Obama Charts A New Direction With Muslim World: ‘We Are Offering A Hand Of Friendship’
Obama Charts A New Direction With Muslim World: ‘We Are Offering A Hand Of Friendship’
Yesterday, President Obama sat down with Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television for his first formal interview in office. The interview was notable not only for the substance of Obama’s remarks, but also for the symbolism of directly reaching out to Muslims so early in his presidency. Obama said that his job “to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy.”
Host Hisham Melhem noted that President Bush had framed the struggle against extremism as a “war on terror,” using terminology like “Islamic fascism” to describe America’s adversary. “You’ve always framed it in a different way,” Melhem said. Obama then talked about the advantages of shifting away from Bush’s language:
OBAMA: I think that you’re making a very important point. And that is that the language we use matters. And what we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations — whether Muslim or any other faith in the past — that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith’s name.
“But to the broader Muslim world what we are going to be offering is a hand of friendship,” Obama added. Watch it:
Indeed, a Pentagon funded RAND study last year recommended that the U.S. do away with its “war on terror” terminology as the strategy behind it was “not successful in undermining al Qai’da’s capabilities.” The report said it also “encourages others abroad to respond by conducting a jihad (or holy war) against the United States and elevates them to the status of holy warriors.”
As the Washington Post noted, Bush’s “war on terror” came to an end this week, with Obama signing executive orders eliminating torture, rendition and indefinite detention. “We intend to win this fight,” he said. “We’re going to win it on our terms.”
Moreover, Obama has made a number of bold maneuvers indicating his intention to extend a hand of friendship — and not just more guns — toward Muslim nations:
– Called out to Muslims in his inauguration speech: “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” Obama said.
– First international phone call was to Abbas: “This is my first phone call to a foreign leader and I’m making it only hours after I took office,” Obama told Palestinian President Abbas.
– Appointed George Mitchell as ambassador: Obama appointed Mitchell as his top diplomatic envoy to the Middle East. Mitchell is considered “fair” and “meticulously even-handed” in the Israeli/Palestinian debate.
– Will give a speech to the Muslim world: Obama’s aides say he is likely to make a major foreign policy speech from an Islamic capital during his first 100 days in office.
Naturally, Commentary calls the interview “seriously ill-advised.” The American Spectator’s Quin Hillyer’s wrote a post titled, “This…Blows…My…Mind.” But this new posture is indicative of why Obama has such strong support from Muslims abroad and why al Qaeda is rendered “nervous” by his international stature.
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…we are offering white phosdorus, cluster bombs, bias support for Israel’s war crimes, Torture, CIA secret prisons, Occupation, death of civilians, and kind and empty words to the muslim world.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:37 pmThat is what Oba Oba is offering!
Lookout everyone, be prepared for some Bill O’Rielly and Rush Limbaugh innards to be spewing forth!
MORE Change I can believe in.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:38 pmOba Oba is the comander in chief of the biggest killing machine in the World. The USA Indutrial/Congressional military complex. He has already backeled under their presure!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:38 pmsacopenapa Says: I use speel chek ever time and his make me luk smart thin I reeely is
January 27th, 2009 at 3:40 pm… and he shall be the one to bring balance to The Force.
The only reason Rush and other fayagalas will poo-poo what Obama says is because their afraid that America will finally meld and be the melting pot it is. ‘White America’ that Bush and his lackies wanted is a dream left in the dirt.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:42 pmsac-o-pee doesn’t know about changing diapers yet, so he certainly couldn’t understand the type of change being initiated by Obama. But his “baby talk” (especially “oba oba”) sure is cute!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:43 pmConsidering that under Bush, we treated the entire Muslim community as a pariah and evil because of the works of an evil, fanatic few (which would be the same as breaking with the Vatican over the actions of abortion clinic bombers), this is a welcome breath of fresh air.
Instead of alienating 30% of the world, why not work with them to get rid of those fanatic few?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:43 pmMake ‘em quake with fear, Barack! Neocons are the biggest chickenhawks the world has ever seen.
That said, Obama has let Gates continue to lob missiles from Predator drones into Pakistan. There isn’t much moral difference between that and the recent Israeli Gaza attacks–if only because these terrorists embed themselves in deep with civilians.
So there really is no way to just ‘wipe them off the map’, especially if you’re killing more and more civilians, thus creating more and more recruits. You have to talk to them. You have to find out what they want, and negotiate with them. Maybe–just maybe–Americans will finally understand the horrible acts their government has committed that p*ssed these people off so badly.
Maybe.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pmReaching out to the moderate Muslim world in an effort to have them make pariahs of the radicals amongst them instead of labeling all Muslims as terrorists? What is he thinking?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pmsacopenapa,are you retarded? Or are you just 8 years old?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:45 pmIt was nice to see an adult. The drunken fratboy chest pounding, nut grabbing theory of diplomacy was growing a little thin.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:48 pmEnglish is a second laguage to me. If you like we can talk in portuguese, spanish, italian and madarim. how many laguages do u speak?
I said before and I’ll say it again. Obama is not my friend neither my GOD. I’ll look at him and I’ll see just another US president. Having said that, I’m hopefull he will do well, but I already critical of his cabinet pick and some of his decisions. Not engaging Hamas, who won the 2005 election in Palestina being one of them. Thanks!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:48 pmFritz Says:
sacopenapa,are you retarded? Or are you just 8 years old?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Let’s not dismiss out of hand the possibility that he is both.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:49 pmOur 44th president says:
“But to the broader Muslim world what we are going to be offering is a hand of friendship,”
No No No No No NO!
You bomb the living $hit out of them, and force them into semi-democracy where the US calls all the shots.
Sheesh!
(Heavy laden snark/)
January 27th, 2009 at 3:49 pmPS (post scripitum) Oba Oba is portuguese for polititians that dance acording to the SAMBA! As I don’t care personaly for Obama BRAND, I can refer to him as such, or call him ‘Barky’ or just another door mate puppet president for the indutrial/congressional military complex. Cheers!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:52 pmThat said, Obama has let Gates continue to lob missiles from Predator drones into Pakistan.
Pakistan is at the center of current and future problems. The taliban has many friends there. And they DO have nukes.
Not smart enough to know what the best course of action on Pakistan is. Gut feeling is that the US should strengthen Afghanistan and try put pressure on the Pakistan Taliban from the within Pakistan. How? I haven’t the foggiest idea.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:52 pmSorry again… door matt! Tapete de porta de entrada!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:53 pmIt bears repeating:
Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. –John F. Kennedy
January 27th, 2009 at 3:53 pmWell, only the Repukian scum bags really hate the rest of the world, and most of America.
