Israel

[MidtownCoog]

But really guys, they just suffered a holocaust, we should let them do anything they want to atone for our innately violent gentile behaviour. God help us overcome ourselves. Sarcasm if you didnt know.

You have cleary defined all the reasons you think Israel should show restraint.

What about restraint on the Palestenian side?

It's a two-way street.

[nmainguy]

30% of our yearly foreign aid budget goes to Israel-almost a third of all we give worldwide.

Do you think it's politics or a sincere effort to help out? It seems to be an extreme amount of money to be pouring into a country that offers very little back to the US.

See http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsourc...to_Israel1.html

for the history of our foreign aid to Israel.

[TheNiche]

30% of our yearly foreign aid budget goes to Israel-almost a third of all we give worldwide.

Do you think it's politics or a sincere effort to help out? It seems to be an extreme amount of money to be pouring into a country that offers very little back to the US.

See http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsourc...to_Israel1.html

for the history of our foreign aid to Israel.

Believe it or not, I actually agree with you on this one. As far as I'm concerned, we should drop Israel almost completely from our political conciousness. It'd go a lot further toward eliminating anti-Americanism from militant Islamists than waging any number of wars ever will.

They aren't even a particularly good ally...they've been known to attack our naval vessels in international waters for no reason at all. I used to know a Brit that was in the GIS business and was mapping the floor of the Red Sea using small explosive charges to generate shock waves, which he would record and analyze. Flying a U.K. flag on a fairly large vessel, he was warned by Israeli gunboats several times to get out of Israeli waters (he wasn't in Israeli waters) before getting lightly strafed with a .50 cal. deck gun. He took on just a little bit of water but learned his lesson.

[editor]

I just reread that and i cant believe the way you spun this thing. Are you trying to make a case for Israel based on the photo i provided. Those tanks you see arent in Israeli land. They are in set aside Palestinian land. Behind the wall.

You provided no geographic reference for the photos. There was no way to know whether they were in Israel or not. I merely stated what I saw -- someone provoking an Israeli tank.

Poor innocent Israelis, their nukes (which they do have-everyone in the international community knows this) and world class army are no match for those precision guided stones and home made rockets

I don't think anyone is trying to pretend that Israel doesn't have nukes. It's not a secret on any level. You might as well fabricate the same imagined conspiracy theory about Russia "(which they do have-everyone in the international community knows this)"

What do nukes have to do with the pictures you presented? There are no nuclear weapons shown. No one in the world thinks Israel would use nuclear weapons on the Palestinians because they'd nuke themselves in the process. It sounds like you're just throwing out a red herring to try to steer the topic in a new direction or putting up strawmen to make it seem like your argument holds water.

The photo showed people throwing rocks. I postulated that throwing rocks was meant as an attack, or to antagonize. You have yet to disprove either of those theories. Perhaps you can outline the steps through which throwing rocks at people leads to peace in the Middle East.

[TJones]

Yes, many things dont get reported. For example, on 9/11, as they showed the Palestinians dancing on the street, there was a massive candle light vigil in Tehran.

And now we plan to blow them up.

You forgot to add the part where the "candlelight vigil" was for the 25 terrorists hijackers who were on the planes that went down. Good reporting there Jimmy Olsen !

btw, No one is planning to blow anyone up. Unless you count Bin Laden. No plans to blow up Iran that I've seen, where did you come by your intel ?

[nmm]

You forgot to add the part where the "candlelight vigil" was for the 25 terrorists hijackers who were on the planes that went down. Good reporting there Jimmy Olsen !

Unless you count Bin Laden. No plans to blow up Iran that I've seen, where did you come by your intel ?

1. Thanks bro, recieved that info from Fox.

2. Americas going to bomb Iran, trust me.

[TJones]

1. Thanks bro, recieved that info from Fox.

2. Americas going to bomb Iran, trust me.

WHEN ! What Time, I want to make sure I am up to watch it on CNN.

Oh, you are speculating. Ok, sure, America is going to bomb Iran, we are going to bomb N.Korea, and bomb Iraq a little more, and if China gives us any grief about it, we are gonna go Nagasaki on their @$$e$ also.

[nmm]

Just In:

ISRAEL GOES BERSERK AS WORLD WATCHES

Welcome to the Most Unstable Part of the World.

Israel, has gone from Invading Palestine to Crossing the Border into Lebanon. War Planes dropping bombs all the way inland 12 miles from Beirut.

So Israel escalated the problem from this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1794432,00.html

to this:

http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10052877.html

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?...708&p=y888684y4

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticl...&archived=False

And then you ask me why they blow themselves up? They caught 8 Israeli soldiers. Boo Hoo! The arabs caught 8 of our men! And we killed about 50 of them.

