Tag: Israel

I hate to say it, but he does have a good point

A very good point:

Obama won two elections giving voice to these policies, but within the neocon-dominated punditocracy and a Congress subject to pressure by the increasingly extremist American Israel Public Affairs Committee, they are akin to kryptonite. Hagel’s critics have been quick to unsheathe the McCarthyite tactics employed whenever opposition to any position of Israel’s right-wing government is at issue. The accusation is almost always “anti-Semitism,” but rarely has that charge proven as empty as in Hagel’s case. Leading the assault have been Pavlovian attack dogs like William Kristol and The Weekly Standard, Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post, ex–AIPAC flack Josh Block, the ADL’s Abe Foxman, Bret Stephens at The Wall Street Journal, and convicted criminal and former Reagan and Bush II official Elliott Abrams, now respectably ensconced at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The allegation rests in significant measure on a 2008 quote in which Hagel—whom the interviewer, author and former US diplomat Aaron David Miller termed “a strong supporter of Israel and a believer in shared values”—criticized the use of political intimidation by the “Jewish lobby,” an infelicitous phrase he accidentally used to describe AIPAC. Hagel later said he misspoke and had meant to refer to the “Israel lobby,” just as he did elsewhere in Miller’s interview. It’s an easy mistake to make, since the “Israel lobby” is pretty darn Jewish. (Dick Cheney, for instance, has made the same error.) As it happens, Hagel is a better friend to Israel than the Likud quislings and apologists who make up what journalists mistakenly term the “pro-Israel lobby”; for starters, he is willing to tell its leaders the truth. Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul general and adviser on US affairs to Prime Minister Ehud Barak, wrote recently that “Barak was thoroughly impressed not only by Hagel’s military background, but by his analysis, knowledge of the Middle East, and his understanding of Israel’s security issues and predicaments,” adding that Hagel “is not anti-Israeli and he is not an anti-Semite. In fact, if I were him I would lodge a complaint with the Anti-Defamation League, asking their assistance and support for being unfairly called an anti-Semite.”

What these hysterics may actually indicate is a genuine fear on the part of the neocons and conservative professional Jews that they are about to be exposed as generals without armies, demanding fealty to policies opposed by the vast majority of American Jews for whom they profess to speak. How marvelous, then, that Barack Obama finally decided there was one time he’d rather fight than switch. via Hooray for Hagel | The Nation

One thing that I really wish to dwell on here, and it bears repeating:

Hagel’s critics have been quick to unsheathe the McCarthyite tactics employed whenever opposition to any position of Israel’s right-wing government is at issue. The accusation is almost always “anti-Semitism,” but rarely has that charge proven as empty as in Hagel’s case.

I must admit, I can truly relate to this; I have accused of the very same stuff myself. I support Israel’s right to exist and all. But I do not support the stupidity of the Neoconservative right at all. This whole idea that America has to defend Israel unto the death is idiotic at best. Furthermore, the idea that America has to be the world’s policeman is out of touch with our economic realities here at home. The fact is that Wilsonian foreign policy is a disaster and America has had to learn the hard way many times already. We learned it in Korea, we learned in World War I, we learned it in Vietnam and now, we have learned it in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Furthermore, Israel has my support on existence; but this idea that Israel has the right to build on disputed territories and then sit, and moan and complain when Palestinian and Gaza terrorists fire rockets into Israel is mindbogglingly stupid. It is something that I cannot support at all. The said part is, that these Wilsonian Neoconservatives will tell you that I am a Jew-hater and Antisemite for simply saying what I just said to you here. I call it playing the Jew Card or playing the Semite Card. It cheapens the discussion and frosts any kind of criticism at all. Which is precisely what Joseph McCarthy did in the 1950’s.

So, as much as it pains me to say this; even though he is of the far left —- Alterman has a good point.

