Americans Will Pay For Israel's Bombing and Killing....

[leftchick]

Juan Cole lays it out.....

http://www.juancole.com/

Israeli spokesmen are saying that they want to finish off Hizbullah. But you can't finish off a mass movement among 1.35 million people. Besides, there wouldn't be any Hizbullah if Israel had not invaded Lebanon in 1982 and occupied the south for twenty-two years. Israel's grabby occupation radicalized and helped mobilize the Lebanese Shiites. They aren't going to become less radical and less mobilized as a result of the current hamfisted Israeli assault.

On Friday, thousands of protesters rallied in Cairo, Amman, Gaza City, and Baghdad, as well as throughout Turkey, to protest massive Israeli attacks on Gaza and Lebanon. There was also a demonstration in Dearborn, Michigan. There are 25,000 Americans in Lebanon, now in severe danger from Israeli bombings. Most of the demonstrations in the Middle East not only condemned Israel but also the United States.

Americans have to understand that when Israel goes wild and bombs a civilian airport and civilian neighborhoods in Beirut, a lot of the world's Catholics (Lebanon is partially a Catholic country) and its 1.4 billion Muslims blame the United States for it. Israel is given billions every year by the United States, including sophisticated weaponry that is now being trained on the slums of south Beirut. It should also be remembered that Bin Laden said, at least, that he started thinking about hitting New York when he saw that 1982 Israeli destruction of the skyscrapers or "towers" of Lebanon. How many future Bin Ladens are watching with horror and rage and feelings of revenge as Israel drops bombs on civilian tenement buildings? When will this blow back on Americans? (I mean blow back in other ways than an already painful further spike in petroleum prices).

[H2O Man]

1. I think that the

idea that some republicans had that Bush was going to bring peace and democracy to the Middle East has been exposed as a cruel hoax.

[malaise]

2. Indeed

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=107&ItemID=10576

[MissWaverly]

17. are you referring to freedom is on the March in the Middle East

[Emit]

18. Except that

the Bush supporters who adhere to the authoritarian view that Dean has written of recently, the view that 'might makes right', remain convinced that peace will come by force at any cost -- Sort of like the authoritarian parent who beats its child into submission and touts the 'do as I say, not as I do' meme.

We now have an authoritarian Likud faction in Israel married with an authoritarian Bushco regime in the US.

God (or Goddesses) help us all! I have bad feelings about where this is all going.

For more info on Israel's new "Peace through Strength" strategy, here's a snip:

A New Approach to Peace

Early adoption of a bold, new perspective on peace and security is imperative for the new prime minister. While the previous government, and many abroad, may emphasize "land for peace"— which placed Israel in the position of cultural, economic, political, diplomatic, and military retreat — the new government can promote Western values and traditions. Such an approach, which will be well received in the United States, includes "peace for peace," "peace through strength" and self reliance: the balance of power.

[Emit]

20. As evidenced by some of the CSPAN callers I'm listening to right now

Concerning the N Korea Resolution

[Rhiannon12866]

3. K&R. n/t

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. K&R.....

[farmbo]

5. Literally AND figuritivly..We give Israel $4 bil in military and civil aid

Annually...And they use it in a tribal war to bump up Likud's numbers for the next election.

Your tax dollars at work.

[adriennui]

8. we also give egypt 2 billion

what do they do for us. israel buys its US made weapons with part of the THREE billion in aid. isn't it always convenient to blame a country with approx. 8 million people for the entire worlds' problems?

[Crunchy Frog]

19. Population of Egypt is nearly 80 million.

Population of Israel is 7-8 million. Plus, isn't most of the aid that we give to Egypt to buy it off for the sake of Israel?

I also think it's a bit of a straw man to claim that people here are blaming Israel for all of the world's problems. I don't think I've ever seen anyone on this board make that claim. Being critical of Israel is not the same thing as blaming it for the entire world's problems.

[adriennui]

21. it seems to be a lightening rod for people on this board, most of whom

seem irrationally critical of israel. remember 8 million people, land the size of new jersey, common values. i was just commenting on the hand wringing on DU over israel's perceived evil. we are in agreement on practically every other issue...domestic, social, energy, iraq war....yet regretfully so very apart on matters of israel. hell, there's even a special topic heading for israel/palestinian affairs. can one be liberal and pro-israel at the same time? for years i have watched terrorist acts committed by palestinians and israel becoming the villain. i'm sure relatives of innocent israelis slaughtered at cafes and schools find this mindnumbingly perplexing and tragic.

