Posted on 12/30/2001 9:36:17 AM PST by Demidog
Arguments over Israel and support of Israel are extremely contentious.
Support for Israel runs the gambit from those who support them, to the extent of wanting them to be an extension of the U.S. in the middle east, to those who are anti-Semitic and would like to see Israel destroyed.
Of course there is some middle ground, but in general the arguments about how the U.S. should treat Israel in the context of our broader foreign policy decisions is generally framed with opponents accusing each other of one extreme end of the spectrum or the other.
Hidden amongst the rhetorical rubble of these combative arguments, is the unanswered question which I believe is the core issue regarding Israel and U.S:
Who gets to decide the fate of Israel?
Is it Israel? Or is it the foerign policy wonks of the U.S. who are more interested in U.S. interests than those of Israel?
Staunch supporters of Israel would like to have their cake and eat it too. They would like the U.S. to continue to send billions in foreign and military aid, and yet butt out of Israel's own foreign policy decisions. Those on the opposite end probably want the same cake: U.S. support ceases and is over-run by her enemies.
If Israel lobs a missile or plants a booby trap that kills Palestinian children, the arguments flare up again and those who do not support Israel (like the so-called "Amen-Corner") perceive such incidents as license to condemn Israel and question U.S. support. While the "Amen-Corner" fights tooth and nail sometimes even ignores real attrocities or blames the victims of those attrocities in order to keep the pressure on to continue aid to Israel.
But it's a losing proposition for both sides.
Those who support Israel to the extreme do not get what they want because U.S. foreign policy is not concerned at all with what is in the best interests of Israel. It is concerned with U.S. interests. And those who do not support Israel (for whatever reason) do not have a choice. They must support Israel because they cannot direct their tax dollars away from Israel.
The money and aid that the U.S. sends to Israel has strings attached like all welfare programs foreign or domestic. Israel will never get to fully direct its own foreign policy as long as it is required to cowtow to U.S. demands. And it will always have to cowtow to U.S. demands as long as the U.S. government is providing the aid.
The right thing for Israel to do, if it is interested in becoming truly independent is to reject that aid. But this is easier stated than put into action.
Israel could no more reject American aid than a heroin addict could stare at a fresh fix and walk away.
The relationship between Israel and the U.S. is viewed by some as necessary to bring stability to the middle east. But the relationship is not healthy. It is marred, and more resembles a pimp/hooker relationship than two friends who are trying to help each other.
I have said on more than one occasion that our support of Israel is not moral. But this is not quite accurate. It isn't the support itself that is immoral. It is the forced nature of the support that is immoral combined with the U.S.'s insistence that control be associated with that support.
Those Americans that do not wish to support Israel should not have to do so. Just like none of us should have to support a family with our labor via Section 8, welfare programs or public schools, we should also not have to support another nation against our will.
Those who wish to support Israel with their taxes should be allowed to send as much as they wish. And I would venture a guess that the support Israel received from private citizens would far surpass what is given now (12 dollars or so per taxpayer).
And furthermore, how much sense does it make for the U.S. to send aid to both Israel and the Palestinians or Jordanians or other potential enemies of Israel against the wishes of those who support Israel?
It doesn't at all. That is why we must stop foreign aid to Israel and leave it in the hands of our private citizens. Of course, combined with this must also be the end of the Income tax. Ending the Income Tax would free the American people to support whomever they wished, foreign or domestic, without strings and without government control.
Since when is the U.S. as a nation qualified or even authorized to decide what is best for any nation other than the U.S.?
Since.....never.
And the added benefit to such a solution is the immediate calming of the rhetoric and the elimination the perceived problem with those of us who want an end to U.S. managed support of Israel: coersion.
There is nothing wrong with supporting Israel. It should not be forced at the point of a gun.
Boo.
What an ignorant statement.
Israel will always be defended by the USA; always.
GOD promised Abraham that HE would bless those who blessed Israel (Gen. 12). If we stop supporting Israel, we lose our blessing. If you check back through our history, you will see the worst times which were experienced in America were when we stopped supporting Israel.
During the Clinton years, the Clintons supported Arafat - not Israel.
There are absolutely NO heroes in this whole middle east crisis. Heroes are supposed to save the world, not destroy it.
Ridin' Shotgun has proudly quoted numerous times from the American Free Press. It's run by former staffers of the now defunct Spotlight. In case you've had your head in the sand for a few years, it's anti-semitic publication.
Ask Shotgun about the AFP. He loves plugging that group.
You sound like a sweet and loving girl, but which blessings might you be referring to? How has the US been blessed through its half century of involvement in the middle east?
Why? What contradictory evidence have you offered to rebut that statement. Have you ever read the treaty we have in place with them?
That is a flat out lie. I have never quoted anything from AFP. I challenge you to find ANYthing I have ever quoted from it.
At any rate, guilt by association is a propaganda technique and isn't a valid means of refutation. If you are going to make an accusation you had better have some corroboration else you are just name-calling.
Then please post some truthful articles from Spotlight to prove your point.
You and your shriveled litle shotgun would last 10 minutes in one of your beloved Arab nations. They don't take kindly to weak sisters. Think merciless Muslim predator and you are half way there.
Who, Moi? Never happen. IMO, Sharon's doing a pretty good job of it all by himself. He is a PR nightmare for Israel. Only the US still stands behind her in the face of world condemnation.
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