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So Far, Obama's Missed The Point on Gaza...
It would have helped if Obama had the courage to talk about what everyone in the Middle East was talking about. No, it wasn't the US withdrawal from Iraq. They knew about that. They expected the beginning of the end of Guantanamo and the probable appointment of George Mitchell as a Middle East envoy was the least that was expected. Of course, Obama did refer to "slaughtered innocents", but these were not quite the "slaughtered innocents" the Arabs had in mind.
There was the phone call yesterday to Mahmoud Abbas. Maybe Obama thinks he's the leader of the Palestinians, but as every Arab knows, except perhaps Mr Abbas, he is the leader of a ghost government, a near-corpse only kept alive with the blood transfusion of international support and the "full partnership" Obama has apparently offered him, whatever "full" means. And it was no surprise to anyone that Obama also made the obligatory call to the Israelis.
But for the people of the Middle East, the absence of the word "Gaza" - indeed, the word "Israel" as well - was the dark shadow over Obama's inaugural address. Didn't he care? Was he frightened? Did Obama's young speech-writer not realise that talking about black rights - why a black man's father might not have been served in a restaurant 60 years ago - would concentrate Arab minds on the fate of a people who gained the vote only three years ago but were then punished because they voted for the wrong people? It wasn't a question of the elephant in the china shop. It was the sheer amount of corpses heaped up on the floor of the china shop.
Sure, it's easy to be cynical. Arab rhetoric has something in common with Obama's clichés: "hard work and honesty, courage and fair play ... loyalty and patriotism". But however much distance the new President put between himself and the vicious regime he was replacing, 9/11 still hung like a cloud over New York. We had to remember "the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke". Indeed, for Arabs, the "our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred" was pure Bush; the one reference to "terror", the old Bush and Israeli fear word, was a worrying sign that the new White House still hasn't got the message. Hence we had Obama, apparently talking about Islamist groups such as the Taliban who were "slaughtering innocents" but who "cannot outlast us". As for those in the speech who are corrupt and who "silence dissent", presumably intended to be the Iranian government, most Arabs would associate this habit with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt (who also, of course, received a phone call from Obama yesterday), King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and a host of other autocrats and head-choppers who are supposed to be America's friends in the Middle East.
Hanan Ashrawi got it right. The changes in the Middle East - justice for the Palestinians, security for the Palestinians as well as for the Israelis, an end to the illegal building of settlements for Jews and Jews only on Arab land, an end to all violence, not just the Arab variety - had to be "immediate" she said, at once. But if the gentle George Mitchell's appointment was meant to answer this demand, the inaugural speech, a real "B-minus" in the Middle East, did not.
The friendly message to Muslims, "a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect", simply did not address the pictures of the Gaza bloodbath at which the world has been staring in outrage. Yes, the Arabs and many other Muslim nations, and, of course, most of the world, can rejoice that the awful Bush has gone. So, too, Guantanamo. But will Bush's torturers and Rumsfeld's torturers be punished? Or quietly promoted to a job where they don't have to use water and cloths, and listen to men screaming?
Sure, give the man a chance. Maybe George Mitchell will talk to Hamas - he's just the man to try - but what will the old failures such as Denis Ross have to say, and Rahm Emanuel and, indeed, Robert Gates and Hillary Clinton? More a sermon than an Obama inaugural, even the Palestinians in Damascus spotted the absence of those two words: Palestine and Israel. So hot to touch they were, and on a freezing Washington day, Obama wasn't even wearing gloves.
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227 Comments so far
Show AllWhen the crisis in Gaza exploded at Christmas, Barak Obama was conspicuous by his absence - "one President at a time"? Let us hope that as time goes on, and Obama eases into the oval office, that things do change, that Obama does reach out a hand to Iran, Syria, Hamas and North Korea. Immediately after the tragedy of 9/11 the Bush administration seemed hell bent on revenge, not against specific suspects, but against Islamic countries who were not accepting the President's dollar.
