Concerning Gaza and Obama.

[mmonk]

I think it is important to note that Obama is not yet president. Therefore, criticism over his lack of statements before he takes office on this foreign policy issue is not warranted. Of course it is one of the most important foreign policy issues which will determine what kind of leadership, if any, the United States will play in the world but it should be noted that currently, our country cannot speak with two voices or visions and be taken seriously.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Bullshit! There's no excuse for him to remain silent other than "politics TRUMPS human lives"

If this is "all about politics" then Obama is not half the LEADER that I originally judged him to be.

[mmonk]

3. He has no power yet.

[babylonsister]

5. You obviously won't like Obama regardless of what he does.

We 'get' it. So sad, but you're stuck with him.

Sally forth.

[Political Tiger]

10. You think Gaza is the only place in the world

where human lives are being lost?

So why only demand he speak out about Gaza?

Why not demand he speak out about everything else going on in the world as well???

[NYC_SKP]

23. Just go ahead and tell us why you REALLY hate Barack Obama.

It's showing.

[blindpig]

2. Yeah, yeah, yeah, been hearing a lot of that.

So what will the excuses be a year from now? Oh, he needs another term before he can do or say anything?

Your powder is getting low...

[mmonk]

4. Remember if he does, there will public criticism and political posturing

by current government officials as well as media attacks. Israel will start off ignoring him without any back channel dialogue.

[blindpig]

9. As there will be once he's in office.

So what's the difference?

[mmonk]

11. The Israelis will exploit any fissures in our government

rendering what he does less effective.

[blindpig]

13. So, you are saying that the Israeli dog wags the US tail? n/t

[mmonk]

28. No, just that it will be less effective for Obama to speak on it now

given the present politics and the conflagration.

[BeFree]

6. So, pig

What is it you'd like Obama to say?

[blindpig]

14. What would I like him to say?

I would like him to say that Israel must return land and make reparations to the Palestinians for their thievery.

I would like him to tell the Israelis that all military aid and cooperation would be cut off until this is done.


But considering how he kissed up to AIPAC I ain't holding my breath.

[SidneyCarton]

18. While we're arguing for the redistribution of illegally seized territory

When will the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminoles be returned the territory taken by Andrew Jackson?
Or when will we be returning the territory taken from Mexico in 1847?
And the Hawaiians, when will they be getting their independence back?

We're a fine one to tell people to give back what they have wrongly annexed, as in order to have standing to do so we would have to disestablish our own nation first.

[blindpig]

20. So, two wrongs make a right?

Or should we be silenced by our shame?

What's happening in the Middle East is the here and now.

This country's genocide and ethnic cleansing equally is in need of accounting and I fully support reparations.

[SidneyCarton]

22. No, they don't.

But being that the entirety of the State of Israel is illegally seized territory, how much of it will need to be given back? Disestablishing Israel, even if it were an option, would not bring the Palestinians back to the level of life they enjoyed in 1948, nor would it heal the wounds brought on by 60 years of intense hatred.

I am in favor of ending all Jewish settlement in the West Bank and giving the entirety of that land to the Palestinians as the nucleus of a Palestinian State. I also believe that the original UN mandate regarding Jerusalem ought to be enacted. (It would never work as the capital of both states and Tel Aviv is safer for the Israelis anyway) But none of this will work unless both sides are actually interested in ending the work of death upon the other. At the moment one side blatantly disregards even the idea of peace, while the other pays it lip-service, all the while continuing the activities which make a peaceful settlement impossible.

In the end a threat to cut off aid to Israel might work, but it might blow up in our faces too. Perhaps we should cut the amount of aid we send first. (We really can't afford it anyway)

[blindpig]

24. I would just add

that the Palestinian territory should be contiguous. It also behooves Israel, as the initial aggressor and stronger party to make the first move, no strings attached.

[SidneyCarton]

25. You make an excellent point.

As the Gaza strip is not contiguous to the West Bank, perhaps Israel should cede territory contiguous to the West Bank of equal size and worth to the Palestinians in return for the Gaza Strip?

[tekisui]

7. He comments about everything else.

I am disappointed at his silence. He could say one or two concise and compassionate sentences that would go a long way towards building confidence about how he will handle it.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. If you dare question Obama, you are accused of being disengenious,

lacking credibility, and a freeper on DU. I agree with you. Obama talks a great deal about the economy, did make a statement on the Mumbai attacks. At the very least, it should spark couriousity why he hasn't spoken out on this issue.

[ellacott]

19. That's so untrue

This situation is much different than the Mumbai attacks. I understand why he hasn't spoken on the Gaza situation. He did say that he doesn't want to have 2 voices coming from the US on this subject.

[rug]

8. He had an instant statement on Mumbai. I guess that was an easier call.

[polmaven]

12. Since the Mumbai affair

was not carried out by any government officials, yeah....it was an entirely different situation.

[rug]

21. That's right. Pkaistan had nothing to do with it.

[polmaven]

27. Well, if you have

proof that the Pakistani government openly carried out the Mumbai attack and has committed to continuing raids as a matter of official government policy, I will be willing to listen.

Otherwise, they are two completely different things. The Mumbai incident is not a matter of official foreign policy!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

16. negotiaions are already taking place and there will be a ceasefire

I'm sure the incoming admin. will see faults on both sides.

[treestar]

17. Agreed. I am sick of the Israelis - why are we, and our President,

friggin responsible for that they do?

BUSH is the President, why doesn't HE speak out if the American President is responsible for that mess?

Why don't the Israelis do the right thing for once? Why do they have to have Obama tell them not to commit atrocities? Like they're going to stop even if Obama did.

Why don't the British and the UN do something? They are responsible for the whole mess, too.

[merh]

26. See this link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8061959

He broke his silence.