I think Shingo, granpaw and Inherit the wind (A wonderful Moniker) should take a page from the resolute young ‘uns of Araby and blow themselves up.

Who cares where.

Fareed ‘Freaky Deaky’ Zakaria of the Council on Foreign Relations and presently hosting a CNN Sunday morning show called ‘GPS’ has taken a lesson from Stephen Colbert’s Comedy Central Show-parody.

Fareed entertained two seemingly un related guests last Sunday.  The first a man reporting on the hellish treatment of some doctor by the Russians.  For example, the doctor was thrown in a cell with four bunks and eight prisoners.  They had to fight over the beds or sleep in shifts.  (Sounds like home.  I grew up in a cottage with 11 children and three bedrooms to divide amongst ourselves.) 
Anyway, the tone and the mood of the interview was what set me off.  How seious can you be?  That was the message. Reaction hoped for: Oh, my God!  The Russians are terrible.

The next guest, an Imam from England, Shaboom Shaboom, I think his name was, is the definition of a CIA asset.  He must’ve been trained in interview techniques at Fox, I would guess.  He was a-hollerin’, but said all the right things to move the case forward for invading Iran. Fareed is no Stephen, but he did throw the Israelis a bone.

All in all, Fareed was loyal to his dual loyalties:  Brzezinski and the CFR and the Zionist, neo conservatives.  Zbig wants to go for the Russians; the neo cons want to go for Iran under the cover of a fear mongering sales pitch about radical Islam.

Johanne McLauglin looked straight into the camera on his show and said Brzezinski is against a surge in Afghanistan.

Well, let me tell you something about strategically making up a baseball team.  Think.  What does a shortstop do?  He doesn’t cover any base, he watches the gap between third and second, left open by the second baseman’s move towards first.

Or take the Designatus Clavitor, the designated hitter of the American League.  He is simply a fabrication of the league to help excite the game by replacing a poor hitting pitcher with a Dominican.

Zbig stepped up and made that statement in the same light, a strategy He wants to deflect war critics and send them off for a news cycle or two with the hope that Mr. Z’s really meant it.

It’s all bullshit and a parody.

Good-bye Freaky Deaky Zakaria and your parody.  Colbert does a much better job at it.

An odd comparison: 

Time magazine says home ownership might not be right for a lot of Americans, but apparently in Israel, stealing land and building homes for squatters is right.

Good for them.  Now, if we can just think of a way to cut taxes, end Social Security and Medicare, end public education and send more of our troops to war, everything will turn out just fine.

By grandpaw, September 6 at 11:02 pm
“I could not find any confirmation that Rubinger has a son in the IDF.  Or indeed that that he even has a son.”

Point taken.  I was referring to Bronner.

“Entrance into the IDF is not by invitation only; the Israelis are drafted into it.”

In the case of American citizens, it is entirely a matter of choice.  Bronner’s son is an American citizen, but chose not to serve in the US military while serving in the Israeli military.

“Rubinger:  The settlers see their presence as a national asset, necessity and obligation, but many other Israelis, to varying degrees, believe the settlements, and all the other legacies of 1967 that have deepened the conflict with the Palestinians, are a national disaster.”

Every Israeli government since 1967 (Labor, Kadima and Likud) has maintained the unconditional policy of subsidizing and protecting settlements. 

“The tail started wagging the dog,” David Rubinger complains bitterly. “Now the tail is so strong the dog can’t move.”

The tail was doing that before Netanyahu came to power.

“That doesn’t sound like a Netanyahu fan to me.”

Right.  He just happened to vote for Netanyah, who ran on a platform rejecting a Palestinian state and knowing full well that Netanyahu was fully supportive of the settlements. That makes Rubinger either a liar, a complete idiot, or both.

“The majority of parents who have children in combat want peace, not war.”

The majority of parents who have children in combat want calm and security. The IDF has never been an instrument for peace.

“I’m sure that if Rubinger had a son in the war, that would be his desire.  He has for some years opposed hard nosed policies and favored a strong effort at peace.”

That depends what you mean by hard nosed policies.  One could easily argue that the occupation itself is a hard nosed policy, but no Isreali party has opposed it since 1967.

