Kindly tell me why, if we are keeping our distance from the

[yy4me]

conflict between Israel and Lebanon, we have just sent 200 tons of aviation fuel and are now sending high powered bombs to Israel. We are are also half-heartedly sending our secretary of state belatedly to mediate the conflict. Are we trying to escalate this war or or trying to help make the peace. Does the right hand of this administration know what the left hand is doing?
Is there a place in the middle east that we can say is a friend of ours any more? I find myself shaking my head in frustration and anger. It gets worse every day both abroad and at home. What has this administration done to us? Better yet, why do they still have the support of anyone? I've been through a lot, including Viet Nam and have never seen anything like this. Our streets should be awash with protesters and yet there is very little visible protest. Thank heaven for DU, where else can we vent? All the calls, letters and e-mails I have sent along with everyone else seem to have done very little. Will we live to see ****voted out of office?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. you made a horrible error.

you took bush's words at face value.

[MADem]

2. Because the Israelis bought and paid for it last year

All we did was expedite delivery of items they had already ordered and paid for.

[heidler1]

7. Didn't Israel use the money we gave them?

[MADem]

9. I'm not an accountant for the state of Israel; I've no idea which account

those line items were drawn from.

It doesn't matter if they did use cash we give them or not. Once you give people money, unless you attach strings to it, there's no requirement that they spend it in a particular way.

And if we did give it to them WITH strings attached (you must use this money SOLELY to purchase defense equipment, to include aircraft, bombs, and AVGAS) the benefit was TO US, to keep our defense industries "in the pink" as it were.

Never consider those arms "gifts" as "charitable donations" when we toss them like candy to other nations.

They're clever subsidies to our own weapons and defense industries, in another form.

[heidler1]

13. I'm sure that they shuffle money from one pocket to another in fact

IMO they take the money we give them and make donations to politicians that vote for giving them money in the first place. Also IMO that's why our politicians are so generouis to Israel. I have no proof of this.

[Monkeyman]

3. Go to Chicago Tribune

Bush is rushing bombs to Israel I will not say what I think because People seem to feel one way or the other. What I do believe is Rove has a plan

[Master Mahon]

4. It's business, strictly business

the good old capitalism at work....!

In the US it's 'all about the Benjamins'!!!

[ShortnFiery]

5. I hold very similar opinions and sentiments as you ...

Unfortunately when the people took to the streets, we had some semblance of a free media behind us. Now when people protest our whorish corporate M$M ignores us.

There are dark days ahead. I thought after Vietnam and Nixon's resignation many good people said, "NEVER AGAIN would we be lied into a senseless war."

My disappointment and sadness are now beyond words. :hi:

[TripeOmatic]

6. It's clear that war, any and every war, has been very good to the neocons

I mean, it's an excuse to eviscerate the first, fourth, and likely several other amendments before it's over. It's also "good for the economy" (if you're in the "right' sectors) and it lets the executive justify spying on the citizens of the US in the name of 'security' while ignoring most real domestic issues. What could be better?

[blondeatlast]

8. Someone in another thread nailed it: we have arms dealers, not diplomats.

Yes, the deal was made last year--but for KKKarl Rove, nothing is an accident. Somehow the timiing of this just reeks of corruption at its most vulgar.

Edit: credit to DUer havocmom, here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2736087#2736090

[Vinca]

10. We have a sadistic administration that believes in slaughter over

discussion. Unless, of course, you're a "snowflake."

[God Almighty]

11. Our lawmakers are paid off to support genocide

Check any list of who has received how much money for their votes in support of Israel's genocide of the Palesinian and Lebanese people.

These are two of the prominent California Democrats. We elect these people and they vote Bush's way because they are well paid to do so.


S Feinstein, Dianne* D I 32,250 112,842 A
H 8 Pelosi, Nancy D I 1,000 22,800

Check out Levin, though:

S Levin, Carl D I 1,500 564,858

And loock at Connecticut:

Connecticut S Dodd, Christopher D I 1,000 182,928 FR(NE)
S Lieberman, Joseph* D I 86,000 226,508

[izzie]

12. Could be that Israel is doing just what Bush wants.

Condi is also doing what he wants. It maybe a big show as they take over most of the Middle East. Can not believe anything Bush and his people will say but just watch what they do. And we know we can not count on the Constitution as that is just a thing Bush trips over daily. Congress what is that?

[heidler1]

14. Exactly.

[God Almighty]

15. duplicate response.

[AusGail]

16. In answer to your second question

Saudi Arabia is very much a friend of America (and an even better friend of Bush), and they're not even a totally democratic society. Whatever happened to "Freedom and democracy"?