 

Perfect example as to why I have come to despise the Jewish Right in America

Is because of the steaming pile of bullshit below:

Prejudice—like cooking, wine-tasting and other consummations—has an olfactory element. When Chuck Hagel, the former GOP senator from Nebraska who is now a front-runner to be the next secretary of Defense, carries on about how “the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here,” the odor is especially ripe.

Ripe because a “Jewish lobby,” as far as I’m aware, doesn’t exist. No lesser authorities on the subject than John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, authors of “The Israel Lobby,” have insisted the term Jewish lobby is “inaccurate and misleading, both because the [Israel] lobby includes non-Jews like Christian Zionists and because many Jewish Americans do not support the hard-line policies favored by its most powerful elements.”

Ripe because, whatever other political pressures Mr. Hagel might have had to endure during his years representing the Cornhusker state, winning over the state’s Jewish voters—there are an estimated 6,100 Jewish Nebraskans in a state of 1.8 million people—was probably not a major political concern for Mr. Hagel compared to, say, the ethanol lobby.

via Stephens: Chuck Hagel’s Jewish Problem – WSJ.com.

I don’t know who this Stephens guy is, what he can go suck a big one; the damned AIPAC shill.

Others: Commentary Magazine, Doug Ross, Right Turn, The New Republic,National Review, Power Line, The Daily Dish, Roger Ailes, msnbc.com, Washington Free Beaconand Israel Matzav (Via Memeorandum)

Very well put!

Another Conservative blogger, who thinks just like I do.

This is good stuff, follow the link:

Is it about supporting democracy? Because democracy is essentially bullshit, you know. I’ve never understood why promoting and defending democracy overseas is such a priority for some conservatives. Democracy has made a royal fucking wreck out of the US, after all.

Are we worried about a human rights disaster if Israel is wiped out? That’s a nice moral concern, but the US does a fine job of ignoring such things in countries where the people don’t look like us. Why is any of this our job, anyway? The Palestinians aren’t our enemies or even our problem. Even Hamas isn’t a particular threat to the US. This instinctive desire to root for Israel and curse the Palestinians makes less and less sense to me with every rocket fired and bomb dropped.

Now I’m not going all anti-Zionist here. Israel has every right to exist as a Jewish state. What I can’t wrap my head around is why we think it’s our job to defend them and demand their protection regardless of what (sometimes brutal) steps they take to maintain that status. That Israeli lobbying cash that keeps our elected representatives in thrall isn’t lining any of my pockets. How about you? I think our “leaders” are duping us, truthfully.

Simply put, I’m tired of defending Israel when the rewards are clearly diminishing, if there are any at all. Demographics and political developments among Israel’s neighbors give me a bad feeling that we’re supporting the losing side for no good reason.

It’s perfectly appropriate for us to admire a romantic and embattled people. It’s another thing entirely–and arguably not conservative–to place the ambitions of such a nation above the long-term interests of the United States. I think it’s time for American conservatives to break up this bad romance.

via Wherein I Call for Throwing Israel Under the Bus » Right Thinking.

I will be adding these guys to the blogroll. It is an excellent blog. Please, check them out and pop a donation if you can.

Open Message to the Israeli who called me an Anti-Semite

Yesterday, I wrote a piece on the wisdom of Israel continuing to provoke the Palestinians, by continuing to build on disputed land.

Well, naturally some Jew in Israel took offense to my critical thinking and my truth-telling of the Jews and what they did to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Basically, the idiot called me an Anti-Semite. Which is bunk, basically this person is one of those types that believes that anyone that says anything critical of Israel, the Jews and speaks frankly of the Bible and what it truly does say about the Jews is somehow a Jew hater and does not support Israel and its right to exist.

I got two words for ya Jerky. Get Bent!

I make no bones about it; I am, for intents and purposes, a Fundamentalist Christian. I am of the opinion that the King James Version of the Bible is the preserved Word of God for the English speaking people.  I am an Independent Baptist and I make absolutely no apologies for that at all. I also do not play the game of political correctness when it comes to this subject either. If some yarmulke wearing idiot wants to get his knickers in a wad over the fact that I tell the truth about what the Jews did to Jesus —- then that is just too bad. I choose not to play the game that the dish-rag evangelicals like to play and treat the Jews with kid gloves. They do not deserve it, especially when they see we American Christians as useful idiots. Furthermore,  I will not kowtow down to them or their American Neoconservative counterparts.

