Barack Obama and Israel: More GOP Lies

Look, I've been around politics long enough to know that it's a contact sport. Words will be abused. Phrases will be taken out of context.

But the latest distortion from the GOP, frankly, shouldn't give us all pause -- it should spring us into action.

Here's the story, if you haven't heard - yesterday, Jeffrey Goldberg published a very interesting and engaging interview with Barack Obama, where they spoke at length about Barack's ties to the Jewish community in Chicago and his views on the Middle East peace process. When speaking about the decades old violence that has threatened our ally Israel, Barack said:

But what I think is that this constant wound, that this constant sore, does infect all of our foreign policy. The lack of a resolution to this problem provides an excuse for anti-American militant jihadists to engage in inexcusable actions, and so we have a national-security interest in solving this, and I also believe that Israel has a security interest in solving this because I believe that the status quo is unsustainable.

Does anyone seriously dispute that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a constant, open wound in the Middle East -- exploited by those who would like to see Israel and the United States driven out of the region? Of course not.

It's simply undeniable that the conflict affects all of our Middle Eastern foreign policy. For decades, these have been bi-partisan views:

There remain enemies of this peace, extremists on both sides who feel threatened by the peace and will be tempted once again to kill it with violence. We can defeat that kind of threat by building a genuine Israeli-Palestinian partnership that will stand the test of time -- Bill Clinton

Only through the process of negotiation can all the nations of the Middle East achieve a secure peace. -- Ronald Reagan

Even George W. Bush has said:

For the sake of all humanity, things must change in the Middle East.

It is untenable for Israeli citizens to live in terror. It is untenable for Palestinians to live in squalor and occupation. [...]

Permanent occupation threatens Israel's identity and democracy. A stable, peaceful Palestinian state is necessary to achieve the security that Israel longs for.

But of course, today, rather than seriously disputing that, or, even better, offering a vision of their own on how to find peace in the Middle East and security for Israel, Rep. John Boehner and Rep. Eric Cantor - senior leadership in the House GOP -- decided to ignore the actual meaning of English words and simply invent something Barack Obama didn't say. Here is what they said

Israel is a critical American ally and a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, not a 'constant sore' as Barack Obama claims. -- John Boehner

It is truly disappointing that Senator Obama called Israel a 'constant wound,' 'constant sore,' and that it 'infect[s] all of our foreign policy.' These sorts of words and characterizations are the words of a politician with a deep misunderstanding of the Middle East and an innate distrust of Israel -- Eric Cantor

This is so mendacious that the objective journalist Jeffrey Goldberg himself felt compelled to reply. He writes:

I have no doubt that Mr. Boehner will issue a correction to his press release in which he states the obvious, which is that Obama expressed -- in twelve different ways -- his support for Israel to me.

If he doesn't, however, I would, sadly, have to agree with my colleague, the less-forgiving Andrew Sullivan, who called Boehner's statement a "flat-out lie." In fact, I would add to Andrew's post, by calling Boehner's statement mendacious, duplicitous, gross, and comically refutable. So Mr. Boehner, do the right thing, and correct the record. I'll be happy to post the correction right here.

These statements by Representatives Boehner and Cantor are so bad they rise to the level of a danger to our foreign policy. America's allegiance to Israel has always been bi-partisan and unshakeable. It still is, with either Sen. McCain, Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton as President. But how can we actually have a debate on foreign policy, if the other side simply makes up statements on which to base phony, contrived outrage?

No, people need to hear the truth -- now.

Here's what Barack said about his personal feelings about Israel in the very same interview:

I think the idea of Israel and the reality of Israel is one that I find important to me personally. Because it speaks to my history of being uprooted, it speaks to the African-American story of exodus, it describes the history of overcoming great odds and a courage and a commitment to carving out a democracy and prosperity in the midst of hardscrabble land. One of the things I loved about Israel when I went there is that the land itself is a metaphor for rebirth, for what's been accomplished. What I also love about Israel is the fact that people argue about these issues, and that they're asking themselves moral questions.

