Dabanshee.... a couple of thoughts on your post. First of all, while i think it is fair to honestly discuss whether U.S. policy vis a vis Israel should change going forward, some of the other points brought up in the article aren't so worthy. The establishment of the state of Israel, and the foreign aid the U.S. has provided to it up to the current day are a fait accompli. Whether or not anyone feels that Israel is "legitimate" or not, is a nice theoretical exercise (perhaps), but is only that. Then again, that gets away from the core discussion of what our Middle East policies, specifically concerning Israel, should be NOW. Truman's reasoning for supporting an Israeli state has about as much bearing on this question, as his reasons for dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, has on modern day Japan-U.S. trade issues.
Secondly, pointing out atrocities on either side is of limited use, because i think almost all could agree that there have been more than enough sad episodes in the area to go around. I don't think any government or peoples have been covered in glory reflecting a purity of virtue or actions, when it comes to the Middle East.
In certain ways, i do feel bad for the Palestinian peoples. Even those whom one would consider a natural friend of the Palestinian cause have mostly used them as pawns in a larger power struggle. If the true crux of the issue was simply one of real estate to house the Palestinians, then the Arabs have not exactly covered themselves in glory either. I don't think i've ever heard of Jordan, Syria, or any other country, making available a realistic alternative for Palestinian displaced peoples. It's not as if population density is hitting critical mass on the Arabian penninsula. Maybe it's not exactly Maui were talking about, but there IS land there that could be offered to the Palestinians.
Trying to quantify how much "value" gets from foreign aid is perhaps a quixotic exercise. To show you what i mean, how much do you think it was "worth" spending for the United States to win the Cold War? Similarly, i don't know if you can put a price tag on aid to Israel, and see whether we have gotten our money's worth. Evidently, most U.S. Presidents and the Congress have evidently felt that it was worth the price to ensure a fairly stable and reliable ally in the region. You might disagree, but democracy over time is the surest way to ensure that the ultimate wishes of the people are recognized. For right or wrong is for each of us to decide, but i think it does reflect an overall concensus of the American people, that Israel is worth spending foreign aid money on.
