Robert Parry: Israel's Looming Catastrophe

[laststeamtrain]

Israel's Looming Catastrophe

By Robert Parry
January 4, 2009

For the past three decades, Israel has charted a course that invites its own destruction by relying on two risky propositions: first, that it could extend its security perimeter beyond the reach of a devastating missile attack, and second, that it could permanently control the political debate inside its crucial ally, the United States.

Israel’s current assault on Gaza is only the latest manifestation of this dangerous strategy, but – whether or not Israel succeeds in its stated goal of stopping the launching of short-range Hamas rockets – the more troubling writing for Israel remains on the wall.

If Israel continues to engender hatred across the Muslim world – and thus feeds the growth of Islamic extremism – eventually some radical government or group will get hold of a missile or some other means of delivering a payload against Tel Aviv that would wreak mass devastation.

In that event, Israel would almost surely turn to its sophisticated nuclear arsenal and launch a massive retaliatory strike. But to what end? Whatever counter-devastation could be delivered, it would not solve the strategic dilemma facing Israel.

<snip>

Yet, this Israeli conundrum is not discussed inside the United States, where – for the past three decades – American neocons have led a powerful propaganda apparatus that demonizes any public figure who dares question hard-line Israeli strategy.

Even Americans with strong affection for Israel are denounced as “anti-Semites” or “pro-terrorist” if they challenge the Israel-is-always-right conventional wisdom that dominates modern Washington, where Democrats and Republicans alike line up to pander to the annual American-Israel Public Affairs Committee conference.

<more>

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/010409.html

[rwheeler31]

1. Israel needs to move.

Do not live where people hate you.

[Behind the Aegis]

5. And just where would that be?

So, your solution is the Israelis should 'ethnically cleanse' themselves? Classy! But, you will find more than a handful here which agree with you.

[yurbud]

10. how do you undo an ethnic cleansing?

that's the problem with Israel. They've made an omelet that will be tough to unscramble.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. And what ethnic cleansing are you referring to?

I was asking the other poster about ethnic cleansing Israel or is that OK with you too?

[Idealism]

2. Iran has already said they have the strike capability to reach all of Israel

Although, if Israel is attacked, in my estimation it wouldn't be from a government, but a terrorist group not bound by a country (like the Mumbai and 9/11 attacks were).

We were attacked on 9/11 in part because we pay for the repression of Muslims directly through military aid to Israel. It isn't like people loved us before Bush got into office, but he certainly did exacerbate things.

[exboyfil]

3. So what actions did Bush take between Jan 20th 2001 and

Sept 11th 2001 that exacerbated things with the Arab world?

His first 8 months look like a mixed bag. I see no major policy shifts in those 8 months.

9/11 was in the works before Bush was in office. It would have happened whether Bush or Gore was President then.

I don't see Gore attacking Iraq though so Bush has to carry the burden for that decision.

[Idealism]

6. I did not blame 9/11 on Bush at all

I said the Arab world did not love us before he got into office, and yes planning for that attack was going on for years before probably. Our foreign aid to Israel has gone on since the 1940s, and since 1985 has grown incredibly, directly fueling the repression and occupation of Muslims in Gaza and the West Bank. Any who fight Israel forces equipped with US-bought weapons are not all that happy with the United States' role in the middle-east, and rightfully so.

Bush did extend more aid to Israel than any past president, and I don't think there are any in his administration who would disagree with the fact that he was the most Pro-Israel president to this point. He also lessened restrictions on that aid, significantly increasing the aid designed for military expenditures up to the point in 2008 that all of the US Foreign Assistance given to Israel was for military purposes. I would count that as exacerbating.

[peacetalksforall]

16. It was neo-con gifting neo-con with our money and without asking if it was OK.

Gifted at our expense because there was no peace talks. A collaboration of neo-cons created war profits in the first decade of the 21st c. The damage is yet to come.

[Old and In the Way]

7. You really don't know that.

"9/11 was in the works before Bush was in office. It would have happened whether Bush or Gore was President then."

It's well documented that the Clinton administration was quite serious about terrorism since the 93 attack on the WTC. They actually stopped terrorist attacks before they occurred. The administration actually chaired a bi-partisan commission (Hart-Rudman)to study and recommend specific actions to address security concerns relating to terror attacks.

Contrast their diligence with the Bush administration. Bush was on vacation 40% of the time prior to 9/11. The administration took attack subs off duty in the Persian Giulf tasked with getting bin Laden. They never mentioned terrorism as a defense piority prior to 9/11. When the CIA delivered a report on 8/6/01 to Bush in Crawford, saying OBL was dtermined to strike the US, Bush told the CIA analyst, "thanks, you can leave...you've covered your ass". Cheney shitcanned the Hart-Rudman report, he was too busy in his secret energy meetings getting his planned invasion of Iraq developed (with an eye for those oilfields). They ignored multiple warnings of attacks given by foreign governments. It's almost like they wanted 9/11 to occur to give them the event to begin their marketing of their Iraq war and the subsequent hostile takeover of Iraq National Oil.

Sorry, to assume you know that things would have been the same under Gore requires you to back up that assertion with some serious facts. There is no reason I know of to think Al Gore, who was involved for the 8 prior years fighting terror, would morph into George Bush, had the election not been gamed by Jeb Bush, Harris, and SCOTUS.

[Old and In the Way]

8. Deleted

I had it right the 1st time...

[exboyfil]

9. I don't know if Gore could have stopped 9/11

but I agree that Bush was asleep at the switch. The only thing I was saying was that Bush's policies did not motivate the actions of the terrorists on 9/11. I should have been clearer in my original statement.

[Old and In the Way]

14. Perhaps I misinterpreted your point.

I would certainly agree that the motivations of OBL/AQ were/are independent of whoever would be elected President. I do think that this administration, by their actions/inactions leading up to 9/11, were criminally negligent...whether that was due to gross incompetence or passive design should be determined in a court of law, tried in front of a jury of their peers.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. I certainly agree with you about Bush* dropping the ball...

Your post deserves its own thread... :-)

Bill Clinton did focus on stopping terrorism. And, as I often remind people, those who orchestrated the 1993 attack on the WTC are now behind bars. People tend to forget that... :-(

But little pouty-boy Bush* is so pig-headed that he was determined to go his own way, blatantly ignored anything he viewed as a "Clinton issue," North Korea, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Osama bin Laden, despite Sandy Berger's warnings to Condi Rice... :grr:

Good to see you, my friend! And please give my best to WWW... ;)

Rhiannon :hi:

[Old and In the Way]

13. Hi backatcha, Rhiannon12866

:hi:

Been pretty much lurking here since the election. Seems I've run out of things to be outraged about :-)

[Rhiannon12866]

17. Well, welcome back, my friend! I knew I hadn't seen you in awhile...

I back off, myself, when something sends me over the edge, unless I have something to say, LOL. ;)

I've been pretty fortunate, though I received some pretty good training in I/P. ;) I've only had one post deleted in almost six (!) years on DU, and that was on an animal thread. I'm sure that WWW wouldn't be surprised... :-)

And I still think that your post deserves its own thread, or at least a space in your journal... :applause:

Also, you probably haven't seen my puppy. He's rescue, of course, very cute and a little bundle of energy. Unfortunately, I am not... :D

His name is Jack, after my Dad... :loveya:


Rhiannon :hi:

[peacetalksforall]

4. Please k & r - long article, but extremely easy to read and follow. Get educated.

The truth hurts. What he says matches what we know and holes are filled in.

[Cha]

15. Robert Parry is a credible

journalist..I always pay attention to what he has to say.