I am fearful of the influence of Emanuel and Clinton, not to mention the various lobby groups who helped fund his campaign as well as everyone else's. Unfortunately, the way that the US set up dictators in other countries in opposition to popular parties is a fundamental problem, a definite obstacle to peace in the Middle East. We are not living in the 18th century, where news travelled at the speed of a good horse, we have instant communications all across the globe, where every mistimed comment or action is going to guarantee a swift reaction somewhere else.
We are less well informed as citizens than people were "when news traveled at the speed of a good horse". The 'instant communications all across the globe' do not reach the majority of the citizens of the United States. Most of us get our news from the major media. In the U.S.S.R. people read Pravda (truth) and knew it was all propaganda. They read between the lines knowing the official word was not pravda at all. Look at the American newspapers and their emphasis on the suffering of the poor Israelis who are being attacked by those fanatic Muslim Palestinians. We are so careful not to say anything that might be labeled as 'anti-Semitic' that we can't say, "I think the Israelis are committing war crimes in Gaza and the United States should stop all military funding to the Israeli army without earning that nasty tag.
Go ahead and call me anti Semitic! I want that million dollars a day that we send to Israel to be instead used to take care of our problems here at home. My city is broke. My state is broke. My nation is broke. We are cutting all the programs to help lower income people to survive. We need to creat a new energy system to ease the effect of catastrophic climate change. We need to put Americans to work repairing the infrastructure of our nation. We shouldn't participate and pay for the massacre in Gaza!
RIGHT ON!!!
Obama has been president less than 48 hours.
If he did everything Fisk and I wanted the first day I wonder what would happen? (I stand a little to the left of Zapata.)
Right now the country is euphoric. For the first time for years it feels good to be an American. Let's give Obama at least a week to turn around the damage done over, say, half a century.
Yeah, Fisk, I'm with you, I'd like to see the U.S. (with U.N. support) put an embargo on Israel until they give up their weapons of mass destruction and allow regular inspections. I want no-fly zones too.
But how do think that would set with a population that has been subjected for generations to the most intense propaganda campaign ever known?
Let's make progress slowly, not kick over the table. It's going to take time to un-brainwash a nation.
Be patient. Think Gorbachev. He knew to go slowly and work within the party.
What evidence do you have for Zapata's being a leftist?
Actually, Zapata was an anarchist.
GollyGee, you are quite correct, head on confrontation at this stage will not work, but I hope he has the strength to control the various potentially "rogue" elements around him. I share US enthusiasm for Barak Obama, because the last eight years have made the World a more unstable place. He does seem to have something "special", something far beyond being intelligent and a brilliant orator, I hope I am not mistaken.
If any other country (except the USA) had done what israel just did in Gaza there would have been a vigorous and meaningful response from the USA congress.Now that congress no longer has bush to hide behind we clearly see their lack of a moral compass. A couple of words to Hamas, I can never know your pain or frustration but I can give you my perspective from afar. I think you should eliminate the violent destruction of israel from your charter. I believe if you adhere to a peaceful dissolution of israel you remove all legal liability of preventive attack. You will gain more allies and be completely legitimate. Also from reading their postings and seeing their actions I understand that israel is basically an insane nation. Your adherence to the violent destruction of isreal only drives the israelis deeper into their psychosis which results in worse israeli atrocities. ----------------------------------------- Thanks ---------------------- Peace -----------------
>>glenn ford: Now that congress no longer has bush to hide behind we clearly see their lack of a moral compass.
Exactly.
>>A couple of words to Hamas, I can never know your pain or frustration but I can give you my perspective from afar. I think you should eliminate the violent destruction of israel from your charter.
You are right, to some extent - that will then expose the actions and intentions of the real aggressor. But to truly adopt such a stance, one would also need some truly courageous leaders of the stature of Gandhi or Mandela. Unfortunately I don't see (or know of) anyone like that in the region.
Highintel: Can we do better?
AndyUK
I believe Obama is going to disappoint you on Gaza if you expect him to focus on it. It is not his first priority nor should it be. America's economy and its citizens rightfully are his first priority.
Given time I do believe he may be able to do something with Iran and Syria that will allow Gaza to become an independent state or make some arrangement for stability. Lets hope he can be sucessful in this area over the next few years. He could hardly do worse than GWB....bet you don't disagree with that one!
