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I did say, and I will stand firm on this issue, that the whole PNAC/Jewish Conspiracy thing is dangerous to innocent people, who around the world are being victimized by a drastic increase in antisemitic attacks, innaccurate and reflective of a grave lack of understanding about geopolitical realities AND about what the PNAC docs actually signify.
I've read many of those PNAC documents. I think, from the aspect of the "conspiracy" angle alone, its interesting that they're out in the open. Conspiracies depend upon secrecy.
Secondly, Israel is hardly the only or even a major concern of those documents, which were largely written by academics (and others) from ALL backgrounds and which are attempting to find ways to project and consolidate American power into what they see as a vacuum left by the collapse of the Soviet Union. They are policy documents, meant as guidelines. They have no power in and of themselves. They are only GIVEN power by the consent and desire of the big boys - the industrialists and bankers who run this planet - not the little guys who wrote them.
These documents are reflective of a political philosophy with which I do NOT agree, but which is NOT NEW, in fact it is very much based on the philosophy forged in the past by the British Empire. It is based upon military and economic power and the fulcrum is control of key natural resources, especially petroleum, and related industries. Naturally, post-industrial industries, controlled via investments and board participation and other means, is also important. The globalization of these industries and control of global economic markets is also a key.
Essentially, this administration and its advisors want to continue and even increase, American (and British) hegemony on this planet. This is nothing new, it has been going on since the late 19th century. Our key ally - and occasional rival - has consistently been Great Britain. The Brits still own and control vast resources on this planet, although their PHYSICAL empire no longer exists. But their companies and diplomatic and intelligence networks still exist and they are still very potent.
I suggest you read this book: 100 Years of War, by William Engdahl. It is a history of the Anglo-American oil industry, and the ways in which this business has shaped the globe. It will open your eyes, I think, and make things in the Middle East somewhat easier to see. It certainly blew MY mind - I had no idea the extent to which the British and later, the American, oil interests - and related industries - both control and are supported by, their respective governments - nor the degree to which world affairs of mega importance - even world wars - were affected by - even CAUSED by - these key industrial players.
Insofar as the Middle East is vital to our interests, it is ALSO vital to deal with the issue of Israel. The existence of Israel is ALWAYS in doubt. To this day, radicals and even government leaders are calling for her destruction. Armed militias and terrorist groups - beyond the control of their respective governments - hang out in Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian Territories - also Egypt. They are armed and funded by oil-rich states like Iran, probably Saudi Arabia also, and even from outside the region.
In the past, the USSR funded some of these groups and also some very radical states. This caused wars and terrorism, aimed primarily at Western interests - but using Israel as a focal point.
And, the presence of the Jewish state has been used as a focal point and an excuse, for Arab anger and lack of governmental reform, economic injustice and any number of ills. Even in a UN report published recently, the very existence of Israel is blamed for just about all of the ills of the Arab world. Whether that is true or NOT, they believe it is. So, it is essential to deal with the question of integrating Israel into the Middle Eastern community.
I don't know if you're aware but Israel is presently involved in a withdrawal from Gaza, a unilateral withdrawal without benefit of any peace agreements with the Palestinians. This is a highly controversial and even dangerous move, but it is hoped that this will begin a process that will help enable formation of a Palestinian state - which could have been had during Clinton's time - but which was refused by Arafat, in favor of more war. Thousands have died subsequently. It is hoped that Abu Mazzen will be more amenable to peace and statehood. But the armed militias are very powerful.
One of Perle's papers dealt specifically with this problem, and with making Israel less dependent upon the US. That is hardly giving Israel carte blanche. It is merely attempting to deal with a problem in a vital region, while helping ensure the continued existence of an ally, strategically important, which also happens to be the only functional democracy in the entire Middle East. Theoretically, this should be of interest to liberals and progressives, who supposedly support democracy.
It should also be mentioned that Israeli technology, farming, desalinization techniques, universities, science, medicine, business and industrial expertise could be of great value to her Arab neighbors. Therefore attempting to find peaceful resolutions to the problems in the region are both important and reasonable. That is surely preferable to the alternative, which is continuous war, poverty, terror, grievance and rage, probably ending in great tragedy, no? Since you mention the holocaust, nothing less than preventing a second holocaust is at stake here.
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Perhaps you find it sinister that Jewish people would be supportive of Israel. I do not find it sinister. I find it natural. I am a Jewish person, I'm proIsraeli, and I HATE the Bush Administration.
But to suggest that a) the few Jews in the Bush Administration are running the show (even if they're schmucks with whom we disagree) or b) they care more about Israel than they do about the US or c) Israel is running the US - all of which I've heard on DU - I think is just wrong.
And, whether you are aware of it or not, these speculations fit very neatly into a pattern of thinking that goes back to Medieval Europe and it's VERY DANGEROUS for Jewish people. So we're not asking for "special treatment". We're asking that you not accuse us of evil conspiracies, or of double agency, or of "undue influence" or stigmatize us because we're cosmopolitan in our outlook, because in the past that has gotten us into deep shit.
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Finally, I would like to comment on Sabra and Shatilla. You are aware, of course, that this occurred during the Lebanese Civil War. It was NOT, as is widely put about, perpetrated by the Israelis.
The Palestinians, under various militias, had been very active in this war, killing as many as 100,000 Maronite Christians, accordiing to human rights groups. Sabra and Shatilla were entered by the Christians following the murder of their leader Gemayel, supposedly in search of terrorists. The Israeli army was nearby, and probably shouldn't have let them in to the camps. But they did, and bloodshed ensued. I believe it was revenge. It was horrible. That whole war was horrible. How much responsibility for the massacre should be accepted by Israel, I don't know. The Christians were their allies and there had been massacres of their people also, terrible rapes and desecrations, by the Palestinians. This followed also, an event in Jordan called Black September in Jordan, wherein Arafat tried to murder the Jordanian king. This started a civil war that killed maybe tens of thousands. This got PLO evicted, then they went to Lebanon and started terrorizing the Israelis. The Syrians actually came in to protect the Christians, so you can see how complex and muddy the waters really were at that time.
I hope you will take these words to heart, and maybe read some articles on the topics I've mentioned. There are good ones in Wikipedia. I can send you some links, or post them, if you're interested.
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