PrismmmMMMMmmmm, good! NOT!

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

The only successful democracy in the ME and we give them too much support?

Discuss further?

well, there used to be this democratic country called iran, that, unlike israel, didn't use a terrorist bombing campaign to come to power.

history is a weird thing.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

The only successful democracy in the ME and we give them too much support?

Discuss further?

I would say $3 billion a year in aid is too much support, especially a country that is supposed to have a booming economy. Not to mention that the majority, if not all, of that aid money goes into their military.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by That Guy

well, there used to be this democratic country called iran, that, unlike israel, didn't use a terrorist bombing campaign to come to power.

history is a weird thing.

Iran has never been a democracy, in anything but name.

Past Results | Iran Election Watch

[Lotus]

Israel uses our aid to commit flagrant human rights violations. For just one example, when Israeli helicopter gunboats mow down innocent civilians in the Gaza strip, those choppers and their ammunition are American made. Many people outside of the USA know this. Therefore, on an international stage, we are perceived as aiding and abetting human rights violations through our aid to Israel.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

I would say $3 billion a year in aid is too much support, especially a country that is supposed to have a booming economy. Not to mention that the majority, if not all, of that aid money goes into their military.

We also give $130B to Europe. It's called protecting your interests.

I'd prefer we were more insular and less involved in policing the world but that's not the reality of the situation.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Israel uses our aid to commit flagrant human rights violations. For just one example, when Israeli helicopter gunboats mow down innocent civilians in the Gaza strip, those choppers and their ammunition are American made. Many people outside of the USA know this. Therefore, on an international stage, we are perceived as aiding and abetting human rights violations through our aid to Israel.

Paliwood stuff. I call BS!

[Lotus]

Evidence for my assertion above may easily be found on the internet. For JUST ONE recent example, examine why Obama was protested in South Africa the other day, as described in this article:

Anti-Obama protests dispersed by South Africa police

Fact is, in aiding Israel we are widely perceived outside of the USA as aiding human rights violations.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Fact is, in aiding Israel we are widely perceived outside of the USA as aiding human rights violations.

The OIC thanks you for your assistance with their attempts at islamization of the civilized world. <rolls_eyes>

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

The OIC thanks you for your assistance with their attempts at islamization of the civilized world. <rolls_eyes>

So are you saying that Israel is somehow "containing" the spread of Islam? Did we somehow transported back to the Crusade years?

[Lotus]

Given that there are many Palestinian Christians who have been victimized by Israel, we can see that calling out Israel for its AWFUL human rights record can have nothing to do with being pro-Islam.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

So are you saying that Israel is somehow "containing" the spread of Islam? Did we somehow transported back to the Crusade years?

No, Ruhskins, it was my sarcastic way of conveying to Lotus that he's helping proliferate anti-Israel sentiments which in turn advances the OIC's narrative.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Given that there are many Palestinian Christians who have been victimized by Israel, we can see that calling out Israel for its AWFUL human rights record can have nothing to do with being pro-Islam.

Many? Want to put a number on that or can I call BS on that, too?

[RedskinRat]

Paliwood, for the uninitiated.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

No, Ruhskins, it was my sarcastic way of conveying to Lotus that he's helping proliferate anti-Israel sentiments which in turn advances the OIC's narrative.

Why does any criticism of US-Israeli relations has to be labeled as anti-Israeli sentiment? Why does the subject of re-thinking the US' approach to Israel have to be off-limits for discussion? I just don't get it. I spent some of my undergrad courses studying the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and it baffles me how much radical the pro-Israel side tends to be in the US. Both sides in the conflict have done a lot of terrible thing, but the US media tends to focus only on attacks against Israeli citizens. Yet they don't mention the deplorable conditions that common Palestinians endure in the occupied zones.

Ironically, a lot of US money ends up being spend on things that affect both sides of this conflict. US aid is spent on bullets and missiles used against Palestinians, and I am sure some of the oil profits end up funding a lot of these terrorist groups that attack Israelis.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

Both sides in the conflict have done a lot of terrible thing<SNIP>

I'm guessing you've not kept a scorecard, have you?

Were you around for the Gaza Greenhouse fiasco?

I am all for examining every International relationship and how we, as a nation, dabble and spend.