Agree or disagree? Pull ALL foreign aid to the Middle east region?

[Sikboy]

Originally posted by Toad
I think even the Arab nations have finally figured out that open armed conflict with Israel is not in their own best interest.

Yep. That's the one thing in all of the middle east discussion that I agree with 100%

[AKDejaVu]

Originally posted by Toad
Deja, however many days it takes those 4 nations to gear up and attack.. it'll be far fewer days before the survivors make it back to their home countries..... assuming the home countries are still there and not glowing in the dark. I think even the Arab nations have finally figured out that open armed conflict with Israel is not in their own best interest.

Don't know toad... I almost get the feeling they wouldn't stop until they were all dead this time... including the remaining nations not on Isreal's border.

sorry... but I don't see that as a good thing.

AKDejaVu

[Maverick]

Disagree. Equivalent to cutting off ones nose to spite your face. Very simplistic attempt to call an action a "solution".

[Eagler]

Originally posted by AKDejaVu
Don't know toad... I almost get the feeling they wouldn't stop until they were all dead this time... including the remaining nations not on Isreal's border.

sorry... but I don't see that as a good thing.

AKDejaVu

And the US would be blamed one way or another for whatever action Israel took in that scenerio, just as we are held accountable for their actions now.
At least now they are on some sort of leash, a very long leash but a leash all the same... remove that barrier and Israel would be the pit bull of the Middle East and we'd be the owner responsible ....

[Fishu]

1. make some cuts in the relationship with israel
2. give palestinians their independent palestinia if biggest 'terrorist' groups there agrees to drop hostiles with israel
3. build up 'berlin wall' between israel and palestinians.
4. do same with palestinians as with egypt - give them money as long as they don't mess up with israelis.


if that all fails, then should proceed with step 5:
promise to make a big parking lot between israel and palestinians.
This should keep them happy for the next 1000 years at least.

[Toad]

1. Agree. Long overdue. BIG cuts.

2. They'll initially smile and agree and then go back to strapping dynamite on their children and sending them off to collect the "martyr" bonus money. What then?

3. Check the map. You're going to end up with lots of walls and most of them will be around Palestinians, not vice versa. Still OK?

4. Ah, the old "US buys peace" trick. Yes, it seems to work, somewhat. How much you think the rest of the world would be willing to toss in this time?

5. No, no, no... you can't say "nuke".  Never Ever.

[Hangtime]

nuke, nuke, nuke, nuke, nuke... fek it, nuke 'em all; cause they gonna nuke us fer sure if they get the chance...


pffffffsshhhffftt!

 

[Toad]

Originally posted by Hangtime
nuke, nuke, nuke, nuke, nuke... fek it, nuke 'em all; cause they gonna nuke us fer sure if they get the chance...


pffffffsshhhffftt!

 

I'm sure that's merely more of your US paranoia.


Wait... if they REALLY ARE out to get you.. .are you paranoid?  

[Krusher]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Shy of becoming isolationists as we did from '35-41, anyone from the US agree with me that we should pull all foreign aid to the middle east?
 

In my opinion if aid to Israel was cut off you would have a major war there within days of the announcement. It would be counter productive to say the least and lead to a economic disaster for Europe when fuel prices went wild. America would not be immune to the economic plunge and we all know what happens when the USA has an "oil problem", the war would only get larger.

There is one hell of a lot of people in the mid-east that are hoping for a scenario that would lead directly to a large war? Bin Laden has been planning for years to start world war three and he sure isn't alone.

In my opinion, I say we continue to back the only "True" democracy in the area. We must continue to actively participate in some sort of peace process. Europe can continue to play devils advocate if the want to, its their right and it may actually help in the long run. Like the USA they (israel) aint perfect, but if you were moving to the Mid East, what country would you be able to live in and still maintain a similar life style to what you are used to?

Israel has multiple political parties and free elections. The majority of the Arab led countries have one party and free elections. Israel has a free press, name one other country in the area that doesn't have a "state sponsored" press? Israel actually has opposition parties and are actively debating the governments policy towards the PLO. Name the PLO's opposition party and its leader? Name the opposition party in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, etc.

Not to mention, Israel has 2.4 million internet connections, more than the rest of the Mid east combined. Try playing Aces High in Syria or Iraq .

Peace is a process not a end game, it isnt going to come over night . Both sides will have to work at it even after the "homicde bombers" and the Israeli tanks have stopped. The USA must be a part of that process because we all know nobody but the USA can twist the arms to do it. But cutting off funds isnt one of the arm twisting techniques we can use.

[fdiron]

I think we should INCREASE aid to Israel and support any decisions they make.  Its time for those racists Arabs to realize Israel isnt going to leave.

[~Caligula~]

Right on