In a move that surprised absolutely no one who has ever glanced at a map of the Middle East, Hezbollah has rejected the latest Lebanon-Israel ceasefire. The proposal, cobbled together by international diplomats with the structural integrity of a paper umbrella in a hurricane, was dismissed by Hezbollah as 'not worth the ink it was written with.' Meanwhile, British peacekeepers remain on standby, presumably polishing their boots and praying for a gin ration.
The situation is a masterpiece of absurdity: a ceasefire rejected before the ink has dried, a peacekeeping force that can't keep peace, and diplomats who look increasingly like men trying to herd cats with a fire hose. The real question is not whether the ceasefire will hold, but who will blink first in this theatre of the absurd. The answer, as always, is the civilians caught in the crossfire.
But let's not dwell on the grim reality when there are soundbites to be had. The UN has expressed 'grave concern' which is diplomatic for 'we have absolutely no idea what to do.' And Britain?
Well, our boys are on standby, which is the international equivalent of a gloved hand reaching for a biscuit that's already been snatched away. Welcome to the circus, chaps. The clowns are in charge and the ringmaster is Godot.
