Posted on 02/21/2003 7:15:36 PM PST by SeenTheLight
Ive asked myself on many occasions: When there are so many other countries in the world that do injustice both to their own people and to others, why does the Left focus so exclusively on Israel?
What about Chinas occupation of Tibet or Syrias occupation of Lebanon? What about the repression and tyranny of the Arab nations surrounding democratic Israel, including the Palestinians who, lets not forget, practice honor killings, lynch collaborators, suppress the media, and whose leaders funnel funds meant for the people to terrorists?
The real reason the left hates Israel is two-fold. First of all, they have been hijacked by Palestinian Nationalism and secondly, they dont like uppity Jews. And to mollify those who will immediately claim that anti-Israel sentiments do not amount to anti-Semitism, let me just say that I dont buy it.
Im not sure when Palestinian Nationalism began to seep into the Lefts dogma, but it appears to have been in the last 15 years or so. I first noticed this trend during a protest of the Gulf War, where I saw pro-Palestinian propaganda with a distinctly anti-Semitic edge to it. It was around this time that the term Zionists began to be used as a fill-in for all Jews who simply supported the continuing existence of the state of Israel and as such, were deserving of contempt. In short, Zionist became the politically correct term for Hebe. The years since have only solidified this pattern and these days, the anti-war protesters are more hateful than ever.
Ive had the unique experience, while taking part recently in counter-protests, of witnessing the wrath of the Palestinian Nationalists up close and personal. The graying hippies wearing Intifada T-shirts and spitting in my face, women in burkas unfurling Palestinian flags in front of my signs, Arab-American teenagers telling me they want to kill all the Jews, and being called a Zionist Pig, are just a few of the precious moments Ive taken home from peace rallies. This is the ugly side of the anti-war movement, among others, and they dont want it publicized.
Indeed, the formerly celebrated Jewish liberal Michael Lerner, has recently been excommunicated for daring to criticize A.N.S.W.E.R., the main organizer of the anti-war protests. This is apparently a no-no among a movement that doesnt tolerate dissent. Lerner also committed the crime of refusing to consign Israel to the dustbin of history. He didnt go along with the program and for that, he became persona non grata.
The Left only likes Jews as long as theyre victims, passively marching to the Nazi death camps, or in this case, to the Mediterranean Sea. They can deny that theyre anti-Semitic by pointing to their loyal Jewish comrades, who fail to recognize their enemies. These Jews are acceptable because they either want the destruction of Israel too or at the very least, wont stand in the way. But give a Jew a gun or God forbid, a tank, and suddenly they become the enemy. The Left, it seems, prefers suicidal Jews to tough ones.
The Left demands nothing of the Palestinians and everything of the Israelis. What, besides anti-Semitism, accounts for this double-standard? The anti-war crowd can continue to try and claim the moral high ground when it comes to questions of war and peace, but none of it will ring true, so long as their blatant hatred for Jews festers in the background.
As far as US aid to Israel, you only care what Israel gets. Not what South Korea and Egypt get. How many billions does it cost to keep 40,000 US troops in South Korea? Darn right you are anti Semitic.
Here is how much we spend to defend Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Gulf nations:
http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/views/op-ed/korb/19960918.htm
After the gulf war, the Navy created the Fifth Fleet, stationed permanently in the gulf. It consists of 21 ships manned by 15,000 sailors and marines, along with 12 more ships with equipment for ground forces and about 250 planes to protect the fleet and enforce the no-flight zones over Iraq. In addition, there are 10,000 people on the ground in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, along with enough equipment for another Army brigade.
On various occasions since the gulf war, including this month, the United States has augmented this standing force by sending a second aircraft carrier, a squadron of stealth fighters and additional air defense groups and bombers.
According to Michael O'Hanlon, a military analyst at the Brookings Institution, the total cost of maintaining the United States force in the gulf is at least $50 billion per year.
The purpose of spending all this money is to insure that neither Iran nor Iraq threatens the oil fields of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. But the United States currently imports only about 10 percent of it's oil from the Persian Gulf some $10 billion to $15 billion worth, depending upon world prices.
Are you terminally stupid? Or are you an evil liar? Bulldozings do not exist in a vacuum. You know darn well that when a suicide bomber kills some Jews his family house gets razed. What exactly is your objection to this?
