....Or Not.

Submitted by yonason (United States), May 9, 2005 at 12:02

Sorry, but I must disagree with you on this one.

Though I would like your interpretation to be the correct one, I'm afraid it isn't; and the likelihood that it will be diminishes the more entrenched the US becomes in its fatally flawed policies regarding the Islamists(1), and especially as they apply to Israel. All indications are that Bush is still clueless, and becoming more stubbornly entrenched so by the day.

As Caroline Glick of the Jerusalem Post says in an 05/05/05 column: (www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1115259521812&p=1006953079897)

"While Bush and his supporters were quick to see the ruinous impact of Spanish
appeasement of terrorists on the war efforts, in backing Sharon's plan and in showering
the Palestinians with money and support, the president is showing that as far as Israel
is concerned, the policy he has adopted is the same one the Spanish voters opted for:
appeasement."

As Bush administration policies gain momentum, it becomes more likely they will reflect ever more dangerous fantasies, while disregarding the ever increasing existential threats, not just to Israel, but to ourselves and the world.

In conclusion, Ms. Glick comes to the very solid conclusion, that...

"Unless one ignores reality, it is impossible to sustain an argument that as presently
constituted, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza will do anything other than strengthen the
cause of global jihad and Arab authoritarianism. Unfortunately, until the US abandons
the contrived belief that what happens to Israel has no connection to what happens to
the US, it will be unable to see – and thus thwart – the dangers that await it."

Oh, yes, and one more chilling observation she makes among the supporting reasons for her conclusions:

"What will happen to the Arab democrats from Baghdad to Damascus to Beirut to
Riyadh when they are force fed footage of mosques being built on synagogues in
Gush Katif 24/7?

Will they believe in US promises of support when they see the US supporting terrorists
in Gaza?"

Thanks to Powerline for this info: (href=http://powerlineblog.com/archives/010397.php)

In other words, all the progress we have made against the savages of the world won't amount to a hill of beans if we don't follow through where it counts.

To end on a positive note. Your observations are cause for hope, since they do indicate that there is still activity in the right direction. I just hope it's sufficient.


(1) See href=http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com/index.htm for the most concise and complete and reliable background information on this topic available on the web.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".