[Hoplite]

We're not going to cut Israel loose, and Scheuer is not attempting to buy off Islam - he's calling for a clear-headed evaluation of our fight with Al Qaeda, to be followed by the necessary steps to carry on that fight to a successful conclusion.

I don't see how you can combat a problem, win a war, unless you realize really what the enemy is up to and what he's about, and what motivates him. As long as we cling to these ideas that they're criminals and we can settle the issue with primarily the use of law enforcement in the court, and a very moderate application of military power, I see no reason for hope. I use an epigram there from Lincoln after the battle of Antietam where he said: "These people just don't realize we're in a bloody war and it's going to have to be fought out to the end", and that's about where we are. - Michael Scheuer

American-Israeli relations go under the "what motivates him" part of Scheuer's comment.

As to justifying Israeli expansion across it's 1947 borders, if that can be justified, then so too can Palestinian reclamation of areas which were previously empty land or owned by Palestinians prior to 1947-49, right?

Of course not - this isn't about what's justified, its about what's possible given the current situation, which favors Israel, is maintained as the status quo by America as it is in our interest to maintain it that way, but is being used by some in Israel to carve out lebensraum at the expense of Palestinians, which is contrary to our interests.

[rmlew]

American-Israeli relations go under the "what motivates him" part of Scheuer's comment.
Have you read Bin Laden's demands? He doesn't give a wit about the ARabvs in the West Bank or Gaza. The existance of Israel is the problem. Of course, there are many other issues that Bin Laden puts ahead of Israel and others like Andalusia behind it.

As to justifying Israeli expansion across it's 1947 borders, if that can be justified, then so too can Palestinian reclamation of areas which were previously empty land or owned by Palestinians prior to 1947-49, right?
1. Conquest is universal, at least in the short term. Long term, I put my faith in God.
2. Very little land was owned by Arabs, that they do not own today. In fact, individual Arabs own more land in 1949 Israel than Jews.
3. What makes the 1940 armistice lines any more permanent than that of 1967, 1979 or the 1923 Sykes Pikot treaty.

Of course not - this isn't about what's justified, its about what's possible given the current situation, which favors Israel, is maintained as the status quo by America as it is in our interest to maintain it that way, but is being used by some in Israel to carve out lebensraum at the expense of Palestinians, which is contrary to our interests.
1. Israel did just fine without US aid until 1973. We only got involved to counter the Soviets.
2. Lebenraum? Take a good look at 1921 "Palestine". 3/4 of it was carved out as an ARab state. We are squabling over the remaining 1/4 as Israel and Yesha.
As for American national interests, rewarding Islamist terrorism is not in them.