Quote from dddooo:
Don't confuse the far right with white supremacists and racists. Besides the moderate right also supports Israel, so does the "liberal" right.
I am not aware of any mainstream democrat (I am sure you can come up with two or three examples though) who does not support Israel. Of course there are left wing whackos (i.e. A.N.S.W.E.R) just like there are right wing whackos (white supremacists etc) but their influence in both parties is virtually non-existent. Going forward I am much more concerned with people like you who are quite capable of making a u-turn on this or any other issue as soon as new marching orders arrive.
Well until someone convinces me Jesus H. Christ wasn't King of the Jews, me and my brethren will be supporting Israel. Until someone convinces me that Jim Jones isn't somehow related to Mohammed, I'll be supporting Israel. That support globally is razor thin and at some point nationally it will be thin. Why is Israel suddenly on the offensive? Because Israel knows that after the November Congressionals some key hawks Stateside could be missing from office. Not to mention the wild-card that if they wait, the Democrats run some left wing kook and actually take over the White House.
Why are most moderate Congressional Democrats still in support of Israel? Because something like 14 of the largest 25 Federal campaign contributors in 2004 happened to be Jewish. Also about 75% of the Jewish vote in any election goes to Democrats. So yea, even those diversity minded, deep-down sympathetic to the terrorists, anti-Imperialist America Democrats are scared to kill that golden-goose. But the rank and file Democrats? Fugedibowdit. Blacks? Get real. They look upon every dollar that goes to Israel or to our military as a sip of Ripple yanked from their mouth. The suburban, secular, weekend sandal wearing, Volvo driving, Whole foods left? They ain't with you. I already see today, the Chris Dodd's of the world speaking about "negotiation", "engaging these groups", ect. Tepid support indeed.
He makes factual points. Israel would wither and die without U.S. support.[/b]
That's not a factual point, that's a mere speculation and probably a wrong one too. Do you think Israel does not have enough nuclear and conventional military power to defend herself, do you really think that 2.5 billion dollars of the US aid are so vital for a 130 billion dollar economy? And there is no bilateral "an attack on one is an attack on both" agreement between the US and Israel either so Israel's enemies have nothing to worry about.
........the US aid was extremely important before, certainly more important than it is now, but it was not crucial. Moreover on more than one occasion the US meddled in Israeli wars, if this country did not stop Israel in 1967 they'd now be speaking Hebrew in Kairo. Read some history books.
No I don't think Israel is strong enough militarily to defend herself. If Israel thought she could take on the region in a Pan-Arab war I suspect she'd have preemptively started one by now.
Israel's like the fairly tough kid who's being harassed by a gang. Perhaps individually he can whip the kids named Syria and Lebanon. After-all Egypt and Jordan are kinda friendly to him now at lunch. But can he kick ALL their asses? Doubtful. Luckily though, the toughest guy in school is America and America's dad works for Israel's dad down at the plant. For his Father's sake, America will whip the lot of them for Izzy. Problem is every couple of years America transfers schools. I'd look out after '08.
