If Israel were the only country that sold weapons to dictators and tyrants, it would be the richest nation on earth. As it turns out, though, international arms dealing is, in general, a seamy and unsavory business.
While politics figure in, it all eventually boils down to money, and whether they are nationally-owned or private, weapons manufacturers are always looking for customers for their products.
I agree that Israel (and any other nation, for that matter) shouldn't deal with scum like Mugabe. However, even in the context of Zimbabwean politics, it seems rather trivial to focus on Israel for selling these modified trucks to Mugabe when there are much more significant forces at play, both with respect to arming his regime and financing it.
I undoubtedly come across as an apologist for Israel from time to time, as I do support that nation. However, I don't believe Israel to be virtuous beyond reproach.
But then again, my own beloved United States are hardly pure as the driven snow, either. How many dictators have we armed and propped up? A few names, such as Chiang Kai-Shek, Ferdinand Marcos, Shah Reza Pahlavi, Syngman Rhee, Francisco Franco, Chun Doo-Hwan, Nguyen Khanh, Lon Nol, Thanom Kittikachorn, Suharto, Anastasio Somoza, Augusto Pinochet, Manuel Noriega, Pervez Musharraf and, of course, Saddam Hussein come to mind. There are many more, dating back to the 1800s, and that's not even mentioning the assassinations and failed coups we've sponsored over the years.
Does the U.S. track record with dictators and puppet governments justify Israeli commerce with such regimes? No. It is, however, good to bring to light and discuss matters such as these, and important to keep them in perspective, as well.
I suspect there is more than just armored vehicles pouring into Zimbabwe, and not just from Israel.
Imal
:-)
Pinochet is a hero. Ask Margaret Thatcher.
Chris Dodd took to the floor of the House and demanded we cut off aid to Lon Nol. The result was 2.5 million slaughtered by Pol Pot's troops.
Franco very well could be what stopped Hitler. He did not allow German troops to transit the country to take Gibraltar. He saved over 80,000 Jews. Any Jew which made it to Spain was safe.
Musharraf is useful and better than any alternative.
Many of the rest were forced on us by the Cold War. Our policy was to support authoritarian regimes in order to defeat totalitarian ones. It wasn't often pretty, but it worked.
You seem to say that we should judge Israel's actions regarding Mugabe by some universal standard. I don't. I only judge it by how it affects the United States. Israel or Israeli citizens arming Liberia, China, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and Angola is not, in general, in our interest. Israel selling to India is. For some reason, we do not seem to have the leverage over Israel we should. The relationship on our part should be more hard nosed.