Iran is afraid of being attacked too. It has seen the US invade two neighboring countries, the US has overthrown the Iranian government once before (1953), the US has shot down an unarmed Iranian passenger jet and the US has many ships off the Iranian coast. Iran is acting quite logically given the threat against them.

Israel is on an expansion expedition and it's neighbors don't like it. I would think Iran, just like Israel, would like to protect their countrymen. This is like saying America shouldn't have nuclear arms and Russia can have them during the cold war. Look at their history, how many countries have Iran invaded and how much territory have they taken in the last 50 years (outside of the tit for tat with Iraq) and how many people have they killed in their border states compared to Israel.

Israel's ace in the hole is it knows no matter who it attacks we will have to support it until all the killing and land grabbing is done.

On it: I'm certain you would be very pleased if Israel just put down its arms and surrendered. That won't happen. If Israel were on an "expansion expedition" they would not have returned the Sinai to Egypt or Gaza to the Palestininas. They also would not have offerred the Palestinians at least 90% of what they asked for (and that the Palestinians rejected) under Prime Minister Ehud Barak. You should take a trip to Israel and see for yourself how difficult it is to protect the Country militarily. You are entitled to your own opinion but not to you own facts.

I told you to STAY THE F*** OUT OF OUR ELECTIONS. Keep it up and I will make sure to get involved in yours.

Iran is afraid of being attacked too. It has seen the US invade two neighboring countries, the US has overthrown the Iranian government once before (1953), the US has shot down an unarmed Iranian passenger jet and the US has many ships off the Iranian coast. Iran is acting quite logically given the threat against them

They should be afraid. They support and finance most terrorist ops in the world today. Theyre trying to create nuclear weapons, and they constantly threaten the countries around them.

You cant fix jihad stupid though, so be ready to dance.

You should take a trip to Israel and see for yourself how difficult it is to protect the Country militarily. You are entitled to your own opinion but not to you own facts.

Facts are facts, and stubborn. Anything Israel is offering the Palestinians is less than what they took! Israel is also keeping the water it took from the Palestinians and distributing it to the Palestinians on a very strict ration while they enjoy that liquid luxury in plenty. Want peace with your neighbor? Quit taking their land and killing their children. More Palestinian children have been killed than all Israeli adults combined. If you want peace you have to be peaceful!

It doesn't belong to the Palestinians to begin with

On it: Tell the Palestinians to stop their homicide bombings and rockets and they'll get whatever they want for their state; except for weapons of course. And this is not a land for peace issue. It's a cultural and religious was affecting not only jews but also christians and other faiths. If the Arabs lay down their weapons there will be peach and prosperity for both people. If the Israeli's lay down their weapons there will be no more Israel. That won't happen.

There were 800,000 arabs living in Israel
alongside 650,000 jews (a figure that would increase rapidly as a result of the
influx of refugees from Europe and the middle east). At the same time, jews
were legally barred from settling in the 35,000 square miles of Palestinian
Transjordan, which was eventually simply renamed "Jordan." The arab
population in the slivers called Israel had actually more than tripled since
the Zionists first began settling the region in significant numbers in the
1880s. The reason for this increase was that the Jewish settlers had brought
industrial and agricultural development with them, which attracted Arab
immigrants to what had previously been a sparsely settled and economically
destitute area. If the palestinian arabs had been willing to accept this
arrangement in which they received 90% of the land in the Palestine Mandate,
and under which they benefitted from the industry, enterprise, and political
democracy the Jews brought with them to the region, there would have been no
middle east conflict. But they were not.

Corrupt Language Breeds Bad History and Bad
Policy

Bruce Thornton - Advancingafreesociety.org - May 22, 2011

"...the false
history and its false vocabulary are now taken for reality and made the basis
of policy."

As the history of communism and fascism both illustrate, modern political tyranny has relied
on fabricated history to legitimize its claims and actions, and such history in
turn relies on the debasement of language. Nowhere is this axiom more evident
than in the conflict between Israel and the Arabs––so much so that, as Obama's
recent remarks about Israel show, the false history and its false vocabulary
are now taken for reality and made the basis of policy.

Start
with the use of "borders" to describe what is in fact the armistice line
marking the farthest advance of the five Arab armies that invaded Israel in
1948. That line is not an international "border" in the strict sense of a line
dividing one sovereign state from another. The territory in question was never
a state. Once a state is established, then the international border will be
settled by negotiations. As Israeli ambassador Dore Gold points out, U.N.
resolution 242, as well as later agreements such as the 1993 Oslo Accords,
preserves this "flexibility for creating new borders."

Then
there's "occupation," used to describe the Israeli presence in the West Bank,
itself a misleading term that obscures the historical fact that this region is
Judea and Samaria, the heartland of the ancient Jewish state. Aside from that,
using "occupation" to describe Israel's control over a disputed territory whose
final status will be determined by negotiation evokes misleading analogies with
historical events like the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, or
the Soviet occupation of the Eastern bloc during the Cold War. But that analogy
is false: Germany and Russia invaded and then occupied sovereign nations
defined by international borders. Israel ended up in the West Bank territories
as the result of a defensive war against aggressors. Israel's continuing
control is a defensive necessity, just as after World War I the traditional
launching pad for German aggression against France, the Rhineland, was
demilitarized and subject to Allied military control. Indeed, the Allied decision
to evacuate their forces from the Rhineland was one of many mistakes that led
to World War II. Given that central Israel is only 9 miles wide from the
Mediterranean to the West Bank, it is understandable that it is cautious about
losing control over the traditional Arab launching pad for invasion.

"Palestinian
homeland" is another particularly loaded and historically false phrase.
"Palestine" was the name of a multi-ethnic Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman
province, not a people. The name itself reflects Rome's attempt to alter
historical reality with language. After the destruction of Israel as a
political entity and the scattering of its people in the 2nd Century A.D., the
Romans renamed the territory "Palestine" after the Philistines, a people that
once lived in the region but had been absorbed into other groups for centuries.
Thus the Romans subjected the Jews to a collective damnatio memoriae, the
practice of erasing all public mention or record of an enemy to the Roman
state––exactly what the Arabs have been trying to do to Israel for the last 60
years by denying its historical ties to the land.

Likewise,
just as the Romans named the land after a people that no longer existed, so too
calling the current Arab inhabitants "Palestinians" perpetuates a similar
historical fraud. What constitute a people are a shared language, culture,
customs, traditions, and history distinct enough to set them apart from others.
By these criteria, there is no such thing as "Palestinians." The average Arab
living in Israel or the West Bank is no more significantly distinct from one
living in Syria, Jordan, or Egypt than a resident from California is
significantly distinct from a resident of Arizona or Nevada. Whatever
differences that do exist do not trump the more important similarities, and
reflect rather the refusal of surrounding Arab nations to integrate their Arab
brothers into their own countries, instead constructing a Palestinian identity
based on victimhood, humiliation, and failure.

That's
why before 1967, no one talked about "Palestinians" as a distinct people
deserving a homeland, and the Jordanians did not create a Palestinian state
when they controlled the West Bank. That notion of a "Palestinian state" arose
after the Arab defeats in the 1967 Six Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Once those debacles made it clear the Arabs could not destroy Israel by force,
the tactic shifted to making the issue one of national self-determination as a
way of chipping away at Israel's territorial integrity and international
support.

Finally,
the claim that the territory inhabited by Israel is the traditional "homeland"
of those whom we call Palestinians is false. The majority of Arabs who have
lived or are living in Israel and the West Bank are there as the descendants of
conquerors, colonizers, and immigrants. Many of them came after Zionists began
in the 19th Century to develop a mostly desolate, neglected land and to create
economic opportunities. History and archaeology tell us that the territory
comprising Israel and the West Bank is the traditional homeland of the Jewish
people, not a mythical Palestinian people.

