Petraeus:Israeli intransigence could cost American lives

[White Horse]

Dear God, not American lives!

Do Isrealis not realise the lives of their own people are less important.

[Interista]

Dear God, not American lives!

Do Isrealis not realise the lives of their own people are less important.

Utterly superb example of Missing The Point.

[Driftwood]

i'm not at all surprised by Petraeus' words, though wheather they will do anything to change AIPAC's stranglehold over the US political class remains to be seen.

As I've been saying for a long time, what might be termed the 'old right' is the weak link as far as AIPAC is concerned. Traditional (not neo-con) US conservatives are quite isolationist and extremely reluctant to get embroiled in foreign entanglements unless there is a very good economic or strategic reason for them to do otherwise. Although the politcos have to toe the line, the military class is pretty much impervious to the influence of the lobby as they don't' depend on their donations and PR machine.

Although I don't expect this to change the bizarre practice of a superpower being dictated to by a minor Asian state, it might just open a few people's eyes, and even break the taboo on openly discussing the sacred state of Israel.

Reading yesterday about this state of affairs:

Rupert Cornwell: There's no sign that Obama will punish his ally - Commentators, Opinion - The Independent

I wondered how long Obama would hold fast before backing down:

BBC News - Hillary Clinton affirms US support for Israel after row

not very long it seems

Plus ca change

[Interista]

not very long it seems

Plus ca change

Yes indeed. More of the same we can believe in.

But Clinton's talk of 'unshakable bonds' and 'absolute commitments to Israel' would be comical if it weren't such a serious matter. I mean, when to foreign ministers ever talk of other nations in that ridiculous manner? Nation states don't have 'unshakable bonds' with any each other, they have alliances which shift over time depending on mutual need. But the need to placate AIPAC goes above all else, especially with mid-term elections coming up...

[owedtojoy]

Petraeus has done two things of significance in teh past couple of weeks.

One is his stance on Israel described here. The other is that he has come out in support of ending the ban on Gays in the military.

Both of those make it impossible for him to be Republican Presidential candidate in 2012. Bet Obama is relieved!

[McDave]

To my mind, Israel lost the plot when Ariel Sharon started to believe in Cheney/Dubya's pre-emptive strike doctrine. And that they would be unassailable in hitching their wagon to a hyperpower that would never again be challenged. Didn't take long for that to unravel. But by then it was too late. Their colours were nailed to the mast for the world to see.

I think the US is looking to disengage from that particular little arrangement. Even if Obama bites the dust, don't expect any subsequent Republican administration to revert to the good old days.

[seabhcan]

To my mind, Israel lost the plot when Ariel Sharon started to believe in Cheney/Dubya's pre-emptive strike doctrine. And that they would be unassailable in hitching their wagon to a hyperpower that would never again be challenged. Didn't take long for that to unravel. But by then it was too late. Their colours were nailed to the mast for the world to see.

I think the US is looking to disengage from that particular little arrangement. Even if Obama bites the dust, don't expect any subsequent Republican administration to revert to the good old days.

Israel has always had a preemptive strike policy. If anything, it was Israel that gave the US neocons the idea.

[Driftwood]

The Rupert Cornwell article is a pretty good surmise. Since Robert Fisk no longer reports regularly, only Patrick Cockburn is left.

And now 'The Independent' has sold its soul to a Russian Oligarch, we can expect no real reorting from the region.

From September, Afghanistan will be 'supported ' by the 'Irish Guards Battlegroup' taking over from the 'Rifles Battlegroup'. Well done Ireland.

[McDave]

Israel has always had a preemptive strike policy. If anything, it was Israel that gave the US neocons the idea.

In defending themselves in their own local conditions, they could probably argue the toss on that one. But to see the US attempting to lord it over the world in quite the imperialist fashion put Israel's supportive stance in quite a different, and far less flattering, perspective.

[Driftwood]

I guess it is less important than the 'peace process' love in that constiuted todays embarrassing spectacle.
Robinson wearing a green tie (for the international market) and Martin McGuinness lecturing on the morality-or lack of it-from the Catholic church.

No sentiments to Joanne Mathers' family Martin?