Political Punch

Yeah? And? I'm Jewish and quick to empathize w/ Israel in its struggles w/ the Palestinians, but it's hard to argue w/ anything he said. My guess is 50% of Israelis think the same thing. That's why their politics is always gridlocked.

The problem is that if you say X group has a big influence on U.S. public policy, you leave yourself open to cheap shots. But what he said could easily be said of Cubans in Miami and our idiotic Cuban policy. Some small number of rabid anti-Castro Cubans swung the 2000 election for George Bush.

It's pretty shameful for American Jews to try to divide American Jews this way.

A substantial element of people who subscribe to ultra orthodox Judaism currently living on the West Bank are US citizens holding dual passports.

This fact, knowledgeble to many, is never discussed...not even the MSM. Until the settlements are taken down there will never be peace on the West Bank. The current political model for Israel is to copywhat Americans did to Native Indians in the 1800s. As far as Gaza is concerned declare them an Independent State and isolate them. No need to supply water and power if you are constantly being bombed.

A substantial element of people who subscribe to ultra orthodox Judaism currently living on the West Bank are US citizens holding dual passports.

This fact, knowledgeble to many, is never discussed...not even the MSM. Until the settlements are taken down there will never be peace on the West Bank. The current political model for Israel is to copywhat Americans did to Native Indians in the 1800s. As far as Gaza is concerned declare them an Independent State and isolate them. No need to supply water and power if you are constantly being bombed.

If the Israelis and Arabs do not affect a modus vivendi and learn to live with each other then in time expect the Arab World to destroy the Jewish State. Get real! If you think the US is going to go to WAR over Israel then you are sadly mistaken. Look at Iraq and Afghanistan we haven't the foggiest of ideas how to make them whole.
I am all for Israel's survival but not over the bodies of Palestians with no end in sight. Call me what you will but enough is enough. Truly, finally!

General McPeak sounds very reasonable. The Clintons were up to their "smear-and-run", again. They do it to ALL and ANY who stand in their way. Repulsive, they are.

LIVING OVERSEAS.
Ditto to the person writing from overseas.
I have lived in Europe for over 20 years, in several countries. I speak several languages and watch the news from around the world.
The American news networks do not cover ALL the news from the middle East. If they cover the news events the coverage is very biased.
I have many friends in Israel and their view of the situation is not unlike the General's.
Europe is watching the American elections very closely, and most of the people I encounter hope and pray that Barack Obama will win the election, even people on the right.
I have the impression that the world wants to respect and love America again.

I don't see anything wrong in what General McPeak had said. Clinton supporters as usual are twisting the truth to cripple Obama.

The bottom line is we all have to start thinking about how we can be equal to both sides. Palestinians just as much as Israelis require their human rights not be compromised and we have to support a balanced brokering.

This is exactly the problem -- there is no debate on Israel and Palestine. Lost in this article is the fact that no one can point to a single fact stated by McPeek that isn't true, but making statements in the media that don't put a golden halo over Israel's head are apparently taboo. There's a reason these guys have been fighting for 60 years now, but most Americans would never know it. We're exposed to the Israeli side of the story everyday, so I'll spare you, but here's the Palestinian side (just to name a few of their issues):

(1) Palestinians have no right to vote,
(2) Palestinians pay taxes to Israel but don't get any of the money back in govt services,
(3) Palestinian homes are frequently bulldozed to make room for settlements that are against International Law,
(4) Israel shuts off Palestinian water/electricity/sewage systems whenever they want, causing huge humanitarian crises,
(5) Gaza is the most overpopulated city in the world and Israel continues to cage them in more as they take more land,
(6) Women and children are embarassed and harassed at checkpoints by Israeli soldiers on a daily basis,
(7) Israel sets up checkpoints that run inbetween nearby Palestinian cities that take hours to pass through and make travel impracticable (imagine if it took hours to get through a checkpoint between the Bronx to Manhattan)

None of these atrocities would ever occur in America, a civilized nation. Anyone who claims Israel is a "democracy" is sadly mistaken.

I think they are getting desparate. The last skuff-up Obama had, he was front & center, promising the Jewish group he went to address most anything.
Recall that he changed his mind on talking with ALL of our enemies right after that? All of a sudden HAMAS was an evil terrorist group he will NOT sit down with.
Pandering, lying,desparate to say anything, in his appeals to ALL groups, he does whatever he sees fit.
His pose has been one of immense ego, superiority, loftyness above the "common American"
He changes whatever he needs to get his way.
Just like the spoiled, self centered,self serving child he was. The pursing his lips, the hard, cold eyes & peeved expressions belay who we're REALLY dealing with folks.

Old Mc Peak sees the Ghost of McCarthy in Bill's suit so I don't even want to wonder just how wacked he is. I do wonder if Obama's constant praise of "Clint Eastwood look & sound alike" is causing this fine old retired General to be confused & is thinking he's just performing a Hollywood role & is writing the script as he goes?