[johncoby]

And then you ask me why they blow themselves up? They caught 8 Israeli soldiers. Boo Hoo! The arabs caught 8 of our men! And we killed about 50 of them.

We need diplomacy at it's finest!!!!!

Someone send in W!

[nmainguy]

We gave Israel $2,280,0000,000 in military grants in '06. Of course they'll continue their disproportionate attacks. What's stopping them as long as they know we'll foot much of the bill?

[Heights2Bastrop]

We gave Israel $2,280,0000,000 in military grants in '06. Of course they'll continue their disproportionate attacks. What's stopping them as long as they know we'll foot much of the bill?

And Muslims hate the US. Go figure!

I think maybe we should pull out of the Middle East. I think we need to leave, put up a rope all around the area, then let them fight it out, winner take all. Then the US can take on the winner!

[nmainguy]

And Muslims hate the US. Go figure!

I think maybe we should pull out of the Middle East. I think we need to leave, put up a rope all around the area, then let them fight it out, winner take all. Then the US can take on the winner!

...and if we could ween ourselves from their oil, we wouldn't have a reason to take them on. Just let them duke it out and leave us out of it. Israel, UAR, Iraq-the whole pack.

[nmm]

IN other news. Oil hit a new High of $76.00

[TJones]

...and if we could ween ourselves from their oil, we wouldn't have a reason to take them on. Just let them duke it out and leave us out of it. Israel, UAR, Iraq-the whole pack.

We don't have to ween, just start more drilling in Alaska and The Gulf.

[west20th]

We don't have to ween, just start more drilling in Alaska and The Gulf.

A temporary fix at best. We need to seriously develop alternatives and not just pay lip service to curing our "addiction to oil". Finding new sources of oil will only ensure alternatives won't be developed.

PS, before you jump to the conclusion that barricades to drilling off-shore is solely the fault of Democratic, liberal, patchouli sniffing tree huggers keep in mind GOP Governors Swartsen......errrrr....Arnold and Bush are roadblocks to offshore drilling off their states.

[TJones]

A temporary fix at best. We need to seriously develop alternatives and not just pay lip service to curing our "addiction to oil". Finding new sources of oil will only ensure alternatives won't be developed.

PS, before you jump to the conclusion that barricades to drilling off-shore is solely the fault of Democratic, liberal, patchouli sniffing tree huggers keep in mind GOP Governors Swartsen......errrrr....Arnold and Bush are roadblocks to offshore drilling off their states.

Quit ASSUMING west. No political affiliation was stated nor implied................ for a change.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

I want to know why the Israelis call ahead and let the Palestinians that are targeted, know they are coming and give them a chance to get out before the buildings are destroyed? Doesnt sound like a good military strategy to me, especially for a tiny country that has been demonized time and time again.

As for "giving something back" to the USA, most Americans dont have a clue on that one........

The military and intelligence as well as strategic contributions are staggering.

[Scharpe St Guy]

Ok NMM,

Honestly you must have your head inside of a bag to be so naive. In your mind shangra-la exists or by god should exist if only we would talk, get taxed more, and let the government decide our daily lives.

The PLO and Hamas can not be compared to a democratically elected party in any sort or fashion. This would be comparable to us (citizens) here in the USA electing the Neo-Nazis, KKK, Crips, or the Bloods. These organizations are not interested in you unless your Jewish or Black or you have something they want. Killing, taunting, raping is not past them and yet you compare the PLO and Hamas to elected parties such as the Republicans or Democrats or Independents? You have to be kidding me.

The PLO and Hamas share the goal of driving the nation of Israel out or better yet just killing them, that is there stated goal, they do not recognize Israel as a nation. Israel on the other hand is a democracy surrounded by regimes headed by ruthless individuals who won't step down unless they are killed.

Are you kidding me about the disproportionate force that Israel is using against Lebanon and the Gaza Strip? You don't go into a fight with an arm and legs tied up to make it a fair fight. You go in with intelligence on your adversary and every weapon at your disposal. In your view of things we should be replacing our armored Humvee's and Tanks in Iraq with some imported rickshaws from China so that the avg terrorist in Iraq has a 50/50 chance.

A quick suggestion, if you don't like how things are then go express yourself and head over to Syria and stand with the "Political Parties" over there such as the "PLO" and "Hamas" and pick up a few rocks while your at it and make your views known. Shoot I would even be willing to pitch in for your one way ticket over there.

God Bless you with Common Sense my Friend,

Scharpe St Guy

[TJones]

I want to know why the Israelis call ahead and let the Palestinians that are targeted, know they are coming and give them a chance to get out before the buildings are destroyed? Doesnt sound like a good military strategy to me, especially for a tiny country that has been demonized time and time again.

As for "giving something back" to the USA, most Americans dont have a clue on that one........

The military and intelligence as well as strategic contributions are staggering.

