The aggression led by Israel and the United States against Iran, initially expected to last a few days, has now entered its third week. How is this war unfolding? And who will win it? Military stakes are high, and censorship is strong, particularly in Israel. Yet, it is possible to attempt an answer based on available evidence. The material cost is enormous, nearly one billion dollars per day. Rising oil and gas prices weigh heavily on Europe. Growing opposition may emerge in the U.S., especially among business sectors sensitive to costs and risks of instability. Public opinion remains wary of a new Middle East war. Destruction in Iran is significant, but Israel also suffers heavy damage. Iran shows unexpected resilience and energy. Recent history offers lessons: the U.S. failed in long and costly wars like Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, not only for military or political reasons but also because they were unjust. Today, Iran is a country victim of external aggression, which stre...
Sometimes I read a book that touches me deeply, not only because of its content and message, but also because of the living presence of the person who wrote it. Jeanne Baillaut, the author of this third collection of free poetry entitled Tears and Flowers, is a young woman at heart, aged 91. A Frenchwoman, she was born in Spain where she lived for three years before moving to France, where she grew up and lived until 1956. That year she traveled to Morocco, and two years later she emigrated to Canada, where she still lives today. Her life has been rich in experiences and commitments, and she has contributed to the francophone community with sensitivity and cultural generosity. The texts gathered in this collection are not poems in the strict sense. They are closer to poetic prose, a form of writing that resembles speech, meant to be spoken, heard, and felt. Jeanne herself expresses it this way: “I write as I speak… What I find beautiful rises within me like the sea upon the shore ...