Sane people, not so much.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:54 pmI’d love to see some interviews of people in the Muslim world who’ve seen Obama’s interview, and their reactions to it.
Hey, how come nobody ever seems to conduct polls in the Middle East? I’d love to see a tracking poll done. I realize that in some areas that might be tough to do, but I can think of no information that would be more vital to the national security of so many countries.
.
sacopenapa Says: stuff
Oba Oba has backeled? Awesome! … I think?
.
Daddy-O Says:
That said, Obama has let Gates continue to lob missiles from Predator drones into Pakistan.
Prior to the election, I don’t think there was anybody who was expecting Obama to 100% reverse all miltary policy on day one. Knowing how he works, he’s going to have a logical path for transforming it into a new direction. Until then, we’re still where Bush left us. I’m pretty sure that Predator thing had been set up before Obama took office. I would have preferred him putting a halt to any such operations on day one, but that’s not the same thing as not intending a new direction.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:55 pmFritz Says:
sacopenapa,are you retarded? Or are you just 8 years old?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Let’s not dismiss out of hand the possibility that he is both.
You are the ones who get all sulky when someone calls the dear leader something or point out to you he is not so great as you may think!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:56 pmIt’s nice to see that Obama is trying to taking some steps to fix our domestic and internation problems. I hope that Congress with help shape a stimulus package that will actually benefit Americans in the long run and not just tie us over for a week or so. The war on terror will shift to the countries that are actually harboring terrorist instead of staying in a country that is now self-sufficient. Americans will get adequate health care and education, while we try to help change the image of our country for the rest of the world. One way of doing this is to help eliminate global poverty, domestic and foreign. The Borgen Project (www.borgenproject.org) has some interesting facts about global poverty and how reducing it will help our society. It would cost $19 billion to eliminate global poverty, which is extremely small compared ot the $522 billion the U.S. government spent on our defense budget last year. By eliminating global poverty we are setting ourselves up to have stronger allies or new ones, we open up the doors to new resources and help make our society safer to live in.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pmWell, after one week in office, its kind of hard to make any real call, good or bad, on what the Obama Presidency is going to be like. But signs so far point toward the positive.
As I always said, tho, the first thing that you do when you’re in a hole is to stop digging! Once we get to a point where we’re not just digging ourselves in deeper, then we can start seeing some substantive changes (hopefully).
January 27th, 2009 at 4:00 pmsacopenapa Says:
…we are offering white phosdorus, cluster bombs, bias support for Israel’s war crimes, Torture, CIA secret prisons, Occupation, death of civilians, and kind and empty words to the muslim world.
That is what Oba Oba is offering!
Prova?
January 27th, 2009 at 4:02 pmObama’s eloquence will do more to win people over than anything else. No match for a wanna-be cowboy with a bunch of tough-boy one-liners.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:04 pmThe trolls are gonna piss themselves over this…
January 27th, 2009 at 4:07 pmBy conflating a bunch of crackpot fanatic terrorists with a major religion that’s adhered to by one-fifth of the world, the neocons were able to just utter the word “Muslim” to keep their base fearful and compliant.
Apparently, Obama believes he can govern the country effectively without having to resort to cheap tricks to keep the populace in line. Either that, or he realizes that it might be more constructive to mend fences and gain allies than it is to destroy and intimidate. Or both. No matter how you look at it, Obama is already approaching situations more like a grown-up than Dubya ever did.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:09 pmBob Says:
Obama’s eloquence will do more to win people over than anything else. No match for a wanna-be cowboy with a bunch of tough-boy one-liners.
Exactly. “Bring it on.” comes to mind as the stupidest comment he made with regards to terrorism.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:10 pmsacaopenapa,
“PS (post scripitum) Oba Oba is portuguese for polititians that dance acording to the SAMBA!” That’s not th3e impression I got from reading this. I think you call him that simply as an insult.
Your first post at the top of the thread came across as nothing by a mindless rant. Israel is using the phosphorus and cluster bombs, not President Obama. And he would not have appointed George Mitchell, who is known for being fair and even-handed (where no Red Sox players are concerned), to negotiate for peace in the Middle East if he was biased toward Israel. Obama has also ordered the torture stopped and an end to the secret prisons. I’m at a loss to understand why you think these are just “kind and empty words to the muslim world.”
January 27th, 2009 at 4:11 pmsacopenapa Says:
“…the biggest killing machine in the World. The USA Indutrial/Congressional military complex. etc”
Most of us here recognize this.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:13 pmWe take heart in that we have a new leader courageous enough and willing enough to stand up and say that business as usual isn’t going to work any more.
You can’t be driving 90 miles an hour in one direction, throw it into reverse, and expect to be going in the opposite direction. We need to downshift, apply the brakes, find a safe place to turn around, and then we will be on our way.
Have some patience, sir, and give us a little encouragement instead of sounding like the foreign radical the military industrial complex loves to point to as justification for their greed and destruction. Thanks.
If America is looking for its own interests in the Middle East it will succeed and America should not have any problem with Arabs and Moslems, but if America continues to look only for Israeli interests,then America will fail again as it has been for over 60 years since Israel was created.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:16 pmAmerican has no borders problems,no water or territorial disputed problems,no environmental problems,no historical problems with any Arab or Moslem country.
The only problem standing as a wedge between USA and the Arab and Moslem world is the unsolved Israeli/Palestinian problem. Unless this problem that generated all other related problems from wars between Israel and all its neighbors for over 60 years,to the creating of Hizbolla,Hamas and rise of extremism,we will be failing again.
The Palestinian issue will remain the most crucial issue to solve.
If Obama is sincere…then he will succeed where other presidents didn’t…but the issue of Palestinians has to be solved with diginity and fairness..otherwise we will be wasting our time again living in illusion of having peace and good relationship with Arabs and Moslems.
The US media does not look at the issue this way,but that’s the real issue that should be addressed…and that’s the Palestinians’ problem..which is the heart of all problems in that part of the world.
It is up to Obama to look for US interests or Israeli interests.
Siding with Israelis all the time is angering Arabs who see Palestinians as the victims.
America needs to listen to both sides to succeed and act upon what’s good for America.
The past experience showed that we have been on the wrong track due to lack of even handed policies for soemtine in the area.
POP! POP POP POP! POP!
I’m gonna love hearing that sound right shortly I do believe.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:18 pmsacopenapa Says:
…we are offering white phosdorus, cluster bombs, bias support for Israel’s war crimes, Torture, CIA secret prisons, Occupation, death of civilians, and kind and empty words to the muslim world.
That is what Oba Oba is offering!
