Choosing Allies Requires Discernment

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Aug 15, 2012 at 16:07

Being nearly Brit but separated by years and a couple of generations away from calling Bristol home, the tendency to either side with or criticize the British comes from not understanding just exactly how Great Britain, at one time, was the empire upon which the sun never set: and why it no longer holds such eminence. The United States is infected with its similar post industrialization infection of not handling well what technological advances was supposed to bring to the quality of life, but does not since humanity does not handle life all that well. This is what happens when the main source of strength is abandoned.

In the final analysis, Israel should NOT make any plans for its continued existence based upon any reliance of assistance from the United States; for even that will fail eventually. Great Britain failed in its earlier capacity of guardianship of 'Palestine' and even promoted an anti-Israeli gambit ostensibly for reasons only the crown could contemplate or explain, but eventually leaves its ministries to make those assertions in academic debate.

Just like candidate Obama, candidate Romney is courting votes. The ONLY difference at this time is candidate Obama is trying to keep the votes that candidate Romney is trying to woo away. Neither can afford to lose their base; neither can bring enough validation to change the hardened minds and the softened minds cannot be counted on. Candidate Obama has the house advantage but is betting the house bank he can keep his sevens and elevens going until after November; then it will not matter what he was saying on the campaign trail, except maybe that which was said to Dmitri Medvedev.

Israel needs to take what is said in America politics during this campaigning session with a cautious eye and discerning ear. Israel has endured both good times and bad times while thinking they can count upon external assistance like that of America's; but this fragile dependency comes at a cost, one that is not going to be affordable very shortly. When was the last time there was an unqualified and unequivocal status of parity with the United States and Israel – look hard enough and you will find there are a few times, too few really, but the rest of the time there were conditions, always conditions that were put up with in order to gain a few concessions.

In modern times, the tone of how to deal with the Middle East seemed to be controlled by Great Britain, good, bad or indifferent. When the British has their noses slapped in Asia in World War Two, the setting sun of the empire had conceded its prominence to the rising sun for a while; thereby never truly regaining what was once a greater significant presence in world politics. At those times, the United States exerted its power in spite of socialist pressures from within and the difference between the America and Britain were stark. As socialist/Marxist progressive ideologies make greater strides in American politics, the earlier distinction between the two countries seems less and less marked.

And that is just one observation in how the world is becoming a stranger place when the once great bastion of freedom and liberty is now being brought into conformance with the ideological empires that were once fought against but now are now the models that candidate Obama seems intent on making America out to be.

There is a reason candidate Obama seems to be Israel's friend; but all is not as it seems - PM Netanyahu's wary eye gives us clues; but it remains to be seen just how much candidate Obama's good will to Israel is really going to cost.

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