In other words, he said exactly the opposite of what Boehner and Cantor scurrilously allege. The Washington Post gave both Boehner and Cantor multiple Pinocchios for their performance.

Barack Obama has spoken time and time again on the importance of our alliance with Israel, and on how important Israel is to him personally. He has spoken movingly about the inspiration he draws from Israel's historic struggle for independence and its current struggle for security, as well as his deep resolve to continue working to strengthen security for all of Israel's people. He has called America's commitment to Israel's security "unshakeable," a commitment built on the bedrock of the deep friendship between the two nations.

But the Republican Party insists on twisting his words so far they resort to actually lying about their meaning.

We have a foreign policy mess in the Middle East. The Bush administration's Iraq debacle has weakened our diplomatic standing in the region and limited our options in working on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. No wonder all Representatives Boehner and Cantor can do is to create imaginary strawmen to knock down in self-righteous indignation.

I'm not alone in condemning this remark. Here's the statement from Rep. Robert Wexler:

In his dishonest and ridiculous distortion, John Boehner has shown us the new depths that a truly desperate Republican leadership will sink to in its attempt to smear Barack Obama's strong and unshakeable record of support for Israel. This absurd parsing would be laughable if it wasn't so sad to see the U.S.-Israel relationship used as a political wedge instead of a cause to unite all Americans around a common purpose.

And here's Rep. Rahm Emanuel:

On the eve of Israel's 60th anniversary, Congressman Boehner should remember that Israel enjoys bipartisan support and commitment to its security. Nothing could be worse for Israel at this time than for it to become a proxy for Congressman Boehner's political games. Senator Obama's record is clear when it comes to Israel's security and friendship with the United States.

The politics of character assassination from Republicans on the important issues needs to stop. Playing games to drive political wedges as part of some political strategy does great disservice to our country. We need to talk about how to chart a new course, not spread these kinds of distortions.

We deserve better in this country, but we won't get it from the GOP in this election. Already we've seen John McCain trying to describe Barack Obama as Hamas' candidate. That's beneath the John McCain I used to know. But -- sadly -- that is the only way these Republicans have to try and win an election

We deserve better. We need to have an honest and important conversation about how to reorient our foreign policy to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

What we don't need are lies, distortions, and rhetoric designed only to whip up fear. That's part of what got us into this mess, and it won't get us out.

Call Sen. McCain's office at 202-224-2235 and ask him to condemn these statements from his supporters.

Comments

[DMHendrix]

Why call McCain..he­'s not going to do anything. He's got Lieberman pulling his strings and we all know where he stands on this subject! I was so disgusted by this story that I called Boehners office yesterday. His staff was rude as hell, but I could care less....I told them what I thought about this kind of crap. Here's the number : 202-225-6205

[mheister]

My prediction - Lieberman will be McCain's Veep choice. Watch.

[cobraxus]

it's not surprising that "Cry-Baby"Boehner and "Kosher-No­stra"Canto­r are pulling this crap but let's be honest:this whole Pro-Israeli attitude is largely responsible for the trouble we have in the middle-eas­t.when anyone questioned the neocons in their build up to war with Iraq,those who dared question them were accused of being anti-semet­ic.there's no two ways to interput that.forme­r democrat Joe Lieberman represents the state of Israel more than he does Connecticut and clearly wants to be McCain's Secretary Of State.Lieb­erman,McCa­in and "Little-Jerk"Graham want a war with Iran.If they get it Israel will be the first to see blowback.t­hen our troops in Iraq.final­ly the US.and when the next attack comes the world will back away from us,viewing it as just retaliation.

[TunnelRat]

That sounds like the typical anti-Semitic rant you hear from most Obamaphiles. We support the only country in the Middle East that lets women show their ankles, and yet THAT is the source of all our problems, not the packs of jihadists that Obama wants to "talk" to.

[gdwtch52]

You are a sad, little man. You make America seems small in the eyes of the world...sm­all and spiteful. I doubt you will be bright enough to be ashamed. Go read the posts you have left....th­e sum of your intelligent wit, left for others to read and suppose you have any influence at all....pif­fle!