Moonman, you also forgot that they somewhat stabilize a balance of power in the Middleeast, they are willing to stand up to those who would mean them harm, which is literally every ARAB nation surrounding them. They don't condone suicide bombing and they are for Democracy and freedom for all, which is what The USA is all about. If the Palestinians could get on board with that program, all the violence would cease.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Moonman, you also forgot that they somewhat stabilize a balance of power in the Middleeast, they are willing to stand up to those who would mean them harm, which is literally every ARAB nation surrounding them. They don't condone suicide bombing and they are for Democracy and freedom for all, which is what The USA is all about. If the Palestinians could get on board with that program, all the violence would cease.

And add to that the military contributions they make to the USA. Some of those fancy smart bombs we have are loaded with components built and designed in Israel. Israel has the rep. as being the silicon valley of the mid east. With the current rush on missle defense for the USA, now is not the time to turn our backs on the Israelis.

[TJones]

And add to that the military contributions they make to the USA. Some of those fancy smart bombs we have are loaded with components built and designed in Israel. Israel has the rep. as being the silicon valley of the mid east. With the current rush on missle defense for the USA, now is not the time to turn our backs on the Israelis.

Absolutely, and don't forget the Desert Eagle .357, .44 and .50. Need a hole made in something, call on an Israeli. >

[nmm]

I want to know why the Israelis call ahead and let the Palestinians that are targeted, know they are coming and give them a chance to get out before the buildings are destroyed? Doesnt sound like a good military strategy to me, especially for a tiny country that has been demonized time and time again.

As for "giving something back" to the USA, most Americans dont have a clue on that one........

The military and intelligence as well as strategic contributions are staggering.

1. Yeah. I wonder that too. I mean, its the Palestinians fault that they didnt get out of their houses when those Caterpillar bulldozers began razing their homes, right? Geesh, if i was a Ay-raaab i would take me wife and children out of me home! Ay-raabs are sooo stupid. LOLOLzolZOLZzlzzOLZlz.

Then we have the recent case where Israel shelled a Palestinian family. I had the source link up above. Gosh darn Ay-raabs!Cant stay in one place! Get behind that wall yonder!

Isnt it a possibility, if Israel has been demonized over and over again, especially by xenophobic France, that maybe there is some truth in their assertment? Maybe just a teenie weenie bit of truth? Just an insee winsee, tiny winy, . . . .

Like you know, the rest of the damn world. Like France, that country on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean? Napolean? Pastries? Eiffel Tower? Yeah - THAT country.

2. Yeah. They also bombed the USS Liberty. Great.

[nmm]

Honestly you must have your head inside of a bag to be so naive. In your mind shangra-la exists or by god should exist if only we would talk, get taxed more, and let the government decide our daily lives.

The PLO and Hamas can not be compared to a democratically elected party in any sort or fashion. This would be comparable to us (citizens) here in the USA electing the Neo-Nazis, KKK, Crips, or the Bloods. These organizations are not interested in you unless your Jewish or Black or you have something they want. Killing, taunting, raping is not past them and yet you compare the PLO and Hamas to elected parties such as the Republicans or Democrats or Independents? You have to be kidding me.

The PLO and Hamas share the goal of driving the nation of Israel out or better yet just killing them, that is there stated goal, they do not recognize Israel as a nation. Israel on the other hand is a democracy surrounded by regimes headed by ruthless individuals who won't step down unless they are killed.

Are you kidding me about the disproportionate force that Israel is using against Lebanon and the Gaza Strip? You don't go into a fight with an arm and legs tied up to make it a fair fight. You go in with intelligence on your adversary and every weapon at your disposal. In your view of things we should be replacing our armored Humvee's and Tanks in Iraq with some imported rickshaws from China so that the avg terrorist in Iraq has a 50/50 chance.

A quick suggestion, if you don't like how things are then go express yourself and head over to Syria and stand with the "Political Parties" over there such as the "PLO" and "Hamas" and pick up a few rocks while your at it and make your views known. Shoot I would even be willing to pitch in for your one way ticket over there.

God Bless you with Common Sense my Friend,

1. No, i dont trust the Bush administration. Liars.

2. Nah im not kidding you. I think you and i are misunderstanding something critical. Democratically elected 'parties' are elected by or for the people. In this case these organizations you hear about in the news: Hamas, are elected by the Palestinians. The Iran leader: Ahmedninjabadi, was elected democratically (or so they say). Bush was elected democratically, but he has a 30% approval rating.

As for killing, taunting, and raping - these things dont seem past anyone these says. However, ive never heard of Hamas "rape" anyone. Lets not get carried away . . .

As for Israel being a "democracy" - Good LORD how many times have i heard that? It is only the narrowmindedness of some people who believe that "democracies" arent capable of carrying out injustice on other people. As if "democracies" are infallible institutions that dont have an evil bone in their body.