Thomas - I like you a lot, but my God you are - what's the invective I'm looking for? - balanced. Have you no passion in you? I'll bet you smoke a pipe.
Passion? You must understand that my passion is for my country first, I've been all over the world and never saw another country that offers to anyone, anyone at all what ours does. Even when its perverted by cowards like Cheney and Bush. As we have both learned, you cannot help anyone when you are in trouble yourself.
I can't tell you how sick I was seeing the pictures of that fighting. If I could stop it before it begins again I would. But I can't. And ranting on and on about the Palestinians doesn't help. Its Iran and Syria that control this fight in any case, not the Palestinians who are caught in the middle. Nor Hamas that is controlled by those two with economic aid from the Saudi's.
You ought to see my "passion" when some anti-American ass bends history to suit his argument. Or critisizes people that made hard decisions while the hardest decision they ever made was what kind of Latte to order. Or critisizes us from the safety of his own country guaranteed by us to this day and his own country has as many faults or more than ours. Or calls my fellow Marines/servicemen "baby killers"...in effect calling me and my friends the same....want to see passion? Even at my advanced age it wouldn't be said to my face by the cowards that say it. The discipline many make fun of here is still there, because going off half cocked could get people killed when I learned it.
When those leftist war protestors spit on my 3 men in San Francisco (something I'm assured never happened by experts here) my men were controlled by that discipline as I was, I held them back, but frankly if I'd allowed my "passion" free reign, I'd have hurt those cowardly son's of bitches badly.
I have a bit more passion for the people that were killed on my border (4X as many as in Gaza) and the terror there. I have more passion for the folks that are being used and abused by our own business's than the fact that Israel won't allow Palestinians to work in their country. I could go on, but you don't need things spelled out like some. Its sort of like "pick your fights."
I do try not to let my emotions get loose or get into cat fights about unimportant points that some here insist on...don't mistake it for a lack of passion.
We are in trouble, real trouble and its coming fast. Even you and I haven't seen what is likely to happen.
That was a very kind thing to say by the way....
I don't smoke at all.
I stand corrected.
Never corrected! Reading your posts advise's me to never try to correct you! That was a rant wasn't it?
I do drink wine with meals sometimes and after more often. Maybe thats it. Maybe I should take up pipe smoking....
As a reformed hippie I've given up more vices than most people have tried. Alas, I am now down to red wine and wicked thoughts. Maybe we can tip a glass sometime, though Austin is as far as I'm willing to venture into Texas.
Never have listened to Hannity. I live off the Fox grid and don't get the news from their crew of geniuses. I have heard Limbaugh and O'Reilly though, and like yourself I am amazed that they find an audience out there. To their credit, the regressives of my acquaintance are sticking by their guns. It's all Jimmy Carter's fault.
Vox
"I am now down to red wine and wicked thoughts."
Sure beats water and no wicked thoughts doesn't it?
"though Austin is as far as I'm willing to venture into Texas."
Come on up, Tyler's a nice little city, besides we keep our "rednecks" and Republicans on leashes now.
I heard Hannity on the radio not Fox, I saw Fox TV once but I knew I'd catch something nasty if I did it again.
Pax
"When those leftist war protestors spit on my 3 men in San Francisco"
Ahhh .... that was me. So those idiots strutting on the street claiming they are protecting our 'freedoms' by killing babies were your buddies ??!! Im glad i did that and will do it again if i see them !! Your other buddies ... the stormtroopers (SF Cops) already 'took care' of me. They grabbed my long hair and thrust my face on the tarmac and sat on my back and almost broke it. Im a 24 yr old young woman who cannot defend myself against such violence and im sure you can 'kick my sweet ass'. I suppose that makes you and those other nazi asses real 'men' !
And yeah ... whats happening in Gaza is a massacre and we Americans are responsible for it as well. The entire world will readily ostracize israel if not for 'our' support. We are culpable and you better believe it. Your passion is misdirected. Try compassion instead ... it may work.
I am a US citizen who will happily suggest that Gaza be Obama's first priority--starting by learning where it is on a world map!
Sorry my friend, but our citizens and our country come first as it should be. I believe he might know where it is.
