Why does the most powerful nation on earth allow Israel to dictate its

[slojim240]

foreign policy?

All debate in this country has been effectively shut off when it comes to criticizing or even questioning Israeli influence on the US and Israel's behavior in the ME.

I just had a friend banned from the DU for asking much the same question. It appears that the same is true of the DU. No negative comments allowed about Israel. You can call Bush a jerk but you had better not say a disparaging word against Jews, Sharon, Israel, or Israeli policies. No debate, no criticism. You folks just don't know how many people have been banned even on this site for expressing their opinions anc criticisms. You can criticize anyone and everything here EXCEPT Israel and Jews. Any other religion, ethnic group, or people are fair game, the expressed rules on DU do not apply except in the case of Israe.

It is amazing to me that the most powerful nation on earth who prides itsself in bragging about not taking orders from the UN or asking permission from any other nation concerning foreign policy decision, caves completely to a second rate nation like Israel. It is obvious to me that we do ask permission of Israel for every move we make in the ME and most other places. All debate and discussion about ME policy and Israel behaviors (including telling us to "stick it when we make the most modest demands of Israel) has effectively been shut off in the US...in the media, on the Internet, EVERYWHERE!! What is it that makes Americans so afraid to criticize Israel?

Well if I am to be banned so be it. It really saddens me that we really do not live up to our expressed ideals and ideas of freedom of expression in this country, even at the DU.

[skylarmae]

1. Oh man, this is distressing...

I hope someone from DU comes and defends this charge. Living in Utah
isolates one from the real world enough; the DU helps my sanity.
Don't let this be so.!!!

[livinbella]

2. Hello!

It does kinda seem that way, don't it?

[Union Thug]

3. I'm perplexed, as well.

Talk about a contradiction, the US turns a blind eye to nukes, to terrorism as official state policy and continues to prop up Sharon and his gang of thugs, in spite of their 'being in violation of the UN" (part of the argument against Iraq).

Without the US (my tax dollars and yours supplying arms and other assorted death machines), Israel would wither away into oblivion.

[KlatooBNikto]

4. I am not sure that people have been banned because of simply

expressing an opinion about Israeli influence on our foreign policy here at DU,unless it is accompanied by blatant racist remarks.Even if this is the case the fact that people here have to tiptoe through this topic is indicative of a deterrent effect the forum is creating during discussions about the Middle East or PNAC or whatever.We certainly need to open it up and give people wide latitude in expressing their opinions.The burden of proof should be placed on the accusers and not on the posters of opinions, I think.

[shadu]

5. My friend:

those of us who wish to support the ISM and
criticize israel do it on other forums (not DU).
It ain't gonna happen here. Easier to accept that
fact and enjoy the other facets of the DU.

[slojim240]

11. Thanks, I hear you!

:hi:

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. No negative comments about Israel are allowed on DU?

May I recommend a visit to the DU Israeli/Palestinian forum? That's where you will find what you're looking for.

[shadu]

7. he he he

[slojim240]

12. That's where my friend posted and was banned anyway!

:shrug:

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. Well, what exactly did he post?

Was it something racists toward the people of Israel or was it against the state of Israel and Sharon? You can say anything you want about the Israeli policies and Sharon, but to spew hatred of the people who live there is different. Not all Israeli citizens support Sharon just like not all U.S. citizens support the chimp. JMCPO

[papau]

16. DU Israeli/Palestinian forum is not closed and I can't recall any banned

for posting a strong opinion there.

Indeed I do not understand why this thread was started given that fact.

Is there a demand for non-civil or hate words or slander or more assertion based moral judgements at DU.

Heck, in the DU Israeli/Palestinian forum there are certainly a large number of assertion based moral judgements.

If someone wants a flame war there are sites on the web that would be "more fun" compared to DU.

[skygazer]

8. I have many issues with our policies regarding Israel

Bush stuttered out during the debate that he will not allow Osama bin Laden to dictate how we "defend ourselves" but it does seem that we allow Israel to dictate quite a bit of our foreign policy.

[geek tragedy]

9. Can't bash Jews? Boo fucking hoo.

There are plenty of sites where you can bitch about how "the Jews" control our nation's foreign policy, control the media and the banking system, etc.

The problem is Bush and his simplistic brain ("Israel good, terror bad").

And, there is TONS of criticism of Israel in the Israel/Palestine forum.

[Karenina]

10. Perhaps, when making your case

you could leave the blanket term "Jews" out of it. Everbody knows all us nigras carry knives and some might be provoked to use 'em you keep talking 'bout Jews that way. :evilgrin:

[bloom]

13. Seems like the US is morphing into Israel

but I don't know why we can't object.


I found this yesterday:

“American support for restraint was tested most famously by the Israeli attack on an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981. The Israelis claimed the right of preemptive self-defense, but the United States joined in a Security Council resolution condemning the raid as illegal. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was characteristically blunt: "Armed attack in such circumstances cannot be justified. It represents a grave breach of international law."

http://www.law.yale.edu/outside/html/Public_Affairs/282/yls_article.htm


P.S. I'm not advocating Jewish bashing - I just wonder where we are all headed together.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Moderator]

17. Locking

Do not post racist, sexist, homophobic, ethnic, anti-religious, or anti-atheist bigotry. Criticizing the government of any nation is certainly permitted on DU, making generalizations of members of any ethnic or religious group is not.

Any questions about policy of Democratic Ungerground should be posted in the Ask The Administrators Forum.