Since the botched attempt by Faisal Shahzad, the klutz, to blow up a van in New York's Times Square, he has been in the news non-stop. Every news media around the world and especially North America has been going at it. Does it not make him an iconic figure in places like Pakistan, Afghanistan and for other sympathizers and would-be-bombers. Does it not encourage copycats?
It is thanks to Bush/Cheney policies of the past 8 years that we have come to this. They invaded Afghanistan and then on false pretences of WMDs invaded Iraq. Now it turns out that the real problem areas are Iran and Pakistan.
The invasion of Iraq has greatly strengthened Iran. Iran's main rival, who provided some balance of power in the region, was Saddam Hussein. He is gone. Iran has a free hand in the region now. With Shiites in power in Iraq, Iran has more influence in Iraq than anytime in recent history. After the US leaves Iraq the Shiite leaders like Muqtada al-Sadr will become the kingmakers. Muqtada al-Sadr is definitely not known to be pro-west. He is very much pro-Iran. Moreover Saddam Hussein was dead-set against extremists like Al-Qaeda. Now Iraq is a breeding ground for such extremists.
The botched invasion of Afghanistan has resulted in dangerous destabilization of Pakistan. Pakistan is a nuclear power and its instability makes it all the more dangerous. Moreover, a major part of Pakistan, North Western territories, are Pashtun, the same ethnic group as the Taliban in Afghanistan and many Pashtun in Pakistan have turned into hardened Taliban. I believe Faisal Shahzad comes from that ethnic background. Moreover, Pashtun are very influential in government circles of Pakistan and in the military and they hold high positions. As a matter of fact Shahzad's father, who is retired now, was a very high ranking air force officer in Pakistan. Thanks to Bush and Cheney policies both the Middle East and the Af-Pak-India regions are more unstable now.
It does not look that Barack Obama has learned much from the blunders of his predecessors. His escalation of drone attacks into Pakistan provides fuel to the fire and fertile ground for more extremists. The only way out looks like negotiations and the US and NATO may have to negotiate with the likes of Mullah Omar, the leader of Taliban. Hamid Karzai definitely cannot deliver. For the sake of peace in our part of the world and in the Middle East and Af-Pak-India region diplomacy may be the only way out. Military victory is out of the question when we don't know who the real enemy is as the Taliban has penetrated every region of Pakistan right up to the southern most city of Karachi.
In the Middle East we have to solve the Israel/Palestinian problem which is another major bone of contention. Israel also needs to realize that there is no military solution and their nuclear stockpile of weapons will be no deterrent. As a matter of fact, it will provide momentum to other Middle Eastern countries to acquire nuclear weapons and some of the former USSR states may be happy to oblige.
I have a hard time believing that diplomacy can solve anything in the Mideast. Take Israel for instance, they have given land for peace several times and have yet to see any peace. These extremists never hold thier end of the deal. And why would they? Until people(let's face it, mostly the apologetic left) start holding them to the same standards as they hold America and Israel, they can do as they please. Having said that I do not beleive we can win this war the way it is being fought but what other option do we have? We can either stay and kill as many as we can or we can go into a room have them lie to our faces so our politicians of the time can save face. But we will just be right back in the same place in 20 or 30 years.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I really take exception with is comments like "Moreover Saddam Hussein was dead-set against extremists like Al-Qaeda. Now Iraq is a breeding ground for such extremists." Did you forget who Saddam Hussein was? The atrocities that this man commited make Osama look like Mary Poppins.
Austin, it is Israel who is sitting on the land and building settlements which belongs to Palestinians. It is sitting on Golan Heights which belongs to Syria. It holds the lands which belong to Lebanon. There is a UN resolution that Israel must move back to pre-1967 war. How would you feel if someone invades your home and pushes you to live in a shed on a neighbour’s property? You may consider to read the Israeli media.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-missiles-are-coming-1.289149
Killing which took place under Saddam Hussein was funded by US. Remember Iraq/Iran war which lasted for 9 years. Reagan was trying to get even with Iran for American embassy hostages. However, since the Bush/Cheney invasion one million Iraqis have been killed according to numerous estimates. Millions live in squalor and millions others are refugees in neighbouring countries. The country is in total ruin. The archenemies of Saddam are now saying that they were better off under him. So where is the liberation. I suppose you’re blinded by Bush/Cheney era war propaganda.
First off the UN is a joke. The way they are set up they couldn't solve a lover's quarrel, so they can keep thier resolutions. Secondly you have a destorted veiw of history, you make it sound like Israel just invaded these countries because they had nothing better to do. Israel has been shown nothing but aggression from all it's neighbours so yeah it keeps buffer zones. And you can forget about the Golan Heights no intelligent Israeli will ever give that back, it has too much of a military value. Syria should of thought about that before picking a fight with a country that could destroy them in six days.