But if he were going to make that mistake and be sidetracked from his duty, don't you think Darfur might take precedence? Perhaps slavery in the Sudan might be more urgent?
There will be no peace without justice, sir.
You are trying for a finesse that won't work. The card isn't in the hand you hope it's in.
And you are mixing apples with oranges. The US government (aka as YOUR tax money) pays for the genocide in Palestine. To the tune of billions every year.
The direct responsibility for the social problems in Sudan is much less clear.
First there is no genocide in Gaza unless you want to use the word for dramatic impact. You want to see what genocide looks like go to Darfur.
Next I agree, there will be no peace without justice. I believe thats a given in any circumstance. But I'll repeat from another posting, if we withdrew all aid, if you believe Israel would have done anything differently, you simply are not paying attention.
We do not control Israel no matter what many here claim, we can influence them, but thats all.
Would you cut our aid to the Palestinians simply because some of it is diverted or traded for weapons? Frankly I'd be delighted if we cut our aid to Israel and many, many others. In fact we may have to.
"You are trying for a finesse that won't work."
I'm trying no finesse, we are not responsible for Israel's actions but I can assure you Iran and Syria control Hamas's. Perhaps it would be a good idea to engage the real players here.
We disagree, sir.
The holocaust in Palestine is genocide.
You apparently are applying your own definition to words when it's convenient for you.
However, Wittgenstien--as well as a number of pretty sharp Ordinary Language philosphers in the 60s--showed that there cannot be a private language.
Language is a contract to communicate. Definitions for words are put in place with that in mind. You can't just decide not to use them, sorry.
And you ARE responsible for Israel's actions, as you paid for those actions.
Israel, in short, is the material author of the crime of genocide in Palestine--and you--as in the US people--are the moneybags and the intellectual authors.
We do apparently disagree
You can take the definition of genocide and use it if you like that way, it narrowly fits the difinition and by applying an unproven fact at that.
"Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group."
There is no real evidence that "genocide" is Israel's intent, whereas its plainly stated by Hamas and other Arab groups.
I am simply very careful to only use "genocide" when it is evident and unquestioned as in Rwanda or Darfur. I believe it weakens the complaint by claiming things that are simply not evident.
My reading of the situation is that it is not Israel's intent,if it were they would not stop. Aside from that, there is no reason that they would choose to wipe out 1.5 million people. There reaslly should be a reason don't you think?
"Israel, in short, is the material author of the crime of genocide in Palestine--and you--as in the US people--are the moneybags and the intellectual authors."
Can you think of one single reason why American's would wish Israel to attack Gaza? I cannot. Your suggestion that we are the "intellectual authors" is quite puzzling.
I would also suggest once again that anyone that thinks our money makes any difference to Israels actions like this...I believe they are quite wrong. Israel will do as she determines she needs to do. Of that I'm quite sure.
And let me be clear, I am not defending Israel's attack on Gaza, but at the same time I don't mistake it for something else.
So, we'll just have to disagree on this one sir. I appreciate your clarity and civility.
Please explain how a fact can be unproven to be real!
Israel wishes to exterminate all Palestinians for several reasons, but the most important are:
1. To make moot the fact that they ripped off Palestine from the Palestinians,
2. and in case an accounting is ever demanded, they can then say, "Oy, our bad, but there are no Palestinians to give the place back to anyway."
3. To show the other Arab nations that they CAN exterminate a people.
4. To eliminate complaints by eliminating the complainers.
I could extend the list for quite a spell, but I think it's time for you to pull your wits together and do that for yourself.
OK, I'll go with you on number 1, but the rest we'll just have to disagree on again. The Israeli have the power to do exactly what you accuse them of, but I just don't see it. It benefits them not at all.
I'm having trouble finding my wits today, ask Vox, he'll vouch for me! Seriously there is just nothing there that I see.
Pax
I suggest sir that you apparently don't pay much attention to the discussions here, and aside from that since you apparently have nothing to say, but since you feel free to suggest what I should do, let me suggest you should possibly follow your first inclination for a good while.
Aside from that feel perfectly free to ignore any of my posts you like.