“It is unfortunate that some posters make up “facts”.”

What facts have you presented?  You’re simply pondering what Rubinger might feel. 

Perhaps you never learned to tell the difference?

From a poster: “It’s hardly interesting coming from a NYT reporter [David Rubinger] who’s son serves in the IDF.”

1. I could not find any confirmation that Rubinger has a son in the IDF.  Or indeed that that he even has a son.

2. Entrance into the IDF is not by invitation only; the Israelis are drafted into it.

3. Rubinger:  The settlers see their presence as a national asset, necessity and obligation, but many other Israelis, to varying degrees, believe the settlements, and all the other legacies of 1967 that have deepened the conflict with the Palestinians, are a national disaster.
“The settlers see their presence as a national asset, necessity and obligation, but many other Israelis, to varying degrees, believe the settlements, and all the other legacies of 1967 that have deepened the conflict with the Palestinians, are a national disaster.

“The tail started wagging the dog,” David Rubinger complains bitterly. “Now the tail is so strong the dog can’t move.”

That doesn’t sound like a Netanyahu fan to me.

4. The majority of parents who have children in combat want peace, not war.  I’m sure that if Rubinger had a son in the war, that would be his desire.  He has for some years opposed hard nosed policies and favored a strong effort at peace.

It is unfortunate that some posters make up “facts”.

By grandpaw, September 6 at 10:37
“While pessimism understandably abounds in the peace talks, we can only hope that somewhere in those dark clouds will come a spark that will produce a silver lining.”

There’s hope and then there’s suspension of disbelief.

“Here is an interesting approach”

It’s hardly interesting comming from a NYT reporter who’s son serves in the IDF.

The left may want peace but like the right, have always been unqilling to pay the price.  Like I said earlier, Nentyahu’s coalition are far to the right of even Likud.

It’s a certainly that Netnyahu has no interest in creating a Palestinian state.

While pessimism understandably abounds in the peace talks, we can only hope that somewhere in those dark clouds will come a spark that will produce a silver lining.

Factual criticism of Netanyahu is well deserved, and even ranting criticism may serve a good purpose.  It may serve to give him some incentive to prove the critics wrong.

Here is an interesting approach:

“Israeli Peace Effort Rests on Netanyahu
By ETHAN BRONNER
Published: September 1, 2010

“http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/world/middleeast/02israel.html

“JERUSALEM — David Rubinger, one of Israel’s best-known photojournalists and a man firmly on the political left, cast his ballot last year for Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister, the first time he had ever voted for the right-leaning Likud Party.

““The left wants to make peace but cannot, while the right doesn’t want to but, if forced to, can do it,” he said in an interview. “So last year I decided to vote not with my heart but with my head.”

As Mr. Netanyahu joins Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, at the State Department on Thursday to start direct peace negotiations, Mr. Rubinger’s theory — and it is not his alone — will be tested. Will the Israeli leader who built a career opposing a Palestinian state be the one to help bring it into being?”

“Since taking office, Netanyahu has moved his Likud Party squarely into the two-state camp. That’s no mean feat.

It’s also complete rubbish.

Netenyahu came out rejecting a 2 state solution and then, out of political expediency, gave public suport to a distorted and unworkable notion of a 2 state settlement.

Even before the talks with Abbas began, he stated that there was to be no discussion abotu 1967 borders or that the moratorium on settlements building would not be extended.

Both are deal breakers in their own right.

What he means when he says the words “Palestinian state” is that if the Palestinians should wish to call a chain of non-contiguous, demilitarised Bantustans on the remaining land Israel has elected not to annex a “state,” they are welcome to do so, no matter how distasteful the sound.

“Indeed, previous Likud leaders Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert had to leave in order to stake out more centrist positions.”

Sharon never left, he’s still in a coma is he not?

As for staking out a centrist positions, all he had to do was stand still while the rest of the country is moving drastically to the right.

“Netanyahu has taken the party—at least important segments of it—with him in this historic turnaround both for him and his faction.”

Pure fantasy.  Netanyahu has simply repositioned himself to buy more time while Israel steals more land and sees to it that any hope of a Palestinian state is dead and buried.

