What do you think? Isn't it time for the U.S. to back down a bit from its staunch support of Israel? Instead it seems we're moving in the other direction. How do you explain that?Obama is the "the first Jewish President". That's the title of New York magazine's lead article, written by John Heilemann and quoting a major Obama fundraiser.
Listening to Obama speak at the United Nations on Wednesday many would nod in agreement, not less in Palestine and the Arab world.
The US president has embraced the rejectionist Israeli position on the question of international recognition of an independent Palestinian state.
But that's not a Jewish position. It's a radical Zionist position. Many Jews, including US and Israeli Jews, do not embrace such extremist views.
But the fact that Obama surpassed his predecessor George W Bush, the most radical supporter of Israel among all US Presidents, has left everyone in Israel dumbstruck. The latest Zionist US president sounded like Israel's own founding fathers.
Never have they heard a US president read straight from the papers of the Israeli government.
How can the entire world focus on the poor Libyans, who needed and deserved help to overthrow their oppressive government, while the Palestinians continue to be left out in the cold. Only the Kurds rival them for the number of people in an ethnic group without a country of their own. Isn't that what the 1st world countries are supposed to be trying to correct.
Does it make me cynical or a conspiracy theorist to suspect that decisions like these are made for political and economic gain and not for the moral principles we're suppose to stand for?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
"Only the Kurds rival them for the number of people in an ethnic group without a country of their own. Isn't that what the 1st world countries are supposed to be trying to correct."
ReplyDeleteSince when is it our job to make sure every ethnic group has their own country?
Yeah, if the Kurds have a country, the Whey will be demanding one as well!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Miss Muffet has a veto on the security council?
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, to address your excellent point FWM, while we do not have a duty to make sure every ethnic group has their own country, or every religion either, we should in the course of embracing our values of self-determination for human beings, as evidenced in our declaration of independence, wish to see everyone have a voice in determining their own life and political system rather than be oppressed by others. And we should remember that first and foremost in the politics of our own country in how we treat others here. Our own history of how we treat minorities is something we can learn from, and others should learn from our triumphs - and our mistakes.
ReplyDeleteI think we do have a social responsibility to do the right thing for the underdogs. Unfortunately, all our foreign policy decisions are made for political or economic gain, not to make the world a better place. That's too bad because we would benefit from a better world just like everybody else, but instead, using the FWM philosophy, we're making it worse.
ReplyDeleteThe Palestinians have thus far been used as pawns by the Egyptian, Israeli, Syrian, U.S. and numerous other countries in the several proxy wars that have simmered and flared in the middle east since the late 1940's. At present, the Israeli government is nibbling away at what autonomy the Palestinians have, both territorially and economically. The formally oppressed have become the oppressors.
ReplyDeleteIsrael has a right to survive and thrive as a nation, as do all nations. What they and no other nation have a right to do is place other nations in subjugation or peril.
I am surprised at the fact that Al Queda has not made significant inroads into the Palestinians. Hamas is weak tee compared to Al Queda.