One week into his administration, saco saco, one week. You think this is enough time for him to reverse and repair the damage Bush has done? also, most of your “points” are plainly false.
Please present some facts to prove your allegation or else, calla a boca. Obrigado!
January 27th, 2009 at 4:19 pmsacopenapa Says:
“…the biggest killing machine in the World. The USA Indutrial/Congressional military complex. etc” ]
Unfortunately, the seafaring method of plunder and genocide employed by the Portuguese got outdated and saco saco seems upset.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:21 pmsacopenapa Says
January 27th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
…we are offering white phosdorus, cluster bombs, bias support for Israel’s war crimes, Torture, CIA secret prisons, Occupation, death of civilians, and kind and empty words to the muslim world.
That is what Oba Oba is offering!
___________________________________________________________
This poster is obviously frothing at the mouth, making his rant appear to be gibberish. Nevertheless, I’ll attempt to dissect this…
1. If you’re critical of Israel’s actions against Gaza, you’re not going to get much argument here. There aren’t too many of us who think dumping white phosphorus is a really cool thing to do.
2. Torture, CIA secret prisons, occupation, death of civilians — you’re right, that’s all pretty bad. Which is why we are SO glad Bush and Cheney are gone.
3. Kind and empty words to the Muslim world? Kind, sure. Empty? Somehow, I believe Obama means what he says in this instance. He has grown up with Muslims, studied with Muslims, and has gotten to know Muslims as people. He KNOWS they aren’t all terrorists. What evidence do you have that his words are “empty”?
January 27th, 2009 at 4:26 pmSadly most wingers can’t distinguish between peaceful Muslims and others. To them all Muslims = terrorist.
It’s all black or white in their little world, and anyone not Christianist enough for them is either a liberal or a terrorist, or perhaps both.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:26 pmGreat post @ 38 missmolly…
I have a couple of friends who spout similar stuff and basically conclude by saying that our whole system is rigged, nothing will really change in a good way, etc. etc. and I need to stop – take a deep breath – and let them know that their attitudes and lack of any activism (since the system is rigged – whats the point?) makes what they say a self-fulfilling prophecy.
It’s infuriating…
January 27th, 2009 at 4:34 pmLushInterior Says:
“We are offering a hand of friendship”…..better watch that “hand” thing…clean hand-dirtyhand. NOTE: Obama eats with his “dirty” hand. FYI
Yea, and the Latin word for Left is sinister. You’re an idiot. Thanks for not contributing anything.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:34 pmsacopenapa Says
January 27th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
You are the ones who get all sulky when someone calls the dear leader something or point out to you he is not so great as you may think!
__________________________________________________________
If you have a legitimate criticism of Obama, by all means, post it. But unless your accusation is something universally accepted (such as, “Obama enjoys playing basketball”), try to back it up with some facts and evidence (and from a reliable source, not just a wingnut blog).
Your approach is to fire off a shotgun blast of juvenile name-calling and false accusations without basis. If you’re going to “point out” that Obama is “not so great”, you’re going to have to provide a better argument.
Admittedly, some of our posters have responded to you in an equally juvenile manner (or, as you put it — “sulky”). While I won’t defend that, I will say that your style tends to attract it.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:35 pmtarazan Says:
American has no borders problems,no water or territorial disputed problems,no environmental problems,no historical problems with any Arab or Moslem country.
The only problem standing as a wedge between USA and the Arab and Moslem world is the unsolved Israeli/Palestinian problem.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
___________
Okay, I’m going to have to disagree with this premise. It’s simply not true that we don’t have any historical disputes with any Arab or Muslim country.
Our first foreign wars were fought against the Arab/Amazigh states of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli over their support of Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean. It’s also important to remember that many of the slaves who built our growing country were taken from Muslim kingdoms in West Africa.
Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. established a pattern of interference and empire-building in Muslim states such as Iran and Pakistan and Indonesia, while propping up dictators in Arab states such as Iraq and Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
These legacies are not forgotten by anyone in the Arab and Muslim world. Though they’re certainly overshadowed by our overwhelming support for Israel, the question of Palestine is certainly not a magic cure-all for the mistrust of our country in the Muslim world.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:37 pmI don’t believe President Obama’s actions can or should be judged yet. At least he is attempting to broker peace with diplomacy which is more than occurred in the last 8 years.
Plus how can you assume he will not be successful…he has been in office all of 7 days!!
January 27th, 2009 at 4:41 pmhussein toasterhead Says:
These legacies are not forgotten by anyone in the Arab and Muslim world. Though they’re certainly overshadowed by our overwhelming support for Israel, the question of Palestine is certainly not a magic cure-all for the mistrust of our country in the Muslim world.
Rightly said. But Israel-Palestine continues to be the biggest block to peace in the Middle East. Not the only one, certainly, but the biggest one.
The other one was the presence of US forces in Holy Ground (in Saudi Arabia) but that has been taken care of, if I remember correctly.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:44 pmOr was it “OK, you’ve covered your ass,” in response to the report that Osama was “determined to attack” in the U.S.?
Of course, when we start talking about Dubyah’s stupidest coment on anything, we’ve opened up a real can of worms. ;)
World of Ick:
January 27th, 2009 at 4:54 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuWnw4Hkf1A&f
Of course the reichwingers are aghast that Obama is engaging the Muslim world without rockets and bullets.
We all know that Bush’s approach was ever so successful.
When will GOPers learn that Muslims make up about a third of the world’s population and that may be an underestimate. Insulting them and ignoring them, except for the times we are bombing them, is only making matters worse.
People need to be respected, and when they are not, when their children grow up believing that the West is an aggressor, nothing will change.
This was a courageous move on the part of Obama and I hope it is the first step toward mutual cooperation.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:56 pmThe other one was the presence of US forces in Holy Ground (in Saudi Arabia) but that has been taken care of, if I remember correctly.
Yes. President George W. Bush ceded to bin Laden’s demand that we remove our troops from Saudi Arabia. One madman caving in to another.
I’ve always wondered, if these lands really are “Holy”, then why would God allow such ungodly behavior in them?
January 27th, 2009 at 4:56 pmglezzery Says:
You claim to know the beliefs and motives of millions of folks is FALSE!
You do not know what others think.
You dumb everything down.
This is precious, coming from the people who claimed that all the islamists want to kill the infidels, and that the reason for all the combatants in Iraq was because “they hate America for its freedom”. Not to mention “you’re either with us or against us”, and “I don’t do nuance”.
