The Ides of June

In case anyone hasn't noticed the Hamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya) vs. Fatah (Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini) civil war in the Palestinian territories, Hamas just seized power in the Gaza Strip, leaving Fatah to attempt consolidating what's left of their power in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Lebanon is anything but stable, with Hezbollah still very much in position after fighting Israel to a standstill last year; while today in the Nahr Al Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon, the Al Qaeda-aligned Fatah Al Islam crew continues to entangle Lebanese Army troops in ferocious combat. Palestinian fighters of the more radical variety must feel all proud now, proving that when sufficiently armed and trained, they can fight as well as anyone else.

What does it all mean? These latest developments in the Middle East are more symptoms of festering, unresolved struggles over land, resources, and raw power. But you know, the invasion of Iraq solved everything, yes? Let's not forget Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Turkey, the Kurds, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Somalia, and the rest of the blood-soaked daisy chain. Clearly, it's going to be a long summer.

Today's Rune: Harvest.

Birthdays: Edvard Grieg, Ramón López Velarde, Erik Erikson, Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov, Lash La Rue, Alberto Sordi, Mario Cuomo, Waylon Jennings, Harry Nilsson, Xaviera Hollander (b. Vera de Vries), Nicola Pagett, Michèle Laroque, Helen Hunt, Idalis DeLeon, Pia Miranda, Elizabeth Reaser, Nina Liu, Cara Zavaleta.