Helen Thomas: "It’s The Same Old Mideast Policy-Obama Administration Follows Bush Path"

WASHINGTON -- The Palestinians had hoped they would see a new day coming after the Bush administration’s eight-year capitulation to all that Israel wanted. But they were wrong.

The Obama administration is moving down the same Bush road -- perhaps a little slower -- but nonetheless still enabling the Israelis to continue to violate international law and the U.N. Charter by annexing occupied Arab land.

First, the new administration made it clear that U.S. policy opposed new Jewish settlements on the West Bank. This declaration was met with a thumping rejection from the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Then, last Saturday in Jerusalem, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised as "unprecedented" a Netanyahu plan to delay for a year the building of new settlements but still permit construction of nearly 3,000 housing units currently on the books, all in the name of "natural growth."

The ban also would not apply to new building in East Jerusalem where Arab families are being evicted from their longtime homes.

Her laudatory comments triggered sharp criticism from Arab leaders, who wondered why the Obama administration appeared to be backsliding on the settlements issue.

So on Wednesday, Clinton tilted back toward the Palestinians by saying that the Obama administration does not accept the legitimacy of Israeli settlement enclaves on the West Bank and wants to see their construction halted "forever." Still, she said an Israeli offer to restrain -- but not halt -- construction represents "positive movement forward" toward resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

Talk about threading the needle! Welcome to the Middle East tinderbox, Madame Secretary, where every word counts and tensions always run high.

Have the Israelis forgotten their inherent sense of justice? How long are they going to prey upon Palestinian land and water with impunity?

Why would the United States aid -- in terms of billions of dollars annually and its political support -- any country that oppresses a helpless people with its military power and daily humiliation at checkpoints and walls? Where are the voices of civil rights leaders of long ago?

Settlers from all over are laying claim to land by virtue of their religion and inflicting suffering on those who have not harmed them. Simply put, they come from far away places to take other people’s homes.

The U.S. didn’t win points with the Palestinians when it rejected-- as did Israel-- the report of South African Chief Justice Richard Goldstone to the United Nations Human Rights Council which accused both the Israeli Defense Forces and Hamas of war crimes during the siege of Gaza last winter.

But Goldstone’s harshest criticisms were reserved for the Israelis with allegations that they shot unarmed citizens and destroyed hundreds of homes, leaving them in rubble. In an interview with Bill Moyers on the Public Broadcasting System, Goldstone called the actions "outrageous" and said there should have been "outrage."

The Israeli incursions into Arab land are reminiscent of Russia’s expansionism into Eastern Europe after World War II.

Since 1967, the Israelis have pushed Palestinians out and built homes for thousands of Jews in East Jerusalem -- a site where Palestinians hope to make their capital in a future Palestinian state.

When Obama came into power, both he and Clinton proclaimed that there should be a total freeze on new Israeli settlements. That was the new U.S. policy, we thought. But now with the U.S. flip-flopping under pressure, no one is quite sure where Obama stands on the big divide in the Middle East.

Israel continues to portray itself as the underdog -- simply trying to "defend itself" against those "terrorists" who somehow are angry that their homes have been demolished and their olive and orange groves and vineyards plundered and confiscated.

Skip to comments.I Got Helen Thomas to Hang Up on Me
DFU phone call to the troll | 10-11-02 | Doug from Upland

Posted on 10/11/2002 11:50:31 AM PDT by doug from upland

THIS HELEN THOMAS NONSENSICAL PIECE inspired my phone call to her. Her number is at the bottom.

I was surprised to actually get through to the troll. I gave my name and indicated that I participate on FreeRepublic where I saw her article posted. Trying not to be confrontational with the troll, I said that I found it interesting but had a few questions.

First, she said that Iraq is under total surveillance from the air. I asked whether that was good enough considering that we have no access to the palaces or perhaps hundreds of other buildings that are off limits. She told me that he agreed to give access to everything. I questioned that and she directed me to ask the State Department.

She came back at me with "Should we check every nation?" My response was that I was not quite as much concerned that our friends in England had nukes as I am that someone like Saddam Hussein had them.

Helen immediately launched into an attack on Israel talking about the nukes the Israelis have and that they occupy territory that does not belong to them. Then she went on to babble that someday everyone would have nukes. She asked why I don't go along with non-proliferation and she mumbled something else that was somewhat incoherent.

She appeared to be growing weary in the exchange so I asked her if she had time for just one more question before I left. I asked her opinion about Juanita Broaddrick. "Who is that," she said. As I was about to explain (of course, she knows) she said, "I don't have any more time for this. Bye bye." And then, Helen the troll hung up the phone on me.

I had so many more questions for her. I wondered if the economy began its slide on Jan. 20, 2001. I wondered whether corporate greed began on Jan. 20, 2001. I wondered if stocks began the downturn on Jan. 20, 2001. I wondered how many corporate execs Bill Clinton had ordered to be led away in orange jump suits during his tenure. Unfortunately, we were not able to discuss those issues.