If irony was money, this dude would be richer than Gates and Slim combined.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:59 pmglezzery,
Since this is, I believe, the first time we have asked George Mitchell to attempt to find a peaceful solution in the Middle east, I would not be so quick to say that is “a plan that has failed and failed and failed!” It’s not just what you do, it’s who you have doing it.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:00 pmsacopenapa Says:
Oba Oba is the comander in chief of the biggest killing machine in the World. The USA Indutrial/Congressional military complex. He has already backeled under their presure!
January 27th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
___________
1. I believe the word you’re looking for is “buckled.”
2. President Obama (or President Yo-Yo Ma, according to the 20th Amendment) is indeed the commander-in-chief of the biggest killing machine in the world, and of the very military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about.
News flash: he was elected by that complex. He was selected by that complex to run for office. He is a product of that complex. He is not going to turn around and destroy that complex. We all knew this when we voted for the guy.
What we voted for is not an idealist who was going to tear down the complex. Presidents don’t do that. Presidents don’t have the power or authority to do that.
So we voted for an intelligent person who we believed would safely and intelligently wield the destructive power of that complex. Someone who won’t use it to invade a country for no reason, or throw it into a war without an exit strategy.
I still believe Obama is such a person. I don’t agree with all his personnel choices or platform positions or policy proposals. I don’t agree with his stance on Hamas or his language on Iran. I’d like him to take a more proactive stance on the use of drones in the Khyber Pass, and a more courageous stance against Israel’s war crimes.
That’s why we need to make our voices heard. But childish name-calling and impotent snark isn’t going to affect policy change.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:03 pmNo, glezzery, we have NOT been using “diplomacy”. Bush’s idea of “negotiating” is to say “Give us what we want first, and then we’ll talk.” That’s not diplomacy, that’s childish behavior.
And in case you haven’t noticed, diplomacy usually ends up with less loss of life than military action. Or would you prefer to see more people die?
January 27th, 2009 at 5:05 pmglezzery Says:
First off, we HAVE been using diplomacy. We HAVE a State Dept.
We have been meeting and discussing everywhere.
And the stupidity continues unabated!
How many times did Condoleeza go to Iraq before the war? How many times did she visit Iran? Or Lebanon? Meetings and discussions everywhere EXCEPT where they were needed. No wonder it didn’t work.
And another thing. “Do it our way or suffer the consequences” is NOT considered to be an act of diplomacy.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:07 pmglezzery apparently can only think in terms of all or nothing.
Who said Mitchell was going to be magic? No one.
Who said Obama would cure the world’s problems? No one.
Obama is TRYING – HE IS MAKING AN HONEST EFFORT.
The fact is that for 8 years, Bush ignored the volatile ME and he started an unwarranted war in a Muslim country — he encouraged Americans to believe that all Muslims are terrorists, and that if Muslims were only smart enough, theywouldbe christians.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:07 pmIgnorance like that does great harm to any diplomatic effort.
Are you trying to put words in my mouth, glezzery? Because you’re not good at it.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:07 pmLuis M Says:
glezzery Says:
First off, we HAVE been using diplomacy. We HAVE a State Dept.
We have been meeting and discussing everywhere.
—
And the stupidity continues unabated!
I shouldn’t have used such an insult just because I disagree with your opinions. For that, I apologize.
The rest of my rant stands as I wrote it.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:09 pmglezzery Says:
Really, its ridiculous, the thought Mitchell will jet over there and boom PEACE.
We have done this over and over and over again.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
___________
You’re absolutely right. It is a completely ridiculous thougth, which is why the only people suggesting that Mitchell will snap his fingers and there will be peace in the Middle East are trolls like yourself.
Diplomacy is the only solution. War is not. Israel has fought with its neighbors and its conquered subjects over and over and over again, and it has not brought them peace.
And the fact that we have a State Department is meaningless. The fact that we’ve had meetings with Abu Mazen and Ehud Olmert is meaningless. We haven’t had peace talks, we’ve had feel-good photo-ops.
The problem is that we’ve never had the guts to stand up to Israel and force them to compromise.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:09 pmglezzery Says:
You dumb everything down.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
_________
Well, it’s the only way we can be sure you’ll understand it.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:11 pmWayne A. Schneider Says:
No, glezzery, we have NOT been using “diplomacy”. Bush’s idea of “negotiating” is to say “Give us what we want first, and then we’ll talk.” That’s not diplomacy, that’s childish behavior.
And in case you haven’t noticed, diplomacy usually ends up with less loss of life than military action. Or would you prefer to see more people die?
Thanks for responding. I was sitting there stunned upon reading that we’d engaged in “diplomacy” in the Middle East. The English language doesn’t usually equate “diplomacy” with a refusal even to speak to someone else, which has been the case with Iran, Syria . . . it’s a consistent pattern. There isn’t much point in diplomatic relations with friends while refusing to discuss anything with “enemies.”
January 27th, 2009 at 5:11 pmI knew you could do it…
January 27th, 2009 at 5:16 pmstill I think the word force needs to be defined
January 27th, 2009 at 5:16 pmglezzery Says:
Folks talk about Bush did not use diplomacy and it is completely untrue.
Libya, Lebanon, Columbia, Iraq, Sudan, North Korea…
January 27th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
___________
Those are your successes?
Two megalomaniacal dictatorships, two failing states, one genocide, and a country run by right-wing death squads?
To set the bar for success any lower, you’d need a shovel.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:17 pmglezzery Says:
gummitch: Even with Iran, we have been talking to folks through channels.
Maybe you would like to blame Iran’s obstinance on Bush’s failed diplomacy.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
____________
SO it was Iran’s onstinance, then, that caused us to give them the finger when they offered to stop uranium enrichment, recognize Israel, and slash their support for Hezbollah?
January 27th, 2009 at 5:19 pmglezzery Says:
gummitch: Even with Iran, we have been talking to folks through channels.
Maybe you would like to blame Iran’s obstinance on Bush’s failed diplomacy.
Oh, sure, it’s all the fault of the Iranians. It’s the fault of the Iranians that they offered immediate help dealing with the Taliban after 9/11 and the Bush administration refused even to speak with them. Speaking “through channels” (I’m sure you will provide evidence for this claim) is less than productive if you’re constantly calling the other side names and accusing them of all manner of crimes. You have a peculiar idea of what “diplomacy” means.
The administration itself has been clear about its scorn for diplomacy. Funny you think they need you to be in denial for them.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:23 pmglezzery Says:
CONQUERED SUBJECTS?
Is that what Israel has done, by dragging out settlers and living Gaza, only to have rockets rain down?
First of all, WHAT the HELL were those settlers doing there in the first place?
Second of all, Israel left Gaza but kinda forgot to open the borders so the Gazans could have stuff like, y’know, food and basic needs. Instead all the crossings remained nearly closed, with checks and revisions and the Israelis deciding who and what could enter. Sounds like conquered subjects to me!
