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# The witness
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-witness-20060719/
- Published: 2006-07-19T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:22:49.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*War and gas prices continue to rise, as do global tensions*

*By STAND BY CLIFF NICHOLS*

I was sitting at dinner recently when I heard a friend say, “Have you seen what’s been going on in the Middle East? It seems like it might be a good time to top off the tank in the car before gas prices go up.” On one level, I admit, it probably could be said that this is good practical advice for those of us residing on this side of he world. On another level, however, those statements seemed to reflect an amazing detachment from the horrors of war that I find stunning.

By way of background, let’s review some recent events. If you will recall, the Hamas was democratically elected to rule the Palestinians some months ago. Sadly, however, they appear to have decided recently that it would be a good idea to kidnap an Israeli soldier as a symbolic gesture to protest Israel’s existence. So, they do it, and Israel retaliates by raiding Gaza. In doing that, however, many are killed and eventually it results in hundreds of rockets and mortars falling on Israeli citizens from the Hezbollah in Lebanon, who apparently have decided it would be a good time to join the Hamas again in their anti-Jewish state movement. Israel then responds by bombing the Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Lebanese political leaders then respond by protesting that Syria, not Lebanon, is the headquarters of the Hezbollah’s operations, and the Israelis therefore are shooting at the wrong target. But then, in anticipation of an expansion of Israel’s actions to Syria, Iran — which is still tinkering with nuclear stuff — declares that an attack by Israel on Syria would be treated by them as the equivalent of an attack on the entire Arab world that, in turn, would be responded to harshly by Iran. But how harsh can it get before Israel would respond with the bomb that everyone knows they already possess, unless Iran means they would send their bomb first? Now Israel reports that a missile that attacked one of its Navy ships was supplied by Iran and simultaneously has issued to both Syria and Iran an ultimatum to release its kidnapped troops or else, causing one to ask yet again, “or else, what?”

Meanwhile, additional Palestinians are said to be streaming in from Egypt to join in the fray, the Vatican is condemning Israel for who knows what, various world leaders are joining with the Vatican’s position, but America seems to be giving Israel a pass. Maybe that’s because we have so many of our troops next door in Iraq. But, while most seem inclined to believe that may not be a good thing for our boys, as this conflict seems to be spinning out of control, is there not one thing of which we can be sure. It sure looks like our efforts to export “democracy” to this region of the world are finally taking root and working their magic to make the Arab world a happier place — not.

Additionally, the foregoing occurrences are important, among other reasons, because they are currently making other otherwise significant events around the world seem remote and less relevant to our lives here in America. Like have we forgotten that North Korea is still playing with missiles that are said to have a range sufficient to reach portions of the United States; that, in response, Japan is at least contemplating a preemptive strike against North Korea to ward off this threat to their country; and that China is sitting back saying “Don’t do it” to Japan, and “by the way, did we mention that we want Taiwan back” to the rest of the world? And where in all of this mix does this leave Russia, if one or more of these various tinder boxes should explode more than they already seem to be doing? Might it be said that in this global political climate it might not be a good thing that Putin now seems to be publicly dissing our very own Vice President Dick Cheney?

Right now, were one to exist, it probably would be a good thing to hit an international decompress button that would require all political leaders to go to their room for some time out, and reflect on where it is they are taking us. Some pundits have already speculated that we are at the advent of World War III or IV, depending on whether one counts the Cold War as one of them. In either case, however, it is not a good thing by any stretch of the imagination. It also is not a matter that should be considered lightly, even by us on the other side of the ocean.

As we all know in a remote sort of way, war by its very nature is the ultimate horror our world has to offer any society affected by it. But this time around, this concept is likely to be demonstrated at our very doorstep. And, so perhaps it’s time we as a people invite our leaders to either find the decompress button or make one so it can be pushed. Otherwise, can we not most likely anticipate that a global conflagration will not be limited to far off places on a map affecting people we will never know on this go around? More likely, the conflicts we are witnessing now will find their way to our homes. Needless to say, that will certainly render the price of gas irrelevant even to those of us who live in America. And that takes some doing that I’m pretty sure none of us will want to see done. (Cliff Nichols is an attorney practicing criminal defense in Santa Monica. He may be contacted at either (310) 917-1083, or www.cliffnicholslaw.com. You may join his blog at www.thedailystand.com.)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 19, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/071906.pdf?ref=smdp.com)