An instinct of evasion so profound it would rather talk nonsense than specify:
David Axelrod to Jake Tapper, March 14: "I believe that that region and that issue is a flare point throughout the region"
Obama to student questioner in Tampa, January 28: "The Middle East is obviously an issue that has plagued the region for centuries"
Pure Bushisms for a subject too hot for any mainstream discussion.
Maybe I’m wrong after all these years, but I seem to remember David Axelrod as a Henry “Scoop” Jackson kind of Democrat – an early lobbyist type for Israel and an activist against the sale of AWACs to Saudi Arabia in the early 1980′s.
Maybe it was another Axelrod.
RE: “I seem to remember David Axelrod as a Henry “Scoop” Jackson kind of Democrat…” – Larry
MY COMMENT: Axelrod helped AIPAC, Irving Moskowitz, etc ‘knock off’ Senator Chuck Percy (a moderate Illinois Republican) because Percy (Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) favored a more evenhanded policy towards the Middle East. Specifically, Percy had ‘gone against’ AIPAC in supporting the sale of AWACS (flying radar) aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Consequently, money from outside Illinois (especially Moskowitz’s Hawalian Garden, California ‘bingo parlor’ profits) flooded into the campaign of Percy’s 1984 opponent, Paul Simon.
FROM WIKIPEDIA: …Unhappy with his prospects at the Tribune, in 1984 he joined the campaign of U.S. Senator Paul Simon as communications director; within weeks he was promoted to co-campaign manager.[7]…Simon upset three-term incumbent Charles H. Percy with 50% of the vote to win the election….
P.S. Otherwise, I very much like Axelrod.
It is a common attempt to get people to write off the region, which in turn gives a free hand to those that are aware of what is really going on to continue their process with impunity. Some dismiss it with stories about conflicts for centuries. Others try to mystify the activity there, speaking of ancient animus that does not exist. Reduction to irrational religious conflicts. The list of this type of language can go on without end, all to accomplish what I said in the first sentence.
It’s all about No3 and 4 these days. “You Suck” and “The Whole World Sucks”
link to jewssansfrontieres.blogspot.com
I can’t believe I actually voted for that imbecile. What was I thinking?!
Yet, voting for the other imbecile would have kept “hope” alive, and it’s a good thing I think that “hope” has now been discredited.
Actually I don’t think that’s a good thing. The flesh from the open wound might have grown back if it weren’t for the immolation it’s received under Obama’s tender care.
I wasn’t saying it’s good that Obama has turned out to be far less than many hoped him to be. I’m saying that if McCain had been elected, people would presently be hoping “that if only a democrat” had been elected instead, things would be much better.
I’m not trying to find delight in the present course of this country’s domestic or foreign track, but I do think the public’s pox on both parties is healthy and earned.
I agree with pineywoodslim. McCain and Lieberman stood on the floor of the senate yesterday (on CSPAN) blowing the moldy hasbara kisses to each other, back and fourth, back and fourth, McCain having initiated the charade by asking Lierman the most loaded pretense of objective inquiry, in essence, “Why are they airing a dispute within the family in public? ? There message, of course, was that such stupidity would only give opportunity to exploit at the risk of Israel’s survival and loss to the US of its loyal ally and democratic friend
who shares our values. Recommendation: Let’s keep this a family affair and
settle our little internal dispute behind closed doors–because that’s the only way to assure peace in the region. For a half hour they went on like that–and did you know that those fools Hillary, Axlerod, Beiden are acting so unpatriotic while Lebanon, Iran, and Syria, for example are now directly threatening poor little Israel? The only way towards peace is to have no space between the family members, Uncle Sam and Israel.
At least Obama gave a Cairo speech, even if he never put any teeth in it, and
Israsel is being called to account, again in public. McCain wouldn’t have done even that pitiful little, but just contine straight Bush–with maybe
a greater tendency to attack Iran.
The impending AIPAC meeting will tell us much.
I watched the coverage on the cableTV news shows. Really shallow. Nobody ever pointed out those settlements are against US policy, againt UN policy, against
international treaties. And nobody pointed out the obvious, that for 42 years
Israel has been eating the pie to be sliced up and divided in any peace process
past, present, or future.
Every time McCain and Lieberman speak, they are one step closer to their political funeral. By age alone, these two are asking to be put down. ~ My friend from Connecticut, McCain says. Sniegoski has said that McCain was the first choice of Neocons over G. W. Bush in 2000 primaries.
This dust up was a smart calculus, given the AIPAC meeting is next weekend. It’s sad it won’t be covered by the mainstream US press. one day though!
McCain Lieberman Love fest for cousin Israel:
link to youtube.com
The Republicans would have bombed Iran by now.
If Bush didn’t attack Iran, I doubt if McCain would have. Or, I should say, I doubt if Mac’s timetable for attacking Iran would have been much different than Obama’s.
And McCain would also have tackled healthcare and produced a bill remarkably similar to Obama’s giveaway to the insurance industry.
You have a point, pineywoodslim. A point most Americans are coming to agree with I suspect.
Bush had left the embrace of the neocons by the time the Iran issue came up. McCain, however, was fully in the embrace of the neocons and still is. They would have had their way with him.
