Yoram Schweitzer is right in principle, but not in this case.

Submitted by Fred (United States), Aug 3, 2008 at 11:21

In general one should not comment on the domestic politics of a foreign country. It is rude and the citizens of the nation being commented on have every right to be offended at being told how to live.

In most cases that is correct, but the way Israelis have involved themselves in American politics (even voting when we really shouldn't let them) has always made me feel that Israel is a special case.

But also, is commenting on how one country dealt with Islamo-fascism in the case of releasing terrorists in order to get some of their soldiers dead body's back really "domestic policy" or does it fall under foreign affairs? After all doesn't how one country deals with Islamo-fascism effect the entire war on Islamo-fascism? It wasn't like he was telling the Israelis they should raise or lower taxes or change their health care system (which would indeed be their own business).

Perhaps the problem is how Pipes phrased what he wrote. After all there are ways one can say things without telling people "how to live their lives". Like he could have just said that this will lead to more kidnappings and deaths of soldiers and not state whether that would be good or bad for Israeli society (even though the answer to that is obvious but still leave it up to the reader to decide). Or he could stated in the terms "had it", like in had this happened to my country I would demand that the area where the people celebrated the return of the terrorist be flattened. There you are not telling them what to do, but just saying what you feel you would do if presented with a similar problem. Such a technique does risk "apples and oranges" comparisons though. Not in this case I don't believe but in general.

But again, I would question if this was a case of "internal domestic issue" and if it wasn't then of course as someone who could be effected by this decision as much as any Israeli because the Israeli Government caving in to Islamo-terror could increase the chances of them attacking in other countries then Daniel has every right to comment. And like I said, until we solve the problem of Israelis voting in American elections, and Israeli lobbies like AIPAC having too much influence over OUR politicians I am not going to lose too much sleep over telling the Israelis what to do.

If Samir Kuntar somehow ever gets into a position to harm an US citizen cries of it being a "domestic issue" is going to lose all meaning!

But as for the Germans and all the rest of them out there telling us to vote Obama - shut the heck up. He isn't going to be your President (as much as he might remind them previous German leader that they still subconciously long for) . You supporting him just reconfirms to me that he probably won't be working in my best interests but for yours.

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