[KHAAANNN]

Hey, TunnelRat, you MORON!
We INVADED and DESTROYED the only modern Arab country that let women wear what they wanted, go where they wanted, and learn what they wanted. Where they could become doctors, engineers, lawyers, politicians, etc. and were NOT subject to Islamic law. You know, ..........­......IRAQ­!!!
Since the invasion, they are NOW subject to Islamic law (just like Saudi Arabia wanted them to be) at least the ones who are still alive.

[bb1234]

Multiple casualties were reported Wednesday evening, including a baby girl and her mother who were seriously wounded, when a rocket fired from Gaza hit the Hutzot Shopping Center in Ashkelon.

This rocket was launched from land that Israel evacuated.

The Palestinian leaders are terrorists and they have the support of the population.

Palestinian mothers encourage their children to be suicide bombers and praise their success.

Palestinain fathers/brothers kill their sisters if they act "dishonorably".

Peace with these people? I think not.

[newworldman777]

In that case, perhaps the intelligent decision that the Israelis need to make is for them to admit that their grand "Zionist" experiment simply did not work, followed by their departure from the region. Their existence is creating so much inter-generational hatred among nearly all of the Arabic and Persian countries, that peace will obviously never flourish there. You can't force those people to accept Israel. Seems to me that the proper "Judeo-Christian" thing to do, to prevent more unnecessary deaths, is for them to give it up. It simply didn't work.

[LBM]

That's ridiculous. Israel just celebrated it's 60th anniversary of independence and it has existed with Arab enemy neighbors for thousands of years. Do you think the wars just started since 1948? This was not an experiment, and it has not failed. My great-grea­t-great-gr­eat-great grandfather founded the Jewish community of Hebron in the 1700's. In 1929, the Palestinians slaughtered every Jewish man, woman and child in the community. You can't use history to solve this crisis, and you can't give in to terror. This has been the Jewish homeland for thousands of years, and it will remain that for thousands of years to come.

[LBM]

I have to disagree on one point, the terrorists may not have the support of the Palestinian population. Hamas has killed more Palestinians in 2007 than the Israeli forces did for the first time since 1967 due to their armed takeover of Gaza. They are terrorists, but they are not the same as the innocent among the Palestinian people who are also their targets. Read the Human Rights Watch overview of the conflict:

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/isrlpa17596.htm

[Harinama]

Look, until Israel stops it's "apartheid" control of palestinian, syrian and lebanese lands they have no other recourse. Israel has a right to security, but it must give up the lands it TOOK in 1967. We all know that Israel will probably never do this, so they are being treated like the oppressor they are.

I feel for the civilians that have to pay for the gd ultra zionist bastard government, maybe they should vote them out?

Oh right, just like in Amerikkka, the rich and powerful and well armed control the govt, the media, etc.

Face it, the fix is in. If you are not a rich selfish oligarch, you WILL be poor when they destroy the middle class. This is a globalist agenda.

[LBM]

All citizens of Israel including Arab citizens of Israel possess the same citizen rights since the fact is that Israel is a liberal democracy, guaranteeing civil, religious and social equality to all its citizens -- including Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze and Baha'is. Israel's Arab citizens have the right to vote, and are represented by three Arab political parties in Israel's parliament (the Knesset), representing a gamut of views from communism to Islamic fundamentalism. Several newspapers freely represent the views of Arab citizens in a far freer manner than is permitted among the media of Israel's neighbours. Unlike the situation in South Africa during Apartheid, Arab citizens of Israel are guaranteed the right to vote, can (and do) serve in government, and are protected equally by the Israeli court system. It is political slander intended to malign Israel by singling it out from all other countries whose human rights records are called into question, possibly because of its status as the world's only Jewish State. 53 faculty members from Stanford university have stated: "The apartheid analogy is false and breeds conflict", as for the analogy itself they conclude: "The State of Israel has nothing in common with apartheid". You can read the truth about the Human Rights Record here:

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/isrlpa17596.htm

[Spesabsquemetu]

When elected representatives engage in willful deceptions of the public it makes a mockery of their oath of office to uphold the public's interest, only then to lie to the public with reprehensible distortions of a good man's character.

