The Other Greek Crisis
Things you learn from reading wikipedia: an ancient grave in Cyprus revealed that cats were buried with their owners, and since the grave predated Egyptian civilization, it pushed back “the earliest known feline-human association significantly.” Noted. I went there to get a quick reminder about the Cyprus situation, since it’s about to get interesting. They’ve started drilling for gas, because they need the money, the jobs, and the energy. (Note to the White House: look into that. Crazy, but it just might work.) Turkey is unhappy, since it doesn’t recognize the Cypriot government, and the BBC says it might send its own drilling team, with armed naval escorts.
Oh joy. But the intrigue deepens: the BBC news report says Israel is involved in the drilling. Couldn’t find confirmation anywhere else. Israel’s gas fields are adjacent to the Cypriot fields, though, and this report says "the Greeks and the Israelis have begun to coordinate their fleets in the Eastern Mediterranean in response to Turkish grumbling."
The Turks, Reuters says, are threatening to declare a 200-mile territorial water boundary, which would “reach far into the waters deliminated by Cyprus and Israel.” We all know that Turks downgraded relations with Israel earlier this month, but I was surprised to learn that Israel and Greece “concluded a mutual defense pact on Sept. 4, 2011," right around the time the Turkey/Israel couple decided to have some time apart and see other nations. Came in handy, too, the article notes: “Ten days later, Prime Ministers George Papandreou and Binyamin Netanyahu agreed to activate the pact in the light of Turkish threats against Israel and to exploration activity in the Mediterranean basin."
Bonus fun: the drilling outfit is from Texas. So if the Turks shoot at it, the only friend they’ll have in this contretemps would be Darryl Hannah, no doubt happy another petroleum project had come to naught.
Obviously, this qualifies as a Claire-Flare: how's the incident playing over there?
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Aug '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
James, are you sure you didn't mean to send this as a Private Message to Pseudodionysus?
;-)
Edited on Sep 19, 2011 at 12:12pmRe: The Other Greek Crisis
James, somehow I just knew that your mentioning of cats being buried with their owners in Cyprus would segue into a polite mention of Encounter Books. So now the mention of cats has triggered a Pavlovian response. Imagine that! Switching to decaff.
Mar '11
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
I love this. The Turks and Greeks hate each other with such depth of passion, that it makes perfect sense for Israel to ally with Greece after how Turkey has behaved.
O'course, being a nation of conspiracists, Turkey will take this personally, and never, ever, ever forget it. It means Israel was demonic all the way along. Has Turkey *ever* forgiven a nation that allied with Greece against it?
Aug '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
Let's hope that Israel and Armenia sign a pact to get back the Ark. First, they need to get back the mountain. Turkey has taken alot from Armenia, and Israel, with their editorial rights over the Old Testament can easily restore this legacy.
Just be sure not to tell the UN. They're having a big party this week anyway.
Sep '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
My head's spinning and my ears are burning. Or is my mind reeling? I can't remember.
"I am a sick man...I am a wicked man. An unattractive man. I think my liver hurts." - Notes from Underground
I was just coming to terms with James's Lileksian riff (Lileksian is my new favorite neologism should I claim copyright?) and being given the boot from Claire's doorstep when I got side swiped by Dave Carter when he said Pavlovian. The English department phoned Dave: they want their metaphor back.
Sep '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
Mel Gibson is making a movie about the Jewish revolt against Hellenistic occupation and now Greece is teaming up with Israel. Coincidence? I think not.
Dec '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
One thing I think Claire may remind us of is that, despite all of Turkey's naval bluster of late, Erdogan also just fired the head of the Turkish navy.
May '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
"Far into" is an understatement: All of Cyprus is well within 200 miles of Turkey.
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
Pseudodionysius: ...
I was just coming to terms with James's Lileksian riff (Lileksian is my new favorite neologism should I claim copyright?) and being given the boot from Claire's doorstep when I got side swiped by Dave Carter when he said Pavlovian. The English department phoned Dave: they want their metaphor back. · Sep 19 at 1:21pm
They can have my Pavlovian, ...when they pry it from my cold dead hands.
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
I was surprised by your tone of surprise, because this is such a huge story here that I sort of figured the whole world was glued to it. OK, I'll write about this today, because maybe it's actually news to Americans--broke, desperate, unstable Mediterranean sea powers fighting for the resources that could save their fragile kingdoms from penury, risking the ignition of the most ancient hatreds in history ... all under the gimlet eyes of the fading great ancient Cold War naval powers ... will there be blood for oil? It's quite dramatic, yes.
Jul '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
Are there hot chicks and good tunes? There's no way I have time for some story about folks with unpronounceable names if there aren't hot chicks & good tunes.
I'm way behind. I need to floorganize my comics, text some stuff, I think my four-toed sloth (he's special) is coming down with something... did you say something about blood?
Is it a vampire story? 'Cause those are awesome.
But oil is kind of icky. Maybe you could leave that out?
Sep '10
Re: The Other Greek Crisis
First they came for Pavlov, and I said nothing because I wasn't a dog. Next they came for Malatov, and I said nothing because I wasn't an anarchist. Next they came for Smirnoff and I said nothing because I'm not a heavy drinker. Finally, they came for Dostoevksky and I said forget it that doesn't rhyme at all.