The
misleading and false language used to describe the conflict between Israel and
the countries that have tried to destroy it obscures the actual causes of Arab
hatred of Israel, which in turn creates bad policies pursuing false solutions.
A Palestinian state will not bring peace to the region, for the simple reason
that a critical mass of Arabs does not want Israel to exist.

To all those who are too bigoted, racist,
and parochial to see past their own back yard, consider the January 29, 2012
"Israel vs. Iran" article in the New York Times were it was noted
that, "The Iranian regime will be several times more dangerous if it has a
nuclear device in its hands...one that it could bring to the United States. It
is not for nothing that it (i.e., Iran) is establishing bases for itself in
Latin America and creating links with drug dealers on the US-Mexican
border. This is happening in order to smuggle ordnance into the United States
for the carrying out of terror attacks. Imagine this regime getting nuclear
weapons to the US-Mexican border..."

Very well done. Thanks for the brush up on history.

Basil Romeo

A very thought ful post. I've been to Israel a few years ago and my 2nd day there Hamas was firining missiles into Southern Israel. Iran is responsible for maiming and killing hundreds of US military. I hope Israel can knock out Irans Nuclear plants because their leader AKminpajamaheadNutJob wants to destroy Israel and the US.

AKminpajamaheadNutJob wants to destroy Israel and the US.

But we have a President (Loose term) that would rather go on Letterman or the View than discuss things with the Israeli Priminister . If we let Iran wipe them out & turn our shoulder, we will be next. Obama's leading fro behind will be the death of us. He needs to grow a set & adress the problem before it gets that far. He is a talker, not a doer.

BAsil Romeo, your history lesson is a bit one sided:

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/us_ints/history.html

While many people are led to believe that US support for Israel is driven by the American establishment and U.S. national interests, the facts don’t support this theory. The reality is that for decades U.S. experts opposed Israel and its founding movement. They were simply outmaneuvered and eventually replaced.­

Like many American policies, U.S. Middle East policies are driven by a special interest lobby. However, the Israel Lobby, as it is called today in the U.S.[1], consists of vastly more than what most people envision in the word “lobby.”

As this article will demonstrate, the Israel Lobby is considerably more powerful and pervasive than other lobbies. Components of it, both individuals and groups, have worked underground, secretly and even illegally throughout its history, as documented by scholars and participants.

And even though the movement for Israel has been operating in the U.S. for over a hundred years, most Americans are completely unaware of this movement and its attendant ideology – a measure of its unique influence over public knowledge.

The success of this movement to achieve its goals, partly due to the hidden nature of much of its activity, has been staggering. It has also been at almost unimaginable cost.

It has led to massive tragedy in the Middle East: a hundred-year war of violence and loss; sacred land soaked in sorrow.

In addition, this movement has been profoundly damaging to the United States itself.

fact our country is in debt we can not afford another war. we need to start taking care of ourselves first and get rid of our debt so our dollar and economy can get better. that is the bottom line.

True, there is a strong Israeli lobby and thankfully so. And there are many other interest groups and lobbies in favour of other nationalities and countries. But please explain, how does your post counter my post? In other words, so what? And kindly explain how their existence has resulted in "massive tragedy?"

my post doesn't "counter" yours. Since you came off as speaking down to us minions, I figured some more history without bias would be useful. For one, Iran wouldn't even exist as it does if it were not for the U.S. "deposing" the democratically elected ruler, Mossadegh, in 1953 and replacing him with the Shah.

FROM: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/19/1121087/-Aug-19-1953-When-the-Eisenhower-Administration-destroyed-Iran-s-secular-democracy

It is impossible to understand modern American history, modern American foreign policy, anti-American anger throughout the Middle East and the developing nations, and the roots of anti-American terrorism, without understanding what happened on this date in 1953. Any understanding of modern Iran has to begin with an understanding of what happened on this date. For on August 19, 1953, the little known and not even six-year-old Central Intelligence Agency overthrew the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, installed a new prime minister of its own choosing, and restored to the throne a recently self-exiled Shah. It wouldn't be long before the Shah seized total local control of his government and established the brutal SAVAK, which over the next decades tortured and killed thousands, to crush all opposition

The less nuanced answer to your "so what" question is that the current "situation" with Iran is 100% the making of the U.S. and its "ally" Israel.

FZKnew; Well, okay once again. But your conclusion doesn't follow from your premise or argument. In other words, a non-sequitur. How does Israel fit in with the "overthrow" of the Prime Minister of Iran? You're digging the hole deeper for yourself. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I must get back to work and might not be able to respond to this repartee any further. Perhaps next time. Please have the last word, which I'll read. And your post is hardly unbiased.

Surely you jest!? I already answered your question in the earlier post:

"It is impossible to understand modern American history, modern American foreign policy, anti-American anger throughout the Middle East and the developing nations, and the roots of anti-American terrorism, without understanding what happened on this date in 1953."

Is Israel part of the Middle East or not? Were they not chartered by the UN in 1948 after their terrorists the Haganah underground completed false flag operations intended to gin up support for the Cause of Israel? IS not the entire international case for Israel attacking Iran based on fears that Iran will obtain a nuclear weapon? Would Iran even be trying to build a nuclear weapon if it weren't for the incidents of 1953 which I referred to?

Yes, and Dubai and Syria, and Jordan, and Lebanon are part of the Middle East as well. You know "FZ Knew," we could probably be the best of friends despite our vastly different outlook. Perhaps we can meet for lunch one day and discuss this further. I'll pay.

Ya Hoo......America's prayers have been answered...Israel now has another friend besides the USA! You guys go and do what you feel you have to do.......leave the good old USA out of it. We are tired of shedding our youth and treasure on Israel.......we don't want any part of your insanity.

Basil Romeo, I would take you up on lunch or a meal because I sincerely think that people with knowledge of international affairs are what is lacking in our daily and political discourse here in the USA. I would also be willing to bet that we could be good friends because I have had the opportunity in this life to go many places and meet many different people and am constantly amazed that the one thing we all have in common is our humanity. As a business partner of mine (former Special Ops dude) once said; "joining the military (late 1970s) was the best thing I ever did because it taught me we are all basically the same inside, that the humility learned by having to "latrine" with 50 other soldiers, and eat, sweat, and get shot at together showed me we are all similar." He would add:"every one wants to go home at night, kiss the wife, pet the dog, eat dinner, and watch TV with the kids". For a wounded veteran, he was remarkably evenhanded in how he dealt with people, both at work and at home.

My experiences traveling this once great nation showed me that same spirit in most Americans. Unfortunately, most of us (myself included at times) get so caught up in the day to day or the political that we may not see the forest for the trees.

BTW, FZ Knew refers to the great musican and composer Frank Zappa, who definitely knew a thing or two about human foibles: http://www.lyricstime.com/frank-zappa-you-are-what-you-is-lyrics.html

This is just a gear up to WWIII. Also take note of the huge male births boom in this past generation then go look at all the major wars and see they also had a huge male birth boom preceding the wars.

Actually, what we are seeing is the tailings of Empire. A notion that still to this day has retained currency as a feasable policy. I give you Dick Cheney, the neocons, chicken hawks and the Defense Industry as examples.

In the Middle East, from the Balfour Declaration onwards, the rank and file arabs were reinforced in their notion that the infidels were still rubbing their noses in their loss and subjegation some centuries before. A very high ranking official recently let the word 'Crusade' slip from his lips and was surprised, as were millions of other people, to find that the reaction was such that he might better swallow his tongue and die before doing it again . The crusades are alive and well in those parts and we have forgotten.

If History is not taken into account, then we will still go on doing the same dumb stuff over and over again. By History, i don't mean our own, but that of the Middle East written by them and taught in their schools and mosques. And mostly the mosques as they have maintained their huge base among the people by the usual transcendental fear (standard around the world for crowd control) and pandering to the thugs that the West hired to run the place. If you look at what they 'know to be true', you might find it quite different from your own perception of the same events.

