Romney's remarks infuriates Palestinians

[nehalem256]

Governor Romney is as much of a flip-flopper (if not more so) as Senator Kerry

We should rename flip-flopping to "Pulling a Mitt"

 

[Throckmorton]

Romney will say anything to curry favor with anyone. Suddenly, socialized medicine is great, if he's making a speech in a country with socialized medicine.

That said, I have to take issue with the reaction from the Palestinians:



While this blaming of Israel for all their problems is predictable, one has to wonder why the rest of the Arab world is living in similarly poor conditions, in fact generally somewhat worse than the Arabs in the West Bank. Israel isn't occupying the entirety of the middle east. I'm afraid that while Romney may be doing his usual pandering here, there is an element of truth in what he says.

- wolf

The rest of the Middle East isn't in the same condition.

 

[EagleKeeper]

The rest of the Middle East isn't in the same condition.

They do not have some one they hate coddling them.

Yet their living conditions are still much worse.

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

They do not have some one they hate coddling them.

Yet their living conditions are still much worse.

The depth of ignorance in this post is remarkable. Per GDP, Saudia Arabia is 23rd worldwide, 10 places ahead of U.A.E. and a distant 17 places ahead of Israel itself. And being a past citizen of multiple gulf countries, I can tell you a substantial number of gulf nationals live better lives than most Americans.

If this thread was about the extravagant display of wealth on UAE/Jeddah roads by Emirati/Saudi youths, you'd be crying 'oil money'.

Also, what do you think accounts for the high rates of Palestinian emigration?

 

[cybrsage]

Guys who didn't even read the OP's link wade right in. Well, knee-jerk right in would be more accurate.

And you have the nerve to speak of others' hatred...

I did read it, and I do not hate the Palestinians. I realize you need to believe I hate them in order to allow your warped world view to survive intanct, though. Personally, I think the Palestinians are doomed due to the hatred of their leaders. HAMAS has already terrorized their own people to ensure they do not try and stop the hatred (the killings following the HAMAS-FATAH split show that quite well).

The common Palestinians is like everyone else on the planet. Their leaders, though, hate the Israelis more than they love their own people. Until this changes, they will continue to keep their people in misery.

 

[cybrsage]

The rest of the Middle East isn't in the same condition.

The depth of ignorance in this post is remarkable. Per GDP, Saudia Arabia is 23rd worldwide, 10 places ahead of U.A.E. and a distant 17 places ahead of Israel itself. And being a past citizen of multiple gulf countries, I can tell you a substantial number of gulf nationals live better lives than most Americans.

CountryPer Capita GDP [Adjusted $]
UAE 29,100
Qatar 26,100
Kuwait 22,800
Israel 22,300
Bahrain 20,500
Oman 13,400
Saudi Arabia 12,900
Libya 8,400
Iran 8,100
Turkey 7,900
Tunisia 7,600
Algeria 7,200
Lebanon 5,300
Jordan 4,800
Egypt 4,400
Morocco 4,300
Iraq 3,400
Syria 3,400
Sudan 2,100
Yemen 800
Palestine ~6624

http://mideastweb.org/economy.htm

I removed a bunch of columns and sorted by Per Capita GDP. Israel is fourth in the list.

 

[EagleKeeper]

The depth of ignorance in this post is remarkable. Per GDP, Saudia Arabia is 23rd worldwide, 10 places ahead of U.A.E. and a distant 17 places ahead of Israel itself. And being a past citizen of multiple gulf countries, I can tell you a substantial number of gulf nationals live better lives than most Americans.

If this thread was about the extravagant display of wealth on UAE/Jeddah roads by Emirati/Saudi youths, you'd be crying 'oil money'.

Also, what do you think accounts for the high rates of Palestinian emigration?

GDP is not the same living conditions for it's population.

Any many of the gulf nations utilize the equivalent of slaves to support their standard of living.

Also, when did the gulf nations start becoming considered part of the ME?

