Al Jazeera Editorial

Shining City Atop a Hill has great commentary on the Al Jazeera editorial: US has to choose: Israel or the ME My take? I don't think so! As the only TRUE democracy in the region, standing against Israel isn't an option, IMHO.

Scores of innocent people have lost their lives. Villages have been levelled, and bridges, hospitals, roads, airports, fuel storage facilities and even milk factories have been destroyed.

Bridges? Yes, otherwise, more missiles could be brought in to slaughter innocent Israeli civilians. Roads? That's what happens in war. Take out the means of the enemy to resupply. Airports? Same reason. Hospitals I question. If a hospital has been destroyed, then I would be more inclined to believe the Hezbollah were the culprits. The Israelis have warned the populace before they bomb. Can the terrorists say the same?

While evangelising about democracy and reform, the US and increasingly Europe continue to give Israel open leave punish the Palestinian people collectively for their electoral choice, through air raids, ground incursions, siege and starvation.

I'll repeat a question I've asked before: Just what do the Palestinians produce besides terrorists? Perhaps if their concern was with the citizens, instead of concentrating on the destruction of a nation, they'd have the food to prevent "starvation". Calling retaliation for the homicide bombings "punishment" without explaining just WHY the Israelis carry out these air raids and ground incursions, is irresponsible.

While preaching freedom to the people of the region, the US and many Western countries do not hesitate to provide political cover for the illegal seizure and occupation of Arab land in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.

"Ignorance is bliss", and that's all I'll say on that matter.

Much of the region’s troubles issue from this increasing convergence between American and Israeli policy in the Middle East. The similarity between the two strategies concocted in Tel Aviv and Washington is such that it has become increasingly difficult to tell which is which.

Oh yes, the Israelis and Americans sit in smoke filled back rooms and concoct terrorism against their own citizens. Kevin Barrett says so.

However, what is new is that Israel has moved from a proxy at the service of British/American interest in the strategic Middle East to a definer of American policy itself.

Israel "defines" our policy? sigh There are many reasons we are the side of Israel as opposed to the regimes who support terrorism. Common sense, in my book, is at the top of the list.

Since 1979 Israel has received over $130 billion and continues to receive nearly 40 per cent of total US foreign aid. Direct American aid to Israel in recent years has exceeded $3.5 billion annually, with an additional $1 billion through other sources, and has been supported almost unanimously in congress, even by liberal Democrats who normally insist on linking aid to human rights and international law.

Does this woman actually believe what she's writing? How much money has the US sent to the Palestinians? She doesn't mention this. We're an extremely generous country, but don't piss us off!

A series of reports and surveys have indicated growing animosity to the United States in the Muslim world.

This is new? I have a "growing animosity" to the Muslim world.

Sooner or later the US will have to decide between the whole Middle East along with the Muslim world beyond, and its Israeli ally. There lies the problem and the remedy.

I still stand with Israel!