Jackson Jambalaya

Israel is an ally. When this country realizes it, we will finally understand the Middle East.

Israel (just like every other nation is only an ally to whomever gives it money and arms) - I've long since lost understanding of why we have maintained that relationship - other than internal domestic political pandering to fundamentalists.

We don't need Israel as a foothold in SWA against the USSR as we once did. There are so many other areas where we could have developed better relationships with the populations and *gasp* perhaps have prevented the current hate of our policies. *hmmm, maybe someone else thought of that too...*

All that kookthink aside, let them develop shale, then they can keep the waste next to their nuke arsenal. (HA! - we all know whose kids would end up playing in that toxic dump.)

To be fair, I'm not Israel bashing - they are just a regime. Like any other, Israel just protects its their interests, but it kills me that Americans think we have some magical bound interest with them that we could not supplant somewhere else in SWA (for the same amount of $).

.. it kills me that Americans think we have some magical bound interest with them that we could not supplant somewhere else in SWA ...

Okay. Name one or more countries in that region that you think would be a better fit to ply with our foreign aid. Anyone can broad stroke.

I see how the US/Israel " alliance" benefits Israel and is, indeed, in Israel's vital interests.

I have difficulty seeing how Israel has supported the US and been vital to our national interests.

Indeed, I can give examples of how Israel has defied and continues to defied specific requests of cooperation from the US government. As I write, the continued settlement in violation of their agreement is one.

Of course, whenever a US citizen brings up such inconvenient specifics or criticizes any Israeli action ( like the last invasion of Lebanon which didn't seem to work out well), the Israel lobby shouts " anti-Semetism".

I hope Israel has oil as maybe the scales will become more balanced. But, frankly, looking at the past behavior as an indicator of future behavior, Israel will use that resource to their advantage and should that conflict with US needs, oh well...too bad for the US.

I admire Israel's government and citizens for seeing that putting their nation first IS in their self-interest and thus being informed. They are willing to sacrifice. We don't even recognize our self-interests anymore. Begin and Dayan couldn't have gotten elected dog catcher in the US. Here, it's not what is accomplished in life or the accuracy of what is said, it's how the candidate looks on TV and how his or her words make you feel.

@ 9:51 -

How about the 82+ million people of Egypt as opposed to the 7+ million people of Israel?

Sure, we maintained good relations with the Egyptian military over the years (a decent public move on our part). HOWEVER, Egypt, under our supported Mubarak, deteriorated seriously and, well, I think the results are in (at 6.2k gdp ppp that kind of thing can happen).

*back to your proposed thought experiment* What if we had taken the money we poured into that country of 7m (and oh, yeah, relatively wealthy 7m at that-29.5k gdp ppp) in Israel and, oh, I don't know used to keep the cost of food in Egypt reasonable.

Now, I concede, I used an easy example, and, if you aren't satisfied, we can keep going.

Is that pen fine enough for you?

Unless YOUR group has survived something like the Holocaust I don't think you can understand their perspective on the world. "Never again" is not just a slogan - they mean it.

@ 10:17, are you also 9:51?

Irrespective of that, I am surprised it took so long. No one wrote anything about that specific ethnic cleansing event of the 20th century (there were many, you know); however, the murder of innocents is used to justify any and every thing, irrespective of the holocaust's relationship to the subject matter.

I don't blame the Israelis one bit for having a "never again" attitude - that's there position. But don't insinuate that someone is committing a sin by using critical thought about how we use money to gain influence in the region.

Again, facts relevant to the discussion, please - where can we get the most bang per $ in influence in SWA (or NA, since I made the leap).

Critical thought? On this thread? Where?