Mercnbeth
Posts: 11766
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quote:
Most of the time I think you are pretty objective Merc but not on this one. I do't know how you can't see that you have the same knee jerk reaction without any objective analysis as the current American administration on this issue. Meat, You misinterpret my pragmatic analysis of the current situation with my opinion of what should be done. Stated simply, we should completely abandon the region. Stop all payments to all parties and let the locals sort it out between themselves. Do it today. No arms sales, no troops, no money, not even any "humanitarian" aid that usually is used to enable the local dictator to install a gold toilet. I'm even willing to accept the consequences of such a policy even if it's as drastic as nuclear war in the region between Iran and Israel, or as relatively benign as gas going to $20/gallon. My biggest concern with such a policy is that the vacuum of our presence would be filled by China. But that's for another thread. You are right, I can't see things from an Israeli perspective any more than I can know what it feels like for a slave to be flogged. I don't want to, but even if I felt the sensation it would NOT have the same mental or emotional impact. Poorly aimed rockets did minimal damage to Israel, but it wouldn't have taken a 1,000 of them to get the same reaction from me. Yet even that didn't instigate this, as you know, the rationalized excuse was the kidnapping of two soldiers. Which, as you know, was caused by the beach bombing. Which, as you know, was caused by a rocket being launched 300 yards away. Was that my lack of objectivity or history? You don't have to agree with what is going on to know pragmatically what is going on. Only in denying are you doomed to ignorance. That's the problem with the current administration and the problem with every administration since Carter. They place western ideas of democracy and justice on a people and region that has 3,000 years of unjust and dictatorial rule. Not even the Romans could change that with all their brutality. Benign diplomacy wont change that history, nor the current situation.
< Message edited by Mercnbeth -- 7/31/2006 3:14:37 PM >
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