If you fail to consider someones history when trying to convince him that you are right, you probably will have to shoot him to get it across. A favorite tactic of the right, who are always willing to rush in with other people's kids every time somebody burns a flag.

The other incident which really reinforced this' us against them' notion in the Middle East was the journey that Kermit Roosevelt was sent on by arch imperialist and seriously paranoid John Foster Dulles with a suitcase full of money to Teheran with the sole purpose of overthrowing the elected government and installing the Shah Rezi Pahlavi on behalf of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. That got the Shiites on board and we know how that turned out.

It always surprises me how people in policy positions couldn't tell a Shiite from a Sunni if one was biting them on the backside. This a huge factor in the regions politics.

Of course, in relationship problems, a solution is never found if it's all about you.

The same people who preached kindness to one another also preached forbearance.

There is no such land as Palestine...hence, there ARE no Palestinians. People who currently call themselves Palestinians are desert Arab Muslims living in the area near Israel. The land in dispute originally and rightfully belongs to the Israelites, aka. Jews. The Muslims had no interest in Israel or Jerusalem until the early 20th century. In Fact, the land is not mentioned in the Qur'an at all. Of course, they have retro-actively said that their most holy of mosques is there when they put a dome on top of a Jewish temple.

The only reason why they want Israel is because of the oil under them.

AlienMartian: unless you guys actually DID propagate this world (Stargate anyone?), you would be WRONG:

http://ifamericansknew.org/history/origin.html

How long has Palestine been a specifically Arab country?

“Palestine became a predominately Arab and Islamic country by the end of the seventh century. Almost immediately thereafter its boundaries and its characteristics — including its name in Arabic, Filastin — became known to the entire Islamic world, as much for its fertility and beauty as for its religious significance...In 1516, Palestine became a province of the Ottoman Empire, but this made it no less fertile, no less Arab or Islamic...Sixty percent of the population was in agriculture; the balance was divided between townspeople and a relatively small nomadic group. All these people believed themselves to belong in a land called Palestine, despite their feelings that they were also members of a large Arab nation...Despite the steady arrival in Palestine of Jewish colonists after 1882, it is important to realize that not until the few weeks immediately preceding the establishment of Israel in the spring of 1948 was there ever anything other than a huge Arab majority. For example, the Jewish population in 1931 was 174,606 against a total of 1,033,314.” Edward Said, “The Question of Palestine.”

@FZKnew and @ Basil Romeo

I stand and applaud you for bringing...better yet to have the courage and decency to bring about an intelligent discussion, sadly so, that is not taught in U.S. History classes (middle and high school). The powers that be rather have ignorant, biased fueled propaganda news machines to achieve their means (financial superiority and power over the uneducated and less fortunate). Imagine if our youth were properly educated in the realm of critical thinking at an earlier age to decipher the truth and facts from fiction, to make judgements not on a negative reactionary stance but one on a clear, honest and unbiased approach. Imagine if they knew the real political mechanisms and convoluted rhetoric that created the Middle East that you see today. The blame can go to many sides, but it doesn't lessens the impact that America and Israel had a major part to play in this. So I applaud you with the utmost respect...Bravo!

"KNOWLEDGE = POWER = CHANGE

http://ifamericansknew.org/history/origin.html

“Palestine became a predominately Arab and Islamic country by the end of the seventh century.

Yes, before this time there were no Arab villages or towns. The Arabs arrived by theocratic conquest, taking the land from the remnants of the Byzantine empire who stole it from the Jews.

When the Ottoman empire, the Caliphate, became involved in world war One, they lost control of the land and it was entrusted to the British in the form of the mandate of "Palestine" as the historic homeland of the Jewish people, who were granted the rights of self determination on all of the land of the mandate. This was agreed upon by the league of nations, and later ratified at the San Remo conference. The land was not taken by Jewish conquest, but by international agreement.

To even recognise a different reality, is to endorse a form of twenty first century theocratic colonialism, enforced by theocratic fascists, attempting to reconstitute a seventh century delusion by imitating Hitler's final solution.

Sorry, but none of that gets my secular support.

Edward Said

The antisemitic prince of intellectual darkness.

KPR37: Accurate, factual, and well-written!

kpr37= So, at first you mention some of the history with a slight "lean" toward one side. OK, what you wrote is mainly factual (this comment: "The land was not taken by Jewish conquest, but by international agreement."- COULD BE taken to task in as much as the Hagana and IRGUN had started their terrorism acts before the international "agreement"). However, then you denigrate Edward Said, I would guess for his "leanings" which are certainly from an Arabic viewpoint, but your characterization has an element of "negative branding" for those who are not as learned as you! If any one is still on this thread, I will point to some more facts regarding the early origins of the region, none of which are sourced to SAID:

FROM: http://ifamericansknew.org/history/origin.html#early

Before the Hebrews first migrated there around 1800 B.C., the land of Canaan was occupied by Canaanites.

“Between 3000 and 1100 B.C., Canaanite civilization covered what is today Israel, the West Bank, Lebanon and much of Syria and Jordan...Those who remained in the Jerusalem hills after the Romans expelled the Jews [in the second century A.D.] were a potpourri: farmers and vineyard growers, pagans and converts to Christianity, descendants of the Arabs, Persians, Samaritans, Greeks and old Canaanite tribes.” Marcia Kunstel and Joseph Albright, “Their Promised Land.”

The present-day Palestinians’ ancestral heritage

“But all these [different peoples who had come to Canaan] were additions, sprigs grafted onto the parent tree...And that parent tree was Canaanite...[The Arab invaders of the 7th century A.D.] made Moslem converts of the natives, settled down as residents, and intermarried with them, with the result that all are now so completely Arabized that we cannot tell where the Canaanites leave off and the Arabs begin.” Illene Beatty, “Arab and Jew in the Land of Canaan.”

The Jewish kingdoms were only one of many periods in ancient Palestine

“The extended kingdoms of David and Solomon, on which the Zionists base their territorial demands, endured for only about 73 years...Then it fell apart...[Even] if we allow independence to the entire life of the ancient Jewish kingdoms, from David’s conquest of Canaan in 1000 B.C. to the wiping out of Judah in 586 B.C., we arrive at [only] a 414 year Jewish rule.” Illene Beatty, “Arab and Jew in the Land of Canaan.”

Thanks again to Basil Romeo and kpr37 for having an intelligent discourse with very little propagandization of this extremely "hot" topic; and in my view, the topic which may decide whether or not the human race can survive.

kpr37= So, at first you mention some of the history with a slight "lean" toward one side.

Sorry but your source (Edward Said) is like having the KKK comment about the place of "Africans " in the antebellum south.

This is from the University where Edward worked, Columbia University. Now David Duke is a vile little racist, but he could contain his hatred, he never physically attacked any African Americans, or American Jews, despite his hate for them. He could never be sited by a reputable person on the subject of relations
between Americans and people or groups he is bigoted against. But old antisemitic Ed, could not control his anger, and antipathy toward Jews, the good professor could not stop himself from throwing stones at them.

What began as a family tour of southern Lebanon erupted into controversy when newspapers and websites throughout the Middle East reported that Edward Said, University Professor of English and comparative literature and renowned Palestinian academic, threw stones in the direction of Israeli soldiers earlier this month.

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2000/07/19/edward-said-accused-stoning-south-lebanon

in the afterword to the 1994 printing of his book, you can find the highlighted words.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orientalism_(book)

In response to critics who over the years have pointed to errors of fact and detail so mountainous as to destroy his thesis, [Said] finally admitted that he had "no interest in, much less capacity for, showing what the true Orient and Islam really are."^[25]

It's a book of lies, propaganda and half truths

Edward Said . Who's book of politically correct dogma, Orientalism, came out in 1978, a bible of sorts of the reinvented or revisionist history, anti-western crowd.

