Aren't our people hurting for money? Isn't the country in large deficit? Why then are we spending $900 millions on reconstruction in Gaza? Beat me! I don't think that we can "buy" the Palestinians. M.
You are right. The Palestinians will not be placated. Only the destruction of Israel will satisfy them. With regard to the money, I am beginning to think that Obama and the Democrats have no intention of accounting for all the money they are spending. Taxes cannot be set high enough to pay for all the spending. Economic growth will not be sufficient to compensate. Foreign countries will not and cannot buy all the debt. No combination of the above will work either. I think Obama and the Dems plan to simply print there way out of the mess. Massive inflation is unavoidable in such a scenario. Our vibrant free market economy is being converted to a western European-style nanny state.
Yes, that also confuses me. President Hinkly warned us over and over to get our finances in order and to start saving, that dark and difficult times are ahead. I am sure he was inspired as we are now looking at that very situation. I don't get giving Palestine that much money. They all hate us anyway...they'll take our money and run, and still hate us. Why are we doing this?
I just heard of this $900,000,000.00 to Palestine this morning. I will have to look more into it. I can say that when asked about it an admininstration spokesperson just said something to the effect that we need to do something, even if it is the wrong thing. That's how I took what he was saying anyway.
The United States gives over 3 billion to Israel every year. Much more if you include other forms of aid (guaranteed loans for example). I loath Hamas, and I am no fan of Islam. However, the problem is much more complicated and nuanced than what most of us realize. Israel is not an innocent victim (I know that none of us are implying that) and they have done much, much to provoke much of the hatred and violence that comes its way.
Hamas does not do well in the Left Bank and does not represent Palestinians from there virtually at all, therefore it does represent the majority of Palestinians. Some Palestinians will not be placated and some want Israel destroyed, but most Israelis and most Palestinians realize that the only answer is a two state solution. Getting there seems impossible. Extremists on both sides are opposed to a two state solution: Orthodox Judaism on the Israeli side and Islamists (currently Hamas) on the other. These groups are both ridiculous in there aspirations. Two religions whose extremists are causing terrible suffering.
The Palestinians have often been treated terribly by Israel. The Palestinians have themselves made blunder after blunder in their attempts for reconciliation and peace.
We give aid to both with Israel getting most of it. I favor giving aid to Israel (they get annually one third of all of our total foreign aid!), but I don't begrudge the Palestinians receiving some (we have always given to them as well). A great many Palestinians are extremely good well meaning people.
The world today just pledged nearly 5 billion in aid to rebuild Palestine. Were we not to be a contributor, we would be without defense in the world court of opinion and would lose what good faith we retain in the arab world.
There may indeed be a great many good-heated Palestinians, but not in their leadership. Israel has taken stern measures only because they were required to do so out of self defense. Arafat got everything he wanted from Began, which would have resulted in a Palestinian state, but Arafat stupidly refused because it would have meant recognition of Israel's right to exist. His pride and selfishness continue to result in bloodshed for his own people. I don't see the need to brown nose other Arab nations who do even less than the US for the Palestinians. I say shut off the funds. Much of the money is being used to fund more terrorism anyway.
I agree with Alan. There is not a good accounting for how the money is spent that we do give them and it often winds up in the wrong hands. That happens with the money we give Africa for Aides too. I am not against helping the people who really need it...but there should be a way to have an honest accounting of the money, and there usually isn't. That is what bothers me the most.
I favor money as long as we can monitor its use which is what H. Clinton claims to be trying to do. That said, I am not against a couple years (or more) of huge cuts in all foreign aid until our economy recovers (if it does). Those cuts would include drastic cuts to Israel as well.
7 comments:
You are right. The Palestinians will not be placated. Only the destruction of Israel will satisfy them. With regard to the money, I am beginning to think that Obama and the Democrats have no intention of accounting for all the money they are spending. Taxes cannot be set high enough to pay for all the spending. Economic growth will not be sufficient to compensate. Foreign countries will not and cannot buy all the debt. No combination of the above will work either. I think Obama and the Dems plan to simply print there way out of the mess. Massive inflation is unavoidable in such a scenario. Our vibrant free market economy is being converted to a western European-style nanny state.
Yes, that also confuses me. President Hinkly warned us over and over to get our finances in order and to start saving, that dark and difficult times are ahead. I am sure he was inspired as we are now looking at that very situation. I don't get giving Palestine that much money. They all hate us anyway...they'll take our money and run, and still hate us. Why are we doing this?
I just heard of this $900,000,000.00 to Palestine this morning. I will have to look more into it. I can say that when asked about it an admininstration spokesperson just said something to the effect that we need to do something, even if it is the wrong thing. That's how I took what he was saying anyway.
The United States gives over 3 billion to Israel every year. Much more if you include other forms of aid (guaranteed loans for example). I loath Hamas, and I am no fan of Islam. However, the problem is much more complicated and nuanced than what most of us realize. Israel is not an innocent victim (I know that none of us are implying that) and they have done much, much to provoke much of the hatred and violence that comes its way.
Hamas does not do well in the Left Bank and does not represent Palestinians from there virtually at all, therefore it does represent the majority of Palestinians. Some Palestinians will not be placated and some want Israel destroyed, but most Israelis and most Palestinians realize that the only answer is a two state solution. Getting there seems impossible. Extremists on both sides are opposed to a two state solution: Orthodox Judaism on the Israeli side and Islamists (currently Hamas) on the other. These groups are both ridiculous in there aspirations. Two religions whose extremists are causing terrible suffering.
The Palestinians have often been treated terribly by
Israel. The Palestinians have themselves made blunder after blunder in their attempts for reconciliation and peace.
We give aid to both with Israel getting most of it.
I favor giving aid to Israel (they get annually one third of all of our total foreign aid!), but I don't begrudge the Palestinians receiving some (we have always given to them as well). A great many Palestinians are extremely good well meaning people.
The world today just pledged nearly 5 billion in aid to rebuild Palestine. Were we not to be a contributor, we would be without defense in the world court of opinion and would lose what good faith we retain in the arab world.
There may indeed be a great many good-heated Palestinians, but not in their leadership. Israel has taken stern measures only because they were required to do so out of self defense. Arafat got everything he wanted from Began, which would have resulted in a Palestinian state, but Arafat stupidly refused because it would have meant recognition of Israel's right to exist. His pride and selfishness continue to result in bloodshed for his own people. I don't see the need to brown nose other Arab nations who do even less than the US for the Palestinians. I say shut off the funds. Much of the money is being used to fund more terrorism anyway.
I agree with Alan. There is not a good accounting for how the money is spent that we do give them and it often winds up in the wrong hands. That happens with the money we give Africa for Aides too. I am not against helping the people who really need it...but there should be a way to have an honest accounting of the money, and there usually isn't. That is what bothers me the most.
I favor money as long as we can monitor its use which is what H. Clinton claims to be trying to do. That said, I am not against a couple years (or more) of huge cuts in all foreign aid until our economy recovers (if it does). Those cuts would include drastic cuts to Israel as well.
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