How far do politicians conflate US and Israeli interests? Well Romney’s choice for veep, Paul Ryan, puts the issue “Israel” under the category “Homeland Security” on his Congressional website. Homeland Security also includes, Iraq, Afghanistan, Support Our Troops, and Defense Appropriations.
This political site says that Ryan has co-sponsored a lot of hawkishly pro-Israel legislation.
Ryan’s website statement on Israel is typical of the Republican right, and Democratic left for that matter: the only “fully functioning democracy” in the Middle East, shared values, and Hamas is a terrorist organization.
Israel
America has no better friend in the Middle East than the nation of Israel. Not only is Israel the region’s only fully functioning democracy, with a government based on popular consent and the rule of law, but it is also a valuable ally against Islamic extremism and terrorism. Our shared democratic values and national interests are supported by maintaining a close friendship with Israel. Americans also have a strong interest in Israel achieving a lasting peace with its neighbors – including the Palestinians.
Reasonable people – including those who live in the Middle East – differ about how the conflict between Israel and Palestine can be resolved. However, I believe at least one thing is clear: we cannot advocate for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that jeopardizes Israel’s safety or legitimizes terrorism. Hamas, which is one of the two major Palestinian political factions, is an Islamist terrorist group whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction, refuses to recognize Israel’s existence, and calls Osama Bin Laden a “martyr.”
While I do not have a role in the diplomatic discussions over the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, America should not pressure Israel to agree to a peace deal that is unlikely to result in peace and security. Real peace will require Palestinians to recognize that Israel has a right to exist, even as it will require two states for the two peoples. Introduced by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on May 13, 2011, H. Res. 268 reaffirms the United States’ commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct negotiations. I co-sponsored this legislation, and it passed the House on July 7, 2011 by a vote of 407-13. I was also a cosponsor of H.R. 4133, the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act, also introduced by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, which passed the House on May 9, 2012 by a vote of 411-2. H.R. 4133 states that it is United States policy to reaffirm the commitment to Israel’s security as a state, provide Israel with the military capabilities to defend itself, expand military and civilian cooperation, assist in a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and encourage Israel’s neighbors to recognize its right to exist.
Let’s just go ahead and do it: annex Israel and let it become the 51st state.
Netanyahu is already more powerful than our president on all matters Middle Eastern policy. Why not extend it to the rest of the policies?
The Democrats won’t say no, they’re busy trying to out-flank the right – from the right.
After all, if they fail to support annexation, people will start to suspect that they are perhaps a bit too influenced by the Keynan anti-colonialist muslim marxist anti-Semite Obama.
Better not let that perception take more root than it already has.
Although I trust the leadership in Congress will put the dangerous anti-Semite Obama in check if he were ever to try to attempt stab Israel in the back by annexing Israel.
That Congressional leadership would probably take shape from our friends from AIPAC by making sure that an amendment got in before the legislation was signed; ethnically cleanse those Arabs first.
It’s the pro-Israel and the pro-American thing to do.
Shares our values etc etc.
Israel isn’t our 51st state – we are their colony.
Or vassal state.
Maybe even puppet state.
Why would Israel want to be come a state and settle for 2 Senators and a handful of Congressmen when they have 100 Senators and 420+ Congressmen now?
‘Why would Israel want to be come a state and settle for 2 Senators and a handful of Congressmen when they have 100 Senators and 420+ Congressmen now?’
Plus, think about having to comply with all those civil rights acts.
Before there was Israel, America had no enemies in the Middle East.
‘Before there was Israel, America had no enemies in the Middle East.’
The irony is that this is so true. Among the great powers, we really had the inside track at the end of World War Two. Unlike France and Great Britain, we had no record of colonialism in the region, and unlike Russia, we weren’t avowed atheists.
Talk about blowing a lead… It’s like we went into the fourth quarter up 21-0 — and then decided the thing to do was to make every pass an interception. As far as I know, the last thing we did right in the region was to order Israel out of Sinai in 1956.
I’m keeping an open mind on Ryan. That statement he appends could be signed by Bill Clinton. Of course a two state solution would provide for Israeli security. That’s the point.
It really bugs me when people say they have an open mind on things like this. There is no historical record of Ryan’s positions and votes on legislation? All you are saying is that when it comes to Ryan your mind is empty because you have not educated yourself about him. Philip has posted his positions on Israel. He has a record and it is very scary to think he could be giving advice to empty suit Romney!
No, I’m saying that from what I know about him, his views have the chance to grow into something reasonable once he is something other than a budget oriented house member. He’s smart. He may well educated himself. He is ambitious, and wasn’t likely, before, to do anything that would get off the rail. But now he has the opportunity. Also, I would just hazard a guess that there are few Wisconsin Irish Catholics who are fanatical Zionists. Ryan may be an exception, but some aspects of regional and ethnic political culture endure.
I doubt his record is much worse regarding Israel than Obama’s or most democrats in the house and senate. Well then I sort of regard the Palestine position as a good litmus test for political honesty.
@ tombishop
Yep – and really pisses me off that people are calling him a “libertarian” when he has voted yes on every liberty-robbing legislation from the Patriot Act to NDAA.
Two-state solution? Ha!
A pox on both their houses!
Cantor was on the phone with Blitzer this morning on CNN right after the speech.
He said that he and Ryan had traveled to the ME together, and that Ryan understood that Iran is the biggest threat of all and that they represent danger to our ally, Israel.
That was pretty much the end of the foreign policy portion of the phone interview.