Such conduct is disgraceful; one would think a war hero would honor truth, by speaking it, disowning such vile commentary from members of his own party.

But the whole truth is that this conduct is not limited to republicans. It would be unfortunate for democrats to believe that only republicans have engaged in such reprehensible acts.

Democrats continue to direct damaging lies at Senator Obama aimed at inflicting harm on his candidacy - all because he speaks the truth and dares to summon the strength of the electorate as dynamic participants in their government.

We’ve witnessed istortions of his religious faith, contortions concerning his ethnic-identity, lies concerning his experience, distortions of his remarkable record, lies regarding his love of America and patriotism, deceptions regarding his constituency, and a racism that is ugly and disgusting to admit as being present in our own party.

This conduct aims at destroying his candidacy and election in November.
I hope Senator Clinton will help clear up these deceptions concerning her fellow democrat, by telling the public and all her supporters that BOTH SHE AND SENATOR OBAMA are STRONG SUPPORTIVE ADVOCATES OF ISRAEL and a PEACE PROCESS for that region that offers the hope of Palestinians and Israelis living side-by-side in peace.

[Bocababs]

Thank you...Sena­tor Kerry....a­nd as I read this, I could hear you speaking this words. This Election is going to get ugly and every single word will be parsed this Fall.

We have fight back this time...and fight back hard. I know I will be in one of those armies of commentors who will be out there lending my voice to this type of mudslinging politics..­..

[LABC]

I'm right there with you, Bocababs. Thank you, Senator Kerry - the GOP is guided by the most venal group of people and it is time to fight back - too much has been lost already allowing these creeps free passes.

[tyruler]

Right...fi­ght back against not being pro-Israel enough, with bowing down to your critics and becoming even more hawkish and pro-Israel, right?

When the Democrats and progressives abandon the blatantly one-sided cause of Israel and take the cause of suffering of everyone in this conflict, as an unbiased arbitrator, a story we rarely hear of see in the pro-Israel American media, continue to expect American Empire decline in an increasingly post-America world.

[Pragman]

Wait until they win, fer crying out loud.

[bobo209]

United States ought to pinch itself and wake up from its far fetched dreams. You cannot build an empire with beach sand. You can’t teach morality when you are immoral..W­here in the bibles does it say THAT, we the americans have to fight wars on behalf of israel??any one..dying for israel is NOT PATRIOTISM. DISSSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM­..THOMAS JEFFERSON.

[tyruler]

Thank you, apparently you seem to get it.

[LBM]

Are you saying that Jewish people are immoral? Where do you come up with that anti-semitic assertion? Israel is a country that is our strongest ally in the middle east. Who were Americans dying for in the first Gulf War, the World Wars, Bosnia? How about all the other countries that the US has stepped in to help over the years? Israel is a democracy that has equal rights for all its citizens including the 20% Arab minority who also has seats in the Knesset. Their human rights record is miles above other countries in the area, and even better than the US, Russia, China and many other countries. Look at the Human Rights Watch report on Israel, and then look at these other countries and ask why Israel is singled out:

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/isrlpa17596.htm

[bobo209]

POEM FOR THE REGULAR AMERICANS.­.

.S. F-16’s, tanks and war machines
Outnumber stone throwers
By Ten to One.




Bullets and bombs
Rain on Palestine.
Olive trees, flowers and bees
Take casualties too.
Soil, water, mountains and valleys
Express grief; no one hears
Their cries and fears.

U.S. F-16’s, tanks and war machines
Kill all ages.
Israeli soldiers verse
Stone throwers.
War games have no winners.
Remember Isaac Robin!
His vision was unity
For Arabs and Jews.
His dreams were robbed
By gangsters and thieves.

George Bush, Sharon and Blair
Get updates on death toll
Every morning before breakfast.
Sometimes they demand death news
Before bedtime
For a good night sleep.

