Posted on 09/16/2005 8:12:48 PM PDT by hipaatwo
Under Condoleezza Rice, U.S. foreign policy continues to veer in the direction of the "Arabism" of her mentor Brent Scowcroft and James Baker. Diana West points to the latest evidence. First, according to West (who cites worldtribune.com), the Bush adminstration snubbed Israel's efforts to provide aid in the early aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Then, once it finally accepted Israel's aid, the State Department apparently omitted Israel's name from the list of countries participating in the relief effort, a list that touts Arab aid-givers. These affronts may be less the work of Rice than of Karen Hughes, to whom President Bush has assigned the task of "presenting an image of a benign America sensitive to the Arab and Muslim world," in other words sucking up to Arabs at Israel's expense.
But snubbing Israel is never going to be enough to convince Arabs that we're benign and sensitive. We have to back up our gestures with funds that can be used to attack Israel and (until we've sufficiently established our bona fides) the U.S. itself. Thus, West reports, the U.S. will double its payments to the Palestinian Authority, even as the PA's "Voice of Palestine" exhorts the Muslim faithful to attack Americans in Iraq, and the PA's Ministry of Culture releases a collection of poetry honoring a bomber who killed 29 Israeli Jews and Arabs in 2003.
Which brings us to the synagogue burnings in Gaza. PA leader Mahmoud Abbas justifies this horror as his people "expressing their emotions." But if their core emotion is hatred of Jews and their religion, why are we subsidizing their would-be representative? Especially when that representative fuels these murderous emotions at every turn. As Ariel Cohen puts it:
The Palestinian Authority leadership has done nothing to disarm Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or its own terrorist Tanzim and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. It instead promotes genocidal hatred and then steps aside while synagogues burn or Jews and Christians are attacked. Not much at all has changed since Yasser Arafat failed as the leader of a would-be new state, but the stakes are getting even higher. If a Palestinian state is founded on the lethal mix of Arab chauvinism and radical Islam, it will serve as a base for international terrorism against Israel, Europe and the U.S., with al Qaeda and Hezbollah calling the shots. Burying our heads in the sand will simply not bring peace one step closer.
Nor will subsidizing the terrorists.
Ping
If true, this is beyond disgusting.
If I remember correctly they did snub them in the beginning. Not adding them to the list I'm not sure of.
It's not true.
The Israeli's have been our best allies in the region, for us to treat them in such a way is beyond me!
Enough with the appeasing and the one-sided concessions already!
Or, more likely, it could be the work of State Department left-wing functionaries.
You're saying Powerline is lying? Not likely.
..................
I hope this is not a sign of things to come. Israel is the only other country that knows what we're up against. They deserve to be supported. Israel is a true friend. Kowtowing to the "palestinians" and to other islamists will only come back to bite us.
It most certainly IS true....
Were there any other foreign flags flying over US rescue missions? Just curious. Apparently many foreign countries offers of help were at first refused because the US wanted to understand the full scope of the disaster first and then see where best to put the monies and donations. I am sure that if this is indeed come down as some have suggested it was some eggheads at the State Department and not a Bush Administration 'policy'. I will look into it further and if you can give me a few links I would appreciate it. I don't like the idea of the US snubbing Israel either, but I also understand that sometimes these 'reports' are nothing more than rumor.
Mexican Army, Mexican Navy, Canadian Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, amongst others. Not just flags, which wouldn't have been an issue with the Israeli contingent anyway, it was medical aid, but warships, air assets, et al.
BTW, you may have forgotten, but post 9-11 (we turned down Israeli medical aid then too) we had German and British assets flying cover over NYC. Foreigh troops, and Israel was sending medical personel and divers, yes, reservists mobilized by the IDF, are common in the US, several nations have a permanent presence.
"Mexican Army, Mexican Navy, Canadian Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, amongst others. Not just flags, which wouldn't have been an issue with the Israeli contingent anyway, it was medical aid, but warships, air assets, et al."
You must admit that it makes sense that our closest neighbors to the south and the north would be in a position to offer immediate aid logistically. The articles that were linked in the original article left much to the imagination, had too much conjecture and no 'sources' were even named. The one u linked to was an opinion piece by Diane West which also stated that the Israeli diplomates got their feathers ruffled because the US put their request for 22 biilion dollars in military aid on hold after the hurricane struck. I just think it serves no purpose for folks to run around looking to get their noses all out of joint for every perceived slight to Israel like Diane West apparently does. Frankly, I am surprised that Powerline gave such credence to an opinion piece with no substantial background or evidence.
It does. The Israeli trauma teams were offered on Tuesday, would have been on the ground within 24 hours. That would have beaten the American military by three days.
This is a silly arguement.
Israel offered, the US declined, Israeli charities provided the aid anyway.
That's pretty much the end of it.
State will thank many nations for their aid, and leave Israel off, rightfully, since Israel provided nothing, only Israelis.
BTW..you might want to go over to powerline, scroll down and read President Bush's speech he gave last week. .
snipet:
"Freedom to worship is why Jews came to America three-and-a-half centuries ago; it's why the Jews settled in Israel over five decades ago.
Our two nations have a lot in common, when you think about it. We were both founded by immigrants escaping religious persecution in other lands. We both have built vibrant democracies. Both our countries are founded on certain basic beliefs, that there is an Almighty God who watches over the affairs of men and values every life. These ties have made us natural allies, and these ties will never be broken. (Applause.)
Earlier today, I met in New York with Prime Minister Sharon and the Ambassador. I admire Prime Minister Sharon. He's a man of courage; he's a man of peace. (Applause.) Once again, I expressed this nation's commitment to defending the security and well-being of Israel. (Applause.) I also assured him that I will not waver when it comes to spreading freedom around the world. I understand -- (applause) -- I understand this, that freedom is not America's gift to the world; freedom is an Almighty God's gift to each man and woman and child in this world. (Applause.)
Religious freedom is a foundation of fundamental human and civil rights. And when the United States promotes religious freedom, it is promoting the spread of democracy. And when we promote the spread of democracy, we are promoting the cause of peace. (Applause.)
Religious freedom is more than the freedom to practice one's faith. It is also the obligation to respect the faith of others. (Applause.) So to stand for religious freedom, we must expose and confront the ancient hatred of anti-Semitism, wherever it is found. (Applause.) When we find anti-Semitism at home, we will confront it. When we find anti-Semitism abroad, we will condemn it. (Applause.) And we condemn the desecration of synagogues in Gaza that followed Israel's withdrawal. (Applause.)"
What is silly is that u don't back up your arguments with facts. The US military was on the ground in NO on Tuesday, Wednesday, and then in great numbers on Thursday. By Friday they had evacuated pratically the whole city!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.