Originally posted by: LilBlinbBlahIce
Originally posted by: Dari
Risking Wrath of Israel, President Bush is Warm to Unofficial Peace Plan
Wrath, what wrath? Israel can't do a damn thing. If we wanted to, we can force-feed her that "peace plan" they hatched together in Geneva. IMHO, it's time for Sharon to go. He's had a good three years and hasn't moved an inch in terms of peace with the Palestinians. He's turning out to be as worthless as Arafat. I'm sure people on both sides are tired of war and want a long and overdued peace that will bring about economic prosperity, among other things. Furthermore, it will cool things off between Israel and her arab neighbors. This will push the extremists further from the mainstream and bring about a quieter and less emotionally-charged Mid-East. Like I said earlier this year, peace in the Middle East goes through Baghdad. Now that that Arab capital has been captured, occupied, and (eventually) release to the natives, it's time to put Israel on a firm leash and put out her fire.
One of the few times I agree with you Dari. Israel cannot do a damn thing, but that doesn't matter. NO polititian will risk the political suicide of daring to question or in any manner interfere with Israel, least of all the President. It would spell the end of their political career. AIPAC is the second strongest lobby in the US after the AARP. Can you imagine the second most powerful lobby in the US not having a damn thing to do with the US? That's the reality of it, Israel has us by the proverbial leash.
I agree that AIPAC is strong. I've seen it function at the micro-level and its amazing how every topic is covered and how the networking plays out. However, there are about 4 million jews in America, 25% of whom live in NYC alone. To get rid of Sharon, it's imperative to work with such a lobby rather than against. Furthermore, as the US gets more intimate with Iraq in particular, and Arabs in general, the love-in between America and Israel will die out as the security infrastructure does the job of putting 9/11 further in the back of Americans. If anything, Americans will get better at distinguishing between legitimate resistance, inept (corrupt) government, and Islamic terrorism. IMHO, 9/11 was probably the climax of US-Israeli relations. The status of Israel will (eventually) fall down to earth as Republicans go back to their old ways of caring more about US-Arab relations than Israelis, which has been the redoubt of Democrats. In terms of Arab-American relations, we are simply too close to the core to be told how Arabs think (by a third party, Israel). In essence, by invading Iraq, we are shutting the Israelis out of how the Middle East will largely be shaped.
Shoving a peace plan down the throat of the Israelis will give Islamic terrorists less of an excuse to attack and be relegated to the fringe. In the end, Israel's security won't be a major issue anymore and we will see to it that everyone plays nice.
Should all that come about, AIPAC's influence will decline and America will move on.
EDIT: Of course, I doubt that AIPAC or Sharon want to see this outcome. Unfortunately, for them, the worst is over (I hope). Another 9/11 won't re-ignite the love-in between America and Israel. Days of anger and stubbornness are over. Understanding and hard work (of reformation) is in order.