[BooScout]

32. What about innocent Lebanese & Palestinians?

Most people I know that are critical of Israel and the US's policy towards Israel are rational enough to realize that there's no right side or wrong side in the mess. Israel is not an innocent victim as much as you would like to portray it as so. Most of the world understands that. World Leaders are not disputing the fact that Hezbollah has stirred the pot, but they are pointing out that Israel's reaction to Hezbollah is overkill. And it is awfully suspicious to many that Israel was running their tanks and troops just inside the border with Lebanon in a blatent attepmt to provoke.

I don't think Hamas or Hezbollah are angels, but neither is Israel. Why in the hell are we throwing US tax $$$ to them to further the death & destruction? Bush certainly doesn't help matters with his diarahea of the mouth yesterday by blaming only Hezbollah and telling the world we must fight for Democracy.

I find it extremely telling that the last time tensions between Hezbollah and Israel were this tense the American President(Clinton) stepped forward and brokered a peace.....and now the stupid fucking idiot in the WH (Bush) stands up before the world and makes an ass out of himself. Explain why the American Nightly News failed to cover Putin's response to Bush ....paraphrasing here...'we certainly don't want to fight for Democracy like what's in Iraq right now'.

The mid-east is now on the brink.........and Bush put us there people. With his wars and his foregien policy fiascos.........ain't no ifs, ands or buts about it. We are screwed because of hiom big time.

[PA Democrat]

6. K & R. Excellent analysis by Juan Cole. Read it & understand how Bush's

inaction is helping the entire mess to spiral completely out of control.

[leftyladyfrommo]

9. They were talking about that on Lehrer Last nite

I guess this adm. has not even made a phone call over there since Sharon had his stroke. We have done nothing.

And now we seem to be doing nothing.

I guess we are going to let the UN handle this.

[leftchick]

11. by doing nothing

bush is showing encouragement to Israel's continuing the slaughter. The IDF even has a quote from bush on its' website. It is thoroughly despicable.

[killbotfactory]

26. They aren't doing nothing

they probably helped plan this bullshit. The batshit crazy PNACers want the entire region to escalate into a war with Syria and Iran.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Invading and occupying Iraq isn't going to win us any friends either n/t

[springhill]

35. When I said something about that yesterday...........

I was told I didn't know the history of the Middle East. Whether true or not, you don't need to know the history to understand what is going on in the present with our current neocon administration.

[Kingofalldems]

10. I seem to remember the neocons crowing and strutting

about the Lebanese elections. They claimed that the Iraq war had started a domino effect on the ME.

[cantstandbush]

12. I think the US should halt all aid to Israel unti Beirut is rebuilt. nt

[AbsoluteArmorer]

13. paying for the goat.

I think we should cut way back on our foreign aid to Israel also, but we know that's not going to happen. The US plans to send a $$ record amount to Israel's military in 2007. We know what that's for don't we? Does Syria and Iran ring any bells?

[Pachamama]

14. This is exactly what I posted yesterday and asked the same questions,

reminding all that 9/11 happened because of our support of Israel, our military bases in Saudi Arabia on Arab/muslim soil and that the image of us supporting Israel while they kill the muslim children and know that our soldiers have raped their 14 year old daughters, that another major terrorist attack is just a matter of when.

:cry:

PS: I meant to respond to your PM Leftchick from two days ago...sorry I've been so crazed! The answer is that what you heard on the radio is not the case - I'll give you more details later when I have a chance. (We are moving to a temporary rental while we begin the 6 month repair of our badly damaged house from the New Years flood we had). Hope your well! :hi:

[leftchick]

15. I am well

considering the circumstances. I look forward to your PM. We leave for the North on Sunday July 23.

peace,
lc

:hi:

[WilliamPitt]

16. I wrote this same thing on Thursday

(snip)

What does this have to do with the National Asset Database and the administration's apparent set of priorities when it comes to defense against terrorism? Only everything. It was Israeli attacks against the Palestinians, and against Lebanon, that first inspired terrorists like Ramsi Yousef and Osama bin Laden to carry their war across the sea to the United States. When Palestinians suffer at the hands of Israel, those who would defend Palestinians through acts of terrorism do not merely think of attacking Tel Aviv. They think of attacking New York and Washington DC.