January 27th, 2009 at 5:25 pmglezzery Says:
I am SOOOO sure Iran funds worldwide terrorism, talks about destroying Israel, Murders Lebanese leaders, kidnaps Americans, develops nukes… because of failed US diplomacy!!!!!!
Have you any proof that Iran is developing nuclear weapons? Because, you know, the IAEA could surely use your super-secret knowledge because they, who are actually IN IRAN, haven’t found anything related to nuclear weapons.
Iran has a right to acquire nuclear power plants, having signed the NNPT. “As recently as October 2007, IAEA Director General ElBaradei reported that IAEA inspections had not found any evidence that Iran was making nuclear weapons”
But of course, “facts” pulled out of your ass will always trump the IAEA inspectors.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:33 pmOh, sure, it’s all the fault of the Iranians. It’s the fault of the Iranians that they offered immediate help dealing with the Taliban after 9/11 and the Bush administration refused even to speak with them. Speaking “through channels” (I’m sure you will provide evidence for this claim) is less than productive if you’re constantly calling the other side names and accusing them of all manner of crimes. You have a peculiar idea of what “diplomacy” means.
The administration itself has been clear about its scorn for diplomacy. Funny you think they need you to be in denial for them.
They offered to help (because the Iranian people themselves, especially the younger ones, like the US), but then we went and said they were a member of the “Axis of Evil”, which was incredibly stupid considering that the countries mentioned did not work with each other at all, so how can they be said to form an “axis”?
And you are right, gummitch. Bush’s scorn for diplomacy is well-documented. He firmly believed that you should not negotiate with anyone unwilling to capitulate to your demands first.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:35 pmglezzery Says:
Are they suppose to open THERE side of the border to HAMAS!!?!?!?
The Palestinians voted democratically and elected Hamas. Israel didn’t like it and now they’re closing the borders and making the civilian population of Gaza suffer and starve. Of course Hamas claims it’s Israel’s fault. And obviously the starving people will choose Hamas over Israeli control.
They can either accept Palestine as a State, or absorb them into Israel.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:37 pmLushMoron Says:
Lush you ignorant piece of garbage. Why do you lust so after humiliation. There is no one else here to pity you for your stupidity and you have milked all the sympathy you can from us for how pathetically ignorant you are. It is just getting sick watching you still try to get us to pity you by showing what a retarded monkey you are. Like an aging movie star trying to get noticed though her beauty has faded. We all pity you already for being so stupid and pathetic and there is nothing more to get here. You will never be clever or funny just sick, sad, soulless, and pathetic its what you do its who you are. I think a good psychiatrist could write a fine book on your pathology. Drawn to the flame of intellectual debate you are far to stupid to ever contribute to. Then parading your pathetic stupidity for pity since even pity is attention of some sort. I know, you will never have a girlfriend, or a life, or a job that doesnt ask if they want fries with that. You will never be anything but a pathetic burden on people with normal IQs but for God sake have some self respect stop being such a pitywhore. Go play with the other special children and stop looking for that pat on the head.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:38 pmglezzery Says:
Put all your faith in the IAEA! they have done such a great job so far.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
When left alone to do their job, yes, they have. Just because the results of their inspections failed to confirm Bush’s fantasies about WMD does not mean they failed, it means Bush was wrong. Why can’t you accept the fact that Bush lied about WMDs, and all the reliable objective evidence supports this?
January 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pmglezzy you are nothing but a brainwashed punk. An idiot without a single clue. Keep giving us re-runs of the Rush Limbaugh show. Keep up showing just how stupid you are and how little you really know about anything. You arent even worth the time to educate you since you are too stupid to benfit from it anyway
January 27th, 2009 at 5:41 pmyou’re losing it my man…
January 27th, 2009 at 5:44 pmcareful now…
What is their accomplishment?
January 27th, 2009 at 5:46 pmHundreds of subterfuges
—
Are not is
Anyway can we list maybe let’s say 10 of these alledged subterfuges? Oh hell let’s go with a baker’s dozen…
gummitch Says:
glezzery Says:
gummitch: Even with Iran, we have been talking to folks through channels.
Maybe you would like to blame Iran’s obstinance on Bush’s failed diplomacy.
Oh, sure, it’s all the fault of the Iranians. It’s the fault of the Iranians that they offered immediate help dealing with the Taliban after 9/11 and the Bush administration refused even to speak with them.
As Wayne pointed out, Bush calling Iran as part of the “Axis of Evil” killed any goodwill that was shown after 911. That’s the kind of “diplomacy” that glezzery and Bush the Simple’s disciples like to call “successful”. In their rewriting of history, Bush was a great diplomatic President. Pathetic.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:49 pmTry “What DID they accomplish?”
January 27th, 2009 at 5:52 pmglezzery Says:
They offered to help. Sounds like a few words strung together.
Its BS they were going to help.
They said that so you would believe it and blame YOUR OWN country for every ill in the world.
Read this. And look at who contributed to the story (way down at the bottom of the article).
January 27th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
And you are IRAN’s advocate!
I am? I better see what their paying me.
Axis of Evil means diddly squat. Bush the Simple was trying to make a connection between the Nazi’s, Terrorists and Iran. It did nothing to help the situation. It hurt the situation. It was a huge mistake.
Are an advocate for Anti-Americanism?
January 27th, 2009 at 5:56 pmdrick23 Says:
Just a matter of time before BHO starts talks with Iran. Islam is watching and waiting for us to slip up and this is a great start to them. Please stop neutering America Obama.
One can only hope. We’ve been at odds with one of the most important countries in Asia for entirely too long. Calling them names and rattling sabers at them has been entirely unproductive.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:59 pmI’ll try “Are you an advocate for Anti-Americanism?”
January 27th, 2009 at 6:00 pmdrick23 Says:
You are just so stupid. YOU should nueter yourself and save our genepool from contamination from your vast stupidity. You really are a walking sewer pipe except not quite as bright
January 27th, 2009 at 6:03 pmGlezzy you are stupid, you are a punk you are brainwashed and you arent worth my time. I dont even read your posts anymore as when I do all I can think is the STUPID THE STUPID it hurts my head. I am sure that is appropriate to any response you might have made
January 27th, 2009 at 6:04 pmWhat’s the problem with talking to Iran?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:05 pmWhat is accomplished by not talking to them or do I mean are?
glezzery Says:
Egypt has closed the border!
Not Israel!
Bullshit. Israel continued to control the access to Gaza, even if nominally that power belonged to Egypt. Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
The truth is Israel GAVE. They left Gaza, dismantled settlements and got rocket attacks for it!
