Constructive gadfly
Published on July 27, 2006 By stevendedalus In Politics

Aside from the obvious that there is no solution to the Wild Mideast and never will be, Israel continues to botch its national defense by always appearing as the aggressor by its continual destructive overreaction without any real results. Its three or four year span of parading its overwhelming military superiority, thanks to supplies from the US, in reaction to PLO suicide bombers was to no avail until they constructed a wall, along with the help of Arafat’s convenient death. Though Israel gave back Gaza its presence was always felt as if its generosity was but a loan that could be called in at anytime for whatever excuse. A single captured soldier should not be the catalyst for war, nor should as in Lebanon a single border skirmish be cause for the destruction of a nation’s infrastructure and innocent lives with the pretense that armament shipment from Syria and Iran must be stopped even though thousands of rockets are already in Hezbollah’s possession — an arrogant preemptive strike much like our own against Iraq — only to open another can of worms. It’s as though we should have destroyed Logan’s airport for allowing 9/11 terrorists to board.

The few brave senators in 2002 who voted against the war warned us that a more serious threat lay with Hamas and Hezbollah and our resources should be in that direction if the “war on terror” was to make any sense. The US and its allies patted themselves on the back for ousting Syria from Lebanon but failed to do anything about disarming the terrorist wing before elections. The West applauded the “free” elections in Palestine and then cut off aid to Hamas without first negotiating the plausibility of disarmament.

Bush now encourages Israel to “stay the course” by refusing to call for a cease fire as if more weeks of bloodshed would wipe out Hezbollah — chop-logic echoes of Iraq. Now all of Lebanon hates us. This is the price we pay for being the sole ally and benefactor of Israel and yet we have no say as to how it should conduct its affairs.

 

Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: July, 27, 2006.

http://stevendedalus.joeuser.com


Comments
on Jul 27, 2006

First, what you are implying is that Israel is not mounting a proportionate response.  And you are right.  But you do not win wars by being proportionate.  That has never happened except in Science Fiction, and then you see the results - an endless war.

Second, we are not the only friend of Israel.  We are just the biggest junkyard dog on the block.

on Jul 27, 2006
The US and its allies patted themselves on the back for ousting Syria from Lebanon


actually the ousting was done by the lebanese. what's happening now will very likely provide syria with an opportunity to return--with our tacit encourgement.
on Jul 27, 2006
"actually the ousting was done by the lebanese. what's happening now will very likely provide syria with an opportunity to return--with our tacit encourgement."


And the overall loss to us would be... what? Either way Hezbollah will be met with group hugs and offered state resources to commit terrorist acts.
on Jul 27, 2006

 

junkyard dog
Would be an appropriate term if Israel did not demand only the finest and latest military equipment of ours.

ousting was done by the lebanese
but with our slobbering approval and inference that the Iraqi invasion was the catalyst.

Hezbollah will be met with group hugs
Ain't it the truth!

on Jul 27, 2006

Would be an appropriate term if Israel did not demand only the finest and latest military equipment of ours.

You aint seen how them junkyard dogs are equipped.

on Jul 27, 2006
I spoke this morning with an acquaintance who just returned from a trip to visit family in his native Jordan. He said simply that the Arabs in the region must change. He also supports what Israel is doing, told me most of the people he spoke with there do as well.

Interesting perspective.