Romney Comments on Israel

[Sullyute]

Well, when you're hoping to pick up the votes of Jewish Democrats who don't like Obama's foreign policy as it relates to Israel/Middle East, his comments make a lot of sense.

I think that the sabre rattling the republican candidates are doing is just trying to look tough for the hawk base.

[Donuthole]

I don't think it's so much about Israel ans that they are our only ally in the region. We can't afford to have a nuclear-armed Iran no matter what. So we are clearly on Israel's side on this. As far as I am concerned, Obama is acting like a big wuss with all this.

Mark my words. If Obama wins re-election the following will happen:

1. Iran will get nukes.
2. Terrorists will hit us with one.

Brilliant.

Take that foil off your head and save it for your next rack of ribs on the Traeger.

[SeattleUte]

Look, complaining about Israel's influence is entirely unproductive, and does at least skirt bigotry. What's the point? If you don't like their influence, get some influence of your own to restist it (unless you have evidence that laws are broken, such as of bribes). We live in an open society. Complaining about Israel's influence also raises the specter of Jews being a fifth column, which is exactly what Hitler alleged.
In any event, reasonable minds can differ over whether U.S. politicians and presidents should have been or be so deferential to Israeal. Israel is an oasis of representative government and free press in a region otherwise disgraceful for government oppression and barbarism, even among our allies. Indeed, the Jews have achieved their remarkable success through the ages not by putting the Torah (the old Testament) into practice, but by a potent symbiotic relationship with ideas and disciplines introduced to a large extent by Gentiles.

[FMCoug]

Take that foil off your head and save it for your next rack of ribs on the Traeger.

When you pull your head out, shake the sand out of your hair before you moisturize and go for your mani-pedi.

[Donuthole]

When you pull your head out, shake the sand out of your hair before you moisturize and go for your mani-pedi.

No, when you pull your head out, wipe the feces off before you light the Traeger. Those fumes are flammable! Also, that would be fairly unsanitary if you were smoking food with feces on your head.

[Omaha 680]

I doubt it. I think they, the Iranians, are more rational wrt MAD than you give them credit. I also think getting one to the US and detonating it is likely very difficult.

But I would prefer to not find out if you are right.

There are some rational elements in Iran but there are also a lot of true believers. The problem is it is impossible to know which faction will ultimately control or what safeguards against misuse of a weapon will exist in a nuclear armed Iran. Best to not have to find out if possible.

You also make a good point about an Iranian nuke in the US. While possible, that would be a lot harder to pull off than most think. This speaks to why Israel is taking a much more aggressivr stance. Throwing a nuke on on their current missile technology and lobbing it into Israel is a lot easier for Iran than getting it here and detonating it.

[Jeff Lebowski]

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In any event, reasonable minds can differ over whether U.S. politicians and presidents should have been or be so deferential to Israeal.

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That's the whole point. What is the appropriate level of deference?

One could make a good argument that Bush was a complete lapdog for Israel. No pushback or accountability whatsoever. At least Obama has brought a little bit of balance back to the relationship.

[Sullyute]

Look, complaining about Israel's influence is entirely unproductive, and does at least skirt bigotry.

So complaining about England's, Canada's, and China's influence in the US skirts bigotry? Isreal is a country and should be treated, talked about, like any other country. The jewish people are seperate from the country/government of Isreal.

[Blueintheface]

Look, complaining about Israel's influence is entirely unproductive, and does at least skirt bigotry. What's the point? If you don't like their influence, get some influence of your own to restist it (unless you have evidence that laws are broken, such as of bribes). We live in an open society. Complaining about Israel's influence also raises the specter of Jews being a fifth column, which is exactly what Hitler alleged.
In any event, reasonable minds can differ over whether U.S. politicians and presidents should have been or be so deferential to Israeal. Israel is an oasis of representative government and free press in a region otherwise disgraceful for government oppression and barbarism, even among our allies. Indeed, the Jews have achieved their remarkable success through the ages not by putting the Torah (the old Testament) into practice, but by a potent symbiotic relationship with ideas and disciplines introduced to a large extent by Gentiles.

I appreciate you letting us know what the Torah is.

[woot]

I agree that it's good to have an ally in that region, and that Israel has some good things going for it.

I don't like that our politicians are forced to be completely obsequious to them, nor do I think Israel are the good guys in the war they're fighting.

I think Israel wields greater influence than it should, precisely because so many people aren't capable of thinking clearly about Israel because they're so afraid of being perceived as antisemitic. If any of the above statements make you wonder whether I'm an antisemite, I would suggest that you don't understand the term.

[SeattleUte]

So complaining about England's, Canada's, and China's influence in the US skirts bigotry? Isreal is a country and should be treated, talked about, like any other country. The jewish people are seperate from the country/government of Isreal.

lol that's the point. Nobody ever talks about our other allies in those terms. Talk about the issue at hand, not generally how Israel has too much influence. Trust me, that's just stupid talk.

[Sullyute]

lol that's the point. Nobody ever talks about our other allies in those terms. Talk about the issue at hand, not generally how Israel has too much influence. Trust me, that's just stupid talk.

I think that I have heard this line before... doesn't it end with "you knew what I was when you picked me up"?

[oxcoug]

Bottom line is influence. I am continually surprised at "their" powers of influence. Why just last Sunday I was watching Meet the Press and found out the Eric Cantor and David Gregory are Jewish. Andrea Mitchell, really, I didn't know.

What surprises me is how liberal so many of them are. Perhaps it has to do with their being surpressed like the Blacks. You have to hand it to them, for being surpressed, they are doing quite well for themselves. Did I mention Larry King.

I admire people who attract money. I remember when I first got into this business, we (Paine Webber) were offering a Movie Limited Partnership. A selling point was "look at the Jews involved in this, it is bound to make money". Of course that was what I thought and so I bought some for clients.

- not your best topic, 71.

"Jews" do not uniformly "attract money." In fact, a majority of religious Jews in Israel are not far above the poverty line.

They also haven't been "suppressed" in the US - at least not in the last century, in the urban areas where they tend to live. Sure, there are lingering forms of anti-semitic bigotry, but Jewish culture has largely been so successful in the American intellectual and financial climate and most Jews have become so assimilated that it's nearly a non factor.

But the real reason is that much like the "7 habits" are a distillation of LDS practice into a non-religious system for effective living, Jewish culture instills elements in most families and people who participate in it which both equip them and motivate them to be high achievers in major fields....

Anwyay...

[byu71]

- not your best topic, 71.

"Jews" do not uniformly "attract money." In fact, a majority of religious Jews in Israel are not far above the poverty line.

They also haven't been "suppressed" in the US - at least not in the last century, in the urban areas where they tend to live. Sure, there are lingering forms of anti-semitic bigotry, but Jewish culture has largely been so successful in the American intellectual and financial climate and most Jews have become so assimilated that it's nearly a non factor.

But the real reason is that much like the "7 habits" are a distillation of LDS practice into a non-religious system for effective living, Jewish culture instills elements in most families and people who participate in it which both equip them and motivate them to be high achievers in major fields....

Anwyay...

Maybe the topic is OK, but my wording is bad. Instead of attract money I probably should have said, Jewish culture has largely been so successful in the American intelectual and FINANCIAL climate".

[SeattleUte]

That's the whole point. What is the appropriate level of deference?

One could make a good argument that Bush was a complete lapdog for Israel. No pushback or accountability whatsoever. At least Obama has brought a little bit of balance back to the relationship.

I wasn't addessing you. I was admonishing 71.