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Better Believe It

(18,630 posts)
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 08:14 PM Apr 2012

Is It Too Much to Ask of Our Leaders to Put America First? Leave Us Out of Another Middle East War

Weekend Edition April 13-15, 2012
Is It Too Much to Ask of Our Leaders to Put America First?
Leave Us Out of Another Middle East War
by JAMES G. ABOUREZK
JAMES ABOUREZK is a former Democratic U.S. Senator from South Dakota.


Today our government is arguing with Israel as to whether or not we will support Israel’s threatened attack on Iran. What is as certain as the sun will come up tomorrow morning is that, no matter what our position is, if Israel attacks, America will be blamed for it. I guess that, because we furnish money and weapons and protection in the U.N. for Israel, such collaboration would be difficult for us to deny.

For those who make such decisions, we can only hope that our government will do what it can to protect American interests with respect to Iran. I know it’s difficult in an election year to say no to Israel, but we are talking here about saving American lives, and saving our economy, which will surely go deep into the tank when crude oil prices spike to unheard-of levels as a result of such an attack.

Even more, gasoline prices currently are shooting up to the heavens because, as the press blandly reports, of “the tensions around Iran.” No one yet, either in the media or in the government, has asked exactly who is creating the tensions which drive up gasoline prices and, consequently, the prices of everything else we buy. It’s as though we are witnessing a Grimm Fairy Tale where, although the king has no clothes on, virtually everyone swoons because of the beautiful (invisible) robe worn by the king.

And there is almost no protest here against Israel’s saber rattling about Iran. But our government could, if it could somehow grow a pair of gonads, tell Israel outright that both American money and American political and military support will end should it decide to drag America into another Middle East war as it did in Iraq. It is my view that Bibi Netanyahu would drop the question of an Iranian threat once he has to consider the greater threat posed by the U.S. cutting off the gift of billions of dollars each year.

Read the full article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/04/13/leave-us-out-of-another-middle-east-war/
16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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MadHound

(34,179 posts)
1. What, and let all those Mid-East countries have control of our oil under their soil?
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 08:17 PM
Apr 2012

Please, are you crazy or something?

I jest, but the fact of the matter is that if it weren't for oil, we wouldn't be in the Mid-East and would have dropped Israel like a bad habit decades ago.

 

Better Believe It

(18,630 posts)
2. The United States now exports more oil than it imports and oil companies still want to drill more ..
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 08:21 PM
Apr 2012

allegedly to end reliance on "foreign" oil sources!

What a line of corporate bull shit!

KG

(28,751 posts)
3. rec.
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 08:21 PM
Apr 2012

but I'm sure the conformist cadre will be along soon to inform us that nothing in this article is so, and that war is in fact peace.

Junkdrawer

(27,993 posts)
4. By "Us", which Corporate interest are you talking about?
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 08:23 PM
Apr 2012

And how much have they contributed to our campaign?

Now, if you're talking about the Little People, I can refer you to several really wonderful speeches....

Dragonfli

(10,622 posts)
5. You and your right wing sources!.... Oh wait, never mind, I will find a way to
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 08:40 PM
Apr 2012

attack the messenger! I will just have to be more creative this time...

rurallib

(62,406 posts)
11. And maybe the presidential candidates could invest their money in the US
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 09:33 PM
Apr 2012

instead of numbered Swiss accounts.
I'm looking at you, Mitt Money.

 

fascisthunter

(29,381 posts)
13. nah... lets be dumb ass robots and cheer on anything the American Military does
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 10:40 PM
Apr 2012

it worked so well for Germany.

 

DeSwiss

(27,137 posts)
14. Is It Too Much to Ask of Our Leaders to Put America First? Leave Us Out of Another Middle East War
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 11:01 PM
Apr 2012
- For our elected leaders, the answer is a weak and timid ''[font size=1]no[/font].'' But for our unelected CORPORATE RULERS (AKA: The 1%ers), profit margin rules dictate that the answer is an unequivocal: ''[font size=5]YES!!!! MORE WAR PROFITS!!! MORE WAR PROFITS!!! MORE WAR PROFITS!!! [/font]''

K&R
 

cbrer

(1,831 posts)
15. Yes it's too much too ask Senator
Sat Apr 14, 2012, 01:42 PM
Apr 2012

The system of Oligarchy you've been a member of now demands that it's industries make the call for peace or war. And your re-election depends on corporate funds being available to your campaign.

You want to grow a pair? Change that!

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