OPINION & EDITORIAL
Israel bullies Middle East
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by Letters to the Editor
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Here is my response to Andrew Wagner’s piece in the September 29th issue of the Badger Herald:
I’ve been following the debate between Paul Pryse and Andrew Wagner regarding the relationship between the US and Israel. After Paul wrote an excellent piece for the editorial section of the Wednesday, September 27th issue of the Badger Herald, Andrew attempted to rebut those arguments in the editorial section of the Friday, September 29th issue. Unfortunately, Andrew's rebuttal was intellectually dishonest and completely misrepresentative of the symbiotic relationship between the US and Israel.
First, there is absolutely no doubt that Israel has heavily relied on American support during nearly forty years in order to maintain it's ruthless oppression of the Palestinian people and its brutish influence over its neighbors. It's a rather simple issue, one which Andrew misses completely. If Israel is as vulnerable as he claims, than why have its neighbors, those same neighbors hell bent on jihad and genocide as he argues, avoided direct conflict with Israel during the past few decades? Simply because of American support! Israel is not the small, weak child who is constantly picked on. Rather, Israel is like the enforcer of a crime organization, America's Peter Clemenza for you Godfather fans. Alone, Clemenza has little power, but with the financial backing of the Godfather, in this case the US, he can wield a tremendous amount of influence. Israel received one billion dollars of emergency American aide to prevent possible Iraqi strikes against Israel in the wake of the invasion, strikes which never ended up taking place. They also were delegated nine billion dollars of American aide for fiscal year 2005.
Additionally, while Israel is not directly involved in the current Gulf War, they were responsible for the bombing of the Osirak nuclear facility in near Baghdad in 1981, and have also been responsible for logistical support in the current conflict, whether it is providing intelligence or helping in the training of the torturers of the secret CIA prisons. This suits Israel particularly well, as Mossad is, without any doubt, the best intelligence agency in the world.
While Andrew foolishly believes that Israel's actions are without fault and are backed by reason, he fails to see the damage Israel has caused to Middle Eastern stability. For example, while many believe the invasion of Lebanon was simply in response to the violent actions of Hezbollah, evidence suggests Israel had been preparing for this conflict years prior to its occurrence. According to an article written by Matthew Kalman of the San Francisco Chronicle on July 21st, Israel had established war plans more than a year prior to its invasion, and Gerald Steinberg of Bar-Ilan University claims that Israel began its preparation immediately after withdrawing from Lebanon in 2000. Shouldn't this be evidence of Israel's desire to bully the Middle East into doing its bidding?
While individuals like Andrew seem to relish in their support of Israel, once we take a closer look, we can see their support is backed by folly and true ignorance of the truth, and the truth is that without American support, Israel would have little means for the merciless treatment of their neighbors and the Palestinian people which inhabit the nation. For those who still disagree, I dare them to visit a Palestinian neighborhood the Gaza Strip or in the West Bank, or to travel to the outlying villages surrounding Beirut, to really understand the depths of Israel's American-backed power in the region.
Samir S. Jaber, (sjaber@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in English and Spanish with a pre-Law specification.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 7:33am):
Samir, shove off, will ya? The Middle-East has always been the bully toward Israel. Not everyone in theis hemisphere is a poor pathetic sore loser like you who just can't face up to the facts that history has laid out. And when I say history, I'm including all the history prior to 1948 as well.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 7:54am):
Anticipated comments in this section:
you're an anti-semite!
the a-rabs started it all!
submit or die!
something about samir being muslim.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 9:24am):
Yes, by all means, let's villify Israel over denying nuclear weapons to Saddam Hussein. That was a horrible mistake! They should have just let Saddam develop nukes to be used in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, and then again on Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and American soldiers in Desert Storm.
Brilliant analysis Samir! Way to show absolutely no regard for human life! Your parents must be so proud!
And of course Israel was preparing for the conflict with Lebanon for years. That's what you do when you have neighboring countries that would like nothing better than to kill all your people -- you spend years preparing for war in case they send terrorists across your border to attack your citizens.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 9:41am):
Middle Eastern stability... that's funny. Can someone explain to me when, in the last 700 years, there has been stability in the Middle East? Funny how the only time was when it was under European control.
Let's be honest: People have a severe problem with the Jews determining their own futures. Honestly, after 2000 years of having their past determined for them, with usually tragic results, can you blame them?
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 9:55am):
Of course Israel made plans to invade Lebbenon. Because they knew that the terrorists (ie muslims) would try something first. What about all the money and weapons Iran gives to Hezzbolah? At the very least, that makes both sides equal. In that case, we need to choose who we will support. The freedom, democracy loving west, or the dark ages, barbaric, terrorist muslims of the middle east.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 10:15am):
Anticipated comments in this section:
You forgot, smug Leftist apologism; standard moderate handwringing; neo-socialist applause; etc.; ad nauseum
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 11:06am):
I think after every significant war, we should figure out which ancient religions need their own states. Then, we should figure out where those groups are hated most and plant their new countries right in the middle of it.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 11:17am):
You make good points, Samir. Its clear that the Israeli government is the bully.