All I am hearing on the cable news channels is Israel, Israel, Israel…Iran and Israel, Israel and the candidates in the election..like broken record.
They did take a break to cover yet another mad man with a machine gun shooting people somewhere near some college.
I’m pretty sure all of what Phil highlights in this post are credentials for him to be A) chosen as the VP candidate for the GOP Party and B) Vice President of the United States.
Ryan: “America has no better friend in the Middle East than the nation of Israel. “
This might be true but, given that we have no friends at all in the Middle East, it’s not the ringing endorsement Ryan thinks it is.
Paul Ryan’s statement about Israel is typical for the Republican right and almost all Dems right left and center. Kucinich, Ron Paul, Moran and a few others have come out several times and taken honest fact based stances on the I/P conflict. On Israel the alleged liberals are not any different than the Republican right on this particular issue
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, holy hell!!!
“… Paul Ryan, puts the issue “Israel” under the category “Homeland Security” on his Congressional website. Homeland Security also includes, Iraq, Afghanistan, Support Our Troops, and Defense Appropriations…”
On the bright side, couldn’t this be seen as a kind of globalist, inclusive stance?
Sad to see Ryan so easily sucked in by the Neo Cons.I would have thought his strong Irish Background would have immunized him from the neo con disease.
Looks as if he is just another opportunistic whorish politician willing to say or do anything to be ,”VPOTUS”.
“strong irish background”?? Motherfcker was born in the US of A. I CANT STAND when people do this… “Im Irish American, only Im from Hoboken, and have never been to Ireland.”
Nothing worse in the states than this hyphenated americanism – all these people out there trying to be more irish than the irish, more jewish than the jewish israelis, more italian than italians and so on. Time to grow up.
@ Dan Crowther
Looks like they all grew up: Beiden is Irish, Obama is half Irish, Ryan is half-Irish (other half: German), and Mitt? He’s English, Scottish, German, French.
Dan–Mind you language.
By the way—you omitted, Arabs more Israeli than the Arab Israelis.
Oh, are you a native American ??..
Yeah, I’m a Native American, I was born here.
But my ancestors were from Europe, so I guess I’m European according to the conventional wisdom ’round here.
No Dan—you are just a hyphenated “American”.Difference is , you are not proud of your ancestors.
How very sad for you having no real roots.
No Dan—you are just a hyphenated “American” who denie his roots.
“No Dan—you are just a hyphenated “American”.Difference is , you are not proud of your ancestors.
How very sad for you having no real roots.”
Now I find that irritating. I’m quite proud of my ancestors, and can detail what they did to some extent.
It’s just that my own sense of identity is strong enough that I don’t need a crutch.
“It’s just that my own sense of identity is strong enough that I don’t need a crutch.”
Yep. Colin makes my point well. I cant help that I am a guy named Dan, but as long as that is so, I will identify that way – no need for any additional descriptions. Seems to me, if more people felt the way I do, we’d have far fewer problems.
And even if I was “proud” of my ancestors and felt attached to their “tree” by my “roots” or whatever – what the F good would that do me? What’s the point? No one else cares about how I feel about my identity, why should I?
People got to get over themselves; all this identity politics, searching for your roots type shit is oh so very 90′s Winona Ryder movie-esque.
All but one of my ancestors is dead. They left me no huge fortunes, vast estates, or titles of nobility. (Dammit!) I never knew the vast majority of them, and they never knew me. They just lived their lives. I’m living mine. Why should I concern myself much about them?
And roots? I’m not a cabbage.
Yes, it’s true, RoHa (and Dan), you’re not a cabbage nor a clone of a character played by Winona Ryder in the 90′s. Some people think it’s part of learning who you are to note the nurture influence, if any, of your parents, any extended family nearby, or at least in semi-regular contact, and the culture when and where you grew up, and some people extend this quest for what formed them to “their (more remote) roots.” Nothing grows without some sort of petri dish, even if it grows out of that petri dish. No human is born at the top of Maslow’s triangle.
“it’s part of learning who you are ”
What does “who you are” mean in this context?
“Looks as if he is just another opportunistic whorish politician willing to say or do anything to be ,”VPOTUS”.
LOL…. when you become a politician THAT is your identity and species.
America’s ‘Homeland Security’ department already goes just about everywhere in the world. Wherever there are American oil platforms, you will find that Homeland Security personnel not only oversee their security but send their personnel their as well. Homeland Security is very active in the Persian Gulf, in the form of one of its principal sub-departments, the US Coast Guard.
Homeland Security’s power is growing and growing all the time, and in future years and decades, protecting Israel will no doubt be considered a part of its remit.
Disturbing tweet:
Stephen Hayes @stephenfhayes
“Over past few months, Ryan has quietly been receiving foreign policy/national sec briefings from Elliott Abrams, Kim & Fred Kagan & others”
link to twitter.com
Neoconservatives have completely taken over the Republican Party. It is impossible to rise to high levels in the GOP without declaring absolute obedience to the Israeli government and the Israel lobby.
Paul Ryan is eager to make massive cuts in spending on Americans while protecting or even increasing spending on Israelis. Pure Alice in Wonderland. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan care more about Israelis than they care about Americans.
“Real peace will require Palestinians to recognize that Israel has a right to exist, even as it will require two states for the two peoples. Introduced by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on May 13, 2011, H. Res. 268 reaffirms the United States’ commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct negotiations.”
In this context, I’m pretty sure “two states for two peoples” = Israel and Jordan. The Revisionists say that “Jordan is Palestine.”
Ryan: America has no better friend in the Middle East than the nation of Israel.
Don’t forget Bahrein.