"I go away from the site for several days and I come back and your posts are EXACTLY the same."
Its amazing that it doesn't occur to you that the subject is the same. Or that "facts" have not been presented to change that opinion.
Obama can now be included in the group that I now call 'baby killers.' I think it is wise to work from there as I doubt he will do anything he claimed he would do. I'm only comforted by the fact that I voted for Nader, though it is not much comfort. I hope the land known as Israel is wiped off the map and those who support them I hope receive precisely what they deserve.
The amazing thing about many U.S. "leftists" is the unbelievable Eurocentric hubris they continue to direct towards people who are far more well acquainted with the situation they are addressing then themselves. For example, GollyGee above, who reassures the journalist Robert Fisk - who has only covered Middle East questions for about thirty years- "Fisk" that Gollygee is "with him", but then counsels patience. This council comes from someone who is "to the left of Zapata", you know, the same Emilio Zapata who waged a guerilla war against the land barons of Mexico, and then offers also the wisdom of, oh my goodness, Mikhail Gorbachev, who worked "silently and within the party". Yeah, Stalinists always have operated in just exactly that way, no doubt.
No wonder the left in this country is such a joke. Postmodernism really has a lot to answer for. But words mean what they mean, events were what they were, not solely what we subjectively attribute to them. The day the Obamians realize this will be a day we can celebrate their so-called "victory".
Are you suggesting that reality is better than unrealistic rhetoric? That we should stop theoritical liberalism as preferred by the elite's and get back to accomplishing goals rather than complaining?
I can't say for sure how closely one needs to follow the events in Gaza to feel as most feel who see what is happening. You have to look further, I'm guessing, than the NYT or Journal or most MSM but most can see with their own eyes the sheer numbers of small children blown to pieces, as they tried to hide with no place to do so. The Israeli "producers" knew exactly when to stage this Holocaust, they wanted to see how far they could go before Obama took over, and they got an eye full. The Israeli Production team knew exactly how to "frame" the genocide without spoiling the big shindig in DC. Netanyahu's visit to Bush a couple of months back laid out the plan for the massacre of children - the test of American sympathy, essentially. They knew exactly how few Americans would understand, from what was allowed in the MSM, and they knew how much we wanted this party. Even if it meant blowing to pieces several hundred small children. And outsiders say we don't know how to sacrifice.
They march up and down, screaming that they want their children to be "shaheeds" more than anything. They throw their entire society, children included, at the Israeli military. Then they demand .....something. (Pity? admiration? cash?).
All sorts of animals eat their young. It's nothing I want to watch.
"Then they demand .....something. (Pity? admiration? cash?).
All sorts of animals eat their young. It's nothing I want to watch."
Yeesh ... So this entire exercise in Gaza was triggered so as to demand cash ? Are you stupid or is it the bagels you ate this morning ? Like viruses and nasty botulisms these zionists surface in every crevice and orifice imaginable.
"Immediately after the tragedy of 9/11 the Bush administration seemed hell bent on revenge, not against specific suspects, but against Islamic countries who were not accepting the President's dollar.
wich tells you exactly why and how 911 happened and why that reaction makes sense if you know the thruth about 911, wich is not the official lie touted on all the TV channels for years now.
it was no accident and it was also no surprise terrorist strike.
all of this was planned.
Exactly, just as the economic 911 is no accident. Obama refers to this as the "irresponsible actions" of the few. NOT!
I would love Mr. Fisk to ask Mr. Obama if he was briefed by Bush on Netanyahu's visit or was the massacre in Gaza of thousands of children, dead and seriously injured, a fair response to those nasty little bottle rockets. I'd also want to know if he had yet inquired if those tiny children were yet given access to hospital.
Fisk noemally writes well, but he badly mixed a metaphor here:
"It wasn't a question of the elephant in the china shop. It was the sheer amount of corpses heaped up on the floor of the china shop."
Ouch! His intended metaphor was "elephant in the _living room_", not "china shop"!
It's "a bull in a china shop" - meaning something completely different.
---USAn---
So?
