PrismmmMMMMmmmm, good! NOT!

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

People don't put things in perspective and are too easily distracted by the scandal of the day, such as PRISM now. Not to say that PRISM isn't a big deal, but what do you expect out of our government, when we have a citizenry that can't even get the government to be accountable for doing their jobs on the economy, health care, and education.

PRISM and the Patriot Act are good examples of issues that people are very passionate about, yet no one has had a serious debate on maybe changing the foreign policy of this nation to avoid having to worry so much about terrorism. Our nation's blind support for Israel, the constant involvement in the oil industry, and the pointless wars we've been involved in the Middle East are three reasons why people over there hate us. Yet no one ever discuss these things because they are too preoccupied with whatever political carrot is being dangled by politicians or the media.

I don't necessarily agree with the rest of what you wrote, but I couldn't agree more with that

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

People don't put things in perspective and are too easily distracted by the scandal of the day, such as PRISM now. Not to say that PRISM isn't a big deal, but what do you expect out of our government, when we have a citizenry that can't even get the government to be accountable for doing their jobs on the economy, health care, and education.

PRISM and the Patriot Act are good examples of issues that people are very passionate about, yet no one has had a serious debate on maybe changing the foreign policy of this nation to avoid having to worry so much about terrorism. Our nation's blind support for Israel, the constant involvement in the oil industry, and the pointless wars we've been involved in the Middle East are three reasons why people over there hate us. Yet no one ever discuss these things because they are too preoccupied with whatever political carrot is being dangled by politicians or the media.

That's one of the problems right there it should not be the federal goverment dealing with those issuea it should be the state. Maybe when the citizenry figures out that its better to lets the states handle these issue then the Feds can do what they are suppose to do.

[MTK]

Well hey, at least we have gay marriage and pot to worry about.

[FRPLG]

I agree with SS.

On Ruhskins' point about "pointless" wars. One word: OIL. We only have ever cared about the Middle East and Northern Africa because of it. It got us in this mess a long time ago and 70 years of bad (perhaps distasteful is a better word) decisions later it has us boxed in.

[Lotus]

Israel uses our aid to commit flagrant human rights violations. For just one example, when Israeli helicopter gunboats mow down innocent civilians in the Gaza strip, those choppers and their ammunition are American made. Many people outside of the USA know this. Therefore, on an international stage, we are perceived as aiding and abetting human rights violations through our aid to Israel.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Israel uses our aid to commit flagrant human rights violations. For just one example, when Israeli helicopter gunboats mow down innocent civilians in the Gaza strip, those choppers and their ammunition are American made. Many people outside of the USA know this. Therefore, on an international stage, we are perceived as aiding and abetting human rights violations through our aid to Israel.

Paliwood stuff. I call BS!

[Lotus]

Evidence for my assertion above may easily be found on the internet. For JUST ONE recent example, examine why Obama was protested in South Africa the other day, as described in this article:

Anti-Obama protests dispersed by South Africa police

Fact is, in aiding Israel we are widely perceived outside of the USA as aiding human rights violations.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Fact is, in aiding Israel we are widely perceived outside of the USA as aiding human rights violations.

The OIC thanks you for your assistance with their attempts at islamization of the civilized world. <rolls_eyes>

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

The OIC thanks you for your assistance with their attempts at islamization of the civilized world. <rolls_eyes>

So are you saying that Israel is somehow "containing" the spread of Islam? Did we somehow transported back to the Crusade years?

[Lotus]

Given that there are many Palestinian Christians who have been victimized by Israel, we can see that calling out Israel for its AWFUL human rights record can have nothing to do with being pro-Islam.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Given that there are many Palestinian Christians who have been victimized by Israel, we can see that calling out Israel for its AWFUL human rights record can have nothing to do with being pro-Islam.

Many? Want to put a number on that or can I call BS on that, too?

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Many? Want to put a number on that or can I call BS on that, too?

200,000 Palestinian Christians is the number which I have seen in most sources.

But my point would hold if the number were one.

Israel oppresses Palestinian Christians just as it does Palestinian Muslims. Therefore criticizing Israel's horrendous human rights record has nothing to do with being pro-Islam.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

So are you saying that Israel is somehow "containing" the spread of Islam? Did we somehow transported back to the Crusade years?

No, Ruhskins, it was my sarcastic way of conveying to Lotus that he's helping proliferate anti-Israel sentiments which in turn advances the OIC's narrative.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

No, Ruhskins, it was my sarcastic way of conveying to Lotus that he's helping proliferate anti-Israel sentiments which in turn advances the OIC's narrative.

Why does any criticism of US-Israeli relations has to be labeled as anti-Israeli sentiment? Why does the subject of re-thinking the US' approach to Israel have to be off-limits for discussion? I just don't get it. I spent some of my undergrad courses studying the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and it baffles me how much radical the pro-Israel side tends to be in the US. Both sides in the conflict have done a lot of terrible thing, but the US media tends to focus only on attacks against Israeli citizens. Yet they don't mention the deplorable conditions that common Palestinians endure in the occupied zones.

Ironically, a lot of US money ends up being spend on things that affect both sides of this conflict. US aid is spent on bullets and missiles used against Palestinians, and I am sure some of the oil profits end up funding a lot of these terrorist groups that attack Israelis.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

Both sides in the conflict have done a lot of terrible thing<SNIP>

I'm guessing you've not kept a scorecard, have you?

Were you around for the Gaza Greenhouse fiasco?

I am all for examining every International relationship and how we, as a nation, dabble and spend.