What Caught My Eye Today

Gaza - I don't want to suggest that things were particularly great in the Gaza Strip before this latest round of violence, but given the current situation, "dire" would actually be an improvement. Israel obliterated symbols of Hamas power on the third day of what the defense minister described as a "war to the bitter end." Hyperbole like this certainly isn't likely to improve matters. The three-day death toll rose to at least 315, with some 1,400 wounded. The U.N. said at least 51 of the dead were civilians, and medics said eight children under the age of 17 were killed in two separate strikes overnight. Israel launched its campaign, the deadliest against Palestinians in decades, on Saturday in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns. Israel's Cabinet approved a call-up of 6,500 reserve soldiers Sunday in apparent preparation for a ground offensive. Again, actions like this are unlikely to be viewed as overtures of diplomacy. The assault has sparked diplomatic fallout. Syria decided to suspend indirect peace talks with Israel, and the U.N. Security Council called on both sides to halt the fighting and asked Israel to allow humanitarian supplies into Gaza. The carnage inflamed Arab and Muslim public opinion, setting off street protests in Arab communities in Israel and the West Bank, across the Arab world, and in some European cities. If you are wondering where the U.S. stands on this issue, I draw your attention to the fact that there is nary a mention of the U.S. in this story. Frankly, this doesn't come as much of a surprise to me. Seriously, it's not as if America's actions around the world over the past 8 years provide us with much of a moral high ground to criticize the excessive tactics of Israelis.

Somali - The president of Somalia's U.N.-backed government, Abdullahi Yusuf, resigned amid deepening international pressure, a move that could usher in more chaos as a strengthening Islamic insurgency scrambles for power. Yeah, there's another feather in the U.N.'s cap. Yusuf is the latest leader to have failed to pacify Somalia during two decades of turmoil. The Horn of African country has been beset by anarchy, violence and an insurgency that has killed thousands of civilians and sent hundreds of thousands fleeing for their lives. There have been more than a dozen attempts to form an effective government since 1991. Meanwhile, all public institutions have crumbled and the once-beautiful seaside capital is now a gun-blasted shantytown. Oh sure, if you wan tot focus on the negative, I suppose those are all valid statement. I, for one, prefer to focus on the positive. For example, no one bothers to mention the burgeoning piracy industry off the Somali coast. How about some props for those swashbuckling lads? But enough about that. let's get back to this Yusuf bloke. Remember this dude was initially backed by the United Nations. Yusuf, a former Somali army colonel in the 1960s has been accused of being an obstacle to peace. Earlier this month, he tried to fire his prime minister, but was rebuffed by parliament. The U.N. envoy to Somalia, who has been trying to salvage an ineffective peace deal in the country, lauded Yusuf's resignation and said "a new page of Somalia history is now open." I have no doubt that his resignation is in the best interest of the Somali people, but I find it fascinating how the U.N. has no problem throwing its proverbial "guy" under the bus. Maybe if they examined his credentials with a bit more scrutiny, they may have been able to foresee this train wreck before it happened.

Pakistan - Here's a welcome shift in political rhetoric. Pakistan's army chief stressed the need to avoid conflict with India, days after he ordered troops toward the rivals' shared border amid tensions following last month's terror attacks on Mumbai. Of course, one questions how dude reconciles those statement with a massive troop build up on the border with India. General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani made the remarks to a top Chinese diplomat who was visiting Islamabad to try and ease the situation between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India. Kayani's remarks were believed to be his first about the tensions with Pakistan's traditional rival and could help reassure a jittery region that the country does not intend to escalate the crisis further. India blames Pakistani militants for the slaughter of 164 people in its commercial capital and has not ruled out the use of force in its response. Pakistan's civilian leaders have said they do not want war, but will retaliate if attacked. Depending on your perspective, especially if you are Pakistani, this troop build up could be viewed purely as an act of prudence to protect its borders rather than as provocation against India. I'm pretty sure no one--India included--wants to see that happen. But there's another angle to this story that caught my attention. Did you notice that the peace broker in this conflict is China and not the United States? Obviously, we cannot be everywhere at once, but I think it a sign of the changing political landscape, particularly in Asia, that China is emerging as the major player in the region. And by the looks of things, China seems more than ready to assume that role.

Economy - Better break out the tissues for this last item. It's a real tear jerker. Mory's, a legendary Yale eating and drinking club that traces its roots to the Civil War, has a powerful membership that includes two presidents named Bush. Foreign leaders and movie stars such as Al Pacino, Paul Newman, Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks and Jodie Foster have patronized the club. But Mory's has fallen on tough economic times and has temporarily closed and laid off its employees. The club may not reopen after the winter break. The club had an endowment of about $2 million a few years ago that was "crushed" in the financial meltdown. Mory's was already struggling as Yale students and faculty increasingly turned to the trendy restaurants and bars that have opened in recent years in New Haven. Secret Service agents were regulars outside the club, which has drawn royalty from Jordan to Belgium. With more than 14,000 members, Mory's calls itself the largest private club in the world. A lifetime membership costs $2,000; until the 1970s it was just $15. Mory's is planning to get a new chef and update its menu. It is trying to raise $200,000 to $300,000 and develop a business plan to return to profitability. The club has also reached out to its lifetime members and asked them to voluntarily start paying annual dues. Given its clientele, I'm thinking that sum should be relatively easy to achieve. If not, Mory's could always apply for some of that TARP bail out money. If you ask me, the money would be just as well spent on resurrecting a bit of history as it would basically giving "get out of jail free cards' to those financial sectors jerks who screwed hundreds of thousands of people with unscrupulous business practices. But that's just my opinion.