Israelis flip Bush the bird, demolishing another wingnut war myth in the process
Published by punkass marc January 14th, 2007 in Imperialism for Dummies, Lick My Jackboots of LoveWhen all other logic fails, most conservatives fall back on one last trope to defend US aggression in the Middle East: we’ve got to protect Israel from all the big, bad Islamofascists. Opposition to the war in Iraq has been equated with anti-Semitism by the Right, and no small number of liberals have had to defend themselves from these absurd accusations.
Republicans often play up our war-keeping efforts as selfless acts of protection for the Israeli people. Unfortunately, we’ve actually worsened security conditions for Israel, and Israelis have picked up on the cruel joke:
After years of supporting the Bush administration’s policy in the Middle East, a growing number of Israelis are openly criticizing the United States for creating more, not less, danger for Israel.
Israeli experts contend that American policies have destabilized Iraq, emboldened anti-Western forces from Iran to Lebanon and paved the way for militant Islamists to gain control of the Palestinian Authority.
2006 was a landmark year in the destabilization of one of the least stable regions in the world, but, for some reason, Israelis aren’t appreciative of this generous gift we’ve bestowed upon their people. They’re even annoyed with our newest stocking stuffer, the fabled Troop Increase:
Perhaps most strikingly, in their annual evaluation of the situation, the Israeli analysts concluded that it was better for the United States to get out of Iraq than to add troops, as President Bush is proposing.
“There’s no Israeli interest being served by continued American presence in Iraq,” said Mark A. Heller, a Jaffee Center researcher who helped produce the group’s annual “Middle East Strategic Balance” report.
I can hear the conservatives now: “Ingrates! How dare they tell us what’s best for them. They should bend over and accept the glorious shaft of American protection!” Indeed, nobody fucks their friends quite like the US these days. [Just ask Tony Blair.]
Wingnuts also screech about our need to balance Iran, but some Israelis know full well we’ve actually enabled Iran’s Will to Power:
But a growing number of Israeli experts now think that U.S. policy has backfired. The threat from Saddam’s army has been replaced by the dangers of a volatile civil war that threatens to spill over Iraq’s borders. By ousting both Saddam and the Taliban, the United States eliminated two major counterbalances to Iran, which now enjoys growing power and influence.
You’d think right-wingers would eventually pick up on the idea that *maybe* it’s a little bit hard to shape, or even predict, the destiny of other countries. Instead, they continue to play the controlling father, treating the Middle East like their collection of unruly kids, each of whom will be tamed with a heavy dose of the Good Book and the belt.
Republicans have held up Israel as the favored child, but it turns out daddy’s favorite isn’t such a big fan of the abuse, either.
You’d think right-wingers would eventually pick up on the idea that *maybe* it’s a little bit hard to shape, or even predict, the destiny of other countries.
Apropos of nothing:
In Eddie We Trust.
I predict this latest salvo of ingratitude will fail to penetrate the thick wingnut skull. Hell, Bush still believes “most Iraqis” are grateful for our invading their country, killing hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens and plunging their nation into a murderous civil war. He says so in his 60 Minutes interview.
Eh, what do the Israelis want with self-determination anyway?
The threat from Saddam’s army
Wasn’t that the army we trashed with barely any losses whatsoever? Hasn’t the one thing that’s come out of this conflict been the fact that Saddam had no military power outside his country, and has in fact had less and less such power ever since the invasion of kuwait over stepped the bounds of the american friendship we had with saddam, all been made painfully clear.
And since when have we gotten rid of the taliban? We evicted them from power in afghanistan and now they’re just hanging around outside, smoking cigarettes and taking dumps on the porch until we leave the country.