[Peace-discuss] Israel & U.S.

[David Green]

I think that It's important to understand that Israel does serve as a U.S. proxy in the Middle East, although Israel's behavior has served as somewhat of a model for recent U.S. behavior. What the British perfected as "divide and conquer" has become, with the example of Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982, "divide, destroy, and conquer." We would have preferred to pacify Iraq without all of the attendant destruction, but such destruction has become the rule in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Gaza.
   
  So I feel that it's appropriate to talk about both the primary importance of American geopolitical interests and the importance of Israel in implementing those interests, as well as the importance of the Israel Lobby in this country in providing a kind of moral cover, especially for liberals and Democrats, in supporting imperial policies. I don't think it's helpful to speak of Democrats as being less responsible for the Iraq war than Republicans (becasue they could have easily stopped it) and especially so in light of their fervent support for whatever Israel wants, among which was our invasion of Iraq, and our future invasion of Iran (which won't happen unless it suits perceived U.S. interests).
   
  It's been pretty nauseating for me to listen to Jewish institutional leadership at various levels, including local, claim to oppose the Iraq war while supporting last summer's Israeli invasion of Lebanon, as well as the blatant undermining of democracy in Palestine. I can't imagine how a principled and effective antiwar movement can countenance alliance with supporters of Israeli goals and methods (or even of the Jewish state in its current form), who are trying desperately to cover their liberal asses and distinguish themselves from neocons by "opposing" the war in Iraq, when in fact if push comes to shove they will never, never oppose any U.S. action while there is still a chance to truly make a difference. Meanwhile, Clinton and Obama will use their support for Israel as a way of sanitizing their support for the military-industrial complex, of which Israel is a small but significant part.
   
  I think it might be helpful if the antiwar movement stopped thinking of Israelis as Jews. Just a thought.
   
  DG
   
   

 
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