I tend to agree with dalybean –our Presidents are weakest during their first term. By the time they get to their second term, they’ve stopped mistaking their hubris for genius and now have nothing to lose –not a good combo if you’re the Devil. In my lifetime, Carter was doomed for being Carter, term 2 Reagan was in a coma, Bush I was ditched post-Iraq I and Clinton found Monica.
As for King George, he really was unwinding many of his neocon sins –a drawdown in Iraq, Iran war = Denied, releases and military trials at Guantanomo ( better than Obama limbo?), a Mossad spy master –Uzi something or other– was banned from the US (ostensibly for the Rosen- Guildenstern-AIPAC affair, but who knows? And yes, of course he was re-admitted under Obama), the Libby kamikaze and no Libby pardon …anyway, if someone believed half of what’s posted on this site, it’s a topic worth pursuing.
Ah. Uzi Arad, the new Israeli National Security Advisor. That Netanyahu has some serious chutzpah forcing the spy Uzi Arad on us as the Israeli National Security Advisor, doesn’t he? I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire national security establishment was gunning for Netanyahu’s government the to fall.
I remember when Putin had to deal with that crazy neocon Shevardnadze in Georgia who started the Georgia-Ossetia war thinking the US would send in reinforcements for him. Putin, also, was incandescent with rage, as were most of the world leaders and our national security establishment. Putin wanted to destroy Shevardnadze.
I imagine Obama and his crew are feeling the same way about Netanyahu. I can’t think of a better place for Obama to exercise his power than on Netanyahu.
dalybean, wasn’t it Saakashvili? Or are you talking about an earlier time?
Of course it was Saakashvili! I should have known I got the name wrong when I didn’t have to look up how to spell it. I didn’t mean to slander Shevardnadze like that. Thanks for correcting me.
Israel was a full little partner in that Georgia strategy too. With special thanks to Israeli immigrants from the Georgia neighborhood. No Putin directly threatened in the present scenario. In fact, I’ve read that Russia is placating Israel due to Russia’s severe economic problems. Imagine what the Republicans would do if Putin went on record as aiding and abetting an Obama
crack down on stubborn Israel.
There is nothing substantively different between the parties, how many times does this have to be said? One goes at 100 miles toward a brick wall and the other at 75, that is, as far as anything for the people is concerned. It delivers loads to who they serve, moneyed interest.
This awful grammar. It means “This is a topic I won’t touch (in public speech) with a 10-foot pole”.
Imagine if Obama had said, “The Middle East problem is not at all insoluable intrinsically, but has become so as a political matter due to the insistence of several powerful interest groups operating in the USA which effectively paralyze our political response to this problem.”
Seems pretty obvious that Israel is not really frightened about Iran. Beiden goes over to
assure Israel there’s no space at all between Israel and the USA regarding the Iranian threat, and Israel pokes his sabbath goy eye with the settlement stick. Nothing is more important to Israel apparently then grabbing more native land. Can’t wait for that
annual AIPAC shindig–how many US congress people will attend and do the usual
genuflections? Stay tuned. What will Hillary say there? The big N? Who will get the applause? Who will actually report fully and in detail on the AIPAC meeting?
Interesting since this AIPAC meeting will overlap with the final stretch determining
if Obama gets the needed votes for his health insurance plan. One hand washes the other, as they say and do.
I watched the Whole Megillah last year, and I thought that Eric Cantor obviously won the best award for acting, Steny Hoyer best supporting role for prostrating to a foreign government, and Biden and Kerry walked away with the best “time to get serious, Israel” speeches.
Is Tivo a great invention?
Isn’t Tivo a great invention!
Out of the loop for a few days, so I apologize if this has already been touched upon elsewhere:
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign National Committee (BNC) welcomes the long overdue ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union that Israeli products originating from Israel’s colonial settlements built on Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) do not qualify for preferential customs treatment under the EC-Israel trade agreement [1]. According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, all Israeli colonies are illegal and constitute war crimes. The BNC calls on all 27 member states of the European Union to implement the court’s findings in full and without delay, as a first step towards a full ban on Israeli colonies’ products. We also urge the citizens and civil society groups of European Union member states to pressure their respective governments and the EU leadership to abide by this landmark decision and enforce its implementation.
In response to an appeal lodged by German drinks firm Brita, who were asked to pay full EU import duties when importing supplies manufactured in the OPT by the Israeli company Soda-Club Ltd, Europe’s highest court ruled that Israeli products originating in the West Bank do not fall within the territorial scope of the EC-Israel Agreement and therefore do not qualify for preferential treatment under that agreement. The court also ruled that Israeli companies operating in the OPT are “third parties” and cannot benefit from the terms of a separate EC-PLO trade agreement.
Worth €12 billion to the Israeli economy, the European Union is Israel’s second largest export market after the United States; an estimated one-third of these exports are fully or partially manufactured in Israel’s colonies [2]. On top of this, a large number of Israeli companies are providing products and services to the settlements, profiting from them, or rendering them sustainable in other ways. Illegal settlements in the OPT are an integral and significant part of the Israeli economy.
link to azvsas.blogspot.com
Good news. I forwarded this with a headline that used “Palestinian captive labor.” Does anyone remember when “captive labor” was an unfavorable term?
We can appreciate how times change when ex-President Clinton promotes Haiti as America’s sweat shop.
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