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Let's take the Israel-Palestinian Conflict out of the News arena and put it into the Sports arena. We could have the IPSN with commentators up to speed on all the "players" and their stats, legalize gambling on it with point spreads and over/unders, appoint a Commissioner every 4 or 8 years to hear complaints about steroid usage "Corporal Stein, with 8 bashed Palestinian skulls under his belt has been suspended by Commissioner Obama for 12 weeks, this could me a major blow for Team Israel, well Bob, I don't think it will hurt them too much, Team Palestine just lost 1,600 of it's players not long ago, it's pretty doubtful if any of them will be back this season, if ever at all" IPSN reports.
After all, the game has been going on for 60 odd years and it's still the 1st quarter, isn't it?
Do you ever think that the subject of 'Israel's Nuclear Arsenal' will ever be broached by the National Journal Blog? In particular Israel's 400 plus nuclear weapons inventory; Israel's heavy production of weapons grade uranium; Israel's production of plutonium; and Israels' production of tritium, and how it all needs to brought under the international scrutiny of the IAEA AND U.S. weapons inspectors. After all, we the U.S. are paying the lion's share of Israel's economic/trade/weapons bills.
I could imagine Israeli hasbra Dov Zakheim mumbling under his breath when such a subject is broached.
Yes indeed. Thus one can project failure for any so-called "peace process." In turn, this will lead to increased turmoil and extremism in the Muslim world. And this then will lead to more terrorism against the United States.
The Obama record is not so good thus far: refusal to confront the Gaza attack and now blocking the Goldstone report, refusing to deal with the settlements issue outside of mere rhetoric, not standing up for the Cas. Freeman appointment, nothing per AIPAC and the espionage situation and so forth.
Obama's use of the coded phrase "Jewish state" in describing Israel at the UN was duly noted by the rest of the world.
Last US president to deal correctly with. So it has been a while...
Well interesting post and comments including your P.L.! At least yours seemed more honest and believable.
I am coming to believe now that all including the Palestinians, and ARAB states generally and the US and of course Israel have reached a point where for many many different reasons the conflict is exactly as all want it. Not really likely that any reasoned approach with be "Outcome determative" as the lawyers are wont to say when the rationale of an opinion almost forces the judicial result. So without going into detail for that conclusion--what in the course of human events is like to change the playing field! Several things appear on the horizon but oddly to me they are not Iranian nukes or nuclear facilities. Most of the key facilities are long since underground (as are Israels)! No here is my prediction! The collapse of the US dollar and US credibilty internationally is about to occur or will within the next decade, probably sooner rather than later. By then AF-PAK and Iraq will not be viewed as anything but documentation of US policy equivocation and failure and inconsistency! Egypt may well have collapsed into fundamentalism and the Saudis also. Iraq will have been de facto partioned and the SUNNI and SHITE wars will have either started or be about to start. The internal inconsistency of Israel as neither a secular or religious state will have resulted in its destruction and most of the dual citizenship citizens will have departed once the US made clear that it was not going provide nuclear retaliation guarantees for Israel survival nor guarantee any bordersof Israel even the 1948 borders. Also China and India and the economic consortioums will have no interest in playing off Israel vis a vis Palenstine on any basis and will do a fie on both those states/factions/tribes or whatever. They will have much bigger fish to fry in next decade including just providing an economic system that can support even marginally their population. What we come down to is that demographics are everything even in the Israel/Palestine conflict and this outpost of "democracy" or the "Jewish faith" or whatever it is called will have been undercut by the reality that most who can think do not choose a "Sparta" to live in willingly. This administration will try and keep the cork in the bottle and hope it does not pop during their time in office which begins to look increasingly short since they have failed so far despite $11.7 Trillion in backdoor financing of American business and the direct and indirect on budget stimulus to generate any new jobs. As stated before in my posts, Obama probably the last American President that will be able to pretent that his administration controls its own destiny. That control is now firmly elsewhere on Planet Earth, perhaps even in the feet of the people of Mexico.
Once again you are succinct. Unfortunately I think you are also correct. I'd like to comment on a couple of the other responses to the National Journal.
