10-09-2003, 01:40 PM
Quote:<i>Originally posted by MichelleSeeking </i>PhatMonkey the list you made was quite impressive. However, why do we hold the other countries accountable for the same things that Israel is allowed to get away with? That doesn't make a lick of sense.Notice the first thing I said when I started that post - "Let's even the scales here" - my point was to simply show the bias nature of the Author. NOWHERE did I say that Israel was okay to do the same things, so don't put words in my mouth.
To say one side or another is the problem is pure stupidity and bias, constantly showed on both sides across the world.
Sharon is hated because he is seen as a butcher by the Arabs. Arafat is worth over 300 million, while his people starve and live in run down cities. There is not a right and wrong. There is only one path to peace in the region.
Israel is seen as the aggressor because they are better funded, but it was not Israel that broke the ceasefire on the recent roadmap to peace.
I fully support an independent Palestinian state. I fully support harsh consequences to Israel on things like selling the Chinese weapons. I fully support the US's decision to not deal with Arafat after failed talks over and over. Arafat won't, or can't, control his own people - either way, he is worthless as a leader.
Until the Palestinians police their own, it is impossible for the US to tell Israel to not retaliate. Abbas was the closest thing to hope yet, and once again, Arafat wants to be the one calling shots. Arafat is a major problem, and maybe when the old man dies, he'll be replaced with someone willing to tackle the internal problems of Palestine.
We can sit all day and do the historical blame game, but Israel agreed to a ceasefire recently, while Hamas and Islamic Jihad refused. Almost 3 months went by when a bomb went off in Israel. The ironic thing is, at the same time this happened, the US Congress were discussing penalties for Israel if they continue their security fence. That bombing stopped those talks and forced Israel to retaliate. The US can tell ISrael what to do, but someone needs to be telling the Palestinians.