Palestinians
Purchase death sheets
From neighbors…
Garment mills got bombed.
U.S. says! It evened the scale:
Sharon gets F-16’s;
Palestinians receive free caskets.

Arab leaders prepare for peace:
They build pigeon holes on roof tops;
They groom and trim olive trees.
Israelis prepare for war;
They build ships and submarines.

[jeffepops]

Give me a break. What kind of doggerel b.s. is this? Your pathetic, mawkish propaganda bear neither art nor truth as its fruits. Go back to school. Learn how to write; study history; read honest poetry; try again.

[bobo209]

Since time early 19th century it has become a litmus text for every AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO KISS ASS OF AN APARTHIED STATE???With all due respect senator we the tax paying americans are sick of it period.ENO­UGH ALREADY GO AWAYYY..

We have sacrficed our young kids for israel for what??enough already fraud war for israel must STOP..
We can not piss 1.5 billion muslims on behalf of this rascist country.EN­OIGH ALREADY.He­re is what AIPAC AND ADL. DONE FOFAR FOR USA..

Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered In US War And Occupation Of Iraq "1,206,950"


----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------

Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In U.S. War And Occupation Of Iraq 4,077


----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------

Cost of U.S. War and Occupation of Iraq

$519,278,900,847

[LBM]

Israel is based on their Declaration of Independence which insures equal rights for all citizens regardless of their race or religion. They have a 20% Arab population that has all the same rights as the Jewish population, they even have seats in the Knesset. Maybe you should read the Declaration:

http://www.israel.org/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20Establishment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel

Unlike the situation in South Africa during Apartheid, Arab citizens of Israel are guaranteed the right to vote, can and do serve in government, and are protected equally by the Israeli court system. It is political slander intended to malign Israel by singling it out from all other countries whose human rights records are called into question, possibly because of its status as the world's only Jewish State.

53 faculty members from Stanford university have stated: "The apartheid analogy is false and breeds conflict", as for the analogy itself they conclude: "The State of Israel has nothing in common with apartheid".

Read up on the Human Rights Record of Israel and other countries:

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/isrlpa17596.htm

[katzooks]

I'd like to think the American public is too savvy to fall for such a cheap ploy against Obama, but if this primary season is any indication­....

My suggestion is to flood the media with protest every time this kind of garbage surfaces.

[UnbiasView]

So whine everytime your guy gets attacked but applaud if McCain gets attacked? Sounds fair if you are on crack.

[QuicksilverKW]

This was not about Obama being attacked - are you unable to understand that?

[UnbiasView]

John, you do know that crying like this is why you did not become President. If the Dems would have put up anyone else in 2004 it would have been a slam dunk, instead you are still bitter it seems.

[apduncan1]

And your point is?

Your comment has nothing to do with the facts.

[UnbiasView]

Fact: If any Democrat besides John Kerry ran in 2004, he would have crushed Bush.

[Pragman]

Don't shoot the messenger.

This is not about Kerry and Bush, this is Boehner and Obama. Is Boehner lying about Obama, yes or no?

[sd4peace]

This will ultimately backfire on McCain. I think that the country as a whole is sick of these lies.

[Apov]

So these are more examples of the Christian values and family values that we keep hearing about.
Shame on Boehner and Cantor.
This is the party that lies.
This is the party that creates its own reality with lies.
This is the party that will bring this nation down.
This is the party of the greediest, the most selfish, the untruthful, the uncaring, the disloyal, the unpatriotic.
This is the party that will try and do anything to to win.
They don't care about our country or its citizens.
It's all about them and what they can get.
This is a party that works for the Devil.,,,,­,for sure.
Will you join in and become an accomplice of the Devil?
Will you join in and destroy our nation?

[not one of the sheep]

That would be both parties actually. There is no difference.

[UnbiasView]

"This is the party that lies."

2006, Nancy Pelosi and the Dems ran on ending the war and lowering the gas prices

"This is the party that creates its own reality with lies."