“He has also removed dozens of security checkpoints on the West Bank, permitting freer movement of people and goods, and helped encourage the dramatic growth spurt in the Palestinian economy.”

Correction.  He’s removed check points to allow the residents of the Israeli settlements to move more freely.  As for the dramatic growth spurt in the Palestinian economy, that too seems a fantasy given that poverty among palestinians in the West Bank is even worse than Gaza, which is under economic blockade.

“And he did what no predecessor ever had, agreeing to a temporary freeze on all new construction in West Bank Jewish settlements.”

And if you belive that, there’s a bridge in Alaska for sale.

Of course, a count of housing starts in the West Bank would exclude areas illegally and unilaterally annexed by Israel, wouldn’t it? And let’s not even begin to try to ferret out what constitutes a “housing start” in the estimation of the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics.

What of Israel’s announcement of 1,600 additional residential units in East Jerusalem during a visit by Joe Biden?  oh tjhat’s right,  Israel doesn’t consider East Jerusalem part of teh West Bank. One wonders if construction of those new housing units has started yet.

“Done at the behest of President Obama, this was intended as a goodwill gesture to help restart peace talks with the Palestinians. The domestic political price that had to be paid didn’t stop Netanyahu.”

That’s rather like praising someone for beating his wife less frequently.  The fact is that Netenyahu has killed the notion of ending settlement gowth and expasion, and killed the idea of 1967 borders. 

Israel has always liked peace talks becasue they can be expooited to buy more time.  But as we’ve seen for decades on end, peace talks are not peace.

I apologize for reposting my comment about Israeli polls.  Childish. I have reported it and hope the moderators will remove it. 

The purpose of my post was prompted this from Shingo:

“When Obama gave his Cairo speech, a speech in which he made a soft ball demand that Israel cease settlement expansion (not even mentioning dismantling settlements), he became public enemy number 1 in Israel, and his approval ratings sank to 4%.
What does that tell us?  That the majority of Israelis support the settlements.”, a rather amazing claim for which I could find no support and therefore think is a false and deceitful claim.

And my purpose was not to criticize Netanyahu, but rather to rebut what I consider to be false information posted by Shingo.

And also to illustrate the unreliability of polls when there are polls that come up with quite inconsistent results.

As far as Netanyahu goes, the article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-harris/is-israeli-prime-minister_b_706067.html gives credit to Netanyahu:

“Since taking office, Netanyahu has moved his Likud Party squarely into the two-state camp. That’s no mean feat. The party fiercely resisted the idea since its inception. Indeed, previous Likud leaders Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert had to leave in order to stake out more centrist positions. Netanyahu has taken the party—at least important segments of it—with him in this historic turnaround both for him and his faction.

“He has also removed dozens of security checkpoints on the West Bank, permitting freer movement of people and goods, and helped encourage the dramatic growth spurt in the Palestinian economy.

“And he did what no predecessor ever had, agreeing to a temporary freeze on all new construction in West Bank Jewish settlements. Done at the behest of President Obama, this was intended as a goodwill gesture to help restart peace talks with the Palestinians. The domestic political price that had to be paid didn’t stop Netanyahu.”

While I side with those who think that Netanyahu has thrown roadblocks into the peace process, I don’t do so with blinders on.  Among other positions which hindered the peace process, for years, he said that the peace process was a waste of time and he rejected a two state solution.

By grandpaw:

““Poll: Majority of Israelis find Obama ‘fair’ or ‘friendly.’
By Matt Duss on Mar 19th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Poll: Majority of Israelis find Obama ‘fair’ or ‘friendly.’

Your poll was dated March, the ones I caited were dated in April and May.

Logic would suggest the ones I cited are more recent.

By grandpaw:

““Poll: Majority of Israelis find Obama ‘fair’ or ‘friendly.’
By Matt Duss on Mar 19th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Poll: Majority of Israelis find Obama ‘fair’ or ‘friendly.’

