Israel has been and always will be a special ally of the United States. As allies we have a responsibility to stand with each other during crisis, and more importantly restrain each other when one oversteps boundaries. By holding its tongue while Israel kills hundreds of innocents in its pursuit of Hezbollah, the U.S. confirms the Muslim world's perception that we value some lives more than others. Furthermore, we undermine our own ambitions to bring democracy to the Middle East.
America holds itself to a high moral standard, and we demand no less from our allies. There are occasions when I believe the Bush administration has overstepped traditional moral boundaries, and as a patriot, I speak out, hoping my words reverberate in our leaders' conscious.
2006-07-27
Even Handkerchief-head Negro Williams Urges Israeli Restraint
From Armstrong Williams:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I think this is an acceptable statement. I don't agree with it completely, but it's civil and well thought out.
I enjoy how Nadir calls the guy special names because he's black and disagrees with Nadir on how to improve the success of black folks in America in 2006. If Williams was white, Nadir would call him a racist. But he's black, so he's a "hankerchief-head negro."
To Williams' point: I respect Williams because I believe that he wants the trioka of freedom/democracy/prosperity for all nations and peoples in Arabia. And he may well be right that Isreal should just accept daily missle shots with occassional deaths and soldier-capturing for the next 20 years or so. This strategy did eventually work in Northern Ireland, where Nadir's and my violently retarded honkey cousins finally lost support as people realized that they could have have freedom/decmocracy/prosperity by focusing on their school work, careers, homes, and families even as members of Britain.
It may be that Isreal's military response has upended the progress occurring in Lebanon, a progress occuring especially in Beruit, which conceivably would have attracted many young people out of the more retarded, backwards areas where Hezbollah is strong. Eventually more and more people may have realized that Isreal is never going to invade, and a rewarding and secure life results not from adhering to 7th century superstitions but rather embracing modern civilization. Now Hezbollah has suckered Isreal into proving its own claimed neccessity: to protect against Isreali invasion. This maybe a brilliant move by the Hezbonazis: Falsely claim that Isreal is a threat, spend however many years attacking Isreal and demanding its destruction, then when Isreal finally counter-attacks, claim: See, we told you that Isreal was a threat.
Isreal now has many more civillian and soldier deaths than it would in several years of Hezbollah attacks, and Lebanon's progress towards a free, capitalist society has halted and contracted. For the forseeable future, what positive force now can attract young Lebonese in the Hezbollah areas?
I present this thought process of mine to Nadir and Tom, so that they can gain some idea of what it's like to subject your own views to critical analysis. This is far from the first time I've questioned myself and argued on behalf of views that I've already opposed. And if I change my position here, that won't be the first time, either.
What I'm waiting for is Tom or Nadir to ever be less than 100% certain of themselves on any issue, to ever argue against their own position, and to shift their position on anything. I'm certain that Nadir's first view on, say, School Vouchers was (like mine) anti. And it's always been anti, and will be anti when he dies. Yet since he formed that first conclusion on this topic, he's read many books, encountered many people, and endured many experiances... all of which seem to have merely confirmed his initial conclusion. So, Nadir, what's the point of you ever even reading or discussing anything since every position you ever form initially is already perfect?
Paul said:
"Now Hezbollah has suckered Isreal into proving its own claimed neccessity: to protect against Isreali invasion. This maybe a brilliant move by the Hezbonazis: Falsely claim that Isreal is a threat, spend however many years attacking Isreal and demanding its destruction, then when Isreal finally counter-attacks, claim: See, we told you that Isreal was a threat."
I'm sad to say Paul that I think this is a pretty-darn accurate assessment of the situation.
"I enjoy how Nadir calls the guy special names because he's black and disagrees with Nadir on how to improve the success of black folks in America in 2006."
I call Armstrong Williams a "handkerchief head negro" because he has been caught taking money from "Massa Bush" to sell a program that has proved detrimental to poor people and blacks in particular. In most cases, I would probably call him a black conservative, but I called him a "handkerchief head negro" for you, Paul. I know how you love name calling when you're the one doing it.
"So, Nadir, what's the point of you ever even reading or discussing anything since every position you ever form initially is already perfect?"
I would never state that every position I've formed initially was perfect. Paul, I've revealed to you the opinion I had of YOU the first night we met, but I changed my mind after seeing you in a real situation away from your silly friends, Richard and Ray Ray.
I constantly challenge my own views depending on the situation. My wife accuses me of "riding the fence" on issues quite often because of my ability to see both sides of the story.
So let me lay it out for you:
Hezbollah and Hamas are legitimate resistance organizations that often use terror as a tactic. I DO NOT condone the use of violence against civilians by anyone for any political reason. HOWEVER, Israel's response to the legitimate capture of Israeli troops, ACROSS THE BORDERS mind you, was EXTREMELY disproportionate. Again, I DO NOT condone the use of violence against civilians by anyone for any political reason.
Hezbollah does hide some weapons within civilian areas. The nature of a guerrilla force is that it is often hidden within or is a part of the general populace. HOWEVER, Israel's attacks on civilian targets have been COMPLETELY disproportionate. Attacking Christian East Beriut, for instance, where no Hezbollah exists is over the top. Attacking ambulances driving injured civilians to the hospital is over the top. Dropping leaflets and telling people to leave their homes and then bombing them on the escape routes, bombing the roads and bombing the bridges is WAY OVER THE TOP.
The US has a right to sell arms to a nation that is trying to defend itself, but I REJECT ANY NOTION THAT ISRAEL'S ACTIONS ARE SELF-DEFENSE. It is aggressive action against innocent civilians. Period.
The attacking of a UN observation station is UNCALLED FOR. Especially when the station alerted Israel that it was a UN operation. The fact that Hezbollah was firing in the vicinity does not excuse Israel's use of LASER-GUIDED WEAPONS which COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE MISSED THEIR TARGET. That bombing was deliberate. Period.
On school vouchers, which I guess is remotely related to Armstrong Williams, I believe it would be better to radically reform/revolutionize the public education system instead of giving that money to private schools and corporations that, recent studies show, don't do a better job of educating poor children.
I believe that radical changes to the education system implementing many of the principles we espouse in the (defunct?) Ben Carson Scholars program would revolutionize schooling and eliminate the need for vouchers. Make public schools better. Don't give the money to rich corporations that don't need it.
Now, granted the schools seem to be getting worse, not better. No political will currently exists to change schools in many government houses. So I would admit that it is not out of the realm of possibilities that I might support a voucher system for practical reasons though I am patently opposed to it in principle.
Are you happy, Paul?
Post a Comment