ReplyDeleteAmerica did not fund Saddam killing his own people they funded the war with Iran. Saddam being the twisted serial killer he was used it to kill his own people.
You want to know where the liberation is? It will show up when the decent people of Iraq stand up, unite and demand it. Civil war is a natural part of a country becoming truely free but it has to be the people of the country doing the fighting not America.
UN is a joke? I think your whole argument is a joke. When it comes to Canada’s participation in war in Afghanistan then folks like you say it was UN resolution which authorized NATO to carry out such an invasion, however, when UN passes a resolution against Israel then it is a joke. Joke is on you.
ReplyDeleteI suggested you to read an article in my above comment but you ignored that.
Let us face it that Israel is a rogue state. According to a very prominent Jewish British MP Sir Gerald Kaufman Israeli leaders are emulating Hitler and behaving like Nazis towards Palestinians. Read his statement here:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/veteran-jewish-mp-compares-israelis-in-gaza-to-nazis-1.899914
Rev. Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, compares Israeli treatment of Palestinians as apartheid South African and him and many other international human rights figures call Gaza a concentration camp.
When Saddam kills Shiites in Iran or in Iraq on the urging of US and funded by US then that is criminal and when Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld trio carries out mass murder of close to one million Iraqis then that is the price for democracy. Do you realize how big a joke your argument is?
Wow!! You are out to lunch. The UN is a joke 100% of the time. 100%!! Let's not forget who started this whole mess shall we.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you try turning your high standard that you hold Israel and America to against the Palestinians or against Syria or Hezbollah? Where is the out rage when Hamas straps bombs on mentally challenged children and sends them to blow up Israeli children? Every single country's main concern is protecting IT'S people. So Israel's main concern is Israelis(jew and arab alike). So if letting the Palestinians rome free around them poses the threat that it does then Israel has a moral responsibility to it's citizens to prevent that movement.
I read the article in your above comment but the difference between you and me is I recognized it for what it is, an opinion, not fact. As for your second link, that man is out to lunch. How the hell is Israel supposed to negotiate with a group who's soul purpose of existence is to wipe them off the map? Now I respect Jimmy Carter, I think he is intelegent and a man who stands for his convictions so I read all he says on this subject, but even when he suggests talks with these people he only does so because thats what Jesus would do. I understand that it's nice to think we live in a world where people can sit down and resolve things just by talking but that is not this world.
"When Saddam kills Shiites in Iran or in Iraq on the urging of US and funded by US then that is criminal and when Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld trio carries out mass murder of close to one million Iraqis then that is the price for democracy."
Did you read that before you posted it? Are we going to have serious debate or are you going to just make shit up? You make your argument a joke when you say stuff like that. Exaggerate much? Not much, a much too much.
So Sir Gerald Kaufman is ".. out to lunch." and UN is a joke because they don't agree with your hyperbole. What do you think of Rev. Desmond Tutu.
ReplyDeleteIt is Jimmy Carter who said that Israel has over 200 nuclear warheads and it is dangerous for the region. And as long as that kind of imbalance exists there will be no peace he said. He also said that Israel was intransigent. So I suppose he is out to lunch too. May be Jesus was telling him something different than what you heard.
I suppose Jesus spoke to Bush/Cheney to invade Iraq. Who is whispering in Netanyahu ear because I suppose he has no use for Jesus. And a sizable number of Palestinians are Christians.
Wake up. Have some coffee and see the reality as is.
What has the UN ever solved? Hmmm? Ask the people of Rwanda, ask the people of Sudan, ask the people Saddam tortured and killed with the money from the oil for food program, ask the Palestinians, ask the Israelis. They are not a joke because they don't agree with me they are a joke because they can not agree with themselves. On any given issue one of America, China or Russia will have some sort of interest at stake and just veto it. They are a joke because of the way they are set up. And when push comes to shove the UN has no real athority, it's resolutions do not supercede a country's sovereignty.
ReplyDelete"It is Jimmy Carter who said that Israel has over 200 nuclear warheads and it is dangerous for the region. And as long as that kind of imbalance exists there will be no peace he said"
Finally, something we agree on. Their will be peace when that imbalance is erased, at least between Israel and her enemies because they will be wiped off the map. Especially now since both sides have been so hostile towards each other(I know in your head it has been only Israel but that just is not the case in the real world) for so long. The first chance a country in that region has the power to chalenge Israel they will. What is Israel supposed to do just sit and wait for that day? Like I said before Israel, like any country, has a moral responsibility to protect it's citizens.