Feeding the unsuspecting world a meme that was a historically inaccurate narrative. Bordering on a form of anti-intellectual claptrap hidden in a repugnant moral recidivism (hubris) And viewed through a lens of history's perpetual "innocent" victim.(Arabs/ Islamism). The entire reason for the book was to attack any previous work by western scholars who viewed and wrote about the culture and religion of the Orient. They critiqued it as they would their own culture and religion, meaning with a detached critical eye. This was viewed as racist, because an outsider could never understand the certitudes, the majesty, and inherent truth of the Arab experience(pdf) Edward Lane was one of those focused upon in the intellectual attack of Mr. Said. He was a true giant of the study of the middle east and the culture and life of it's populous.

Mr. Said due to culturally imposed, personal limitations, could not understand the pursuit of knowledge, simply for the sake of acquiring said knowledge. Sinister motivations are attributed to Mr. Lane's study of Egypt. As Mr. Said is intellectually trapped, or confined in the zero sum imperative and assumptions,(honor/shame paradigm) still vibrant and intellectually a poignant reminder of the tribal based cultural and religious traditions of the Arabs.

So, my translation is: opinions are like.............. Consider the source is my take away from this. OTH, you didn't attack (yet) any of the other sources regarding the history of the region; therefore your negative branding of SAID's work is noted and understood. In my estimation, people on both sides of this battle are trying to propagandize the truth into exactly what they wish the other side to hear, OR for what they wish their side to consider half-truths and lies.

Point of order: your statement "a poignant reminder of the tribal based cultural and religious traditions of the Arabs" is intended to make one think that Arab culture by definition of "tribal" is worse than other cutures which are not so tribal. Would you be able to point out what is so problematic with "tribal" culture, and what type of culture would be "better" in your opinion?

therefore your negative branding of SAID's work

in his own words

"no interest in, much less capacity for, showing what the true Orient and Islam really are."^[25]

What do I need to add.

OR for what they wish their side to consider half-truths and lies.

Your link "if Americans knew", is strait out Palestinian propaganda,is it from the Palestinian authority or Hamas (LOL) There is no other way to describe it, it's a joke. I mean really, you don't think that is a neutral site do you?

and what type of culture would be "better" in your opinion?

One based on the western understanding of the "Locus of control". That's the first step in modernity, and it's a baby step, that the Islamic world has not approached, never mind confronted.

http://wilderdom.com/psychology/loc/LocusOfControlWhatIs.html

Azerbaijan is just the latest step in coalition building. The larger the coalition the greater pressure on Iran. The hope is Iran reads the writing on the wall. As for Israel their land grabbing must stop now and captured land returned . Net is a hawk and playing a game of chicken with Iran. So far the U.S. has only sent tons of military hardware to Israel. There is no commitment by the U.S. to put boots on the ground there. That is the thing NET is bitching about. Just hope the Israelis throw him out of office before it is to late.

Jay,

Then just join the Democrats, of which you probably really are. I do not know any Republicans that are for Barack. I know a few Democrats who have jumped the boat though, including me...

R & R 2012

Bob1/28 ... with all due respect you are not too smart."... their land grabbing must stop now and captured land returned" ... and what land would that be? You must be on the payroll at MSNBC. Or, are we going to hear some sad story from you about how it wasn't Israel's land in the first place ... well, it is probably tough to find Canaanites these days or they could return it to the prehistoric occupants if they knew who. Either that or your name is Bob Ahmedinejad or something. Tell me what land they grabbed ... they have given land to the Palestinians, that never was theirs, etc, etc. No Bob, there has NEVER been a country of Palestine. Ever. Nor, a government seated for a country or kingdom of Palestine. No king or president either. Until Arafat that is, and he was an Egyptian. No Palestinians. You see Palestine was a Roman word that was to designate a regional portion of their empire many years ago! Nothing more. It wasn't a country, but a region ... like the "mid-atlantic states" or the "midwest".

Out of the woods" the adm doesn't want to learn. You have a self-centered dictator who thinks he is smarter than anyone and he wants to teach the ways of obama and for obama. period.

Don't see anything good in this. That country is being used as a front. The US is in the middle of an election period and the Israeli are blood thirsty, they want to attack, so the US hides behind this country to allow the attack to occur.

We should mind our own business and save our country, that's the US, from the madness. Azerbaijan just declared itself the target for any terrorist group who hates Israel or just need something to do. I wonder if they did it voluntarily.

Israel is Gods chosen people, and i dont care who attacks her, they will be defeted. We need to pray for Israel and pray for our Godless country especially with the Godless president in power. Hopefully we will get a Christian in power that will return us to our biblical foundings and away from this Godless communist party in charge

True Fact?

god hasn't taken very good care of the chosen...what a load of manure

@ True Fact, are you saying I deserve what's coming to me? What would that be? I do not deserve what's coming to me, because I deserve hell, but through the blood of Jesus Christ I will get to spend eternity with God. I am blessed and I hope you find this blessing also.

If what a lot of you are saying about Gods chosen people, you must not have too much faith in God to handle this situation. that makes you a Christian in name only. What happened to, "Thow shalt not kill."? And, "Turn the other cheek."? Jewish tenets delivered by Moses by the way.

God is singular and unintrusive. I know of no God-fearing nation that actually fears their God. God is good , its just religion that really sucks.

Oh yes. That's great Israel! Keep arming murderous Azeris/Turks so that they can kill more Armenians. Just remember when that happens you will be blamed!

I am going to strongly disagree with the characterization of Azeris as "knowing right from wrong." As Tom-444444 above mentioned, they are nothing but murderers. Read up on the Armenian "conflict" (genocide of the 1990s) and the hundreds of thousans of Armenian civilians - including children - not just murdered, but tortured, raped, and burned alive on the streets of Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan - and this savagery was taking place in the 90s - not that long ago. I am speaking from personal experience. I was a little half-Armenian girl living in Baku during that time and my mom tried to committ suicide once when those murderers came and knocked on our door - she thought she was about to see her children killed in front of her, like they'd done to many other families. We were lucky to escape to the US with our lives. I know an Armenian lady who was beat up and kicked out by her own Azeri husband, and when she went to the hospital, they cut off her ears. Yes, the so-called Azeri "doctors" cut her ears off!!! fortunately, she is here in the US now, where we live. At least they ler her go alive, although disfigured. They can pretend to be civilized all they want, deep down they are nothing but savages, like so many of their other brethren.

all muslims are murderers, women killers and child killers...... you dont see Israelies chopping off the heads of people or killing kids on purpose...... if people would stop lobbing rockets at them, maybe things would get better...... Frankly, I wish they would fire 10 rockets back for every one lobbed at them.... Heck, aim for the kindergartens like the rag heads do too......

I hope enough of us humans have moved beyond simple religions. Before we start WWIII. The creator as given all mankind freewill. We can still choose peace even if there is a war. I refuse to fight for GODS name. My god is powerful enough to defend itself. All this passing of threats and drawing lines in the sand. Has gone on for thousands of years. Between these three MANMADE religions.

One could argue that the very reason the Christ was hung on the cross. Was his teaching against organized religion. One could argue that many of gods teachers taught that you can only find god. By going within. Your own temple that of your own soul. I even had a non catholic Priest tell me to find god. I needed to go to a quiet place. And silence my thoughts and listen.

It was high in the sierra's a star filled night. Black as can be. I sat on a rock looked up at the stars. And let all my thoughts go silent. What came to me was how small I am. Compared to all that is. My problems were so unimportant. Nothing was wrong in that place. Everything was in perfect balance. No future no past. Just the moment of perfection. All the universe hangs is perfect balance. God is everything and nothing. We all are a-part of the creation of life.