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reports that, according to a new poll examining Israeli attitudes toward President Obama, “a sweeping majority of Israelis think his treatment of this country [Israel] is friendly and fair.” The poll found that 51 percent of Israelis say Obama is “fair”, and 18 percent say he’s “friendly.” Another 21 percent find him hostile. By comparison, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party is losing ground:

  The paper linked the shift against Likud to frayed relations between Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama over Israel’s continuing settlement expansion in the West Bank, but did not present findings on the Israeli leader’s personal popularity.

  It said a majority of 64 percent felt that the Netanyahu coalition’s policies “do not represent” their wishes.

The poll is the latest evidence rebutting conservative claims that Obama is unpopular in Israel. In December, a poll (pdf) commissioned by the New American Foundation found that 52 percent of Israelis “believe that Obama’s election is good for addressing the world’s problems,” and that Obama had an overall 41 percent favorable/37 percent unfavorable rating, which was stronger than Israeli opinions toward the Israeli Defense and Foreign Ministers.”

By grandpaw, September 5 at 9:19 am

“Pick a poll to your liking.”

Poll: 91% against Obama imposing deal (14 Apr 2010)

Poll: Obama to blame for US-Israel crisis - Israel News, Ynetnews (9 May 2010)

Haaretz poll: 27% of Israelis think Obama is anti-Semitic ...
(19 Mar 2010)

“Poll: Majority of Israelis find Obama ‘fair’ or ‘friendly.’
By Matt Duss on Mar 19th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Poll: Majority of Israelis find Obama ‘fair’ or ‘friendly.’

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reports that, according to a new poll examining Israeli attitudes toward President Obama, “a sweeping majority of Israelis think his treatment of this country [Israel] is friendly and fair.” The poll found that 51 percent of Israelis say Obama is “fair”, and 18 percent say he’s “friendly.” Another 21 percent find him hostile. By comparison, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party is losing ground:

  The paper linked the shift against Likud to frayed relations between Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama over Israel’s continuing settlement expansion in the West Bank, but did not present findings on the Israeli leader’s personal popularity.

  It said a majority of 64 percent felt that the Netanyahu coalition’s policies “do not represent” their wishes.

The poll is the latest evidence rebutting conservative claims that Obama is unpopular in Israel. In December, a poll (pdf) commissioned by the New American Foundation found that 52 percent of Israelis “believe that Obama’s election is good for addressing the world’s problems,” and that Obama had an overall 41 percent favorable/37 percent unfavorable rating, which was stronger than Israeli opinions toward the Israeli Defense and Foreign Ministers.”

Inherit The Wind,

This poll is not a revelation.  When Obama gave his Cairo speech, a speech in which he made a soft ball demand that Israel cease settlement expansion (not even mentioning dismantling settlements), he became public enemy number 1 in Israel, and his approval ratings sank to 4%.
What does that tell us?  That the majority of Israelis support the settlements.

“What happens if you ask the question: Should Israel empty the DISPUTED settlements?”

The same answer, seeing as only Israel refer to occupied territories as DISPUTED.

“What happens if you ask the question: Should Israel cease EXPANDING settlements?”

See above.

“Finally, you presume that this response to this loose and loaded question translates into vast popular support for Netanyahu and his government.  That’s simply flat-out disingenuous on your part because you know he has nowhere near that kind of support, and ONLY maintains power through a coalition.”

Yes, Netanyahu does maintain power through a coalition, and that coalition is made up of parties to the right of Likud.  It’s not as if he formed a coalition with Labor or Kadima.  Face it ITW.  Israel has moved to the right.  The very existence of Netanyahu’s coalition is proof of that.

How the Israelis view Netanyahu is anyone’s guess, but it is a mistake to view Netanyahu as a chosen leaders, so much as the default representative of the Israeli government. 

While it is true that Netanyahu has limited options by siding with the right, I see no reason to believe he would have had it any other way.

Shingo,

You know better than to extrapolate that conclusion from a poll like that. There are more holes in that polling question itself than there are in a tennis racket.

What happens if you ask the question: Should Israel empty the DISPUTED settlements? (then you need to define “disputed”)

What happens if you ask the question: Should Israel cease EXPANDING settlements?