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

http://mideastweb.org/economy.htm

I removed a bunch of columns and sorted by Per Capita GDP. Israel is fourth in the list.

My source (2010 UN) provided GDP w/o adjustment for cost of living. But yours is calculated as poplulation times wealth per capita. Thus UAE/Qatar/Kuwait, having smaller wealthier populations are placed higher.

Any armed uprising towards occupation has been labeled as a fight for freedom. Interesting that Israel is granted the right to quell palestinian rebels and citizens while calling them terrorists.

 

[cybrsage]

All nations are allowed to quell rebels. You really did not know this?

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

GDP is not the same living conditions for it's population.

Any many of the gulf nations utilize the equivalent of slaves to support their standard of living.

Also, when did the gulf nations start becoming considered part of the ME?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East

Persian Gulf, lrn2geography

Slaves? you mean expatriates? Its only natual that the infrastructure and development of these nations rely on foreign expertise, obtained at little expense from third world countries.

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

All nations are allowed to quell rebels. You really did not know this?

Where is the line of demarcation between terrorism and struggle for freedom? please enlighten me.

Why is any form of resistance by Palestinians to Israeli occupation marked as terrorism by the Western globe?

 

[cybrsage]

Where is the line of demarcation between terrorism and struggle for freedom? please enlighten me.

Why is any form of resistance by Palestinians to Israeli occupation marked as terrorism by the Western globe?

That is easy. Freedom Fighters do not slaughter civilians while terrorists do. If HAMAS only attacked Israeli military and government centers, then they could be freedom fighters. Instead, they shoot anti-tank rockets at school buses.

The line is pretty easy to see and HAMAS is well over it into the terrorist side.

 

[EagleKeeper]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East

Persian Gulf, lrn2geography

Slaves? you mean expatriates? Its only natual that the infrastructure and development of these nations rely on foreign expertise, obtained at little expense from third world countries.

Slaves - the locals retain the passports of the foreign nationals that perform the menial tasks.

They are not allowed to leave, physically abused and wages are minimal such that very little can be sent back to the original family (which was the original intent - work overseas to support the family back home)


Middle East is terms of politically orientation vs geographic orientation.

turkey on the North
Libya on the East
Iraq/Iran on the West
Saudi on the South

Nations along the Persian gulf, Gulf of Oman and gulf of Aden are not normally considered to be involved in the ME politics as it ties to Israel.

 

[fskimospy]

Slaves - the locals retain the passports of the foreign nationals that perform the menial tasks.

They are not allowed to leave, physically abused and wages are minimal such that very little can be sent back to the original family (which was the original intent - work overseas to support the family back home)


Middle East is terms of politically orientation vs geographic orientation.

turkey on the North
Libya on the East
Iraq/Iran on the West
Saudi on the South

Nations along the Persian gulf, Gulf of Oman and gulf of Aden are not normally considered to be involved in the ME politics as it ties to Israel.

I have to say I've never seen a definition of the Middle East of any kind that did not include the gulf states.

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

Slaves - the locals retain the passports of the foreign nationals that perform the menial tasks.

They are not allowed to leave, physically abused and wages are minimal such that very little can be sent back to the original family (which was the original intent - work overseas to support the family back home)


Middle East is terms of politically orientation vs geographic orientation.

turkey on the North
Libya on the East
Iraq/Iran on the West
Saudi on the South

Nations along the Persian gulf, Gulf of Oman and gulf of Aden are not normally considered to be involved in the ME politics as it ties to Israel.

East and West mixed up there. And your view of the middle east is focused upon Palestine/Israel by a political lens.

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

That is easy. Freedom Fighters do not slaughter civilians while terrorists do. If HAMAS only attacked Israeli military and government centers, then they could be freedom fighters. Instead, they shoot anti-tank rockets at school buses.

The line is pretty easy to see and HAMAS is well over it into the terrorist side.

