish vote will hold. Men, older voters, Evangelicals and the majority of whites will support Romney, as will the South.
     As the campaign progressed, especially after the debacle of the first debate, it became evident that the new coalition that the Obama team was building, was holding eg. Hispanics in Nevada, New Mexico and even Colorado. Young women were a lock and older women started to come around after Romney and Ryan 's position on a woman's control over her body and the Tea Partyers statemnets about "rape" and 'God". Auto workers and other blue collars in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and the  energized African Americans. It used to be that Democrats' formula for victory, at least until Reagan was E,C, BC, GG...ethnic, catholic, blue collar and gender gap. They reformulated under Clinton who moved the party right and got Wall Street support, balanced the budget and had a surplus. Obama moved the party back to left of center with his position on ending the wars, taxing the rich, reforming immigration, medicare and  education and pursuing a green energy program. For four years he fought with the "do nothing" House of Representatives and the Tea Partyers and Mitch Mc Connell, Republican minority leader in the senate, who made clear from day one that he was going to deny Obama any victory and a second term. Well they failed.
     A new battle is shaping up. The Democrats control the White House and the Senate, but the Republicans control the House and late last night House leader Boehner on Twitter made it clear that he was going to be an obstacle. To him bi-partisanship mean that the President must move to the Republican's position. That is bald-faced but such is the politics of the Republicans who continue to put politics and personality before the interests of the nation. They will pay a high price in two years time, if they continue to play the politcs of divide and frustrate. On the other hand the President is not going to run again, so he can be tougher than he was with medicare reform ane tax cuts. Legacy is his constraint.
     Enjoy the all too brief respit 

     A nightmarish scenario develop based on an arcane 225 years old law  if no candidate got the majority (270) Electoral College vote. At the Philedelphia Convention, July-September 1787 a compromise was reached to calm the fears of the small states that they would be overwhelmed by the large states, Virginia and Massachusetts) who would use their numbers to always elect the President and the Southern states felt the same about their Northern counter-part The compromise was that each state be given one vote and the President is selected by the House of Representatives, each state elegates casting its single vote and the House remain  sittinge until a candidate has a majority (hat would be 26 states today
  This is how it would work.The Electoral College meet on Dec. 17. The votes are cast, and it is generally accepted that each state will honour the voters will, i.e. cast the vote for the candidate that won the state e.g. if Obama wins the popular vote of California, he gets all of California's Electoral college vote (55). However only 26 states have laws  requiring the electors to vote for the person they were chosen to support. The other delegates can go rogue and vote for someone else and that would be a real conundrum ( the Associated Press has already found 5 potential rogues) But let's assume that the vote is cast in the way it should. If neither candidate has 270 votes, the 12th amendment requires the House of Representatives to convene to elect the President. He must receive at least 26 votes ( as mentioned above, each state has one vote)
     The Senate then chooses a vice-president. So you have a Republican Romney as President and a Democrat Biden as vice-president. Go figure and let the dance macabre begin.