A regional Middle East conflict could draw in Russia — and present China with an opportunity to strike out for its own interests.
By Frank Giustra, The Intercept
If you ask the average citizen of any country whether their leaders should start wars, almost all would give a resounding “No.” The public, overall, opposes war, but tolerates leaders who prioritize power, legacy, and special interests over the wishes of their own people.
This is how we find ourselves recklessly stumbling toward a global conflict that could erupt out of the regional crises currently unfolding.

Let’s start with the Middle East. With its early Saturday morning attack, Israel is on the verge of dragging the U.S. into a regional war with Iran. The plans were drawn up weeks ago and, despite U.S. warnings, Israel went ahead with the bombing.
Though, for the moment, Iran seems to be exercising restraint, U.S. leadership seems to not be up for the challenge of averting this conflagration. The Biden administration has proven ineffective. Not only has it failed to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, the administration is also emboldening Israel by providing military assistance against retaliatory attacks from Iran.
For its part, Israel keeps pushing the envelope, ignoring U.S. pleas for restraint, confident that powerful Israel lobby groups will ensure American politicians will continue to supply them with money, weapons, and intelligence.
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