More Manipulation Of The West
By Cathryn Crawford (06/13/03)
Finally, Israel is doing what it should have been doing for the last three years (since September of 2000, when the current intifada by the Palestinians broke out) and, indeed, even before that time. Finally, the Israeli army has been given orders to completely “wipe out” Hamas and all its leaders, supporters, and conspirators. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says that he has “made it clear that insofar as terror is concerned, there will be no concessions”, adding that he has made this clear in all of his conversations with the White House and the US State Department.
It’s about time that a formal announcement was made to Hamas, and, in turn Hezbollah and the PFLP, that Israel has completely and totally washed its hands of any and all negotiation with them. Israel cannot allow itself to be held hostage by the fear of retaliatory attacks anymore. The day for that is long past.
The U.S. still can’t see it, though. Even this administration, which has been accused (falsely) of being dominated by a neoconservative cabal of war hawk Jews, does not give Israel full support in fighting its own war on terror. The State Department’s timidity in recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself is yet another example of the brilliant PR that Yassir Arafat has managed to pull off over the last 50 years.
The Palestinian Authority really has been picture – perfect in its manipulation of the West. Despite the fact that it is the PA and the PLO that are encouraging, supporting and funding most, if not all, of the terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians, the U.S. is still so very adamant about not offending them. Most retaliation and acts of self-defense that Israel engages in after a suicide bombing or other terrorist attack are condemned by the United States. For all our vows of fighting the war on terror worldwide, we are hideously insensitive the one being fought by our closest ally in the Middle East and one of our closest allies worldwide.
We are continuing to teach the new administration within Palestine (to the extent that it can be called new, considering that it is comprised of the same men who’ve been around Palestinian politics for the last several decades) that they can use the same old tricks to lead the United States around by the nose. The drama always plays out in the same way: the PLO, PA, Hamas, or Hezbollah attacks, Israel retaliates; the U.S. condemns Hamas for the terrorist attacks and then condemns Israel for their defense of themselves. It’s the same old song and dance routine. When will the U.S. get tired of it? It’s the never ending cycle that always ends right back up at the beginning again.
Now President Bush is urging all nations “to fight off terror, to cut off money to organizations such as Hamas, to isolate those who hate so much that they're willing to kill to stop peace from going forward." Good, excellent advice – advice that should be taken. However, the U.S. is castrating Israel by condemning their actions – the very actions that Israel sees as necessary for its survival and the safety of its people.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay summed up what the United States’ attitude should be when he stated: “If (Abbas) doesn't destroy terrorists and their infrastructure, Israel must. And make no mistake: America must stand by Israel as it fights its own war on terror."
It’s a simple statement – but perfect in its simplicity. We do not have to fight Israel’s war for them, but we have no right to hold them back from fighting it themselves.
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