The Israeli government has been oppressing the Palestinian people for years. Reports have been released that living in Gaza is like living in a prison. What have the Palestinian people done to deserve this?
A majority of Americans are being brainwashed into thinking that Israel has a right to defend themselves; however, why should an army kill thousands of civilians (including a majority of women and children)? (at one point, 715 Lebanese were killed, 628 were civilians)
This isn't a religious battle, it's a human rights issue, in which the Israeli government and its Zionist beliefs are the main problem. Anti-semitism has been used as an excuse to disregard any demand for justice in Palestine and Lebanon. For anyone to cite the past "2000 years" as a time when Jews were being oppressed, to justify killing Palestinians, the Lebanese, or Muslims, is blatantly unintelligent and prejudice. How can the oppressor also claim to be the victim?
Americans need to realize this so we can stop sending billions of dollars to further oppression.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 1:06pm):
Organized religion is organized evil. The Middle East is the battle front of the gods; too bad a "One True God" doesn't settle the mess once and for all. Or could it just be that ... ?
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 1:43pm):
It still baffles me that ultra-liberals support oppressive middle eastern countries. It just does not make sense that someone who is so open minded would support such conservative and oppressive regimes in the Middle East - especially the Palestinians.
Arab/Muslim countries:
Honor killings of women, no rights for women whatsoever, no freedom of religion, murder of homosexuals and no freedom of expression.
It seems absolutely counter-intuitive that this is an issue for people who would normally be supportive of an open-minded society that promotes women's rights, gay rights, religious rights, and freedom of expression such as...you guessed it... Israel.
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 4:37pm):
"You make good points, Samir. Its clear that the Israeli government is the bully."
Well, Samir, at least you got one ignorant liberal supporter out of a total of ten comments. Not an impressive batting average, but it goes to show how public opinion has changed since 9/11. Too bad for the stupid liberals. I'm voting STR(Straight Ticket Republican) from now on!
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 4:57pm):
Who oppressed who? Understand, Israel was the ONLY country in the region to allow Palestinians to settle there. They were booted from Jordan and Egypt (when they tried to force their way in). Face it, no one on the mid East wants the Palestineans, isn't it ironic that the ONLY country that was willing to give them a place to live (in peace I might add) is non-Arab? It is also quite interesting that the Palestineans PURPOSEFULLY kill innocent women and children (not just in the suicide bombings, but also by hiding "insurgents" and weaponry in public areas)putting their own women and children in harms way.
Sad thing is, if Israel was ever overthrown by an Arab state, the new occupiers would probably throw out the Palestineans again (learn your history). Of course this is just an assumption, but since Israel is the only one who accepted them in the first place, why should that change.
Learn your history, don't change history to support your hatred!
Anonymous (October 10, 2006 @ 5:20pm):
"It still baffles me that ultra-liberals support oppressive middle eastern countries. It just does not make sense that someone who is so open minded would support such conservative and oppressive regimes in the Middle East - especially the Palestinians."
I'm not a liberal, but I personally support the right of women and children to live in peace, and for people to decide for themselves how they are to be governed.
Anonymous (October 11, 2006 @ 1:26am):
I am dismayed that so many seem to be brainwashed on this issue.They believe that invading countries is justified by the manipulative corporate media's presentation of Arabs as extremists.This fails to explain this is in fact a response to western policies of imperialism over decades.I think this article is very important.Thank you Samir.
Anonymous (October 11, 2006 @ 1:39am):
It is not that we support the atrocities committed by any government,Arabic or otherwise.We just ask you for once to question what beliefs you have,where they come from,why you hold them,and how some other force may benefit from a populations'unquestioning support of something.Damn it wake up!
Anonymous (October 11, 2006 @ 4:49am):
Yes, it is sad to see so many brainwashed. On a daily basis, the media feeds us information on how horrid the Jews are. They show us pictures of dead men who miraculously come back to life 20 minutes later and are saving the oppressed.
I just think it is great, despite the likes of Shamir and the media, there are some (looks like many) who actually look at the facts. It is the likes of Shamir (and there are Shamir like creatures on the other side as well) that keep the violence going by spreading their unfounded hatred.
Does anyone find it interesting that Israel is always responding to a Shamir hatred instigated act when they act (suicide bombing, kidnapping, etc). When they do act, it is for a finite period of time.
Unfortunately for the Shamirs of the world, REAL history (not Shamstory) is on the side of Israel.