Finally, you presume that this response to this loose and loaded question translates into vast popular support for Netanyahu and his government.  That’s simply flat-out disingenuous on your part because you know he has nowhere near that kind of support, and ONLY maintains power through a coalition.

However, if the Israeli do NOT see Netanyahu as a dead-end, who can only lead to destruction, then the talks are really a waste of time.  I think we both agree that there’s no way Netanyahu will be able to strike ANY deal the Palestinians will accept.  If he does his own party will disown him and possibly assassinate him, so he won’t do that.

By tying himself to the ultra right, Netanyahu has tied his own hands and can do nothing.

Pick a poll to your liking.

“Q: Are you disappointed by Obama’s policy towards Israel?
Disappointed—51%
Not disappointed—41%
Q: Should Israel freeze settlement construction?
Yes—52%
No—43%
Q: Should the illegal outposts be evacuated?
Yes—70%
No—25% “

“A poll by the daily Yediot Ahronot said that 46 percent of respondents support a construction freeze in East Jerusalem, while the figure from a poll commissioned by Haaretz found support for a freeze at 41 percent.”

“Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said Netanyahu should not consent to the American demand to halt all settlement construction, as opposed to 37 percent who said he should.”

The settlers themselves:

“# About 30% are ready to leave settlements in exchange for fair compensation from the Israeli government, but 58% are not willing to consider that.

# About 31% of the settlers refuse to accept a government resolution to evacuate settlements under any conditions. But 58% would accept such a resolution under certain conditions.

# About 16% are willing to live under Palestinian sovereignty and 71% refuse to do so.”

“# About 30% are ready to leave settlements in exchange for fair compensation from the Israeli government, but 58% are not willing to consider that.

# About 31% of the settlers refuse to accept a government resolution to evacuate settlements under any conditions. But 58% would accept such a resolution under certain conditions.

# About 16% are willing to live under Palestinian sovereignty and 71% refuse to do so.”

By Inherit The Wind, September 4 at 4:59 pm
“I have little hope for these peace talks.  My BEST hope is Netanyahu will make SUCH an @$$ of himself that his government will collapse along with his Taliban-like Likud followers, allowing a sane and sound government to finally reign, one that can and WILL negotiate with Abbas in good faith.”

You seem to be clinging to the notion that Netanyahu represents a fringe group in Israel.  A poll recently taken revealed that 67% of Israelis support the settlements. Netanyahu is no longer the leader of a minority.

Garth,
Stop being a chicken and advocate what you REALLY want: for the US and Russia to nuke Israel, and then start rounding up all the Jews in America for a new “final solution”.  That’ll solve all the world’s problems to your dim-wit brain!

I have little hope for these peace talks.  My BEST hope is Netanyahu will make SUCH an @$$ of himself that his government will collapse along with his Taliban-like Likud followers, allowing a sane and sound government to finally reign, one that can and WILL negotiate with Abbas in good faith.

I bet you’re your own GRANDPA,

Where did you read that I was a 66 year-old ex-marine?  It’s no wonder you believe the things you seem to believe.

If you are as old as your moniker implies, then you should be ashamed.  Reading used to be one of the basics.

But back to the Peace Talks,  Israel is already stepping up the building of new settlements in the West Bank.  They have a year to come to some kind of resolution with these talks.  That means the US is telling Benny and the Jets that he has a year to knock it off, or else.  Or else they’ll give him another year.

And Hamas was a creation of the Israelis under Sharon.  A while ago, Israel made a big stink about not dealing with Holacaust deniers and Abbas’s Ph.D thesis was about exactly that subject.  So who’s shitting whom?  Source is Dr. Norman Finkelstein.  Deshowitz’s nemesis.

It looks like these talks have two chances at success:  fat and slim.

All the Holacaust Survivors want to do is wipe out that ‘vermin’, the Palestinians.  After all, they’re dirty, undeducated and multiply like rabbits.  The last point illustrates why the Israelis rule out a one-state solution, emphatically.

It seems all the wanton killing and sitting on motorized military hardware takes its toll on the gonads.  Israeli procreation has not lived up to their ‘wet’ dreams.  That’s why they go looking in Poland, Russia and anywhere for new bodies, new settlers.

