An Iranian Lebanon - Kirschner cartoon (Dec4,2k6)

An Iranian Lebanon - Kirschner cartoon (Dec4,2k6), originally uploaded by Anaximaximumphotographics.

And as Churchill once famously said, the optimist is the one who thinks the crocodile will eat him last.
So Japan could invade Manchuria in 1931, Franco could take over Spain in 1936, Mussolini could attack Ethiopia, Hitler could occupy the Rhineland, then annex Austria, invade Czecho-Slovakia, all with total impunity, but the Western crocodile-lovers just waited.
Now Hizb-ALLAH ignore the UN resolution for the de-commissioning of ALL armed elements in Lebanon, attack Israel across the undisputed international frontier, support Syrian imperialism, and assassinate political opponents, while Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad respond to the total Israeli withdrawl from Gaza of Aug 2005, with continuing rocket attacks, and Iran develops both its nuclear and long-range missile capabilities, clearly proclaims its genocidal aims for Israel, but again the Western crocodile-lovers wait.
And wait. Learning nothing from history, and forgeting everything.

Leb Army uniforms for Hizbullah "NxtStps" YaakovKirschner cartoon

Leb Army uniforms for Hizbullah "NxtStps" YaakovKirschner cartoon, originally uploaded by Anaximaximumphotographics.

And it is actually Hizb-ALLAH

Cartoons & cartoonists + comix panels

Cartoons & cartoonists + comix panels, originally uploaded by Anaximaximumphotographics.

This reminds me of Brecht's famous jibe that in 1953, when the people in the East German Soviet Occupation Zone protested against the Communist Party tyranny, and workers demonstrated in East Berlin, in spite of 19 Divisons of the Red Army and their tanks, the Party Politburo lost confidence in the people !!

Dry Bones - the New Heroism

DryBones - the New Heroism, originally uploaded by Anaximaximumphotographics.

Thre is also freedom of expression in Iran, but not freedom after expression.

Party standings - Israel vote

Party standings - Israel vote, originally uploaded by Anaximaximumphotographics.

The Israeli electoral system, unique in the world, allocates seats according to votes cast nationally, if parties exceed a modest threshold level.
Its major problems are that [a] elected representatives are answerable not to local voters, but to central party machines, and [b] that massive policy and spending influence can be exercised by marginal forces, on whom multi-party coalitions depend. A directly-elected presidential chief executive would circumvent that latter serious structural problem, while the former issue could be tackled by regional multi-member constituencies, possibly along with US-style primaries.
The great bulk of the 20% Arab voters clearly vote for mixed parties, not only for Labor but also for Kadima, and not for the Arab parties, which shows how absurd is the apartjeid libel hurled at Israel by enemies.

Northern Ireland Vote Results - Oct 2005

North Ireland Vote Results - Oct 2005, originally uploaded by Anaximaximumphotographics.

The 18 UK seats elected from Northern Ireland in 2005 would be DUP 6, not 9, if the UK electoral system alloted seats in proportion to party voting support., as happens in the Republic of Ireland to the south, or in Israel. The major loser from this unfair system was the UUP of former First Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner, David Trimble, which deserved 3 seats, not 1.

Hamas also gained a major boost in seats over their actual popular vote in 2006, whereas a proportionate system would have delivered a Fatah-led secular majority in the Palestine Authority.

Vulnerable ??

Vulnerable, originally uploaded by Vashtia.