2008, John Kerry says global warming causes tornadoes.

Need me to go on? Why do far left and far right people believe that the other party is the evil one when in reality they all do the same things, they are all politicians.

[leftcoastindy]

2008, John Kerry says global warming causes tornadoes.­"

The fact that this is your idea of a lie is the perfect example of the whole problem.
Republitards are completely delusional and have no logic or common sense.

Even if GW did not cause tornadoes, why would Kerry saying so be a good example of a lie? There is so much disinformation on GW, mostly caused by the wingnuts on purpose, that its hard to figure out exactly what is influenced by GW.

[clifwest]

And Senator Obama just said that he had been in 57 states. When did we add 7 states? I may be 74 and a registered Democrat for 53 years, but I am sure I would have noticed adding 7 states. Where did we get them and where are they? I may want to move to one of them to avoid any more political adds. Recorded telephone solicitations in the dead of the night is taking its toll on all of the voters and we may need rubber rooms to hide in before this whole nightmare is over.

[ssg13565]

I guess the chickens come home to roost.

Because hardly anybody tried to fight the big lie perpetrated against Rev. Wright, the perpetrators realized what they could get away with. Now they are trying it directly on Obama.

If you had fought them then, you wouldn't have to fight them now. When will you ever learn?

It may still not be too late to show what abject liars the press has been with Rev. Wright. Then it will be easier to show that if they could do it then, they will do it now. Until they actually get caught with their pants down, they will not stop.

Please help fight the propaganda.

Do some research at http://ssgreenberg.name/PoliticsBlog/?p=82

[SMAGGIE]

You can take it for worth it's worth, but I have attended the same church for over 35 years and in all those years, I have never heard anything that would even resemble those words Rev. Wright has said. And yes, I have heard more than a few words of his sermons and I see no difference in what he said then and now. I still stand by my feelings that if I heard my Pastor utter anything that even resembled what Wright has said, over and over, I would not still be in that church. Obama must have agreed with most of his sermons or he would not have stayed, had the Rev. marry him and Michelle and had that man baptize his children in that church. I cannot believe in anything Obama has to say as he said in his speeches, "they are only words". The words he quoted were historic in nature and they did mean plenty to us. No Obama for our leader, because he is not a leader.

[rwe]

it still comes down to the fact that if it were not for Jimmy Carter the nightmare of the medeast would not be where it is today.

[julieeiluj]

If it were not for greed all of the nightmares happening right this second on this planet would not be happening.

[Palspal]

rwe - Carter's mistake was treating Israel as an ally of the US. His mistake was betraying his natural instinct for human rights by selling the Palestinians down the river. He was, needless to say, under incredible Zionist pressure to do so. Now he's free to promulgate the truth, Of course, Carter was not the first to betray Palestine. Kennedy began the long road to hell by providing aid to Israel. LBJ increased the aid substantially. He moved in this direction due to external pressures from the Cold War and internal pressures from Israel's budding amen-corner - not out of any affinity for Israel. Obama too is trapped. He has to be 110% for Israel or he will be denied the presidency. Its likely a false hope that he can return to his originally correct understanding of the situation once he's in office - because congress is in the bag too. It's unfortunate, because Obama's presidency can succeed only if he gets the Middle East right - that is, basically sit on Israel - for once.

[S1m0n]

Let's not forget Nixon, who--counselled by Kissinger-­-intervene­d in the 73 war on Israel's behalf in response to Israeli nuclear blackmail, and allowed the Israeli land grab of the occupied territories, which has determined the shape of conflict ever since. If Israel had refrained--or been forced to refrain--they'd still have the moral high ground and popular sympathy now they had then, and would be in no worse position. With the uncloaking of Israel's nuclear weapons, the new state acquired all the immunity to invasion it needs.

For immunity to terror, it's going to have to negotiate.

[Pragman]

And Reagan was probably in the best position to nib the West Bank settlements in the bud and force a compromise, but he dithered.

