Jews, Israel and America

New York Times ^ | October 24, 2004 | Thomas L. Friedman

[baseball_fan]

I was speaking the other day with Scott Pelley of CBS News's "60 Minutes" about the mood in Iraq. He had just returned from filming a piece there and he told me something disturbing. Scott had gone around and asked Iraqis on the streets what they called American troops - wondering if they had nicknames for us in the way we used to call the Nazis "Krauts" or the Vietcong "Charlie." And what did he find? "Many Iraqis have so much distrust for U.S. forces we found they've come up with a nickname for our troops," Scott said. "They call American soldiers 'The Jews,' as in, 'Don't go down that street, the Jews set up a roadblock.' "

[TapTheSource]

"Everything he says is B***S***"

Well said!

[Thinkin' Gal]

"Many Iraqis have so much distrust for U.S. forces we found they've come up with a nickname for our troops," Scott said. "They call American soldiers 'The Jews,' as in, 'Don't go down that street, the Jews set up a roadblock.' "

On a primitive level, even the sons of Ishmael and Esav perceive that this is a family feud! America = House of Israel/Joseph; Israel = House of Judah. Two sticks/trees joined at the root. The "Jews" (er, the whole house of Israel) really do control the world, hahaha. :-)

[Arizona Carolyn]

Is Friedman back? Or did he have to chime in before the election against Bush?

[mamelukesabre]

Russia isn't our ally. russia isn't anyones ally. Russia looks out for russia and has a grudge to settle with many of the advanced nations of the world. Russia hates the jews. russia hates the turks. russia hates the germans. Russia is very suspicious of china. Russia is like the mafia...makes alliances when it is convenient at the time, but can turn and kill when that becomes convenient too.

Russia is like the black sheep of the family (of european nations)...hates being criticised and marginalised and wants pay back in a big way for not getting the respect they feel they deserve. In otherwords, russia can't be trusted.

[TapTheSource]

"...In other words, Russia can't be trusted."

I agree with you, but I would go further. Russia's foreign policy really hasn't changed that much since the collapse of Communism. She is still selling weapons and otherwise assisting virtually all of our enemies, while at the same time busily trying to turn our friends against us. It makes no sense from a democratic, free-market point of view. However, it does make sense, as you so eloquently stated above, from the standpoint of a mafioso mindset. Funny thing is, that's exactly how the Soviets viewed the world (but with far worse consequences given their devotion to rationing and terror).

I was wondering...why do you suppose Russia is working overtime to legitimize the Stalinist regime in Belarus? What do they have to gain from this in so far as the eyes of the world are concerned? Is there a natural affinity between Russia and Belarus that overrides other concerns?

[Alouette]

Looks like TF took a three month sabbatical

Probably in rehab. Obviously it didn't help.

[rang1995]

he has always been an arabist-self hating jew..this article just makes blame israel for 9/11 more real to others

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[mamelukesabre]

The ukraine is the bread basket of the former soviet empire. Belarus is in some ways the heart of the soviet military.

Russia is not a continuous state...it is separated in two pieces...like the state of michigan. The eastern piece is right between poland and lithuania. Without having belarus, the two sections of russia are that much further separated. In order to be continuous, russia needs belarus and lithuania. In order to feed itself, russia needs the Ukraine. In order to defend itself, russia needs belarus. Belarus is also known as "white russia". I'm not sure where that name came from or it's history, but I think it refers to politics, or the politics that once were...such as the "whites" and the "reds", or some such thing. It doubt it would be hard to research. They speak (virtually) the same language and have traditionally been the same religion. Russians don't even consider belarus to be a separate people, just a people with strong local dialect...like we consider southerners. So the answer is three parts. First they need belarus for national defence, second they need belarus to try to remain a continuous russian landmass, and third, they need belarus to maintain a unified ethnic populace.

[Aquamarine]

Aren't Christian's grafted in Jews (adopted)...Romans:11