What Robert Fisk needs to do, is to write out, in simple form, his solution for peace in the Middle East. He has been on site for so long and has all the history. It is time for him to come out with it. I would assume that he is known to Hillary Clinton and that she would read anything along those lines herself.
President Obama and his team are not stupid. As a matter of fact, they are really smart. But they cannot possibly know the situation like Robert Fisk does. It won't matter if the government takes his advice or not. What matters is that he offers a functional solution for consideration, no matter how bizarre he thinks it will sound.
He knows. But we will never know if he doesn't share it with us.
Robert, stop reporting for now and tell us how you think it all can be solved.
Peace.
He has done this on several occasions. Check Google for specifics but his ideas echo most other respected experts, like Carter, who say simply '67 borders and remove the settlements for starters. If Israel even once lived up to one of the agreements they have made, peace would prevail. This is simple stuff to document.
tgirl is right. His solution is a one thousand page book called The Great War for Civilisation, available at Amazon.
Fisk is a reporter and a brilliant, fearless one at that. He does occasionally come off as supercilious, but he is English and cant help himself. He generally tip-toes around blaming his own countrymen for the worlds problems (you see the British Empire is dead) but minces no words in grinding Arab politicians and operatives into finely grained dust. Despite all that Fisk is a legend in middle-east reporting and you should read his latest book ....
Coming from an Indigenous man from this continent, all U.S. Presidents have been failures. Many here in "indian country" feel that Obama is going to turn the tide and actually look at us as significant. I am the odd one out here and am going to waite at least 4 years to endorse Obama in any sense. The Gaza issue is a borometer for me and it now tells me that my train of thought is right on.
For all humanity and all that is in the Universe
Do those who feel Obama will be different to native populations, understand the facts about this "bloodbath" and do they feel Gazans share a common thread?
OcetiSakowin, it is good that you imply some kind of hope when you say you're gonna wait 4 years before endorsing Obama. I'm not sure that politicians today have the freedom to express their own thoughts on what is right unless pushed by lobbyists or a sufficiently large number of people. I too wondered in my blog, about a year ago during the primaries: Whites, Blacks and Hispanics - Where are the Native Americans? So far, I have not heard any politician talk about the Native Americans in any substantial way.
Highintel: Can we do better?
LEONARD PELTIER'S SAFETY IN JEOPARDY: a press release Jan. 21, posted on What Really Happened by Peltier's sister. It seems that Leonard Peltier was moved to another prison recently, where immediately he was beaten savagely by a group of inmates. Instead of investigating this attack, prison officials threw Peltier into isolation, with one meal per day (Peltier suffers from diabetes). In addition, he is being held incommunicado from lawyers, family and friends. There is speculation that this incident might be used as a black mark against Peltier, who will be coming up for another parole hearing soon.
(Go to the 2nd page of posts on What Really Happened, Jan. 21)
Oceti:
You keep on keepin' on, brother.
The US was founded on the bloody tendons of slavery and genocide against Native Americans.
A half-black man whose parents do not come from slaves in the Oval Office doesn't mean racism has gone away.
When, during the next 4 years, the illegal white immigrants have gone somewhere else, maybe I will consider supporting Obama, too.
Here is a good idea about solving the Israeli/Palestinian crisis, by non other than Muammar Qaddafi:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/opinion/22qaddafi.html?th&emc=th
Qaddafi's hope for peaceful Jewish-Palestinian coexistence is certainly commendable, and he goes further than many writers in recognizing the injustices that have been suffered by both sides of the conflict throughout their history, but he seems be parroting Zionist propaganda when he writes: "It is a fact that Palestinians inhabited the land and owned farms and homes there until recently, fleeing in fear of violence at the hands of Jews after 1948 — violence that did not occur, but rumors of which led to a mass exodus. It is important to note that the Jews did not forcibly expel Palestinians. They were never 'un-welcomed.'"