But eliminating citizens with American-sponsored military weaponry is perfectly acceptable.

Killing children in the so-called 'process of terrorist elimination' is perfectly acceptable.

Placing Barricades and effectively controlling the travel and movement of citizens?

Forcefully ejecting Palestinians from their property at gunpoint? Perfectly acceptable.

 

[EagleKeeper]

East and West mixed up there. And your view of the middle east is focused upon Palestine/Israel by a political lens.

with respect to this thread - yes

 

[EagleKeeper]

But eliminating citizens with American-sponsored military weaponry is perfectly acceptable.

Killing children in the so-called 'process of terrorist elimination' is perfectly acceptable.

Placing Barricades and effectively controlling the travel and movement of citizens?

Forcefully ejecting Palestinians from their property at gunpoint? Perfectly acceptable.

and if the Arabs had succeeded in '48 or the other wars using the Soviet weaponry; then what?

the Palestinians made their bed; changed the sheets multiple times; had a chance when under Arab control and defaulted.

 

[lOl_lol_lOl]

with respect to this thread - yes

If your knowledge of the middle east is restricted to two nations, then there is no point commenting inaccurately on the other mid-east states. But you should genuinely visit the UAE or maybe even Saudia, its not as half-bad as you think it is.

And Yishuv forces that fought the 48 war obtained weapons from guess where, Czechoslovakia. It does not provide justification for the current, continued expulsion of Palestinians from their land and their elimination with US weapons.

 

[HomerJS]

He is right. The Palestinian culture is one of death and hate...which is reflected in their economy. When the Palestinians start loving their own children more than they hate the Isralies, things will start to improve for them.

Only an idiot or a total suckup to the hard right would say that kind of thing in public. Hey Mittens you do know diplomacy is required with the Palistineans for any sort of peace to work?

BTW - He denied he referred to their culture but days later doubled down on the culture talk. Does this guy know what he's doing??

 

[EagleKeeper]

If your knowledge of the middle east is restricted to two nations, then there is no point commenting inaccurately on the other mid-east states. But you should genuinely visit the UAE or maybe even Saudia, its not as half-bad as you think it is.

And Yishuv forces that fought the 48 war obtained weapons from guess where, Czechoslovakia. It does not provide justification for the current, continued expulsion of Palestinians from their land and their elimination with US weapons.

Knowledge of other geographical ME nations comes from exposure to other people who have lived, worked there.

all I am stating w/ respect to the ME wars is the Palestinians made their bed; they had their chance; blew it multiple times and still complain that they are getting the shaft.
Yet they are more than willing to provide a worse fate to Israel and have demonstrated such.

Therefore I shed no tears for their plight until then reverse their course.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Only an idiot or a total suckup to the hard right would say that kind of thing in public. Hey Mittens you do know diplomacy is required with the Palistineans for any sort of peace to work?

BTW - He denied he referred to their culture but days later doubled down on the culture talk. Does this guy know what he's doing??

Diplomacy has failed already. People still think that beating a dead horse will get it to pull the wagon.

 

[Dari]

http://mideastweb.org/economy.htm

I removed a bunch of columns and sorted by Per Capita GDP. Israel is fourth in the list.

Is that a straight average or weighted? I think Israel would be on top if it was weighted but I don't know.

 

[Lemon law]

In my mind, The Romney sin was not in per say offending the British or Palestinians. The Romney sin in Israel more lies in the area of engaging in a bidding war and changing long term US foreign policy doctrines dating back 50 years or more. Very Very irresponsible on the part of Romney in my humble opinion.

Its always been the position of the US State Department that Israel can't have its capital as Jerusalem because Israel does not own all of it and never will. And if the US shows too big of a pro-Israeli bias, it inevitably will cost the USA far more in losing any remaining good will from 300 million Arabs and another 1.2 Billion Muslims.

And as Mitt has discovered already, his overseas trips designed to show off his foreign policy credentials has back fired on Romney instead.