At least make some pretense to the truth.
Palestinian militants indeed kept launching rockets. And it’s wrong and it’s a terrorist act. And it’s evil and it should be stopped. And it’s bad. And they should stop.
Still, that doesn’t change the fact that Israel kept the Gaza population under their control.
So… that bit about pretense to the truth? Right back at you.
I’m still waiting for your super-secret information on Iran. You know, the information that 16 spy agencies in the USA don’t have?
Who are we gonna believe, the US Government or your ass-pulled information?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:06 pmLushInterior Says:
“We are offering a hand of friendship”…..better watch that “hand” thing…
I hear Christians are cannibals, because they “eat the flesh” of Jesus. We can’t trust cannibals.
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glezzery Says:
We know there are bad Muslims and Good Muslims but the Right can’t tell the difference and LEFT CAN!?!?!
From all the evidence, yes. That is correct.
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glezzery Says:
How decades will we continue to send emissaries to the ME and be actually HOPEFUL of change?
Hope and change, baby. Hope and change. That’s what we do. Also, competence. The competence is important.
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glezzery Says:
One thing that is strange about Obama is insistence that diplomacy is some cure all to the world.
First off, we HAVE been using diplomacy. We HAVE a State Dept.
We have been meeting and discussing everywhere.
We have been down this road many times in the ME with no results.
What makes Obama think Mitchell is going to be magic there?!?!?
Well, we haven’t actually been doing diplomacy, we’ve been beating our chests and demanding what we want before we’ll talk to anybody, and when they ignore that, we pout that it’s all their fault “diplomacy has failed.” So actually doing the diplomacy that the Bush Administration refused to do will make a huge difference.
It’s going to take some hard work, but it can be done, provided that we actually try for once.
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glezzery Says:
Evidently it is impossible to use force AND diplomacy at the same time.
Folks talk about Bush did not use diplomacy and it is completely untrue.
Libya, Lebanon, Columbia, Iraq, Sudan, North Korea…
All of these were resolved during Clinton’s term, with the notable exceptions of Iraq (?!?!) and North Korea. Bush said of Iraq, “diplomacy has failed.” North Korea has started up its reactors multiple times on his watch.
.
glezzery Says:
War is not the answer?
You sure?
Yes, very. War is bad, and should be the last resort of any diplomatic effort. Emphasis on “last,” you vermin.
.
glezzery Says:
Attention Progressives!: Iran is an Islamist Theocratic Tyranny!
They are not liberals like you.
They do not think like you do.
Attention Wingnuts!: You don’t have to kill everybody in the world who doesn’t think like you do.
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glezzery Says:
Put all your faith in the IAEA! they have done such a great job so far.
In fact, they have, at least until they’re ordered out because some cowboy wants to blow the place up.
.
glezzery Says:
So explain how that supports you notion that Israel controls the border?!?!
The border is between Gaza and Egypt!
The other side is Israel, which has its borders.
Egypt has closed the border!
Not Israel!
Exclamation points don’t help your case. Once again, you are simply wrong.
.
glezzery Says:
The IAEA has done what?
What is their accomplishment?
Let’s use you wingnuts’ favorite determinant of an “accomplishment:” how many suitcase nukes have gone off in… ever?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:09 pmHow predictable? Moronic trolls frothing at the mouth over honest attempts to mitigate the problems in the Mideast. And there’s so much fail that it can’t all be corrected. But…
just to deal with one glaring falsehood; the richest supporters of terrorists, and the source of the most troops, are our “great friends” the Saudis. The most dangerous? Probably Pakistan with their nukes, huge population, harboring the Taliban and apparent involvement in the attacks in India.
Iran is small fry by comparison.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:10 pmThis is all Iranian propaganda to divert their terrorism
January 27th, 2009 at 6:14 pm—
Stated as a fact. Can you show any supporting evidences?
livelongandprosper Says:
Axis of Evil means diddly squat. Bush the Simple was trying to make a connection between the Nazi’s, Terrorists and Iran. It did nothing to help the situation. It hurt the situation. It was a huge mistake.
I find it funny when people point at Ahmeninejad’s speeches to his base when he’s saying crazy and horrible things, and don’t see the exact same situation when Bush says crazy and horrible things to his base. They don’t realize that the Arab world is about as horrified with the things Bush has said about them as we are with Ahmeninejad. They’re basically the same guy.
.
glezzery Says:
Well, i don’t believe a word of it. If anything, there is a connection between Iran and Al Qida.
They never did explain that whole “Sunni/Shia” thing to you, did they?
.
dbadass Says:
What is accomplished by not talking to them or do I mean are?
More blood for the wingnut Blood-God.
.
glezzery Says:
I am a supporter of Western Civilization, period.
So, white people basically. Got it.
Me, I support humans.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:15 pmglezzery Says:
What nonsense. Even your own article says Israel left the strip in 2005.
There is a long border between Gaza and Egypt that Israel cannot possilbly control from Israel.
Its a lot of nonsense.
It is a border with Egypt.
Look at a ****ing map.
IT IS FREAKING CONTROLLED BY ISRAEL! Get it through your thick skull! Read the f&$!/%( article!
Here, here, I’ll copy and paste the relevant parts so you won’t have to trouble your little useless mind:
Happy now???
January 27th, 2009 at 6:21 pmAnd, for the sake of trolls who love context when Lush Rimjob is doing his bit to end civilization, Ahmadinejad didn’t say “Iran will wipe Israel off the map”. What he said, if one watches the uncut interview with Wallace, is that Israel is doomed to fail unless they restore human rights and representation to non-Jewish Israelis. He simply made the astute point that colonial occupations are, almost always, self-defeating.
Ahmadinejad also has little real power. He doesn’t set policy and, though trolls will never believe it, the Mullahs who call the shots have moderated a great deal since Khomeini. The people of Iran are even more moderate and, unless someone starts a war with them, they show every sign of throwing off the old ways.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:23 pmglezzery Says:
[Random bullshit]
What about that super-secret information on Iran that you have? We’re still waiting.
Give us some proof or admit you were bullshitting.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:29 pmglezzery,
You brought up the Iranian Hostage Crisis from 1979-81. I’m curious. Do you know why the students took hostages? Or have you blocked that from your mind?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:29 pmglezzery Says:
So you admit there is a ten mile border with Egypt, yet, if Israel is not in Gaza, they can’t possibly control that border and therefore can’t stop food or anything else across a ten mile border!
Yes they can. They can put border guards on the strip without being continguous to it. That’s what they’re actually, factually doing.
.
glezzery Says:
Laughable. Patently Hilarious.