The only way to end hate is to not become a-part of it. Our thoughts actions and deeds all contribute to what the world is going through. Hopefully enough of us want to heal our world. Rather than destroy it. I for one am not like Nations. I still have FAITH. There honestly is no them and US there just is Everyone or no one.

well said joey my grandfather always said you can see more of god in nature then you can in a house (church) made by man.

thank you Eric, I think I just had to type that out for myself. Sort of an affirmation of my own personal faith. My path per say. It is so easy to get caught up. With all that is going on around us all. A trip out of the city and back to the hills may be the ticket.

Hey Jay1660872, you sanctimonious, hypocritical BLOWHARD. You don't want the Republicans telling you what kind of Gub'ment to have? Apparently, you have either been hiding in your panic room, or too engrossed in your favorite Honey BooBoo episode to know what is REALLY going on in the world. Your "messiah", Lord Blowbama, has espoused "Bigger Government MY way", by turning this once-great and self-reliant, prosperous country into a whimpering, lazy, apathetic, hands-out, freeloading nation of sheeples who do nothing but sit on their collective a$$es, eating their giant bags of Cheetos and collecting their Gub'ment checks, while WE, the great American WORKING taxpayers, pay for your big screen TV's, your free cellphones, and your cable television. I have had it. The "gravy train" ends this November. So go out and GET A JOB, you hack. Oh, wait...there ARE no jobs, thanks to MISTER Owebama....I guess you can go live in the refrigerator box back in Chi-town with the Pretender-in-Chief and his spendthrift wife....

hey witesox. That is just plain stupid.

put ur sheet back on witesox

but obama will let israel down He has all ready. The guy is a true blue muslim and hates the israelists. and he shows it.

Perhaps Obama loves his country, the US and wants to protect it from the madness of Israeli leaders.

Or perhaps he hates America, and wants it destroyed just like his father did. It would seems that is what he is working towards, or haven't you noticed the past four years?

@jibaro,

fail, hussien has not done the US any good on the international level, he is a complete joke now because of the nobel prize, which is now a frickin joke as well. He has made a mess of everything he has touched to date.

Try to get him to recite the Pledge of Allegience out loud.

You know the rwnut-jobs are running scared when they resort to name calling and innuendo. I wonder if they think(?) they can change one vote with their childish behavior and diatribe.

On the Edge ... I am hoping I can change every vote not just one. I want to be rid of this pestilence we call the Obama administration including all its cronies, like you. Why? Because I fought for this country, and crawled through the mud and blood, and now the idiots, and the socialists, and the "progressives" want to give it all away. So to hell with the Muslims, the Gays, the illegals, and the democrats ... they all need to go. And they will! There is another revolution just around the corner.

don of the rockies:

As the son of two U.S Air Force pilots, I recall being told about the chain of command. And that while serving in uniform, the commander in chief is always respected and referred to as President, in this case, that would be President Obama. I do give you credit, at least you openly admit your hatred for those who are "different" from you.

As the son of two US Air Force Pilots, you should be aware of the oath taken by each. It states clearly that that they are sworn to protect our country from enemies foreign and DOMESTIC. I HATE ALL LIARS. That includes lies of omission.

Hatred is such a strong emotion; one who engenders hate (particularly in an internet discussion group) is usually devoid of love. Pity.

On the edge ...you are a TRUE hypocrite. You say the "rwnut-jobs" are running scared when they have to resort to name-calling and innuendo". Also, their childish behavior and diatribe. Congratulations. You just illustrated my point. Typical Dem who rants before he or she thinks....

Don of the Rockies amd FZKnew.... Thank you both for your service to this once-great country. But, FZ, the title of Commander-in-Chief has to be earned, no matter what you think. That is why our Military cannot embrace MISTER Obama's radical, Muslim-supporting ideologies. He is dangerous, reckless and unqualified to be leader of America. You say people hate him because he is "different". I say, no, Sir. People hate him because he is a bad president, plain and simple.

so witesoxfan- do you hate President Obama because he is bad president or because he is a radical Muslim supporting idealogue (different)?

How many top leaders of al-Qaieda have died under Obama vs Bush?

Its all about getting us to spill our blood so that jews in Israel can sit back and reap the rewards. Giving nuclear weapons to Israel was the biggest mistake this country made. Allowing them to build nuclear reactors so that they could make nuclear weapons was our 2nd biggest mistake. JFK refused to allow Israel the weapons and the reactors. One of the biggest reasons he was murdered. Once the jewish President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in dominoes began to fall. His recalling our jet fighters from the mission to save the USS LIberty from Israel's attack was nothing less than treason. T-R-E-A-S-O-N. If the Israelis want to rule the middle east let them spill their own blood to do so. Bring our people home and refuse to aid Israel in anyway.

I know accurate history is not what is being taught in our schools today, but there was this "little thing" that happened to the Jews that almost wiped out the Jews. And I admire the Jews for not bringing that up everytime someone defends The Iranian Hitler. The world turned their back on the Jews in their time of need and we owe them. I don't think Netanyahu wants any ones blood spilled including ours. That is why he is asking the U.S. and really (all the world that let them down back in the 30's and 40's) to support them in this matter. If Israel had more countries committed to stand behind them, Iran would stop their sabre rattling. And really. It isn't like the Eskimo's are settling Israel. This was the Jews land according to the bible.

bewilderedo224, you must read a different bible than me. God told the Hebrews they would be scattered over the world and they would not be allowed to come back until the second coming of Christ. These imposter's are from eastern Europe and not Semites. God said if they came back they would be punished. Read the top Rabbi's in the US that started a group called Jews against zionism. Read Revelations where it says the anti-christ will be of Hebrew origin. Rev.2-9 Beware of the man calling himself a Jew who is not a Jew, satan has his synagogue. These are the very same people in Israel that Jesus warns us about. Don't be like the Jews who were blind and killed Christ. They hid behind the Romans to do their dirty work and today they hide behind the US. If they were Gods chosen people then why are they the fourth largest weapons supplier in the world. Wouldn't God take care of them. Ever read their Talmud? It says Mary was a whore and raped by a carpenter and gave birth to a horrible human being and they hung Him on a tree. Please read a little more to find the truth.

So, you work in the field of international intelligence obviously. That would be the only way you would know what no one else obviously does. How do you know what Azerbaijan would or would not do. Oh you read an article on MSNBC that they nev er would support Israel. And they never put stuff on the internet that isn't true, right? Where did you hear that? Oh, the internet. Another liberal know it all.

The Azerbaijanis have to live next to the crazy Iranians so its in their best interests as a nation to align with Israel.

Common sense Don. I miised you the last time I was in Baku. You must have been doing a survey for Fox.

Actually Jeff, many Iranians are pro American. They are repressed by a rightwing religeous government controlled army.

And i suppose you will be thrilled with Sharia Law and having y our daughters clitoris nipped off because of religion would you not? If we keep bowing down to Muslims thats to our barack hussein obama in power, and contine down the path of appeasement, we will be overthrown down the road and live under Sharia law..... which is a little worse than the communism we have now

baby- I have not accepted christian law, nor will I accept sharia. You both are cancers of the world that I will continue to fight. Hopefully you'll both wipe each other out with as little collateral damage as possible to those of us who just want peace.

Sharia will see to you first there dervish73. You and your head will go separate ways in life ... and they'll do no more than laugh at you, which according to your statement may actually be appropriate. At least the Muslims believe in something.

But, people like you who believe in nothing ... that is really sad. Such a waste of flesh, and air.

Jinso...

I did join the military and fought....

That's why I'm voting for Romm....

He doesn't have to rely on his wife's balls..

On the topic of democracy and war IN GENERAL; I copied this from an internet discussion sometime in late 2011:

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that point on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.

Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back to bondage."