By the way, the Jesus remark, since you didn't pick up on it, was to insinuate that Carter was not using his intelegence but his faith.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree that UN does not have military power. If it did it would have arrested Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman, his foreign minister, by now. Their own countrymen like Tzipi Livni think they are destructive for Israel.
ReplyDelete“Now I respect Jimmy Carter, I think he is intelegent(sic) and a man who stands for his convictions…..”
I thought you were a fan of Carter. You seemed to have changed your mind real fast.
Just because I am a fan does not mean I agree with everything he says, I think for myself.
ReplyDeleteYes there are Israelis that do not agree with their course of action, and thier are some that do. Israel like all countries that allow free speech are pretty well split on a course of action thats why they always elect minoriety governments. So just because you can name some that do not agree does not mean you are making a point.
Let me ask you this, do you want a UN that has the power to just go and arrest a democratically elected leader because they do not agree with his policies? Why not just have the UN appoint all the leaders? Then we can live in a world wide dictatorship. Do not forget that Israel is under constant threat of attacks on all sides and has been since it's UN appointed creation.
Make up your mind what you want from UN. More powers will make it world dictator? Ok then obey its resolutions and Israel should be no exception.
ReplyDeleteUS has done that time and again. Gone into countries and topple leaders. It is called regime change. US installed the King in Iran as opposed to elected government. Do I need to repeat what happened after that?
Israel is a rogue state. It is treating Palestinians worse than animals. British MP says that, Rev Desmond Tutu says that, UN officials say that and on and on. May be you know something that none of these world authorities do. Your hyperbole is having no impact.
If Israel is doing everything so wrong please by all means enlighten me, what should they do? Give back all the land aquierd in the 1967 war and disarm themselves? Please answer.
ReplyDeleteYes it must return to pre-1967 boundaries. The whole world agrees on that except for Israel. It is living in peace with Egypt because it gave back Sinai.
ReplyDeleteYes Middle East must be nuke free. It is not my opinion only. IAEA says that and even Hillary Clinton agrees with that.
And do you seriously believe that will bring peace? Disarming some nukes and giving the Golan Heights back will do nothing. It did not mean anything before Israel had nukes or the Golan Heights, thier enemies have a problem with thier very existence.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Try to do better than quoting Hillary Clinton. She is only around because Obama wanted to save face with the other Democrats she is not really an important person.
"...she (Hillary Clinton) is not really an important person." So anyone who criticizes Israel is not important person or is a joke. I suppose including IAEA. By the way Obama agrees with Hillary Clinton.
ReplyDeleteIn your world Israel has God given right to carry out any injustice it wants including massacre of Palestinians and Lebanese (some called it genocide). Good for you. You proved your point that you have no point. Take your baloney somewhere else.
Your the king of taking things out of context. I gave several reasons as to why I do not like the UN, and you had no answer to any of them, I could do the same for Hillary. Jimmy Carter is respectable on this subject because unlike you he is capable of praising Israel for the good they do and holding the Palestinians and lebanese to account for thier atrocities. Jimmy Carter defended Israel's right to defend herself from Hezbollah when the Lebenese government either refused or was unable to control the situation. Did Israel go too far? Absolutely. But do not forget that they would have done nothing if Lebanon had control of thier own country.
ReplyDeleteSo carry on with your anti-Israeli pro-Palestinian mindset.
Hamas, the government of half the palestinians, publicly calls for the genocide of the Jews and yet not a peep out of you. Yet you want to throw around rediculous comments like I believe Israel has the god given right to massacare Palestinians and the Lebanese. YOUR A HYPOCRITE.
ReplyDeleteAustin, in the past when you left comments I developed some respect for you but this time you’re just embarrassing yourself. Let me sum up.
ReplyDelete- Carter is good, Carter is bad. Carter is good again.
-UN is a joke and has no power. UN should not have more power because it will become international dictator.
-Hillary Clinton is not important
-British MP Sir Gerald Kaufman is crazy
On and on. Stop embarrassing yourself. Give your head a shake, take a deep breath and rest. Good luck.
I picked you apart on this debate LeDaro. You responded to none of my points you just carried on and on about Israel's faults and admitted none from the other side. I never said Carter is bad I respect his opinion as I usually respect yours but that does not mean I have to agree with it. Let's let this one go.
ReplyDeleteAustin, you refuse to admit the excesses of Israel. Its actions are indefensible in relation to Lebanon and Palestinians. The whole world says that including some prominent Jewish leaders and other world leaders. Many in US too. Israel cannot survive on the basis of inducing fear to neighbours through mass killings. You really did not present any credible argument. So we will leave at that.
ReplyDeleteAustin, I should add that we may not agree but I appreciate the fact that you keep the discussion civil.
ReplyDeleteLet me assure you that I do believe that Israel has every right to exist but its current policies and actions are dangerously counterproductive.