The Jewish Israeli historian Benny Morris, a self-proclaimed Zionist, in an interview with Ari Shavit (http://www.counterpunch.org/shavit01162004.html), stated: "What the new material shows is that there were far more Israeli acts of massacre than I had previously thought. To my surprise, there were also many cases of rape. In the months of April-May 1948, units of the Haganah [the pre-state defense force that was the precursor of the IDF] were given operational orders that stated explicitly that they were to uproot the villagers, expel them and destroy the villages themselves. [note that Morris later adds: 'on the other hand it also proves that many of those who left the villages did so with the encouragement of the Palestinian leadership itself.']". And later in the interview, he says: "One of the revelations in the book is that on October 31, 1948, the commander of the Northern Front, Moshe Carmel, issued an order in writing to his units to expedite the removal of the Arab population. Carmel took this action immediately after a visit by Ben-Gurion to the Northern Command in Nazareth. There is no doubt in my mind that this order originated with Ben-Gurion."
Everyone thinks that Obama is the Messiah--the man who will solve all problems and bring paradise to earth. In reality, Obama is a Chicago politician, nothing more, nothing less. (see Jesse Jackson, Mayor Daley, Sr. and Jr., and Rod Blagojevich).
We have a disaster in Gaza. Obama is, has been and will be, pro-Israeli. His chief of staff is an Israeli dual citizen, his foreign policy team is pro-AIPAC. So is he. Waiting for Obama to resolve the crisis in the Middle East is like waiting for Godot. It ain't gonna happen.
What is to be done? Well, Israel feels insecure, as well they should be, and Palestinians feel on the brink of disaster. We need UN/NATO/Someone intervention. We need to "pull a Kosovo."
Every day Israel grows larger and Palestine grows smaller. They were supposed to share the land of the "Palestinian Mandate"--it's now Israeli 80 percent, Palestinian 20 percent.
Israel and US preach a two-state solution, but they practice the creeping erasure of the Palestinian people.
People rebel under such desperate circumstances. Let's hope there is some power to get Israel to stop, just like NATO stopped the Serbs from attacking Kosovo.
Dr Wu, the last of the big-time thinkers
What a lot of people missed about this recent attack on Gaza is that:
1) Israel lost the war. It also lost the propaganda war.
2) It exposed Israel's brutality and the real effect of the occupation.
3) It exposed the 3 main govt's in the region as complicit in the attack: Saudi,
Jordan and Egypt. The complicity is not because of their support on WOT. NO. It was because they want to tell their citizenry that if they vote for anyone other than who they tell them to vote, they will be crushed just as the citizens of Gaza were crushed.
4) It exposed to the citizens of the US and the world that it is Israel that pulls the US presidents strings. Olmert called Bush in a middle of a speech and demanded that US not vote in the last UN resolution. Condi abstained and pissed off Europe and the rest of the security council.
5) It exposed that Abbas is nothing but a puppet of the Israelis and US.
6) It exposed the fact that US does NOT support democracy but rather prefers dictators and totalitarian govts.
This war was never about Hamas and their firecrackers, just as the war in Lebanon was never about the kidnapped soldiers. These wars were nothing but daylight robbery. Israel is too busy trying to expand its borders. It DOES NOT HAVE a defined international border. Remember it was Olmert who said that Israel is defining its borders in the midst of the Lebanon massacre.
BRILLIANTLY stated!
i suspect that the real reason israel "unilaterally" slowed down the attacks is because they were secretly actually at the END of their tethers...lol. this was likely as FAR as israel could go full blast as they did without FULLY exposing the damage it is doing to THEIR own military capability - short of using their nuclear bombs which they CAN"T since it's right there in their own neighborhood anyway!
ISRAEL really IS in a bind of ITS own making. it is just as TRAPPED as the Gaza palestinians are -- except that it is from its OWN web of deceits and oppressiveness behind the "shock and awe".
the reality is - they can NOT sustain this kind of "all-out" assault withouth depleting themselves so severely -- that for all practical purposes they are rendered NAKED -- and without a "renewing" military power -- manpower - military ordnance, the financing it requires continuously at the expense of their own economy - just like the USA -- they are FINISHED.
that's the reason, i suspect , why they can't go beyond a week or two of these "all-out" assaults.
they are like a big bully that after a few impressive, very destructive punches -- at ONE weakened enemy without the same "weight class" - they run out of gas and air and need to take a "breather" ....and the only way they know how to "fight" is by trying to land big punches all the time while exhausting themselves in the process.