Buchanan defends foreign aid – for Hamas

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | 02/01/2006 | Patrick Buchanan

[SirLinksalot]

Buchanan defends foreign aid – for Hamas

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Posted: February 1, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2006 Creators Syndicate Inc.

Ever since President Bush, sometime after 9-11, converted to neoconservatism, his Middle East policy has suffered from the triple defects of that subspecies of the Right: hubris, ideology and immaturity.

Neoconservatives see the world as they wish it to be, not as it is. Like teenagers, they act on impulse and rail against the counsel of experience. "Often clever, never wise," Russell Kirk said of the breed.

Repeatedly, Bush was warned by traditional conservatives that to send a U.S. army to occupy Baghdad would engender Arab rage and Islamic terror. Heeding the "cakewalk" crowd, he refused to listen. Three years later, we are trying to extricate a U.S. army from Iraq with the least possible damage to U.S. security interests.

Prodded again by neoconservatives, Bush declared our true goal had always been to democratize Iraq and the entire Islamic world. His second Inaugural resonated less of Reagan than of Rousseau:

So, it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.

To advance the end of "tyranny in our world," Bush began to call for elections across the Middle East. Again, he and Condi were warned that if these people were allowed to vote their convictions, they might just vote to throw us out and throw the Israelis into the sea.

Now that elections have been held, what do the returns show?

Propelled into or toward power have been Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran, pro-Iranian Shiite zealots in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and Hamas in Gaza and on the West Bank.

Now, Condi, who denounced Bush's predecessors back to FDR for supporting dictators while preaching democracy in the Middle East, appears about to engage in a bit of hypocrisy of her own.

After insisting Hamas be included in the elections, Condi, stunned by the results and under pressure from Israel, has declared we will cut all aid to the Palestinian Authority if Hamas takes over the government, as Hamas was elected to do.

Bush agrees. Unless Hamas surrenders its weapons, abandons all armed resistance and recognizes Israel's right to exist, we will not give 10 cents to a Palestinian Authority that has Hamas as its head. Rice is said to be pressuring Europe to do the same. Unless Hamas remakes itself into a Mideast version of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Dr. King, we terminate aid.

Before adopting this knee-jerk reaction to an election we insisted go ahead, one trusts the president, this once, will think it through.

What is likely to happen if we proceed on such a course?

If we and the Europeans cut off aid, and Israel refuses to remit to the Palestinians the taxes they collect, the Palestinians will be put through hell for voting the wrong way. The Arabs will call us hypocrites who believe in elections only if they produce the results we demand.

And who could say they are wrong?

What will Hamas do? They are not going to disarm in the face of an Israeli military that has been killing Palestinians – collateral damage, of course – at four times the rate that Palestinians have been killing Israelis. They are not going to give up their trump card and recognize Israel's right to exist before they get a Palestinian state.

What will Hamas do? Hamas will accept the cut-off of aid, seek money from the Saudis and Iranians, do their best to keep the Palestinian people fed, clothed, housed and educated, and sacrifice for their people. And Hamas will fail. And when they fail, whom do we think will be blamed? When the Palestinian people have been broken because they voted the wrong way, whom do we think they will hate?

Let me propose another course. Put Hamas on probation.

For almost a year, Hamas has held to a truce with Israel and not engaged in attacks. Let America and Europe send word that if the truce holds, if Hamas does not attack Israeli civilians, if Hamas show its first concern is, as it claims, bettering the life of the Palestinian people, we will let the aid flow. But if Hamas reignites the war, we will not finance the war. We will terminate the aid.

Make Hamas responsible for continuing the aid. And make Hamas responsible for terminating it, if it comes to that.

Understandably, the Israelis are close to hysterical over the landslide for Hamas and are on a diplomatic campaign to have all donors end all aid to a Palestinian Authority dominated by Hamas.

But that is not in our interests. It is not even in Israel's interest. For it has been Israel's behavior, and uncritical U.S. support for that behavior, that produced this victory for Hamas. To continue on that road is to arrive at, literally, a dead end.

Bush has unleashed a revolution in the Middle East, and it is everywhere bringing to power Islamic fundamentalists. Either we deal with them, or fight them or get out of the Middle East.

[Flavius Josephus]

Actually, I was reading that thinking he was wrong on so many levels, but then at the end the idea of putting them on probation, given that they've demonstrated that they CAN desist if they want to, might be worth looking at.

But then, another problem is that Fatah and Hamas seem to like to sabotage each other so when Fatah would be working on a deal Hamas would blow it up. I expect the reverse will be true now. Another right-hand/left-hand tactic?

[DK Zimmerman]

Er, nothing >wrong< with

[Costigan]

>>"This sounds a bit like the old "Neoconservatives are nothing but Jew lovers" routine. He never seems to tire of that one."<<

Is it not true ?

Funny, I used to say that the Democrats were 'whores of the jewish(Israeli) lobby-[AIPAC]- ..

The problem since the early 1980's, is that because of such lobbying, the Arabs don't trust us to be impartial on
the matters of Palestine/Israel .

If we want to convert them to our way of thinking,
then we must gain their trust !