Anyone that has read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John of the account of rigged trial, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ knows just what the Jews did to Jesus Christ. I am not going to sit here and act like that never happened. Sorry gang, I just do not play that game at all.

Some Bible for you unbelievers:

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (Matthew 28:11-15 KJV)

…and the Jews have denied His resurrection and very existence ever since. So, in this case; the Jews are guilty as charged.

So, if I believing the Bible makes me a Jew-hater, an Anti-Semite, someone who hates Israel, then I am guilty as charged. I will not stand idly by and act like this never happened, I will not sit here and play footsie with murders. They killed my Lord and Saviour and then covered it up!

As for this jerk’s comment, I went into my spam folder, read his idiocy and deleted it. I also laughed at his stupid accusations. He needs to actually read the Bible and see what his forefather’s did to my Messiah. He also needs to read this, and yes, this passage does apply to the people of Israel, of which when Jesus appears on that great day will overthrow the leadership there and sit on that throne in the temple mount in Jerusalem and establish his kingdom there!

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7 KJV)

That “all kindreds” part? That includes the Jews. 😀

Not only this, when this event occurs, the Jews will be in it as well, as they rejected Christ’s love offer:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15 KJV)

Anti-Semite? Me? Nah, just a Christian truth-teller who is not afraid to tell it like it is.

 

Sorry Israel, this is just not real smart

I support Israel, but this move is just not very smart.

Via CBNNews.com:

MAALE ADUMIM, Israel — Britain and France threatened to recall their ambassadors after Israel announced plans to build on land Palestinian Arabs claim as part of a future Palestinian state.

Israel said it would build more than 3,000 new apartments in areas known biblically as Judea and Samaria.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement to protest the U.N. vote last week that granted non-member observer state status to the Palestinian Authority on these very lands.

Israel said the vote abrogated agreements the P.A. and Israel made to each other years ago in the Oslo Accords.

Netanyahu also said the P.A. “…was waging a struggle against the very existence of the State of Israel.”

Some in Washington, D.C., wanted to cut funding to both the P.A. and the U.N., but the British and French governments objected to Israel’s decision to build.

“We don’t tell the British of the French where to build in Paris or London and we do not expect anybody to tell us what to do,” Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Uzi Landau said.

Another part of the controversy concerns plans to expand Maale Adumim, a Jewish community just outside Jerusalem with a population of more than 40,000.

Palestinians say geographically the expansion would create a land barrier breaking the continuity of their future state. For Israel, it would link this Jewish Israeli suburb to Jerusalem.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and many nations call the land “occupied” territory.

But Israel said the land is not “occupied” but “disputed” and that the nation has both a natural right and territorial claims on it.

Herein lies the problem with this whole of Israel building on this land. Israel is making a Biblical argument for this land, which is pretty ironic, considering that most Jews deny that the Bible is really even true and that Jesus Christ actually existed — or at the very least that He was, in fact, the Messiah. Which is why they were the ones who had him crucified.

Making Biblical arguments like this is great in the context of a Church service or something of that Nature. But, when dealing with secular issues, like land allocation. the Israels come off sounding like Religious nut balls. This is another reason Hamas and Hezbollah are always firing rockets into Israel; because of acts provocation like this one here.

Please, do not misunderstand me here. Firing rockets into Israel is just morally wrong. However, acts of provocation of this nature are just as morally wrong. The land of this territory is disputed, and pushing this sort of idiocy, is just going to provoke more attacks from Palestine and the Gaza strip. This might make Likud Party look good to the Jews that vote for them. But to the outside world, it makes Israel look very bad in the eyes of the International Community —- and yes, that does matter; when you are wanting to respected and recognized by the international community. Israel needs to work on stabilizing peace and its own borders and not in committing acts of provocation.

