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January 8, 2009
The Israeli War on Hamas - Not Nessarily a Left-Right Divide
While I think it's accurate to say that that most on the right support Israel, and most on the left at least oppose what Israel is doing even if they're not outright pro-Hamas, this is not always the case.
Republican Congressman Ron Paul reveals his moral bankruptcy when says that "we should be on neither side; this is a conflict that has been going on for a long time"
You can see why he didn't make any headway in the primaries.
Pat Buchanan isn't any better. Here's an excerpt from what he wrote on Dec 30:
About Israel's right and duty to defend its border towns, there is no dispute. When Hamas permits Gaza to be used as a launch pad for rockets, it must expect retaliation. Nor can Hamas claim some right to dictate the limits of that retaliation.Yet the wisdom of so savage a retribution for rockets that killed not one Israeli is open to question. And crass Israeli politics seems to be behind this premeditated and planned blitz....
The moderate Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas, who has been talking to Israel, testifying to her good faith, has been made to appear the puppet and fool. A new intifada spreading to the West Bank, with suicide attacks inside Israel, is now possible.
Moderate Arabs, who have recognized Israel or backed peace, will now be seen by the Arab street as appeasers impotent to stop the public suffering of the Palestinian people....
Whatever Israel decides, we support. For eight years that has been the most reliable guide to U.S. Middle East policy.
Buchanan's statement that Israel has a right to defend itself is clearly a throwaway line. Where all his Arab moderates are is a mystery to me. None of this is a big surprise, though, because as far back as 1991 William F Buckley Jr concluded that Buchanan was an anti-Semite.
On the other side, consider this blog post by a guy who styles himself "Truth101." I ran into him over at American Power, where we usually disagree, but was pleasantly surprised to find him taking Israel's side. Here's an excerpt from his post "The Left isn't always Right"
One of my fellow lefties at Newshoggers posted some nonsense about Israel and the Gaza Conflict. He was trying to make a case that Israel was occupying Gaza and was overreaching or something.Lefties: the people of Hamas are not your friends. They are lying, sniveling pricks that have no interest in peaceful coexistence with anyone. Let alone Israel. Once the Left and the world accepts these jokers for the no good terrorist, innocent women and children killing pricks they are, we will all be better off and ready to fight a real war on terror. Not the make Halliburton and Blackwater lots of money war Bush has waged.
In the comments section I wrote that my hat was off to him for his clear thinking on this issue.
No matter what Israel does the so-called international community disapproves. The good news is that unlike during the 2006 war in Lebanon, Israel is holding its own in the propaganda war, and setting the record straight as soon as Hamas propaganda hits the news. I'll go out on a limb and sai that I think Israel is going to win this one, much the the chagrin of the internationalists.
Posted by Tom at January 8, 2009 9:00 PM
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Comments
It should be a no brainer that the safety and security of our Nation and those we consider our allies is the most important issue. I see no conflict with my values as a Democrat in making that the priority. To abandon Israel, even if it's just a little bit by pressuring Israel to tolerate rockets being fired at it's schools, shows the world we care more about world opinion than standing up to thugs. That is not the message I think we should be sending. I agree totally with Obama that we should have dialogue with COUNTRIES whether or not they are enemies. That in no way means we won't respond forcefully to attacks on our people.
Posted by: truth101 at January 9, 2009 12:03 PM
When Paul is wrong, he is usually dead wrong. The same for when he is right. Like you said, that is precisely why he did not make it anywhere during the primaries.
He is for the fringes.
Posted by: Jason at January 10, 2009 2:33 AM
I would have voted for Ron Paul. He and Kucinich were the most intellectually honest politicians I ever heard.
Posted by: truth101 at January 10, 2009 3:03 PM
I agree that Paul and Kucinich are intellectually honest, but so were Hitler and Stalin. Paul and Kucinich are just wrong about everything. No I'm not saying Paul and Kucinich are potential dictators, rather just making the point that intellectual honesty is only good insofar as one's views are acceptable, and those two are too far off mainstream to be acceptable.
Posted by: The Redhunter 
at January 10, 2009 10:01 PM
