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Title: Bush and Olmert's Dangerous Game
Source:
commondreams.org
URL Source: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0715-30.htm
Published: Jul 15, 2006
Author: Matthew Rothschild
Post Date: 2006-07-15 12:53:04 by Jhoffa_
Keywords: None
Views: 172
Comments: 1
Bush and Olmert's Dangerous Game Bush and Olmert are playing a dangerous game. It’s the U.S. and Israel against all comers, especially in the Arab and Muslim world. But as mighty as the U.S. is, and as mighty as Israel is, both will lose this game in the long run. Bush has been siding with the Israeli government for the past two weeks as it has made the population of Gaza suffer. Bush even vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning Israel’s “disproportionate use of force.” The United States was the only country to vote against that resolution, showing the world once again that Israel can get away with just about anything it wants so long as its godfather in Washington says so. Bush has been repeating his mantra that “Israel has a right to defend herself,” both in regards to Gaza and to the new offensive against Lebanon. Yes, Hamas had no right to take an Israeli soldier captive, nor was Hezbollah justified in seizing two Israeli soldiers and killing eight others. But Israel has now killed more than 50 Lebanese civilians, and it is destroying the civilian infrastructure of that country, along with Gaza’s. These aren’t defensive acts. These are acts of aggression. These are war crimes, according to Amnesty International. Now the risk of an even larger regional war cannot be discounted. Israel has already been attacking near the Syrian border, Hezbollah is supported by Syria and Iran, and Iran warns that if Israel attacks Syria, Tehran will retaliate against Israel. Then Bush would have a pretext for bombing Syria and Iran. That may be a dream come true for neocons like Elliott Abrams, who is in the Middle East right now representing the U.S. government. William Kristol, founder of the Project for a New American Century, recommended bombing Syria as far back as December 20, 2004. And it may be just what Rumsfeld and Cheney want, too. War is a fantasy for the neocons and the vulcans. But it’s not a fantasy for those who are the victims of war. And there would be plenty of victims from a regional Mideast war. Israeli civilians could die in large numbers from attacks by Iran and Syria. Tens of thousands of civilians—or more—could die in Lebanon, Syrian, and Iran. And U.S. soldiers in Iraq would be even more vulnerable than before, as Iranian forces, as well as Iraqi Shiites, could turn on them. Before Bush knows it, the United States would be embroiled in conflicts that stretch from the Mediterranean to the western edge of China. The amazing thing about U.S. and Israeli policy is how shortsighted it is. What is the endgame here? Israel has attacked Lebanon before, even occupying the southern part of the country for eighteen years, but that did not solve anything. And Israel tried occupying Gaza for four decades, with nothing to show for that, either. At some point, Israel is going to have to rethink its strategy. For years, it’s been to deny Palestinians a meaningful state, to assassinate its enemies along with any civilians in the missiles’ path, and to respond with excessive force whenever it is attacked itself. But this has not bought Israel security or stability. Only the promise of perpetual conflict. A promise the United States is redeeming, as well. The U.S. government, from one administration to the next, has reflexively supported the belligerent actions of the Israeli government. The Bush Administration has been even more lopsided in its preferential treatment, sending a clear signal throughout the Arab and Muslim world that the United States is not on their side. This has not made the U.S. any more secure. Nor would waging war against Syria and Iran. That would make four Muslim countries Bush has attacked in less than five years, a fact that would not be lost on 1.3 billion people around the world. Israeli aggression and U.S. aggression reinforce every radical element in the Arab and Muslim world. For the long-term security of both Israel and the United States, a change in strategy and tactics is in order. The United States should stop acting like Israel’s indulgent godfather, and Israel must halt its offensives and come to a decent settlement with the Palestinians. The status quo is unsustainable. And upping the ante of belligerence is a fool’s gamble.
Poster Comment:That would make four Muslim countries Bush has attacked in less than five years, a fact that would not be lost on 1.3 billion people around the world. Israeli aggression and U.S. aggression reinforce every radical element in the Arab and Muslim world.
A fact which seems to be lost on some folks around these parts.
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