I’m pretty pleased with it. There are huge opportunities for diplomacy once we drop the “their whole population must die because they’re evil” thing. If we make our knuckle-draggers sit down and shut up (that’s you, glez) and they do the same, then we can get along just fine.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:30 pmThis is wonderful. We must be mindful of the fact that all religions carry extremists, but they are not representatives for the faith itself. The Muslim world is, understandably, unsure of this nation’s intentions. We must assure them that we will respect innocent civilians while ensuring that no terrorist has access to a safe haven.
However, at the same time, we must respect the rule of law by granting a fair trial. This nation will be defined by how it treats its enemies during a conflict. Will we abandon our ideals and become monsters ourselves through mindless torture?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:34 pmglezzery:
January 27th, 2009 at 6:35 pmDo you actually know any Iranians? I have a close Iranian friend and although I do not think he speaks for all as in any society vast diversity of thought exists, I still think he is more qualified than you to explain how things are there and he sort of disagrees with your take on all things Iran
glezzery Says:
Well, i don’t believe a word of it. If anything, there is a connection between Iran and Al Qida.
The fact there were some Guard fighting for the NA doesn’t mean squat.
This is all Iranian propaganda to divert their terrorism.
And most liberals buy it.
You didn’t bother to read the USA Today article, did you? Probably shouldn’t do it, because things like facts do make dittoheads nervous. You’re so blinded by the propaganda of the Right that you wouldn’t know how to think on your own if your life depended on it.
It’s pathetic, really, because you do this by choice.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:35 pmI read through the thread and this stood out as the singularly most ignorant statement I have heard for a long time:
January 27th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
dbadass Says:
Do you actually know any Iranians? I have a close Iranian friend…
Terrorist sympathizer!
January 27th, 2009 at 6:40 pmglez, you and the republicans had better wake up. Obama has a 74% approval rating and won the election with a 9 million vote mandate. He is doing something right and Americans know it.
Your way has been rejected and for good reason. Let the republicans play their games for a day or two. If they think they are fooling Obama then it will come as a huge surprise to them when they keep losing elections.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:41 pmGo learn something, stupid troll.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khamenei#Political_attitude
January 27th, 2009 at 6:44 pmSo is Iran using those subterfuges to make weapons grade uranium?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:49 pmTry again.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:52 pmTerrorist sympathizer!
Funniest comment on this thread.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:59 pm“So is Iran using those subterfuges to make weapons grade uranium?”
lol
That’s not chocolate cake under all that frosting, is it?
January 27th, 2009 at 7:05 pmglezzery? Iranian students? 1979? Any knowledge of history here? Thought not.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:12 pmHa! The Lushtroll thinks fantasies are insulting? I can hardly wait.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:15 pmpicture this.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:17 pmLush partially filling a pint sized ziplock bag, you know one of those ones that does the color change thing to tell dumb asses that it is closed. Now imagine lush make a nice seal ove his mouth and nose as he huffs those fumes.
Pop! The stupid troll’s head exploded.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:35 pmglezzery Says:
Just a load of radical mindless, ignorant shallow nonsense.
—
January 27th, 2009 at 7:38 pmThis is what I was talking about. It hardly fosters intellectual dialogue.
I wish Geore Mitchell the best of luck and my confidence. Having met him on several occassions, I was taken by his decency and humanity
January 27th, 2009 at 7:40 pmglezzery Says:
YOU are a classic moron. You come here to attack us insult us spread the idiocy that defines rightwing talking points. I Do add more than insults your posts just dont deserve reasoned ana*ly sis. You dont want to discuss you want to dismiss and treat us with contempt. You think I ought to put up with that and ask for more? I dont. I think I ought to treat you the way you treat us they way you deserve to be treated. Like the ignorant hivemind moron you are. WHEN I can be bothered to even read your ignorant posts. Grow up and things might change. Til then you are a punk that isnt worth my time
January 27th, 2009 at 7:44 pmAn interesting case, hey dbadass?
Note the loss of all semblance of sanity. The frothing mouth. The flaring nostrils. The bulging eyes. No self-control at all.
How sad must it be to hate everything one can’t understand? Personally, I enjoy learning things about people who differ from me. Generally I discover that the differences are unimportant. Alas, there’s no hope for the stupid trolls. They lock away their minds before the true wonder of life can seep in.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pmglezzery Says:
Just a load of radical mindless, ignorant shallow nonsense.
Not ONLY are you blazing new trails of stupid. You say things like this then whine pathetically that we treat you the way you treat us. Its WWWWWAAAHHHHHHH its cool when I insult you guys but you are so mean when you insult me WWWWWWAHHHHH. A six year old girl would be embarassed to snivel as pathetically as you do
January 27th, 2009 at 7:46 pmStill expecting glezzie’s response to:
January 27th, 2009 at 8:00 pma) Israel’s control of the Rafah crossing.
b) His preternatural knowledge of Iran’s nukes, when not even the USA’s spy agencies know for certain.
c) His lack of a pair.
Jeepers. I’m kinda worried that the stupid troll smashed his computer. Or, perhaps, Mommy put him down far a nap after his tantrum?
January 27th, 2009 at 8:03 pmLuis M Says:
You wont get any answers till Rush tells him what to think. He has his prerecorded talking points. Any facts outside of them brings either an evasive dance of stupidity or a move to a talking point he has prerecorded. Gleezy has a head that is empty and a heart filled with hate and no decency whatsoever
January 27th, 2009 at 8:06 pmglezzery Says:
Seizing our Embassy and holding hostages was an act of war, nothing less.
Except those were private citizens who did that. How do you have a war with – oh, never mind. I forgot you don’t actually research what you talk about, nor can you distinguish between individuals, societies, and governments.
.
glezzery Says:
What i find so insane about the progressive view is how divorced from reality it is…
They do that stuff because they’re angry with us. Why? You don’t care, but I’ll tell you anyway: because people who think like you have had too much power for far too long. That will be permanently rectified shortly.
.
glezzery Says:
Just a load of radical mindless, ignorant shallow nonsense.
I do appreciate you replacing your posts with a summary of them. Saves us a lot of time. Thanks.
.
glezzery Says:
Saddam was BETTER!!!!!!!!!
OK, you’ve totally lost it there. If that’s part of your argument, then you’re even more flat-out nucking futz than we were accusing you of to begin with.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:44 pmrepublicans hate facts Says:
Geezer is here talking to his ENEMIES – ah the IRONY of GOP HYPOCRISY!!!
His enemies are people who want peace and freedom. His allies are neocons and jihadists. Those are the sides being drawn here.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:59 pmglezzery Says:
Seizing our Embassy and holding hostages was an act of war, nothing less.
