A Message to Jewish Children - A must read

Weekend News Today

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

bump for further review.

[Diago]

Most Americans I know refer to America as "we", and do not refer to other countries as "we".

"But even now, do we bomb from the air, like America? Risk hitting hospitals and schools and embassies like America did in Bosnia and Afghanistan? No."

[monkeyshine]

It's not really a stab at the Bush administration, but an admission that Israel should be a light unto the nations. It would be easy for Israel to bomb PA areas like the USA did to Afghanistan or NATO to Yugoslavia (killing 2000+). But they didn't. They acted forthrightly by risking and giving their own lives to shut down the terror machine in Jenin and minimize innocent loss of life. I think it was a truly honorable way to do it...

[Diago]

Actually, every American I know refers to Americans as "we." This Rabbi from LA who refers to Israel as "we" and America as if it is some foreign land should be deported.

[Hildy]

All Jews are citizens of Israel. That's what he meant.

[LarryLied]

an admission that Israel should be a light unto the nations

Good grief. There is nothing about Israel I want America to emulate or admire.. Zero. Nada. Nilch. It is a theocratic, extremely nationalistic socialist state which has perfected the arts of Identity Politics and victimology. Israel exemplifies exactly what conservatives are fighting to undo in America.

Look, we can support Israel and see Israel is safe. We don't have to get goofy about it.

[monkeyshine]

We don't have to get goofy about it.

[volchef]

You both make valid points, however, I'm not sure Israel has ever had the option of using bombs to accomplish a means. Can you imagine the outcry if Israel had actually leveled Jenin with a large bomb? The entire world would have called for the anhilation of Israel. Israel is not free (as they should be I might add) to make decisions about what kind of war they can fight. They have no alternative but to use ground troops. America on the other hand is still recovering from the Vietnam war and I don't think has any choice but to kill people from afar. Our presidents are still afraid that if massive casualties come home our citizens will turn against a war effort. This rabbi must know that to talk this way he is putting America as a second best to israel. I think that he could have shown a little more respect for his other country (the USA) by talking about Nato and the UN instead of basically demeaning us. However you look at it, he demeans the US as compared to Israel.

[LarryLied]

Lol...hey Catholics get goofy about the Vatican being a shining beacon too. Protestants get goofy over Liberty University. Budgy breeders get goofy over their goofy birds. Nothing wrong with being goofy.

What is beyond goofy however is expecting others to share in your goofyness over something they have no emotional, religious or other interest in.

[monkeyshine]

I look at it this way: The preservation of innocent human life is a top humanitarian priority. It supercedes labels such as "conservative" or "liberal". It is an ideal to which we all should aspire.

Knowing that from time to time war is inevitable, conducting war in a manner that preserves innocent life to the greatest extent possible is the ideal way to do it.

I agree that the USA has tried to conduct warfare while minimizing the loss of innocent life. But, it has not chosen the most effective means to do so. That is not being critical of the USA per se, it's just a fact. Going in on foot and taking out your guilty targets one at a time is more effective at preserving innocent life is. The USA has made a political and also humanitarian decision that saving the lives of it's own troops is a priority over saving the lives of innocent people. I don't fault our government for making this decision, I understand it completely and agree with it.

At the same time, Israel made a political and humanitarian decision in Jenin to sacrifice it's own people in order to save the lives of the innocent among the enemies' people. I think that was a very noble decision and I understand it and agree with it, too.

[sheik yerbouty]

Those recovering liberals are having a hard time.

[LarryLied]

"Friends" don't mention friends have killed civilians. Heard Sharon Advisor Dore Gold say the same thing several times on TV: America kills civilians too.

Israel has to get off the Clinton excuse of "everybody does it". They also have to start listening to how their words sound to others.

If Jerry Falwell said some of the things in this rant but was referring to Christianity, Alan Dershowitz's head would explode and the ADL would issue a new "Hate Group" CD_ROM about nothing but Jerry Falwell.

[monkeyshine]

I agree, they should not point to the USA. They would be better off pointing to Nato in Yugoslavia or Russia in Chechnya. I think it may reflect their frustration with being judged with a double standard... despite the fact that they even attempted to do it differently to minimize the loss of innocent life.

[backhoe]

But the entire Arab League and all 26 Muslim nations, with all their oil-wealth, couldn't find room for their poor Palestinian brothers and sisters -- and left them to rot in squalid refugee camps, festering in hatred and rage.

I like to point this out to those trying to peddle "the poor Refugees" spin...

[Phillip Augustus]

Though I would tend to side with Israel over their Mohammedean enemies, I still easily fall within the 10% of Freepers with a different opinion.

[Cowgirl]

No I don't think so, I believe he is talking about clinton's acts against Kosovo and Sudan because he talks about factories. You remember how clinton bombed everyone when he had a bad day. In Afghanistan our soldiers are going there and fighting.

[Cowgirl]

I read it wrong he did say Afghanistan.