[LowCountryJoe]

Correction: So here's my question to you: are we the only two three - of a light handful of rational people - whom are replying in the reasoned manner that we are on this thread? I see that someone else with a similar view has also posted.

[MikefromOhio]

I agree with everything up to the carpet bombing.

It won't happen and it shouldn't.

[Costigan]

>>"Pat is an antisemitic bore. His attack on the so called Neo-Cons is based on the fact that most of them are of Jewish heritage and they have more influence than he ever had since Nixon left office."
<<

Are you forgetting that many of Nixon's advisors were of that heritage !?!

[Irontank]

So here's my question to you: are we the only two - of a light handful - whom are replying on this thread?

Maybe so...this crusade to end the world of tyranny through the push for democratic elections in the Middle East has not been going well for us so far...the Muslim Brotherhood (of which OBL is a member) had a big showing in the recent Egyptian elections...same with the Shiite fundamentalists in the last elections in Iraq...Buchanan has been predicting this for some time

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>We do not need to appear to be rejecting a democratically elected government, do we?"


If only we'd given Germany more aid during the late 30's. Then we wouldn't have been rejected a democratically elected Chancellor. Count me in on bashing Buchanan.

[Stentor]

Give him an A for consistency.

[lnbchip]

But, I think we can't just simplify Pat's arguments to apply only to Hamas. The underlying argument is still unanswered. The idea of carpet bombing is stupid. It doesn't do anything to resolving the final problem of eliminating the support for terrorism in the region. Until the people stop supporting terrorists, we are going to have one hell of a time getting rid of them. What happens if we blow Hamas off the face of the planet. Does that get rid of terrorists in the area? I think that's a little simplistic. I just don't know if that will stop the Palestinians, Saudis, Iranians, Iraqis, etc. from supporting terrorists.

[OldFriend]

Anyone willing to murder jewish people is a friend of Pat's.

[Txsleuth]

Yeah...Pat wants to put Hamas on probation for a year...

Gosh, Pat, it won't take that long for Hamas to wipe them off the map...which is what you seem to want so much.

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>>>>>>If we and the Europeans cut off aid.....

Since when was it our job to put The Palestinians on life support, regardless of how they reacted towards us? They have their own say in whether their society functions.

This idea that we have to give aid to other countries is ridiculous. The absence of US aid should not make them suffer, if their own government does it's job.

[DK Zimmerman]

Before you pat each other on the back too much more...

Please clarify...where do you suggest we went wrong? Holding elections in Iraq? Encouraging democracy? Invading Iraq? Desert Shield/Desert Storm? The creation of the state of Israel?

I mean, it's real easy to say democracy won't hold there. And I won't say you're wrong. There's substantive debate possible on the subject. But the options that spring to mind, leaving Saddam in power, establishing our "own" dictator, etc ALL seem far worse than trying and giving other peoples a chance.

[Supernatural]

Buchanan defends the indefensable.

[elhombrelibre]

Pat won't be happy unless Israel is destroyed.

[elhombrelibre]

If a democratic government gives us Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, or Hamas, we should reject it.

[Costigan]

- - - - Patrick J. Buchanan is simply wrong here !

An organization like Hamas, whose constitution declares that their goal is the destruction of Israel, cannot be trusted !

All direct aid to the PLO and Hamas, by the USA and Europe,
must cease and desist immediately !

The Nazis were democratically elected to power too !

I once heard, back early in 2002, from that liberal loudmouth Jon Stewart say that the Israelis and Palestinians were basically a good people, that it was the fault of Sharon and Arafat for all this violence .

Sharon did not create this quagmire, it has been building since 1948 .
Arafat did not invent the PLO - Egyptian President Nasser did in 1966 .

It is typical from a NYC talk-show host to make politically correct excuses for the Palestinians - -
would he make the same excuse for the Germans of the 1930's ?

Don't attack Pat Buchanan for being critical of Israel .
It is about time for someone on the Right to not to be afraid to do so !

[Courdeleon02]

I think Buchanan makes some telling points here. Some of you are unjustly calling him antisemitic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hamas is no longer a fringe group. It is now in the drivers seat. It has political power.I think we should give them some time and see if they show any sign of changing their ways. Hamas should be required to recognize and pledge to the world to respect the territorial integrity of Israel. In return Israel should withdraw from all settlements on the West Bank. The settlements have been the chief stumbling block that prevents any kind of agreement.Israel has not ever offered to withdraw these settlements.They were illegal in the first place. On this issue alone if Israel agrees, peace may be achievable. The Palestinians are entitled to a country of their own. If Hamas fails to respond then of course the status quo will remain.By refusing to negotiate under honorable circumstance we would be hypocrites since we negotiate with Russians, the Chinese, Libya etc. all of our formerly sworn enemies. Take note the right wing in Israel is perfectly happy with Hamas. It gives them an excuse not to negotiate.

[elhombrelibre]

It's not fair to call a bigot like Pat a bigot. He's too nuanced to be called what he most certainly is. Pat's for dictators as long as they're our friend; he's for terrorists as long as they're against the Jews; and he thinks Mexicans are not part of the Civilized world. But he's so brilliant we ought to listen to him. What a stinking kook.