Sun Tsu wrote in his book "The Art of War", summarily, that all the battles of past present and future were won or lost before they even started.

In the original posters' and MY estimation the USofA is at the "apathy to dependence" stage. Blame it on who you like, it wont change a single thing.

Jin So, war is never something to be celebrated, but in order to keep yourself and other nations safe. Sometimes you gotta kick a little a$$, appeasement is never enough to feed the beast.

as did the world find out with Hitler

as far as i can see baby its republicans who want to institute a type of sharia law in the US. they want to control a womans body whether its the taking of birth control to having an abortion. they dont seem to realize that the constitution states the church and state are seperate.

just to para phrase one of our founding fathers Thomas Jefferson, if you start to see religous influence in our politics and government you will be lead down the road to tryanny against its citizens.

Eric,

No they just don't think it should be free!

Jin

JinSoFla

It's great to see the Warhawks thumping on a Monday morning. If you're supporting war with Iran and condemning Obama for not jumping knee deep in blood like Cheney and Bush, then YOU go join the military and fight. I'm tired of friends and kids going off and coming home in a casket or otherwise scared for life thanks to the pointless Middle East wars.

Oh you nasty little lefties. Will you never get over Bush? You'll try to outlive God so you can blame Bush for all of eternity. Once again, history should tell you (unless all the liberal media and history books haven't distorted the truth) that we were attacked by all those sweeties from the middle east, funded in large part by Iran You will never know or care how much we owe Israel for their friendship. And as a Gold Star mother, I resent how flippantly you describe our brave soldiers who died protecting our rights, and who believed we have a right to defend ourselves. Men and women who volunteered and weren't rounded up by Bush and Cheney and "sending kids off" to come home in caskets. At the very least respect them for their bravery and patriotism, things neither you nor your president would know anything about.

Well, the saying used to be "speak softly and carry a big stick"

But with obama it is "blab your lips and carry a little dick"

Or maybe they'll rise against Israel, who's afraid of that very thing, so they're trying to drag the US into their drama.

Israel will perform a preemptive strike? You must mean a false flag attack, like they did on 9/11 to drag America into 2 wars, both for energy pipelines. One pipeline was to go from Iraq to Haifa in Israel and the other, the TAPI gas pipeline was to transorpt Israeli owned gas from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan to Pakistan and to India.

In the first case a war was needed to get rid of Saddam, who would never permit a pipeline to Israel and the second was to get rid of the Taliban, who would not permit an Israeli gas pipeline.

Oil companies proposed the pipeline in 1995, but
it dropped off their agenda after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan the
following year. The plan was revived after the United States-led invasion of
Afghanistan in 2001, and received backing from the Asian Development Bank,
which financed feasibility studies.

Iran can
sell gas to India at a third the price of Turkmenistan. This is the ENTIRE
issue. In Turkmenistan Israel holds the lease rights to sell this gas and US
companies are building the pipeline called TAPI. This has gotten Iran upset and
that is what the whole reason for petroleum sanctions. We have US military
holding the Taliban at bay in the North all the while prince and his private
paramilitary mercenary forces are executing pipeline security privately in the
South to lend some sort of propriety to this whole sham of a war. Americans
should demand presidential head on a platter for this fraud. Deni-ability is
everything.

www.rense.com/general15/game.htm

Now you
can easily understand why there was need for the "justification" of
this war, which was planned before the 9/11
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1550366.stm). The false-flag terror
attacks of 9/11 were part of a strategic Israeli operation to bring the U.S.
military into Afghanistan on a long-term mission on behalf of Israel’s Turkmen
gas enterprise. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline is
the real reason that U.S. soldiers are killing and dying in the southwestern
Afghan provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. 9/11 was just the cover story for
this pre-planned war of aggression - and it is nothing but a complete hoax.

Ralph is just playing his loony tune again.

No Rex, I am just letting people know what snakes we are dealing with, when we support the Israelis. They gladly brought down the WTCs with Americans trapped inside, so they could make a few sheckles with their oil and gas pipelines.

The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are being fought for Israeli riches.

Ralph H, so true about the gas pipelines to Israel. That is also why the US took the MEK off the terrorist group because they are the ones giving the oil to Israel in return for weapons and training. Questions that need answers about 9-11 is why did the owner (Silverstien) take out insurance shortly before the attack. Why was it that the same Israeli security company was hired at the WTC and Logan Airport where the planes took off? Why were there 5 Israelis ( 2 mossad agents) filming both planes going into the buildings. When Netanyhoo was asked what he thought of the attack he burst out with a big smile and said " VERY GOOD" See it on you-tube. And there are alot more things to question Israel about this attack. They did it before, read the Lavon affair. Never forget the USS Liberty, Rachel Corrie, and Johnathan Pollard to name a few.

You must be crazy, Israel does not pay for anything. They have us to carry the load and our corrupt politicians to allow it to happen. You can't be smart about this because the people who control our government sold us out openly and we allowed it.

We haven't given anything to Israel since the '60's...

Who is it that reads to you??

Jibaro

You must be crazy, Israel does not pay for anything. They have us to carry the load

So you are saying they are all Libtards & part of the 47% . Did we give them cell phones too?

i doubt that will happen when we give 8.9 million dollars a day to isreal. while our economy is in the toilet and theirs is thriving. no more foreign aid we give out 1.7 trillion dollars a year in foreign aid. imagine if we stopped that and used it to pay down the debt. we could stop foreign aid, balance our budget ( less spending on defense , no more corporate subsidies) and we could pay off our debt in like 5years without touching social security or medicaid that our elderly paid into and should be entitled to. yes entitled which means something you earned over the years by paying into. not the dirty word that republicans try to make it out as.

eric-

Your plan makes too much sense, and it won't happen because it doesn't appease the muckity mucks, nor the blue caps. Certain large entities plan to remain in financial power (Federal Reserve Bank, European banking system, old blue blood monetary lines, etc..) and will do anything to remain there.

There are two US presidents who enacted the presidential power of creating "interest free" money, through the US treasury dept., not the Federal Reserve Bank- and both were shot in the back of the head- Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.

Quote: April 2011 "Banks can hold their assets at their own value, and resell it later at the banks price."

Lots of agendas going on behind the scenes, adds up to keeping big corporations in the money, which has equated to big corporations buying out the lazy greedy politicians of Washington.

Take a hard look at which group owns the following, and you will begin to unravel part of the mystery:

Google, Facebook, Yahoo, EBay, PayPal, MTV, YouTube, Wikipedia, MySpace, Fox TV, New York Times, London Times, Wall Street Journal, Century 21, Dell computers, Good Year, MCA & Universal, Starbucks, CBS, MGM, Toys-R-Us, Mattel, HOME DEPOT, ABC, Wynn Hotles, Neiman Marcus, DKNY, Goldman Sachs, H&R Block, Charles Swab....

are we learning yet ?

eric-

More important look at the US student loan program and how it is the only loan system set up to give out unsecured loans to young students without collateral or money to back it up, even without co-signer(s) involved.

When you consider that back taxes and student loans are the 2 items not allowable by law to file bankruptcy on, the system is really set up to create indentured servants who will be in debt to large banks for many years to come. It is also a system designed to hand out large salaries to secondary school system administation officials, professors, and staff. The cost of college in no way reflects the ability to land a job, except for the inside buddy system used in the many Ivy League schools, etc..

The real profiteers here are the banks, and the colleges who rely on the myth that a secondary education should cost so much, because of inflation and quality education.

Where do you think Isreal gets their money? The USA gives them nearly 1 billion dollas a year.

Mary Jones-1616541

Where do you think Isreal gets their money? The USA gives them nearly 1 billion dollas a year.

