Wealth Galore but the General Population in Poverty

 (Thanks to Jeanine Hirshhorn)

Former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad may have lost his despot gig, but he has a very lavish "government pension" from years of treating the Syrian national treasury as his personal bank account.  That's why there is so much turmoil, factions fighting one another for control, not only in this region but all over Africa and Asia.  For a chance at the ultimate jackpot, the national treasury lavishly stuffed with foreign aid cash from international donors - in Syria's case, Russia and Iran, or oil and drug wealth. 

Ismail Haniyeh, former head thug of Hamas, was reported to have a net worth of $4 billion, the product of years of embezzling and extorting all that foreign aid from gullible international donors such as the US and the EU.  As well as  the 20% tax Hamas charged on all items entering through tunnels from Egypt to the Gaza Strip. Haniyeh's eldest son was arrested by Egyptian authorities at the Rafiah Border Crossing with several million dollars, which he intended to take into Gaza.  Yahye Sinwar, who replaced Haniiyeh as Hamas head thug, acquired his reported billion dollar wealth in a similar manner. While the rest of Gazans live on UN/UNRWA and NGO handouts.

Abu Mazen of the PA, King Abdullah of Jordan, the head thugs of Hezbullah in Lebanon, Sisi in Egypt all live lavish lifestyles thanks to their autocratic rule giving them sole access to the state treasury and donor billions. King Abdullah receives a yearly US aid stipend of $1.45 BILLION. While 25% of Jordanians live below the poverty line.  Whelp, his Majesty does need the money to keep his 7 palaces in tip-top condition, his wife Queen Rania in designer gear and to pay top dollar to keep his small army of Beduin fighters on side so that he doesn't end up like al-Assad. 

And Syria?  Different day, same despot.  The current winner in the power/control/wealth stakes will receive representatives of those countries looking to keep him on side, while he loots Syria's national treasury for what he can take.  Democracy? Freedom?  Unknown concepts used by despots to open international donor wallets a bit wider.   

Hezbullah continued firing missiles and mortars into northern Israel for 9 days after the "ceasefire" went into effect. Their bombardment of Israel's northern civilian population finally stopped 6 days ago.  But with no clear government directives/policies, Israel's displaced population are in no rush to return to what's left their homes in the north.  

IDF heroes continue to fall in Gaza, in Lebanon and the West Bank fighting to protect Am Yisrael in this 75th year of its War of Liberation. 

And 100 hostages are still scattered around Gaza (and beyond?), captives of various terror thugs using human lives as bargaining tools.  

When will the world start to recognise the emperor has no clothes?