Is Barack Obama making the same mistake that George W Bush made?

[kentuck]

It happened just before 9/11. I always have believed that it was a catalyst for the attack on 9/11.

If we look back to that time, Israel had gone in with tanks to raze whole villages of the Palestinians. They surrounded the compound of Yasser Arafat. The Palestinians were pleading for help. George W Bush did nothing. The message that was sent was that it was none of our business.

Once again, America appears to be standing on the sidelines as the animosities increase on both side. There is little effort to stop the attacks and the aggression, in my opinion.

[Swede Atlanta]

1. I support Israel's right to self-defense....

I recognize they live in a hostile neighborhood but....

continued unbridled U.S. support for one side does nothing but antagonize the Palestinians.

We should immediately terminate all aid, military and otherwise to both sides. We can offer to mediate but at some point we must let this be their issue to resolve. Unfortunately they may kill one another. The Israelis will do it with sophisticated western arms provided mainly by the U.S. The Palestinians will do it with suicide bombers and much cruder guerrilla tactics.

If that is what they two sides want then let them annihilate one another. I really don't care anymore. If they want to find a way to live side-by-side they will find a way to achieve it, with or without outside assistance.

I am a strong supporter of Israel and the right of the Jewish people to a homeland. I am similarly a strong believer in the rights of Palestinians to a homeland and the right of self-determination.

[lexx21]

5. K&R n/t

[LordGlenconner]

3. There are no quick solutions

And in fact there are no solutions to be had at all. It's been going on for eons and will go on for eons, or as long as religion is the driving force in the conflict. When both sides drop their dogma something might get done. Unfortunately, to some degree, both sides covet the struggle as much as they do their religion.

[MineralMan]

4. The same conflict has been ongoing since Old Testament times.

It's endemic to the region. I vote for not taking sides at all in it. We've done no good by taking sides, frankly, and the conflict continues, as it has for many centuries.

[MisterP]

7. Beirut, too--though we were outright shelling those aligned against Israel and the Falange

[geek tragedy]

8. The 9/11 attacks were planned for years, before Bush was President.

The errorists enrolled in flight school in 2000.

Bin Laden was pissed at us for having troops near Mecca and Medina, not because he gave two shits about the Palestinians, which he didn't.

Sorry, but please do not blame any terrorist attacks on Obama's policies-it's both inaccurate and likely to aid the GOP.