The ongoing heartburn over Israel's announcement that they would approve permits for some 1600 housing units in East Jerusalem caused even 'the great' Tom Brokaw during Sunday's Meet the Press to guffaw. He referred to the announcement during VP Joe Biden's meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu as an 'act of audacity'. Apparently, the Messiah and his cronies have the final word in the internal affairs of all other nations. I'm sure this is news to Israel and probably caused them 'great concern'.
The fact is it may well have been a piece of gamesmanship on the part of the Israeli government which has tried, for months, without success to convince the US to take a far stronger stand against Iran. The problem is that this administration has made it clear that any hostile move against any Muslim nation will be viewed as, well, unfriendly and in this current period in our history we don't want to appear, well, unfriendly - at least to Muslim nations.
Even General Petraeus announced his desire to have the Middle East placed under his 'wing'. He expressed frustration over Israel's apparent unwillingness to play nice with their neighbors and then went further saying that Israel's actions were endangering our Warriors. Huh; Based on our obsession the whole 'winning hearts and minds' thing (at the cost of the lives of our Warriors) I didn't think that was a problem.
The interesting thing is that while we are engaged (somewhat) in the affairs of Afghanistan and Iraq, for national security reasons of our own, we find it unpalatable that the Israeli's would dare to act in kind on their own behalf. I have always held to the belief that this country should act unilaterally to protect our borders and our Constitution. I have little patience and zero respect for elected officials and their crony appointees who seek permission from other nations to do so and then act only with half measures. It is the very definition of arrogance to expect others to act on your behalf at their own peril. It is immoral not to act on behalf of our own country with whatever means at our disposal to defend ourselves and our interests.
Israel has a healthy understanding of their enemies because they have a healthy understanding of the history of those enemies and their attitude toward them. Their enemies are centuries old and relentless. Even though there has been a concerted effort to obliterate historical evidence of the holocaust and an all but successful effort to eliminate the atrocities against them by the Muslim world community over the centuries, they remember. One would think that this country's government with it's rich Judeo-Christian history and with men with memories of WW II still alive, that we would re-double our efforts to help secure Israel's friendship. Instead, we push them away and reach out to the single religious ideology that wants us as dead as they want Israel. Curious.
That General Petraeus would dare to suggest that Israel's actions were somehow detrimental to the health and well-being of our Warriors would be laughable if he himself wasn't actively supportive of an unwinnable strategy in Afghanistan and it's brutal ROE. If the good General is truly concerned about the health and well-being of the Warriors under him, he might reconsider the present strategy and clean out his own house before castigating one of the smallest nations in the world for daring to secure their own people and land.
Semper Fidelis;
John Bernard
Amen Brother,
ReplyDeleteIt makes me sick the way the press (all the press) reports on Israel. They make it look like Israel has no right to build or use their own land. If you ask me, Israel is being way to patient. It's a good thing I don't have my finger on the button!!!
Roger that! There are a lot of people who have an awful surprise awaiting them. As for the button; the ways things are going you will have to go to Iran to borrow one because we are unilaterally removing the purpose for the button in this country.
ReplyDeleteSir, first off please accept my heartfelt condolences at the loss of your son last fall.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to Petraeus: he denies having suggested that Israel is responsible for the stalemate in the 'peace process'
Michael;
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Politics. By the time a person has been promoted to General grade, he can choose to stay true to his calling or become something else. Gen Petraeus has chosen the latter.
It's aggravating but a lot more disappointing.
Sir, I have no words that could touch your pain, but I can tell you that you are a great man. You speak up. There are few left. My son is in the 19th SF group and has served in Iraq and is going to be deployed in Afghanistan shortly. I was as proud as I could be when he said he wanted to join. He volunteered to go. He recently chose to opt out of an opportunity to go over with 5th group because of the new ROE's. He was told he could not shoot back unless fired on by an RPG or unless he was seriously wounded. As his father I found these words surreal. It took a moment for them to sink in.
ReplyDeleteWe have not fought a "war" since WWII. For some reason we seem to be more concerned with the feelings of or enemies than the lives of our boys. I agree with completely--let ‘em fight or bring them home.
I have personally been to every war in Israel since 1988, the beginning of the modern intifada. I am well aware of the nature of the folks we are fighting. Talk should not be the weapon of choice to defeat them. From their own mouths, they are not looking to get along with us.
God bless you for your service, and God bless your son. I am currently a pastor in the Denver area and will be praying for God's peace to be with you and your family. The pain and indignities you have suffered have revealed the true nature of these heartless newshounds in the press. I pray one day I can meet you. It would be an honor to shake your hand.
Burt