Ofersince72,

You should try watching the Washington Journal and stop watching ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog.’

garth, I suppose I could have reported your infantile temper tantrum, but it is too funny for that.  Strange, a 66 year old ex-Marine, and you have yet to grow up.  But you’re of an age where you need to watch your blood pressure, so lighten up.  By the way “66 year old ex-Marine” guarantees nothing.  They can be just as childish as a6 year old wannabe Marine.

* sorry, brought to heel….

And, I’d like to add, it is America that is cowardly
when it comes to standing up for what is morally right.
Nearly all governments whither in front of AIPAC. Even
Obama, who initially tried to stand up to Israel and
AIPAC, was brought to heal with threatening looks of
the almighty AIPAC.

Mr Pfaff

What a load of nonsense!

If you have ever listened to the European press or
the general consensus in Europe, the outcry IN FAVOR
of the Palestinians is overwhelming.

The fact remains that America’s 6 million Jews have
formed an exceptionally powerful lobby (even stronger
than Israel’s 5 million Jewish population) that puts
America firmly in charge of Israel’s destiny. That
isn’t to say that Israel hasn’t been shaken by the
growing voice of European Jews and Rabbis, who have
condemned Israel’s actions, in particular in light of
the attack on Lebanon, the despicable and brutal
attack on Gaza and the completely unjustifiable
attack on the Turkish flotilla (which alone
incidentally disproves your point about cowardice or
indifference in Europe).

Israel only listens to one country, because it has to
- America, the world’s only superpower. Only America
can bring about true justice for the Palestinians,
and that won’t happen until there is the political
will to stand up to AIPAC!

Ofersince72,

Yes, I watch it.  I can doze off while waiting for DemocracyNow! which comes on at 8:00.  It’s good for the health to wake up slowly.

I try to call when I get angry enough, but I’ve never been able to get through.  So I’ve given up and just doze off to sleep til 8:00 am.

Fox, by the way, is sometimes worth watching to see just how crazy these people are.  I worked with several highly educated engineers who I thought were intelligent men until I went to lunch with them, and all they did was repeat the talking points from Fox News.  They swore by it. 
I had no idea what they were saying, so I watched Fox for about 5 minutes.
I realized that this country is in far more trouble than the MSM lets on.

Granpaw,

You sound a lot like another buffoon who tries to comment like a 66 year-old ex-marine.  The difference is that a buffoon tries to amuse, you try to deceive.  You think Americans are as stupid as the rest of the media would like them to be.
Your loyalty is to Israel and then to your brand of America.  Dual citizenship where I comes before A?

The only thing is your and he are not trying to amusing.  As a matteer of fact you are disrespectful to people of the United States and in the World Court you’d be considered a criminal.

If granpaw is an accurate moniker, I think your cranial arteries have hardened.

But then again, maybe it’s male menopause and you have little else to fantasize about.

Crap Garth,  please don’t tell me you watch that

C-Span morning show…...Oh, Oh, OH, HE ha He ha go ho ho

Does anyone else watch that show ???

Do you call in every once in a while Garth?

That is worse than watching Fox news.

One of the guests on Fareed Zakaris’s show on CNN last Sunday, a man nmaed Kaplan admitted that the US’s military power still holds sway over many countries, including:

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Britain, Germany, Poland, Sudan, Australia, Austria, France, and Denmark etc.

But the times they are a’changin.

Our foreign policy of Military Might Makes Right along with Israel’s belligerence makes no sense in the 21st century.

If we follow GRYM’s idea, we’ll be trapped. 

Creating a mess here at home from the ground up and expanding it to a war in the Mid-East with Iran will benefit whom?

The end of neo-colonialism is over.  Business has taken charge.  If you don’t get it, there are still uncharted places in the Northwest where you can hunt with your musket.  Alone.

The days of War are winding down.

It would be interesting to know what garth thinks when he is in a more civil mood.  I consider his prognostications on what will happen at the meeting and 25 cents sufficient to buy quarter’s worth of candy.  But his proposed solution may be worth considering. Here it is:

Did I overlook anything?

