Yet more hypocrisy

Submitted by a Filipino liberal (Philippines), Nov 23, 2006 at 02:36

"Ninety-two percent of respondents in a recent poll of one thousand Egyptians over 18 years of age called Israel an enemy state. In contrast, a meager 2% saw Israel as "a friend to Egypt."

And of course, while Egyptians hate and despise Israel, Israelis do not hate Egyptians at all. Or other Arabs, for that matter.

It takes two to tango, you know. "Hostility" and "hatred" and "racism" work both ways.

"First, it opened the American arsenal and provided American funding to purchase the latest in weaponry. As a result, for the first time in the Arab-Israeli conflict, an Arab armed force may have reached parity with its Israeli counterpart."

Yes, of course America should only sell arms to Israel, and not to Israel's neighbors, thus making Israel more of an American foreign aid black hole than it already is. I mean, let's face it, the true reason Israel was able to modernize faster than its Muslim neighbors, and win several wars against them despite being outnumbered and surrounded, was not because they were "God's chosen people" or any of that stupid nonsense, but merely because the most powerful country in the world was supporting them, providing them with even more annual foreign aid than other poorer countries, not to mention a lack of compunction about using unsavory tactics and a blatant disregard for commonly accepted international laws, probably driven by the conservative notion of "The end justifies the means". Which country do you think needs aid more, Israel or Ethiopia? (Of course, this also goes to show that the USA gives foreign aid not because of altruism or generosity or as charity as they claim, but as bribes or funds to shore up allies in areas critical to US "national security", etc. In other words, out of self-interest.

But American aid to Israel has its limits. America is a capitalist country after all, self-interest and profits are the center of their "culture" and apparently, selling arms to Israel alone wasn't profitable enough, so they wanted to sell to the Muslim countries, too. Selling arms to the two opposing sides - now that's what I call war profiteering.

"War can be concluded through negotiations rather than by one side giving up. "

Yes, you're right. Israel should admit they are wrong, and were wrong from the 1967 war, when the territories rightfully belonging to the Palestinian Arabs by UN mandate were stolen from them, and return these areas to them. And I don't mean the half-assed "returning" Israel has done, with daily air raids and bombings and the borders blocked. A very clever move, "returning" the territories to the Palestinians, so Israel could claim it was doing its part, while making conditions inside the territories a living hell. Very smooth.
No, I mean a full return of those territories, with no Israeli interference in them, to be overseen by the UN. The West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian sector of Jerusalem Jerusalem. No blockades and checkpoints, no Wall.

"The time has come to recognize the Egypt-Israel treaty – usually portrayed as the glory and ornament of Arab-Israel diplomacy – as the failure it has been, and to draw the appropriate lessons in order not to repeat its mistakes."

And what would you suggest in place of this so-called "false peace", Mr. Pipes? A real war?

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