This sure struck a cord with Mr. Zaheim. I believe you have previously posted the Declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel (or a link to it) Perhaps he should actually read it, then he could explain why representation in Parliament is not equivalent to "... foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants;" or "... it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations."
Kori Schake - "If they’d (the Palestinian's) made those communities into models of self-governance that Israel didn’t feel threatened by, the peace process would have had a much better prospect for advancement." Good grief. No wonder GWB couldn't win a war. When the teenagers of the West Bank and Gaza started throughing rocks at tanks during the first intefada the government of Isreal had a real 'opportunity' to do something before the situation became worse. Those teenagers are now parents whose children have even less opportunity. How is the Isreali response over the past decades 'faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations' or even in the national interest of Isreal?
How is it in the national interest of the United States?
"For Netanyahu, the threat of peace has passed. At least for the time being."
"The last thing that Obama needs at this moment is a declaration of war by AIPAC and Co. Netanyahu, an expert on domestic American politics, scented Obama’s weakness and exploited it."
"Obama could do nothing but gnash his teeth and fold up."
Let's take the Israel-Palestinian Conflict out of the News arena and put it into the Sports arena. We could have the IPSN with commentators up to speed on all the "players" and their stats, legalize gambling on it with point spreads and over/unders, appoint a Commissioner every 4 or 8 years to hear complaints about steroid usage "Corporal Stein, with 8 bashed Palestinian skulls under his belt has been suspended by Commissioner Obama for 12 weeks, this could me a major blow for Team Israel, well Bob, I don't think it will hurt them too much, Team Palestine just lost 1,600 of it's players not long ago, it's pretty doubtful if any of them will be back this season, if ever at all" IPSN reports.
After all, the game has been going on for 60 odd years and it's still the 1st quarter, isn't it?
Posted by: Bill Wade, NH | 28 September 2009 at 10:48 AM
Colonel,
Do you ever think that the subject of 'Israel's Nuclear Arsenal' will ever be broached by the National Journal Blog? In particular Israel's 400 plus nuclear weapons inventory; Israel's heavy production of weapons grade uranium; Israel's production of plutonium; and Israels' production of tritium, and how it all needs to brought under the international scrutiny of the IAEA AND U.S. weapons inspectors. After all, we the U.S. are paying the lion's share of Israel's economic/trade/weapons bills.
I could imagine Israeli hasbra Dov Zakheim mumbling under his breath when such a subject is broached.
A 3D view of Israel's Dimona:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbjgDERSuiI
Posted by: J | 28 September 2009 at 10:57 AM
Yes indeed. Thus one can project failure for any so-called "peace process." In turn, this will lead to increased turmoil and extremism in the Muslim world. And this then will lead to more terrorism against the United States.
The Obama record is not so good thus far: refusal to confront the Gaza attack and now blocking the Goldstone report, refusing to deal with the settlements issue outside of mere rhetoric, not standing up for the Cas. Freeman appointment, nothing per AIPAC and the espionage situation and so forth.
Obama's use of the coded phrase "Jewish state" in describing Israel at the UN was duly noted by the rest of the world.
Last US president to deal correctly with. So it has been a while...
Posted by: Clifford Kiracofe | 28 September 2009 at 10:59 AM
Well interesting post and comments including your P.L.! At least yours seemed more honest and believable.