Since you made absolutely no mention of someone known as The Shah of Iran, you do not know why they took the hostages. I have decided that you are too ignorant to waste time debating.
Good day, sir.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:06 pmElBruce Says:
republicans hate facts Says:
Geezer is here talking to his ENEMIES – ah the IRONY of GOP HYPOCRISY!!!
His enemies are people who want peace and freedom. His allies are neocons and jihadists. Those are the sides being drawn here.
Two good points.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:16 pmglezzery Says:
What nonsense. Even your own article says Israel left the strip in 2005.
There is a long border between Gaza and Egypt that Israel cannot possilbly control from Israel.
Its a lot of nonsense.
It is a border with Egypt.
Look at a ****ing map.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
___________
Israel never left Gaza. The article is incorrect. Israel made a big show of pulling their illegal settlers out of the strip, but they never gave up control of Gaza’s infrastructure, ports, airspace, and borders.
They turned it into a very large prison, and then wonder why they continue to get attacked by rockets.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:19 pmPatrioticLiberalChristian Says:
sac-o-pee doesn’t know about changing diapers yet, so he certainly couldn’t understand the type of change being initiated by Obama.
The question still remains,,,,,Does the USA and Israel military-industrial complex constitute a massive, juggernaut killing machine, not whether you think sacopenapa is not up to certain leftist standards.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:41 pmwell, I agree with the president’s “olive branch” rhetoric, but we’ll see if it start a positive exchange or not. Good start though, now the ball is in their court…
Does anyone think that this will open eyes of foreign goverments, or will it just be brushed off and forgotten?
January 27th, 2009 at 10:06 pmFrom: http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/01/27/65087.html
I was afraid of this. I hope he does the right thing and speaks up soon about Israel’s actions and the death they have brought to innocent civilians. Maybe he held off on discussing that subject until after Ambassador Mitchell finishes his own ME tour, which started just before this interview. He appointed someone who was known for being objective, so to say something right now might undermine Mitchell’s mission. But someone has to talk to them soon. Israel obviously knew Obama would not approve of their actions or they would not have worked so hard to be out of Gaza before he took office. (That speaks volumes about Bush’s belief in “the sanctity of human life”.)
The killing in the Middle East, for whatever reason it happens, has to stop. Violence solves nothing. It might temporarily end something, but it solves nothing.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:26 pmhussein toasterhead Says:
They turned it into a very large prison, and then wonder why they continue to get attacked by rockets.
Technically, it’s a ghetto.
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Brain From Planet Arous Says:
Does the USA and Israel military-industrial complex constitute a massive, juggernaut killing machine
Of course it does.
.
Craig Mack Says:
Does anyone think that this will open eyes of foreign goverments, or will it just be brushed off and forgotten?
In the long run, I’m more interested as to whether it will open the eyes of their people. And that will only happen if his words of peace are followed with appropriate actions.
.
Wayne A. Schneider Says:
I hope he does the right thing and speaks up soon about Israel’s actions and the death they have brought to innocent civilians.
It’s important to let people involved in negotiations the ability to save face, if you want to actually succeed in negotiations. Often, decrying villainy and resolving a dispute are at odds with each other. Given Obama’s approach to race relations in the U.S. I think he’d let Israel off the hook, provided that they knock it the f**k off.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:40 pmI think he’d let Israel off the hook, provided that they knock it the f**k off.
But will Israel “knock it the f**k off”? Or will they use any kind of violence as an excuse to flex their military muscle, as they have often done in the past? Our nation does bear some responsibility for the death the weapons we sell Israel cause. I hear pro-Israel radio spots, and they like to talk about how Israel “has never defaulted on one of its loans”. In the first place, if you pay back just the interest, you could avoid being declared in default on a loan (in some cases). And in the second place, don’t we routinely forgive their loans, making them, essentially, a gift? I mean, we’ll “lend” Israel millions of dollars to purchase fighter jets from us, then we “forgive” the loan, letting them keep the planes for free (or real cheap). When those fighter jets are used to kill innocent civilians, our nation cannot ignore our complicity in those deaths.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:58 pmTHANK YOU OBAMA!!!!
I couldn’t believe that the “brightest” minds in America couldn’t figure out for 7 years that inciting the middle east was probably not the best way of destroying Al Qaeda…
January 27th, 2009 at 11:13 pmWayne A. Schneider Says:
I think he’d let Israel off the hook, provided that they knock it the f**k off.
But will Israel “knock it the f**k off”? Or will they use any kind of violence as an excuse to flex their military muscle, as they have often done in the past?
Israel/Palestine has been a huge and intractable problem for as long as I’ve been alive. Then again, so was the Cold War.
All I can say is I have far more confidence in Obama, Hillary, and any team they assemble to tackle it than anybody I’ve seen in office since Carter.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:13 pmIt sure doesn’t seem like Israel will knock it off… They’ve been doing this for decades and a majority of the population seems to think it’s completely on the up and up…
Someone needs to stop giving Israel billions of dollars a year for a couple years and see if they still think they can just lob rockets into the middle of dense urban areas without consequences…
Unfortunately, it’s going to come down to one side realizing they aren’t gaining anything by the continued violence and just stop it…. That seems in the distant future though and something major will probably happen first… I hope I’m wrong.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:17 pm“It sure doesn’t seem like Israel will knock it off… They’ve been doing this for decades and a majority of the population seems to think it’s completely on the up and up…”
Read your history first before knocking Israel, the one fully free and functioning democracy in the region, and also our friend and ally.
Your comments could easily be construed as anti-semitic, though I do not think they are. But remember, many progressives are jewish american citizens, it’s probably best not to take a dump in your own backyard.
As I wrote, feel free to criticize, but read the WHOLE history first.
Thank you.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:09 amHey, glezzery, you ignorant pus. Why don’t you shut your piehole? You have proven yourself too ignorant to discuss the Middle East, since you know nothing of the history of the region and our involvement in it. Go to RedState or FreeRepublic if you don’t want to be ridiculed for posting factless comments.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:19 amObama could start by acknowledging not the ‘Palestinian suffering’ as he mention on his speach, but the US-backed Israeli MASSACRE. That would be a lot more than polititian talk about ‘friendship’ while still occupying Iraq and Afegahnistan and increasing the War in Afegahnistan with drone attacks in Pakistan… empty words there Obama!
January 28th, 2009 at 11:07 amHey LushMoron take those musings to a psychiatrist where they belong. Breaking your sexual fantasies out of your closet and trying to shape them into some weak attempt at an insult is kinda creepy.
February 16th, 2009 at 5:55 am