Maybe Helen had to go take a nap. Or, maybe she had to down another pint.

I guess this could be considered a phone FReep, right?

THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF (guess who is the troll)
fairy tale books | 11-2002 | DFU rewrite of the original

Posted on Monday, November 11, 2002 9:35:18 PM by doug from upland

The Billy Goats Gruff

Once upon a time there were three billy goats called Gruff. In the winter they lived in a barn in the valley where they paid outrageous utility rates thanks to Gray Davis. When spring came, they longed to travel up to the mountains to eat the lush sweet grass, have a big steak, and drink beer. They loved driving their gas-guzzling SUV.

On their way to the mountains the three Billy Goats Gruff had to cross a rushing river. But there was only one bridge across it, made of wooden planks. There would have been more bridges but the union workers had been on strike for three years. And underneath the bridge there lived a terrible, ugly, one-eyed troll named Helen Thomas.

Nobody was allowed to cross the bridge without the Helen the Troll’s permission - and nobody ever got permission. After engaging in a screaming and virulent anti-Republican diatribe, she always ate them up.

The smallest Billy Goat Gruff was first to reach the bridge. Trippity-trop, trippity-trop went his little hooves as he trotted over the wooden planks. Ting-tang, ting-tang went the little bell round his neck.

“Who’s that trotting over my bridge?” growled Helen the Troll from under the planks. “Are you a right winger?”

“Billy Goat Gruff,” squeaked the smallest goat in his little voice. “I’m only going up to the mountain to eat the sweet spring grass.”

“Oh no, you’re not!” said Helen the Troll. “I’m going to eat you for breakfast! You want anti-abortion justices on the Supreme Court!”

“Oh no, please Ms. Helen the Troll,” pleaded the goat. “I’m only the smallest Billy Goat Gruff. I’m much too tiny for you to eat, and I wouldn’t taste very good. And I didn’t even vote last time. Why don’t you wait for my brother, the second Billy Goat Gruff? He’s much bigger than me and would be much more tasty. Besides, he voted a straight Republican ticket.”

Helen the Troll did not want to waste her time on a little goat if there was a bigger and better one to eat, particularly one who was canceling out her votes. “All right, you can cross my bridge,” she grunted. “Go and get fatter on the mountain and I’ll eat you on your way back!”

So the smallest Billy Goat Gruff skipped across to the other side.

Helen the Troll did not have to wait long for the second Billy Goat Gruff. Clip-clop, clip-clop went his hooves as he clattered over the wooden planks. Ding-dong, ding-dong went the bell around his neck.

“Who’s that clattering across my bridge?” screamed Helen the Troll, suddenly appearing from under the planks.

“Billy Goat Gruff,” said the second goat in his middle-sized voice. “I’m going up to the mountain to eat the lovely spring grass.”

“Oh no you’re not!” said Helen the Troll. “I’m going to eat you for breakfast. You voted for people who are poisoning the air, taking school lunches from children, and trying to destroy the trolls’ social security benefits.”

“Oh, no, please,” said the second goat. “I may be bigger than the first Billy Goat Gruff, but I’m much smaller than my brother, the third Billy Goat Gruff. Why don’t you wait for him? He would be much more of a meal than me. And I promise not to vote next time.”

Helen the Troll was getting very hungry and was worried about being late to a Sinkmaster speech, but she did not want to waste her appetite on a middle-sized goat if there was an even bigger one to come. “All right, you can cross my bridge,” she rumbled. “Go and get fatter on the mountain and I’ll eat you on your way back! Vote for Bush in 2004 and I’m going to hunt you down and kill you.”

So the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff scampered across to the other side.

Helen the Troll did not have to wait long for the third Billy Goat Gruff. Tromp-tramp, tromp-tramp went his hooves as he stomped across the wooden planks. Bong-bang, bong-bang went the big bell round his neck.

“Who’s that stomping over my bridge?” roared Helen the Troll, resting her Clinton DNA-stained chin on her hands.

“Billy Goat Gruff,” said the third goat in a deep voice. “I’m going up to the mountain to eat the lush spring grass and smoke a good cigar.”

“Oh no you’re not,” said Helen the Troll as she clambered up on to the bridge. “I’m going to eat you for breakfast!”

“That’s what you think,” said the biggest Billy Goat Gruff. Not only did he vote a straight Republican ticket, but he used his tax savings to buy a Bowflex Home Gym and get into great fighting shape. He lowered his horns, galloped along the bridge and butted the ugly troll. Up, up, up went the Helen the troll into the air... then down, down, down into the rushing river below. She disappeared below the swirling waters, and was drowned. Soon, she would be joined by Terry McAuliffe.

“So much for his breakfast,” thought the biggest Billy Goat Gruff. “Now what about mine!” And he walked in triumph over the bridge to join his two brothers on the mountain pastures. From then on anyone could cross the bridge whenever they liked - thanks to the three Billy Goats Gruff. They all vowed to go after any RATS who would stand in the way of the Bush agenda.

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