1 billion? Try 3 billion! Again, my source is the DOS. http://foreignassistance.gov/CountryIntro.aspx

This
is where foreign aid goes to. It is no surprise that Jew Haters blame only
Israel for US tax burdens. Taken from Forbes

Making
Sense Of U.S. Foreign Aid To Egypt And Elsewhere With
Egypt in turmoil, it's widely being reported that the United States gives $1.5
billion in foreign aid to the government in Cairo each year. And with the U.S.
at risk of running a $1.5 trillion deficit this year, that means it's only a
matter of time before budget hawks start picking apart U.S. foreign aid.

The
$1.5 billion requested for Egypt in the president's fiscal year 2011 budget
puts the country fourth on the list of recipients for aid managed by the State
Department and the United States Agency for International Development. Only
Afghanistan ($3.9 billion), Pakistan ($3.1 billion) and Israel ($3 billion)
have more aid requested for them. Most of the money for these four countries is
allocated for "peace and security," a broad category that includes
combating drug traffickers and terrorists as well as preventing the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In Egypt specifically, $1.3
billion of the requested amount this year is for "peace and
security."

U.S.
foreign aid has a variety of goals. Among them, lifting people out of poverty,
promoting democracy and economic stability worldwide, and bolstering strategic
alliances. According to the government's user-friendly Web site,
www.foreignassistance.gov, Uncle Sam doles out "more than $58 billion a
year in foreign assistance through more than 20 agencies." More than half
of that, roughly $37 billion, is managed by the State Department and USAID.

You
may be surprised to learn that most countries outside of Western Europe, Canada
and Australia get foreign aid from the U.S. This year the requested amount for
Russia was $68.7 million. For China, it's $12.9 million. A whopping $647.7
million has been allocated for Nigeria. Even $20 million is set aside for
communist Cuba. Again, these figures are the requested amounts for
2011–Congress is still trying to figure out how much to spend during the
current fiscal year–and they only include aid to be managed by State and USAID.
They don't include money that finds its way into these countries through U.S.
regional foreign assistance offices or offices that deal with specific issues
like health or agriculture.

Where
does the money come from? Taxpayers, of course. But before you get entirely
bent out of shape about your hard-earned cash being shipped off to Beijing or
Havana, have a look at where it's going, or at least where it's supposed to be
going. In Russia, for example, most U.S. foreign aid is used to promote democracy
and human rights. In Cuba, all of it has been set aside for this purpose. In
China and Nigeria, more than half of the requested budget for foreign aid to
those countries is aimed at helping those countries fight HIV/AIDS. The U.S.
foreign assistance budget for Israel is devoted entirely to security issues,
but in Afghanistan it goes to a variety of projects, including education,
infrastructure development and maternal and child health, as well as security.

The
classic criticism of foreign aid is that it ends up supporting corrupt or
authoritarian regimes. That's the question the Obama administration is going to
have to sort out as the situation in Egypt evolves. However, from a purely
budgetary perspective, it's not much of an issue. Total U.S. foreign aid in
2010 was about 1.7% of the U.S. budget. By any measure, the $1.5 requested for
Egypt this year–down from $1.8 billion in 2006–is a lot of money. But put it in
perspective. As part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program in 2008, Uncle Sam
invested $100 billion in Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells
Fargo collectively in order to prop up the financial sector. Earlier this week,
Chevron reported earnings of $5.3 billion the last quarter of 2010 alone.

Does
that mean budget hawks shouldn't scrutinize the $1.5 billion that goes to
Egypt, or any foreign assistance for that matter? Of course not. But for those
serious about reducing the deficit, foreign aid is hardly the place to start.
Instead, try entitlements. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid make up
almost half of federal spending each

Because I point out that the US gives a truly outrageous amount of aid to Israel, that makes me a "Jew hater"?? You don't know me, Basil. I don't hate Jews, I don't hate Israel. I have at least two good friends that are Israeli nationals and many, many more that are American, French and North African Jews. These are some great people and I'm better for knowing them. Though I am not a fan of Netanyahu, I think Israel does some great things too. They have done great things in medicine in particular.

I do think we should make them be a little less dependent, though. I certainly am not in favour of a war with Iran. Not now. Preferably not ever. I would like to see Iran fall at the hands of its own people, but there are many who are loyal to their government.

Here's a comment from one of the most educated and reviled (by both the Left and Right!) persons on this topic-Noam Chomsky:

http://www.alternet.org/story/147865/noam_chomsky%3A_the_real_reasons_the_u.s._enables_israeli_crimes_and_atrocities

KW: Speak to me about the relation between the United States and Israel. Specifically, address, as you have previously stated, how every crime, violation of international law, that Israel commits is done through the direct participation and authorization of the United States.

NC: But the major change in relationships took place in 1967. Just take a look at USA aid to Israel. You can tell that right off. And in many other respects, it’s true, too. Similarly, the attitude towards Israel on the part of the intellectual community -- you know, media, commentary, journals, and so on -- that changed very sharply in 1967, from either lack of interest or sometimes even disdain, to almost passionate support. So what happened in 1967?

snip....

Well, Israel effectively destroyed Nasserite secular nationalism and the whole Arab nationalist movement that was centered in it. That was considered a major contribution to U.S. geopolitical strategy and also to its Saudi Arabian ally. And, in fact, that's when attitudes toward Israel changed sharply and the U.S. support for Israel -- material, diplomatic, and other -- also increased sharply. In 1970, there was another turning point. In 1970, the Jordanian army (Jordan was a strong, close U.S. ally) – the Jordanian dictatorship was essentially massacring Palestinians during what's the month that's called Black September.

And the U.S. was in favor of that; it supported that. It looked as though Syria might intervene to support the Palestinians against the attack by the Hashemite dictatorship. The U.S. didn't want that to happen. It regarded it as a threat to its Jordanian ally and also a broader threat, ultimately, to Saudi Arabia, the jewel in the crown.

For anyone who reads thia and doesn't comprehend how one educated man could engender so much hatred in his own country, watch how fast this post gets collapsed! (12:16 PM EDT 10-01-12)

FZNew: Chomsky is "educated...on this topic"??? That means he speaks FACT. Well, these are not facts but his own misguided and extremely distorted OPINIONS. Chomsky is an Israeli-born, self-hating jew for whatever reason. Animosity towards the Jews and subsequently Israel started long before 1967. Unfortunately for Chomsky and fortunately for most other rational human beings, history started long before Nasser and events that led up to the Six Day War.

BAsil Romeo; First read the entire thread I linked to, he does not start with 1967, that is where I started cutting from his interview as I figured most on the vine do not have much of an understanding before then.

Second, I get it, you are a zionist. NO problem, that is your viewpoint. However, denigrating one of the most educated scholars in the United States regarding this specific topic is ALL you have. You cannot rebut his FACTS.

Third, How long will it be before you convince enough newsvine readers to collapse my post since it doesn't fit into your narrative?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geskn_sOG2A

basil romeo when you add up social security medicare and medicaid it only makes up 4.7% of total spending in the budget. just get on .gov and check it out. it is not 50%. what is over 50% of our national debt spending is our defense budget which is at 60% of our total tax dollars. do some research and digging and you will also see the total amount of our budget going to foreign aid from all the different US agencies is 1.7 trillion. that alone will take care of the defecit spending. hell spending on education in the US is only 2.2 percent of the budget. you know the thing that is important for the future of our children!

BTW Basil Romeo; Chomsky has no animosity toward "the Jews". IF he has any animosity at all it is toward the governments of the US and Isreal NOT the ordinary citizens. As he states OVER and OVER in his speeches and videos over 70% of our populations do not agree with the imperialist tendencies of our own governments, yet they persist (IMO for mainly monetary and "security" reasons). In fact, I would submit that Chomsky has animosity only for OPPRESSORS not any of whom they OPPRESS.

I would like to thank you on the vine for engaging in a topic which usually gets down to name calling of one sort or another. Also, I am sure you are aware that I only mentioned Chomsky because I was trying to see how long it would be before someone retorted. His name is like a lightning rod on IPA discussions! As I wrote, this animosity toward Chomsky comes equally from the left as the right.

