Great Big Wars in Little Places...

The middle east is at war again.

A region ravaged by thousands of years of fighting over land and religion is now in the middle of another cross-border conflict.

Israel fights hostilities started by Palestinian and Lebanese militants when Isareli soldiers were captured. Militants were negotiating prisoner swap. But Israel being tired of getting bullied, maybe, decided to attack instead. Trigerring open war.

These militants were formed as a reaction to European Jews occupying Arab land to establish their own state. Therefore, this war has been going on for many decades now.

But it's not a war of the Jewish and Arab people nowadays. Just the bickering of politicians from both sides who refuse to sit down and map out lasting solutions.

Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt & Jordan are sitting lame ducks. The US refuse to barter with both sides for ceasefire. How could they when they are fast-tracking shipment of bombs to Israel, which are being used to pound Lebanon into shreds.

Syria and Iran decided not to do anything, like use their influence on Hezbollah so it will release the captured soldiers that may put a stop to the conflict. No they won't do anything until US and the world community directly talk to them and not just treat them as some irritants on the quest for peace and democracy.

Oh, and while they scramble to find a quick solution to this crisis, Iraq's insurgents continue to rise and push the nation into civil war.

Meanwhile innocent civilians die by the minute from all sides of the conflict. Many of them children. Simply because their leaders foolishly refuse to make a compromise.

Kofi Annan recently said in a Larry King interview:

"There are moments of frustrations and sadness. But much more desperation...on how we turn against each other. On how we create weapons that kill human lives..."

The UN Secretary-General is the most rational player in the Middle East and other world issues. Too bad no one is listening to him.