I don't see your Palestinians conducting a some kind of "trial" before they dispatch a suicide bomber to kill some Jewish innocents in downtown Tel Aviv.
Nuts. I am not pro-Israel-destruction or whatever you call it. I just want to disassociate US tax dollars from Israeli policy. Or the policy of any other government for that matter.
You ought to seek professional help about that temper. Doesn't sound like you can handle a rational discussion.
Nuts. It's not clear to me that the family of a criminal should be punished for that criminal's acts.
And I don't see the logic of subsidizing razing houses with US tax dollars. There isn't any. Two wrongs don't make a right. It is just making some Israelis feel better, and making Palestinians madder, so it makes a cycle. Why speed up that cycle with US tax dollars? Sheesh.
Actually no. I would prefer to see the US untangled from unnecessary alliances. We should protect our borders, etc., yes. I am not particularly enthralled about sending troops over to protect Saudi families or Saudi oil either. I am for not sending US tax dollars over there period, to either side.
I imagine you'll find some way to twist my position into your own mind's view of anti-Semitism. It seems that the world to you consists of those who are pro-Israeli government, and anti-Semites. You're politically myopic.
I do not presume that all suicide bombers are dispatched by some central state authority with the full approval of the people. That's quite a jump. What proves a suicide bomber is not acting alone? What proves a group has state support? If the state is the problem, go after the state (not civilians who might be innocent). If it is a group, go after that group. With due process. Without US tax dollars. I guess your point is that everyone in the US is supposed to be mad and commit endless US tax dollars down a mideast war rathole unconditionally. No thanks. If that makes me some kind of monster in your mind, so be it.
Not exactly an original thought from you.
We should protect our borders, etc., yes. I am not particularly enthralled about sending troops over to protect Saudi families or Saudi oil either. I am for not sending US tax dollars over there period, to either side.
I figured this would be your libertarian answer. As long as we want MidEast oil we'll be involved there. It's a fact of life. If we weren't involved there China and Russia would be....To dominate and cut favorable oil deals. To freeze us out of MidEast oil. If China dominated the MidEast we would be forced to pay a $20/barrel tax for MidEast oil
Please stop lying. You know darn well US tax dollars have nothing to do with this.
You don't give a sh*t when Jews are killed by Palestinians. Not once have you said anything on this thread about murdered Jews. You only care when Pallie houses get bulldozed in retaliation for a suicide bomber. You are a disgusting ghoul.
Sure they do. Now who's being delusional.
You don't give a sh*t when Jews are killed by Palestinians.
Sez you.
Not once have you said anything on this thread about murdered Jews.
Of course I don't condone it. I didn't think it had to be stated explicitly. Now you've got it. Hope you're happy now.
You only care when Pallie houses get bulldozed in retaliation for a suicide bomber. You are a disgusting ghoul.
More name calling. More tempter tantrums. You win any arguments this way, or just start swinging fists at anyone who doesn't see everything your way? Which team, Dodgers or Giants? Do you go to jail often? See a specialist.
I never said they were
What proves a suicide bomber is not acting alone?
They never have. They are always sponsored and trained by a terrorist group
What proves a group has state support? If the state is the problem, go after the state (not civilians who might be innocent). If it is a group, go after that group. With due process.
I don't see Israelis getting any due process from suicide bombers
You really don't know WTF you are talking about. Meanwhile Palestinian murderers will be hunted down. Some will go to trial and get due process while the rest will die in a hail of gunfire. Or via an Israeli rocket fired into their automobile. Last week 5 Jihadists were killed by a booby trapped radio powered airplane.
Parting with your usual rationality I see. Very well. No significant loss from my perspective.
You wrote the same last time. Internet version of Tourette's Syndrome? :-)
I know I sure am! Actually, I'm an ex-"die-hard, FDR, through the wool Jewish liberal" and current Republican. And I know I'm not alone. I too would be interested in knowing what kind of numbers are involved...
Long before that. The Zionism = Racism resolution in the U.N. was in 1975, as I recall. This was quite intentionally engineered by the Soviet Union, so the reds presumably had their marching orders to foster radical left antisemitism by at least that time.
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