Posted on 10/23/2001 6:55:31 AM PDT by ipaq2000
Ben-Eliezer: US demand is baseless
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer characterized as "baseless" the US demand that IDF forces withdraw from Palestinian Authority areas.
He said Israel had no intention of remaining in PA-controlled areas.
"All Israel wants is to physically protect its citizens from further infiltrations by terrorists or car bombs," Ben-Eliezer said.
"The government of Israel is the one responsible for insuring the existence and security of the state and its residents.
"We very much appreciate the US, the strategic cooperation ... between us, and we very much respect it, and we certainly stand behind it in it's mission [in Afghanistan] Ben-Eliezer said.
"I think the things which came out of there [the US State Department statement], with all due respect - and we are not belittling it - have no place on the ground because we have no intention of remaining in the territories, conquering the cities, or [their] hilltops."
Israel is prepared to leave the PA areas the moment someone on the other side takes responsibility for negotiations over terms of the withdrawal, Ben-Eliezer said.
"Then there is nothing preventing us discussing the conditions for changing the guard," he said.
Ok. Bush did his Islamic suck-up for the day. Now perhaps he can make a private phone call to the Prime Minister and make a stealth apology.
IMHO, we should take a tract of land permanently from Afghanistan large enough for a secure base with a nice, big air field. We payed for that land in blood already. We should have a floating 'dry dock' in the Persian Gulf so that sea vessels can be repaired and sailors can stretch their legs. It would really be nice if the dry dock were large enough to land B 52s. Lastly, we should drill for oil in Alaska. Then we tell the Islamics to stuff it.
No apology needed—this was Bush's payback for Sharon's over-the-top "Bush = Neville Chamberlain" speech. Sharon warned Bush not to do something Bush wasn't about to do; now Bush has warned Sharon not to do something Sharon wasn't about to do. Everybody's friends again.
At the same time, I understand Bush's problem. We buy Arab oil. We lack land at key strategic points. My idea above solves both problems.
Your policy sounds even more foreign than that coming out of foggy bottom. Let Israel fight the terrorists in the mideast for us.
Firstly, we should start another Manhattan Project to develop a new energy source. Something that isn't petroleum based so we will have NO NEED whatsover of the mideast.
Instead of spending all that money attempting something that COULD fail, why not just occupy OPEC and TAKE what we need?
Actually, we don't have to just take it. We can occupy the countries, make then states 51-58, and give them some kind of "just" compensation for their natural resources.
We get the oil we need. Those people get the civilization they need. And lots of people feeling bored in the continental US would get lots of room to stretch out and expand...
Mark W.
I guess when Israel blew up the Iraqi nuclear facilities 2 decades ago, that was a bad thing for us?
Sounds like you just graduated from the Yasser Arafat school of spin. When men, woman, and children are blown to bits everyday, and when infants are targetted by the Palestinians, I have no support for the Palestinians.
Get with it, after 9/11 Israel had a day of mourning, the Palestinians were dancing in the streets. Now who would you consider a friend the Israelis who support the US or the terrorists who dance in the streets when the US gets knocked down.
I've made my choice and its with Israel.
Where did you come from??? Israel is fighting for its existance against the hateful, ignorant, terrorist ARABS
That is precisely why the United States is in this current mess.
If that's how you feel, then rest assured you most certainly do not "completely agree" with me (or with President Bush, for that matter).
And boy, do they need it!
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