Just some general information. Zbigniew Brzezinski , Jimmy Carter national security advisor, is one of Obama foreign affairs ad visors. He is the one who 1977-1981, dedicated the idea to weaken the Soviet Union by inflaming its ethnic tensions, using the Islamic populations. Soviet invaded Afghanistan, Us ship arms to the rebels and some technical advice. That's how Bin Laden came to Afghanistan. 1998, he was asked if he had any regrets of do so, he stated," What is more important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire." Even after 9/11, Brzezinski maintained the the action in Afghanistan was justified. Another Robert Malley, Obama's principal foreign policy advisor expresses sympathy to Hamas and Hezbollah and offered accounts of Israel-Palestinian negotiations that do not fit with the facts. They seem to have the same anti-Semitic views as Rev. Wright.

McPeak is a kook. There's alot more to read on things that he has said , especially regarding Israel. This is a dangerous man with even more dangerous ideas. Is this the best that Obama can get for a military advisor. Another reason to look deeper into what Sen. Obama really beleives about US and Middle Eastern relations.

Obama is going to Bring the wars to US soil.

Oh! The Inanity of it all!

Let's see, the writer of this blog sees a need to defend McPeak. Who would not need defending had he not made scurrilous past statements re the middle-east, Israel, etc.

Statements re his policy desires that could and would prove disasterous if implemented.

Then the blog author decides defense is not good enough. Let me hang this on the Clinton campaign, HRC has not had enough "lashing" for today.

Then for good measure, since they dared question an Obama advisor, who just happened to call WJC, McCarthy, I think I will just throw some old "garbage" at Bill Clinton. That will "show them not to mess with us Obama folks", especially those of us that have columns!

Excellent journalism! Brought to you by the same folks that helped Bush sell the War! Obama is their "new merchandise"!

'No Longer For Obama': your attitude is exactly why America is so hated everywhere in the world right now. It's the sort of (arrogance disguised as) blind patriotism that refuses to acknowledge that when America chooses to meddle in everyone's affairs around the globe, America WILL be blamed if their meddling goes wrong. As someone living overseas, seeing how it REALLY is and looking at the world through a non-American media lens, it is clear that if the world voted in the American election, Obama would be president. Everyone I know in the country I'm living in wants Obama for President. Were it Hillary or McCain, we would all find it difficult to regain the respect America has lost thanks to the Bush administration. My friends in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia and various parts of Asia feel the same way. We find it laughable that Hillary is still in the election at all but it is clear to us that if she is president, nothing much will change about America. If Americans want to win the respect of the world again (coz believe me, she has lost it), America will have to first stop using 'patriotism' as an excuse not to acknowledge the ills she has inflicted on the countries she has bullied. In America, it is hailed a victory. In the rest of the world, it is seen as meddling or bullying most of the time. America kills thousands of innocents abroad with its army, then calls it 'justified by war'. When American lives are lost in return, America quickly calls it 'terrorism' instead. Anyone who can't see this coz they're too blinded by American government propaganda is nothing more than a blind patriot who needs to pull their head out of the sand. I am half-American and have joint citizenship. But in recent years, it has been embarrassing to even admit this thanks to the low esteem Americans are held in throughout the world these days. AMERICA, do yourself a favor and VOTE OBAMA. He is the only one who can repair the world's image of this nation. It is why the world is rooting for him (NOT Hillary or McCain), in hopes that with his leadership, America will be able to pull its head out of the sand and take responsibility for its actions around the globe.

This world is Beautiful. Nobody wants to die, but the truth is because of some Lack of Judgment leaders here and abroad people of this great country and around the world are dying. Nobody has seen life after death, so Peace is the only hope for people here and around the world regardless of religion. Every human life is precious, everybody is loved by his or her loved ones and a crying mother who lost her Son here in US is no different than a crying mother in Iraq.

“A Pen is Mightier than a Sword”- That is why I write.
“ When the Game is over, King and Pawn goes to the same Box”-Italian Proverb
-Regardless of religion, color, national or political affiliation we are passenger of the same journey.

and poof, the moment vanishes. goodnight all - thanks for the thoughtful comments.

Tired of the terrible reporting.

All of a sudden, sane, rationale, compassionate people are writing on this blog. Weird.

The tragedy is two great peoples who have been at each other's throats for millenia.

There is not going to be a simple or easy solution for the US over there - ever. The bile, generations of mistrust, and yes - hatred - cannot be overcome except with a a very long-term plan.

The best strategy for the US is to be involved but be an honest broker. Israel has a right to exist, but the humanitarian crisis the Palestinians face is real and unacceptable by US standards. The US cannot will not be perceived as honest when it supplies the money for new settlements or weaponry used against the Palestinians.

And religion is part of this as well. The US foreign policy seems to consistently fail to recognize that just as we segregrate ourselves by race here, people in the Middle East are segregrated by religion. And memories are long and the crusades do not seem that long ago.

With all this said, there is hope because in the end Arabs and Israelis want the same things: food, water, shelter, and safety. How about the US start with the basics there (and in Iraq) and build our credibility again?

>

Mara,

Brilliant.

WestCoast,

Thanks.