Any negotiation that excludes Hamas is pure Kabuki. The purpose of the current
meeting is obvious: to give Israel an opportunity to improve its public image by
appearing amenable to compromise.

Let me tell you how nemesis2010, Spooky-43 and Jeffrey Goldberg are direct descendants of George Jessel.

George Jessel for those of you who do not remember was an Hollywood personality who sounded like Al Jolson.  He’d come on the Johnny Carson show and try to build up good will towards Israel.

He say something like, “An the angshy sfard debew’ed’ll lading smash mshifgas.”  To put it bluntly no one knew what the hell he said.  But the laugh sign went off and the audience responded sometimes with thunderous applause.

I think it was just to get him off the stage.

Well, Spooky-43, nemesis2010, and Jeffrey Goldberg do about as much in the print and the electronic media.

The person, Jeffrey cum Nemesis cum Spooky learned how to write a sentence, and he learned it very well.  But the next step: stringing a series of sentences together into a paragraph that makes a clear coherent point completely escaped him.

Is he a buffoon?

Maybe in the next generation, the Jessel DNA will learn that rather than masking their non-sense, they come out and make the point and stand by it.

I think Spooky-43 needs to have his IQ oil checked.

PS Why do they always try bullshit first?

Mr. Pfaff’s ‘solution’ is right on.  To take it a
step further cut off the $2-3 billions/year the US
presently gives Israel.  (Everyone understands and
reacts to money/bribes - coming or going.)

As it is now, there’s no reason for Netanyahu to
‘give’ the Palestinians anything.  The parallels
between the settlement and take-over of the North
American continent by Europeans and the subsequent
relegating of Native Americans to reservations and
the settlement and take-over of Palestine, whose
people are for all practical purposes in reservations
at this point, are striking. 

(I’m still waiting for any American president to
‘explain’ to the American people why they must send
billions of their dollars per year to a 1st world
country.  I doubt that it’s on the calendar for this,
yet another, negotiating/hohum session.)

Two guests on C-SPAN this morning talked about the up-coming talks.  One was Daniel Levy, speaking for Israel I assume, and a Palestinian, I have already forgotten his name.

The point that the Palestinian kept making was that these talks are different because Obama is going to deal with both parties directly.  He won’t be just a facilitator.

Judging from Obama’s two stances on the Mosque in the High Rise Bosque brouhaha, I can reasonably assume that Obama will tell Netanyahu what he wants to hear, and then tell Abbas what he wants to hear.

It seems that Obama cannot quite grasp the idea that he is the President of United States and the so-called Leadr of the Free World.

Someone more senior with gravitas is going to have to step in and handle this.

H.L. Menckin predicted the election of George Bush many years ago with his warning that someday the Americans would elect a ‘downright idiot.’ 

Now, The real danger seems to have become Obama himself, the one who follows the idiot.

Someone will probably tell Netanyahu that the US will provide the F35 fighters, but that an attack on the nuclear site in Iran is not advised. 

The Russians are assisting the Iranians.  And does anyone dare to remember the file footage of Ariel ‘Atilio’ Sharon stumbling over himself trying to clear a way for Putin during his visit to Israel about five years ago.

The Germans will tell you.  Common sense should tell you, don’t fuck around with the Russians. 

That’s Zbigniew’s entree.

So, Pfaff’s statement might be accurate.

“There is no serious reason to consider this anything other than a political pantomime, although believers—if such remain—may pray for a miracle. The talks are of minor electoral advantage to Obama and the Democrats, and, if they fail, the president cannot be blamed for anything….”

The whole idea is to keep the pot a-simmering, not blow the whole fucking thing up.

“Israeli activities greatly assisted by palestinian violence”.
Pfaff just cannot divest himself of his deep antishemitism.
It would have been by far more descriptive to have limned situation thus: Moral and legal obligation of the palestinians to resist occupation and to retaliate against israeli crimes had been used by crminals to build roads, steal more land, etc.

And, of course, call the talks as war talks which must go on no matter how many shemites of the two cults get killed. tnx

I presume that William’s idea is just to quit trying and concentrate on reporting how many have died.