Remember, it has ostensibly been US policy to oppose the creation of Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories, BUT WE NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT! So we must be lying. Don't think the Arabs aren't keenly aware of that.

[LBM]

There is an interesting article in the Jewish Forward about Carter and his peace dealings, and what has worked and what lessons have been learned. The conclusion is that American policy "is most effective when it is reactive and not preconceived, when it is pragmatic rather than idealistic. Henry Kissinger taking advantage of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 to negotiate force-separation agreements — which were the real beginning of the Israeli-Arab peace process — and ease the Soviets out of the region is a positive example of this dynamic. President Bush’s attempt to restructure the Middle East and impose democracy in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks is a negative one.

Carter’s most recent forays into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based as they are on ideology and ignorance, are reminiscent of his misguided attempt in 1977 to thwart Sadat’s peace initiative, rather than the exemplary statesmanship he exhibited the following year at Camp David."
http://www.forward.com/articles/13212/

[bobwalters]

You're correct, Palspal, but incomplete. The Zionists first blackmailed the British government, resulting in the Balfour resolution. They then conducted numerous terrorist raids in the Palestinian territories, including bombing hospitals and schools, and partly because of the onset of WWII, they basically operated with impugnity. It is NOT anti-Semitic to point out the criminal conduct of the Israeli government and the Zionist "pioneers", anymore than it is anti-Europ­ean/Americ­an to point out that the European settlers conducted the same kind of land/resource theft and genocide of Native Americans when settling the North American continent. "Those who forget (or never know) their history are doomed to repeat it." Without US vast financial and military support, the Israelis would still be pounding sand, trying to find water, and would still be starving in the Negev.

[eggman]

I remember the Mideast before Carter. It was a lush green land where flowers bloomed among the oil derricks painted in polka dots and paisley. Sunni and Shiite, Jewish and Christian people heldblock parties with potluck dinners. There was no Farsi or Arabic word for 'war' or 'gun' because the blissful Middle East knew nothing of these things. Then that damned Carter ruined everything.

[katzooks]

Huh? You need to brush up on your history lessons, paying special attention to the fall 1980 activities of key "Secret Team" liasons: Ronald Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, William Casey, Ted Shackley and others. In concert with the CIA, these players crawled in the bed with our enemy for the explicit purpose of overturning the 1980 election.

Our present-day "nightmare of the mideast?" Born, in great part, through Black Ops, such as this "Secret Team," operation, in which our leaders chummed up to our enemies -- in conspiracy AGAINST the U.S.. In the process, our officials tutored these erstwhile *friends* in the flimsiness of U.S. government ethics. (Think: Iran/Contra drugs and arms deals).

Another lesson our government has taught our erstwhile partners in crime: Once your usefulness is spent, we'll toss you like a used condom. (Think: Osama bin Laden). Hence, the true, albeit unpopular, phrase: American's chickens have come home to roost.

[RS]

Right on katzooks--just to refresh everyone's memory, here is a list of the brutal dictators the U.S has backed over the last 50+ years until their usefulness ran out:


Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier (Haiti)
Fulgencio Batista (Cuba)
Ngo Dinh Diem (Vietnam)
Augusto Pinochet (Chile)
Shah Reza Pahlavi (Iran)
Anastasio Somoza (Nicaragua)
P.W. Botha (South Africa)
Ferdinand Marcos (Philippines)
Suharto (Indonesia)
Manuel Noriega (Panama)
Saddam Hussein (Iraq)

[ann1]

It's quite obvious the Republicans are afraid to run against Sen Barack Obama and they should be!

[julieeiluj]

They would be terrified to run against ObamaClinton. It would be a blowout and they know it.

[katzooks]

Terrified? Oh, ha ha! The Republicans would love nothing more than to see Clinton on the ticket (hence Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos.") With Clinton on the ticket, the rattling from all the skeletons parading out of their closet would completely drown any substantive talk by Democrats on issues and change.

Do you not realize that the deafening silence of these skeletons is due entirely to Obama's commitment to take the high road and not engage in character assasination? The Republicans will not be so kind in the fall.