One thing I will say; outside of rhetorical flourishes, the United States is staying out of this conflict. Which, at this point, is a pretty good idea. Let these people settle their own differences. Because the last time America became involved in the Arab/Jewish struggle, we paid for it dearly. We cannot afford to allow that to happen again.

Pray for peace, and above all; Pray for wisdom for the leaders of the Nation of Israel.

Rats jumping from the sinking ship?

Sounds vaguely familiar….

(CNN) — Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced his resignation Monday, saying he will quit politics in January to spend more time with his family.

His resignation comes at a highly delicate time for Israel, which is observing a fragile cease-fire in Gaza with the militant Palestinian group Hamas after an eight-day conflict that killed more than 160 people, the overwhelming majority of them Palestinians.

Barak, who is married and the father of three children, said Monday at a news conference in Tel Aviv that he will continue as defense minister for the next three months before elections due in January. He said he won’t contest the elections.

Some Israeli political commentators had speculated ahead of the announcement that Barak was planning to quit the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a new center-left party.

via Israeli Defense Minister Barak says he’s quitting politics – CNN.com.

This could be the reason too, Pamela Geller saith:

Netanyahu is going into an election cycle in Egypt. He didn’t want to have to stand for re-election being the man who oversaw the destruction of Israel’s relationship with the United States. And so he had to accept Obama’s demands. This is a shameful pretense.

Clearly, Netanyahu came under enormous pressure from Obama and Clinton, but so what? The Obama administration has supported the most vicious enemies of Israel (the Muslim Brotherhood). Bibi is responsible for the security of his nation. Period. This hudna gives the jihadists time to regroup, rearm and rebuild. Any nation involved in a war should finish it. It must win or be defeated.

Israel gave away Gaza for peace and got jihad in return. The delusion is over. The Israelis can no longer avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.

Maybe Mr. Barak sees what is coming and wants out before it all hits the fan.

Update: Bill Quick disagrees and he does have a point.

Memo to the owner of The American Conservative

More of this please

…and less of the anti-Semite, anti-Jewish, crap that Scott McConnell likes to publish.

Because, if the TAC wants to be taken seriously by the Conservative world, they need to do this. One can say, “I disagree with Wilsonian foreign policy” without all of the direct and nuanced Jew hatred. Now, in the past, TAC has not done that well at all. However, as of recent, they have been publishing some decent stuff.

The owner of TAC needs to step up and tell Scott McConnell to go publish over at Taki’s magazine or something and let the newer people publish more like the above.

Just my opinion.

Good News: Israel and Hamas agree to stop killing one another

Via Fox News:

The Video:

The Story:

After a deadly eight-day conflict, Israel and Hamas militants agreed to a ceasefire effective Wednesday evening, the Egyptian foreign minister announced at a press conference. Mohammed Kamel Amr, the foreign minister, made the announcement in Cairo and was flanked by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "Egypt is assuming the responsibility and leadership that has long made this country a cornerstone of international peace," Clinton said. The deal was brokered by the new Islamist government of Egypt, solidifying its role as a leader in the quickly shifting Middle East The cease-fire agreement, which took effect at 2 p.m. ET, was confirmed by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reuters reported that the Israeli leader warned in a statement that more forceful action may be employed if the cease-fire deal is unsuccessful. Netanyahu also left the door open to a possible ground invasion of Gaza at a later date. "I know there are citizens that expected a wider military operation and it could be that it will be needed. But at this time, the right thing for the state of Israel is to take this opportunity to reach a lasting ceasefire," he said.

Darn, I was hoping that Israel would wipe the Palestinian savages off of the map. Oh Well, next time, I suppose.

I will change the header back to something a bit less….hostile now. Big Grin

Now back to boring politics. Sleepy

Update: AllahPundit has a good round up of the who, what, where and why. He’s pretty good for a half gay man. Hee hee