Don't Hold Israel Back

Opinion Journal ^ | 04/09/2002 | MICHAEL B. OREN

[Pokey78]

America has done so for 50 years. Result: More war.

JERUSALEM--President Bush yesterday called once again for Israel to withdraw its forces from the West Bank "without delay." Until last week, Mr. Bush had displayed remarkable courage in resisting demands to curtail Israel's right to defend itself against relentless Palestinian terror. Now, abandoning that principled position in the quest for an elusive cease-fire, the president has revived the expectation that the Israelis must cease while the Palestinians keep firing. More tragically, he has reverted to a misconceived U.S. policy in the Middle East that, for over 50 years, has consistently backfired.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

bttt

[Pokey78]

Cool nickname!

[The Great Satan]

The rule was again demonstrated in Israel's 1981 attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor, an act that President Reagan at first denounced but then rewarded by elevating U.S. cooperation with Israel.

And we should all be very thankful for that. Go Israel!

[PhilDragoo]

Only by standing firm with Israel in its legitimate fight against terror can President Bush pave the way toward a viable cease-fire and renewed negotiations on ending the conflict.

I wish Bush would've stayed the hell out of it; just shut the ---- up.

He at this point has zero respect from me--and it's been the roller coaster of faith and contempt, has it not?

He's making Sharon drink the Kool-Aid. So much for the "War on Terrorism"--a joke.

[John Jamieson]

Lasting peace is the result of one side winning big and one side losing big. Compromise leads to continous little wars and no economic growth. Japan and Germany are much better off today for having lost big.

[John Jamieson]

Powell's coming! Powell's coming! (slowly) You goin' be here when Powell gets here? (Big John)

[SolomonSemperFi]

I wouldn't put it in exactly those terms PhilDragoo....but, I too am frustrated and can't understand why we seem to be pulling the rug out from under Israel. Why is everyone afraid to tell the truth....this is a religious war between Islam and the west.

[PhilDragoo]

Powell with his "moral equivalence" and "restraint" and "end the cycle of violence" and "peace process" is an effective emetic.

He would have done Gore proud.

[PhilDragoo]

Over the course of the last several days we have been told, "No, Bush is only winking at Sharon; he's not really restraining him."

At this point, it looks like he is doing just that.

And all the suffering will recommence after a brief bold strike for justice on Sharon's and Israel's part.

"The Peace Process" is a cesspool.

Visit the Saudi Embassy site to see the millions they have given the martyrs.

The 22 dictators of the Arab League and all the anti-semites of the EU are winning and grinning.

Sharon should not have been restrained. There will be more terror.

This is not a War on Terror, but some strange Kabuki theater.

Look at the pathetic airport "security". The INS. The joke which is the FBI.

How can a war be won which has been surrendered?

It's not clear how this leads to vigorous action against Iraq, Iran, North Korea.

[CaptBlack]

I wouldn't put it in exactly those terms PhilDragoo....but, I too am frustrated and can't understand why we seem to be pulling the rug out from under Israel. Why is everyone afraid to tell the truth....this is a religious war between Islam and the west.

Someone help me out here. Just WHERE does our government get off "demanding" anything from Israel?? I just read where the President said, "I meant what I said" when he spoke of the Israelis pulling out. If I was Sharon, I'd be tempted to say a hearty Hebraic SHUT UP to "Mr. Bush."
Who the devil does he think he is?? Israel is a sovereign nation with a right to protect it's own borders. Giving our opinion is one thing, but what is this???

[Russell Scott]

Our State Department is so full of new world order egos they can't see that the "iron and clay" (industrial and third-world) nations cannot mix, like water and oil. Its called blind ambition. And on 9/11 it was dealt a fatal blow.

[JSteff]

Even more important, Israel in the 1967 war not only won decisively it they were one of the best examples of fighting a modern, multifront war. They also did just about everything right in the use of Air Power, mechanized infantry working closely with armor.

I can still remember being a pre-teen and cheering while watching TV. What they did is similar to the Gulf War with "the coalition" attacking Iraq they still win in six days.

Sorry, I got too excited there... the point is the six day war was a decisive victory and the Arabs were pretty quite for six years and then started again but with even more troops and a surprise attack and Israel was on the way to Cairo (Sharon!) when we reigned them in. Those two victories '67 & '73 lead up to the first signed peace agreements with an Arab country.

Me thinks Bush should say all he wants for the world but tell Sharon to make it a three-peat and nail down a more lasting peace. Obviously all the Arabs understand is a whuppin' and the are due one big time. Next time they have to negotiate land for peace over occupied Damascus, Cairo, and Amman with the whole country of occupied Lebanon as the icing for the Arab negotiators. Certainly would be a more peaceful world for a while.

Oh, and then we can watch the Pali's get kicked out of 4 or 5 more Arab countries over the next 10 or 15 years or so.

[LarryLied]

Yet, in spite of these losses and Israel's clear-cut case for avenging them, the U.S. denied Israel's right to retaliate.

Blame the USA. Or somebody. Same schtick over and over. The USA doesn't deny Israel anything. Israel can do whatever it wants. I wish it would do so. And stop the whining.

[eclectic]

Israel can do whatever it wants

Oh, really? What part of "without delay" don't you understand?

[oswegodeee]

Re:5

You are so right!! Israel has to do just what we did with the Afgans.. So Pres. Bush either lead, follow or get the h--l out of the way..

[Texasforever]

Amen!

[LarryLied]

Oh, really? What part of "without delay" don't you understand?

So what are we going to do if Israel doesn't do what we say? Lieberman gonna take to the floor of the Senate and demand we cut off aid? Feinstein suggest we bomb Israel? Get real. Israel has more clout over us than we do over it.

[LarryLied]

Amen!

Have your fill of it too? A month ago I was neutral about Israel as a country. I wanted Israel to smash the terrorists (and still do) but after reading Israeli Firster for a few weeks, I want us to have as little to do with the country as possible. I can't imagine what goes on in their minds. Seen everyone from Pope John Paul to Billy Graham, to Bush, to France,Christians, England, Europe in general, Pope Pius, Charles Lindberg,Richard Nixon, the Catholic church as a whole, Martin Luther and a host of others bashed and smashed for what they allegedly did or said about Jews and/or Israel.

While that was going on, other Israel Firsters have defended the ADL, Clinton crook Rahm Emmanuel, the ACLU and a Jewish Ladies gorup which is suing the state of Louisiana over "Choose Life" license plates. If the Israel Firsters are seeking conservative friends, they have a weird way of going about it.

[brat]

It's about the oil business, and that's a fact. Mammon rules in America.