FZknew says that Chomsky has no animosity toward the Jews. Why should he? Chomsky is a Jewish name. Chomsky is Jewish.

Not if Obama is re-elected. His sanctions have halted the program alltogether and weakened Iran into begging for forgiveness.........ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!

Obama is the WEAKEST President to ever serve this nation and the world knows it!

Another thing you people dont understand, is just like Nazi Germany,.... appeasement brings war...... just like the democrat party with the black muslim in power now.... they want to lull you to sleep with appeasement, and the buying of friends, the bowing down in front of muslims, the apologize for America tours..... that will all bode very bad for us..... remember.... Speak Softly, but carry a Big Stick... and you cant have peace without war.

You dems want to kick God out of our Country.... it will just keep getting worse and worse every day, until we ask Him back to guide our Country. You watch and see.

Ray-2194047

Regardless of what Israel does or doesn't do Iran will still be Nuclear capable in 10 years or less.

Ray...Did you watch the UN General Assembly speech by PM Netanyahu? Spring/early summer latest...

Better get on down to Home Depot and buy a gas mask...

You mean like the Muslim Brotherhood that the current admin is supporting?

Tracy, have you ever read about the muslim brotherhood? They were outlawed by the dictators of Eygpt. They were started in 1928 and helped feed and cloth the poorest of Eygpt. Nobody ever heard of them ubtil the dictator was over thrown. Do yourself a favor and read about them. Please tell one bad thing they have done. Oh and suprize, I am a Jew.

poopus,

You know who really cares if the WMD's really exsisted or not..? The Terrorists SOB's, attacked this Country and were Trained and Protected by the very Countries Bush sent us to War with. I'm glad we did it, I wish we would Blow every Terrorist Supporting Country Off The Face Of This Earth. Another thing you and other Liberals over look is that how many of our Allies had the same info about WMD's..? Again I don't Care, They Attacked US, Murdered Hundreds, I Say KILL Them ALL! And before you say, You Need to Go serve, I have, Two Tour Viet-Nam Combat Vet...

Show your credentials...I call your bluff on two tours. And yes I really care there were no WMD's found. We stirred up a hornest nest. (truth be told Bush should have planted one if he was smart...but he wasn't)And really? What countries did we go to war that trained the terrorists like you mentioned? Let's make a list for discussion here since I think your facts are totally wrong:

1. Syria? Orchestrates a lot of back door terrorism in secrecy to prevent any Arab-Israel peace agreements

2.Yemen? They suicide bombed the USS Cole.

"This event was the deadliest attack against a United States Naval vessel since 1987."

3. Sudan? They were held financially liable for the attack on the USS Cole.

4. Saudi Arabia? 15 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis. They financially back all terrorist groups.

5. Afghanistan? (if you want to call that a war during Bush's term)

Last I recalled we didn't go to war with any of these countries...only Iraq!

If you really are a war veteran you would know this information. So my uninformed, biased friend get your facts straight..."hateful ignorance is just as powerful as a gun".

I think your screen name is a typo. It should read dick ne.............

"I would like to see the end of the Oil Age in my lifetime because the world will become a better place when it is all gone."

Haven't you ever seen "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" ??

The Toe Cutter

Mr Dick Me..... When Iran gets the bomb, they will use it......... would it be better to attack before they get it, or wait until they attack Israel first?

hussein will never be in Israels corner, unless it costs him in the polls..... he only does what keeps him up in the polls, instead of whats good for the country...... just another black muslim is all he is.

babyson, your racism is showing. That's not being very christian-like...then again, maybe it is.

"As long as organized religion exists, there will be no world peace"

-Americanpeasant

Americanpeasant,

Racism, no not a bit, the 6.25% black, 43.75% arabic, & 50.0% white that he is, I hate them all just the same... It's the man in the office, not the blood or color of his skin most people hate, it is his complete lack of being able to do the job required... Well maybe doing it for someone else's interest, i.e. MUSLIMS...

He has marched with the New Black Panthers, has communist friends, terrorist friends, communist parents, muslim father, studied Marxism extensivly and has adopted their philosophies, brought division to this country between the races by his racist attitudes, throw businesses under the bus, but he has greatly increased the welfare rolls, increased the food stamps rolls, greatly increased the social security disability even more than jobs created, so he is doing very well for the non workers and he is punishing the people that work hard, especially whites.... i wont even mention his not going to church, nor his good buddy and spiritual guider, old rev wright, who loves to say God Damn America, so what do that make barack hussein obama? The number one enemy of this country. thats all

israel cost us enough money they will have us pay for this in money and lives

justredd64

The Obama Administration will figure out that Iran has the bomb several days after it is detonated. But the will probably label it as a Neighborhood skirmish for several weeks or until the radioactive fallout drops on the US.

No Deerhunter, our CIA, other intelligence services and the IAEA would notify the president if Iran ever were to enrich uranium to over 20%. Iran's nuclear enrichment is monitored by the IAEA. Iran cannot have a .bomb, without the entire world being made well aware at least a year in advance.

January
2011: When Meir Dagan steps down as director of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, he
says that Iran would not be able to produce a nuclear weapon until 2015.
"Israel should not hasten to attack Iran, doing so only when the sword is
upon its neck," Mr. Dagan warned. Later he said that attacking Iran would
be "a stupid idea.... The regional challenge that Israel would face would
be impossible."

Note: that 2015 time is only good if Iran even decides to buil a bomb. All our intelligence agencies have concluded they haven't even started a nuclear weapons program and that Iran is a rational actor.

better yet, send all the people on welfar there, and it will give them something to do, plus help us clean out those nasty stinken ghettos with needles, drugs, prostitution, filth, etc, and move it there

You think that people on welfare want to be on welfare? I suppose your veterans, elderly, etc. are all drug runners, and such? The only filth I'm seeing is your intolerance.

and you find nothing wrong with the baby making machines that make babies to get more welfare? You see nothing wrong with generations after generations collecting off the government? you see nothing wrong with welfare bitches getting on you tube and bragging as to how they scam the system? You see nothing wrong with the government building trade learning centers for blacks and underprivileged peoples, and have to close it down because no one goes to them because they dont want to work anyway, cause its easier to collect welfare? This is even in spite of locating them right in the middle of ghettos? I can say one thing, stop welfare completely and let peoples families take care of themselves and let the government run government, but they cant do that very well either..... And i am a disabled veteran that worked his butt off all his life, and never asked for government help, nor did anyone in my family... it just seems to run in particular areas and races, and just needs to be stopped completely.... you dont work, you dont eat.

It is ASTOUNDING how anyone could write such an ignorant post. Wipe out a nation of 66 million people, in a nation that hasn't started a war with another country in almost 200 years.

Babyson is a typical ignorant racist, who has no idea what it is to live in poverty, only because he was lucky enough to be born to people with a work ethic and perhaps some wealth. People are largely a product of their environment.

As for Iran, Iranians are workers just like Americans. Their oppportunities may not be the same, but they, like us do the best with what they have.

Israelis, on the other hand, keep bribing our politicians, to get free money from the US, just llike those on welfare.

Oh for the love of all that is holy...........................

obama is an embarressment to the US and the world

Maybe Mitt can come over and wipe the tears from your keyboard after November.

Right on!

I just hope that Mitt gets the guard ready to fire on all the welfare thugs when they riot when obama loses...... gosh, can you imagine the people in the streets when they think their welfare will be cut off because their welfare King will be booted out?

Lenin, is that you? Back to your original name? Somehow, I don't think that Ulyanov is your real name.

Very cute, though. Just in time for Halloween.

Jim: Israel's total population is 2.5 million and not all of them are Jewish.

Might get more mileage out of it!