This war is political, not religious. This war hasnt just started yesterday, this war started when the first Jewish immigrants stepped off their boats into the Levant and decided they were going to start a nation on other people's territory. This is the classical "Native Amerinidans vs European Settlers" pheonomenon. Its only escalated so far.

PLO and Hamas's job at the moment isnt driving Israel out the sea. Their job is having a damn backbone strong enough to retaliate against Israel when needed be. Thats why they are popular. Because they dont care what the world thinks of them, they stand up for those that elected them.

As for driving them out to sea - Im am sure the feelings are mutual. Lets face it, Israel is a relatively young country, and many of the lands it inhabits used to be Palestinian land only 60 odd years ago. Memories are still fresh.

Just for the record, i dont particularly care for PLO or Hamas. But its good to know why others do, isnt it?

4. I am not talking about what kind of weapons are being used. Although that probably is a point of contention, as the UN has banned use of certain kinds of biological/chemical weapons.

I am arguing about who is being attacked. Destroying Beirut's International Airport isnt going to solve any problems. Neither is dropping bombs on suburban Lebanon. Who are you killing? Random arabs?

Your inciting the whole ME against you, so why shouldnt you expect them to attack you?

5. By the looks of things, ima need that ticket from you. I might have to skip the coming semester, head off to Aleppo and get some of my family out of there.

You know, before Israel bombs Syria.

Looks like i get to have a vacation after all. Yay.

6. Common Sense is granted to all. Learning how to utilize that sense takes effort.

[nmm]

Moonman, you also forgot that they somewhat stabilize a balance of power in the Middleeast, they are willing to stand up to those who would mean them harm, which is literally every ARAB nation surrounding them. They don't condone suicide bombing and they are for Democracy and freedom for all, which is what The USA is all about. If the Palestinians could get on board with that program, all the violence would cease.

Wow. Awesome.

I used to think Houston didnt have any tourist destinations for visiting foreigners. But i think ive found something better then any old themepark or museum.

Your the famously referred to "Ugly American" arent you? We need to meet up sometime. I want to take some pictures with you.

Anyways, im outtie. This hot topic requires a much better understanding of the twentieth century history of the arab world then i care to inform you. Ive lived it. Youve heard it on FOX News.

Both sides have done atrocious things. From the Sabra/Shatila Massacre to the Munich Massacre. I dont care to explain. You may discuss your simplified, Judea-Christian biased ideas and theories amongst yourselves. Enjoy. Gung Ho.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Unbelievable. More nonsensical diatribe from the person that thinks Iran is pursueing nuclear technologies because they are afraid of running out of oil. Makes me wonder if there has been an early release program in affect from the various nut houses around the country............

[TJones]

Your the famously referred to "Ugly American" arent you? We need to meet up sometime. I want to take some pictures with you.

Boo Friggin' Hoo Nmm, Your P.O.S. PLO leaders swore that "if only Israel would get out of the Gaza Strip, there would finally be peace." What happened with that, Israel held up their end of the bargain, but your bunch of loser "brothers in arms", still couldn't get their crap together. Then for some reason your little jerky brothers decide to hop the wall at a checkpoint and kill soldiers and take some hostage in order to try and get some more of your dirtbag punk@$$ "suicide bomber fantasy league" chumps released from jail, and you started the whole conflict again. The best part was when you cried about how Israel's retaliation is so unfair because they have bigger and better guns. Here's a solution to that problem, don't start what you know you can't finish. I remember someone around here on this forum trying to be very "MATRIX" like quoting "Cause and Effect, for every action, there is a reaction." Who was that ? Is that ugly enough for you ?

Do you like apples ?

[TJones]

[ricco67]

While the whole situation, I think is just a distraction for something else happening in the world (in other words, EVERYONE is being played), I think it has brought out some funny moments.

check out this video and transcript.

When you hear the first shot, play the benny hill theme in your head.

[TJones]

[nmm]

Nice cartoons. New low for you.

I think this thread has lost much of its purpose. Like i said, you dont know half of it. You take bits and pieces and make them a whole.

For example, the Palestinian Peace Plan did give Palestine its own nation state, but the borders were pre-determined by Israel. In effect, you had a nation that wasnt joined. You had, if you can imagine a group of "island" states within Israel. One man from the Institute of Public Accuracy put it this way: "the Palestinians got themselves some bedrooms, but Israel controlled the hallways". Anyone who has worked with Israel in the past knows to live in disjointed districts is not a good idea. Not only are you surrounded by the enemy, but you have no means of communications with your fellow countrymen without Israel standing in the middle.

So you enjoy your unsophisticated, biased, ill-construed ideas. And you post your polarized cartoons. And you keep to what i can only think as a safe haven you have created for yourself. I wish you all the best.

The lines have been drawn in the sand, and we all know where we each stand.