[nathanbedford]

I am old enough to remember the debate between Kennedy and Nixon over Quemoy and Matsu and whether the risk of defending them was worth it. At the time there was a national discussion of the issue.

I believe this country needs to have a thoroughgoing airing of a cost-benefit analysis of our support for Israel. I would ask the following question: are the benefits we get out of our relationship with Israel worth risking an atomic attack on the homeland?

The answer might be that the risk is there anyway. But merely to assert that is not to prove it. Otherwise, I have never seen a preponderance of persuasive evidence of benefit to America but there is plenty of evidence of benefit to American politicians.

My suggestion which I made years ago on these threads was to offer every Israeli United States citizenship so that we are morally cleared for withdrawing our military commitment. Every Israeli could then move to the United States or take the risk of remaining in Israel and, although there is no hope in this culture of avoiding charges of anti-Semitism, at least the offer of citizenship could be raised in defense of the charge.

[rmlew]

I am old enough to remember the debate between Kennedy and Nixon over Quemoy and Matsu and whether the risk of defending them was worth it. At the time there was a national discussion of the issue.

I believe this country needs to have a thoroughgoing airing of a cost-benefit analysis of our support for Israel. I would ask the following question: are the benefits we get out of our relationship with Israel worth risking an atomic attack on the homeland?
I'd like to see a rational debate, but that isn't going to happen. We cannot even discuss the enemy. We are not allowed to discuss the goals, intentions, and tools of the Islamists. Instead we are left with meaningless pablum of "moderate" vs "extremist" and accusaiton of Islamophobia, as if there is not a real rational fear of Muslims killing us. How are we to discuss protecting Israel, if we cannot discuss why the Muslims want to get rid of Israel, as well as Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Romania, all of which are NATO members.

My suggestion which I made years ago on these threads was to offer every Israeli United States citizenship so that we are morally cleared for withdrawing our military commitment. Every Israeli could then move to the United States or take the risk of remaining in Israel and, although there is no hope in this culture of avoiding charges of anti-Semitism, at least the offer of citizenship could be raised in defense of the charge.
I appreciate your desire not to see Israeli Jews exterminated, but the destruction of the Jewish state and holy sites would be quite damaging, regardless of the numbers of survivors.