I am coming to believe now that all including the Palestinians, and ARAB states generally and the US and of course Israel have reached a point where for many many different reasons the conflict is exactly as all want it. Not really likely that any reasoned approach with be "Outcome determative" as the lawyers are wont to say when the rationale of an opinion almost forces the judicial result. So without going into detail for that conclusion--what in the course of human events is like to change the playing field! Several things appear on the horizon but oddly to me they are not Iranian nukes or nuclear facilities. Most of the key facilities are long since underground (as are Israels)! No here is my prediction! The collapse of the US dollar and US credibilty internationally is about to occur or will within the next decade, probably sooner rather than later. By then AF-PAK and Iraq will not be viewed as anything but documentation of US policy equivocation and failure and inconsistency! Egypt may well have collapsed into fundamentalism and the Saudis also. Iraq will have been de facto partioned and the SUNNI and SHITE wars will have either started or be about to start. The internal inconsistency of Israel as neither a secular or religious state will have resulted in its destruction and most of the dual citizenship citizens will have departed once the US made clear that it was not going provide nuclear retaliation guarantees for Israel survival nor guarantee any bordersof Israel even the 1948 borders. Also China and India and the economic consortioums will have no interest in playing off Israel vis a vis Palenstine on any basis and will do a fie on both those states/factions/tribes or whatever. They will have much bigger fish to fry in next decade including just providing an economic system that can support even marginally their population. What we come down to is that demographics are everything even in the Israel/Palestine conflict and this outpost of "democracy" or the "Jewish faith" or whatever it is called will have been undercut by the reality that most who can think do not choose a "Sparta" to live in willingly. This administration will try and keep the cork in the bottle and hope it does not pop during their time in office which begins to look increasingly short since they have failed so far despite $11.7 Trillion in backdoor financing of American business and the direct and indirect on budget stimulus to generate any new jobs. As stated before in my posts, Obama probably the last American President that will be able to pretent that his administration controls its own destiny. That control is now firmly elsewhere on Planet Earth, perhaps even in the feet of the people of Mexico.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 28 September 2009 at 11:38 AM
Once again you are succinct. Unfortunately I think you are also correct. I'd like to comment on a couple of the other responses to the National Journal.
This sure struck a cord with Mr. Zaheim. I believe you have previously posted the Declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel (or a link to it) Perhaps he should actually read it, then he could explain why representation in Parliament is not equivalent to "... foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants;" or "... it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations."
Kori Schake - "If they’d (the Palestinian's) made those communities into models of self-governance that Israel didn’t feel threatened by, the peace process would have had a much better prospect for advancement." Good grief. No wonder GWB couldn't win a war. When the teenagers of the West Bank and Gaza started throughing rocks at tanks during the first intefada the government of Isreal had a real 'opportunity' to do something before the situation became worse. Those teenagers are now parents whose children have even less opportunity. How is the Isreali response over the past decades 'faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations' or even in the national interest of Isreal?
How is it in the national interest of the United States?
Posted by: Fred | 28 September 2009 at 12:36 PM
An interesting expert:
The Palestinians missed an enormous opportunity when Israel withdrew from the West Bank and Gaza.
Posted by: LeaNder | 28 September 2009 at 02:36 PM
"For Netanyahu, the threat of peace has passed. At least for the time being."
"The last thing that Obama needs at this moment is a declaration of war by AIPAC and Co. Netanyahu, an expert on domestic American politics, scented Obama’s weakness and exploited it."
"Obama could do nothing but gnash his teeth and fold up."
Uri Avnery
http://www.avnery-news.co.il/english/index.html
Posted by: Steve | 28 September 2009 at 08:56 PM
ALL:
Pertinent to Mr. Cummings' note above please read:
http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/enderle/preparing-for-the-oil-driven-economic-collapse/?cs=36180
An analysis by INTEL. Indicative that MR. Cummings' prognosis is valid, with the datee to 21-12-15.
Shopuld cancell all warsl, froward bases and invest in alternative energy, lest the USWQA collapse in a few years for lack of oil/gas.
GL
Posted by: N. M. Salamon | 29 September 2009 at 09:51 AM
LeaNder:
The Palestinians missed an enormous opportunity when Israel withdrew from the West Bank and Gaza.
My first question: which Palestinians?
Second: Was that the first peace opportunity for them? and if not what makes this one so remarkable?
Third: was the purpose of this post to simply remind us of the many missed opportunities on both sides since the beginning of the conflict?
ms
Posted by: Mark Stuart | 06 October 2009 at 07:25 AM
This also my first time log in blog .I also hope can publish my view.Let us share our mood.thank you.
Posted by: Rose | 29 March 2012 at 01:52 AM
This also my first time log in blog .I also hope can publish my view.Let us share our mood.thank you
Posted by: Rose | 29 March 2012 at 01:53 AM