The escalation of violence in the Middle East, and the seeming inclusion of both Iran and Syria on Israel's attack list, places the United States in mortal peril of acts of terrorist reprisal. If the National Asset Database is any indication, we are totally unprepared for whatever may be coming.

We invaded and destabilized Iraq while giving negotiations between Israel and Palestine the back of our hand. Our Iraq invasion empowered extremists in both Iran and Palestine, further escalating tensions that have now blown up. We are bankrupting our own treasury through more than three years of violent failure in Iraq, and the money left over has been spread across the country to defend incomprehensibly unimportant locations while cutting anti-terror funding for states and cities that have already suffered attacks because they are phenomenal targets.

The Bush administration and Homeland Security do very well when it comes to frightening Americans about terrorism. When it comes to actually defending us, however, they have comprehensively failed to act with any degree of responsibility or sense. Worse, the administration's misguided dreams of empire combined with an unconscionable lack of attention have helped create and inspire what is taking place in the Middle East today. That violence could very well cross the sea to our shores, and we are not in any way ready for it.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071306A.shtml

[Reckon]

22. People are just starting to see

that reasons used to go to war are being manufactured.

[leftchick]

23. I don't know

When I flip to Faux news I am not so sure. :(

[Theres-a]

24. That's not all

Alot of people have only the vaguest notion that "something" is going on 'over there'.I'm not kidding.It's terrifying how ignorant most people are of global events.And how it happens by design,in my opinion.People are kept ignorant of these things.Faux news indeed.

[Reckon]

28. I said people, not sheeple.. haha :)

[McCamy Taylor]

25. Israel will pay, too. Bush Co. wants them to get hurt bad as an excuse

for the US to go to war with Syria and Iran. I just made a post about it. I think the Bush Administration is playing Israel for a fool.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1644100

[otokogi]

27. thanks for sharing

:toast:

i am glad israel is allowed to be discussed liberally, these dark days...

[Voltaire99]

29. Cole's right. So, is it too much to ask for a political party...

...that puts U.S. interests ahead of those of Israel?

Apparently so, judging from this spew today by Hillary Clinton:


Hillary Clinton says Israel has right to defend itself

July 15, 2006 10:21 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - New York Senator Hillary Clinton says Israel's incursion into Lebanon is an exercise of the right that every sovereign nation has to defend itself against attacks.

Clinton was at Fayetteville this afternoon on a rare visit to her former Arkansas stomping grounds. She said Israel had the right to take stern and strong action against Hezbollah attacks originating in Lebanon.

Asked if her support extended to Israel's bombing of the Beiruit international airport, she said, "I fully support Israel's right to defend itself."

http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=5155830

[dave123williams]

30. ""you can't finish off a mass movement among 1.35 million people"

Of course you can. Duh.

[ConsAreLiars]

31. You suggest that genocide would work????

Actually, I doubt that.

[dave123williams]

33. Ok - reality check for you...

We have some of the most terrible weapons invented, ever. We have weapons that could kill everything in Lebanon, down to the last bug, and leave all the buildings intact.

Yes; it's not all that complicated to stop a mass movement amongst 1.35 million people. I made no assertions as to the morality of doing that, I just pointed out that it's well within our capabilities to crush out their 'philosophy' in one terrible moment. Capice?

[springhill]

34. I was watch the Frontline episode - the Dark Side.....

All about how Dick Cheney engineered the lies and deceit leading up the the Iraq War. There was a man who had lost his son on 9/11. And all he wanted was revenge. Of course he thought because of the lies and propaganda that Iraq was responsible for his son's death. He even wanted the military to put his sons name on one of the bombs that would eventually reign down on Iraq. My point being that no matter what country, whether Israel or Lebanon or the United States, blind range can take over and lead you to do things you wouldn't ordinarily do. And what's going on now will come back to haunt us yet again.