Reply #64: They are trying to ignite a regional war, with US as ally [View All]

[chookie]

The US has been generous and loyal in its support of Israel -- we pour treasure into this country, and we have, for decades, elected leaders and representatives who have pledged support of Israel.

The US has traditionally functioned as an "honest broker" between the fighting parties. However, with the advent of the Bush adminstration, this changed. In the very first Bush Cabinet meeting he announced that it was time for Israel to be allowed to prevail -- presumably with its superior military power.

Bush foreign policy has been derived by his NeoCon advisors, who have been calling for American military force to change the balance of power in the middle east, and secure Israel as the unquestioned dominant player. Our policy seems to have changed from supporting the right of Israel to exist, to supporting its wider ambitions in the region.

No doubt that Israel had to respond to the kidnapping of its soldiers -- but by cutting off Gaza and destroying the infrastructure of its already impoverished people? Cutting off Lebanon from its Arab neighbors, and establishing a naval blockade? Flights over Syrian airspace -- including buzzing the residence of the president? And now, Israel is accusing of Iran being behind the Hezbollah strikes, and threatening to strike there as well, with all options on the table. One of the objectives of "shock and awe" was to frighten the bejeebers out of anyone who dared defy the US -- and presumably warn them that they faced certain destruction if they continued to oppose Israel. I don't think it worked, though, because it did not consider human nature, in that a people under threat or siege will unite and resist; even if they cannot win, at least they will take some of their enemies with them.

I fear that the kidnapping was just a pretext to act on wider Israeli ambitions in the region, with full US backing.

Bush has said repeatedly that he will come to the defense of Israel. I read this to mean American military involvement in a regional war, which has been a NeoCon policy, as noted above.

All that stands between us and a wider regional war is some new provocation....

And who is standing in between Israel and Iran? -- many thousands of American soldiers.

My reading of the situation is very grave. In these last few days, I have been trying to enjoy all the little things in my life -- the park, my dog, smiling people -- because I fear that soon I will wake up to the news that the US is at war, as an ally of Israel, against Syria, Lebanon and Iran -- and that bodes ill. The catastrophic quagmire after the all-out war and certain success of the combined US/Israeli forces over their enemies would dwarf that of Viet Nam, Iraq, and the occupation of Palestine, and drain the US and Israel to such a degree that both may well perish after this rash action to widen the war and settle things once and for all.

I'm still holding out for some as yet unseen hope -- as surely there still are fragments of decency and morality left in the world. But my assessment of the situation remains grave.