R
Roy5
Guest
Darryl1958
** Gingrich as president would be an American disaster.** No, more than that. A world disaster!
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**Actually, I think the US reputation is mixed. **True, this country has angered many people, as when we stupidly invaded Iraq. A major problem here is that under Bush the neocons had a strong influence on our foreign policy. I had hoped that this would be less true of Obama, but the Democratic Party also is under strong pro-Israeli influence. I'm sure that Israel is more hated than the US, but the unflinching support we give to Israel - billions of dollars a year, our latest military equipment and inevitable cover in the UN - is a serious detriment to our position in the world. I hope that if Obama gets a second term he will take a more independent stand on the Israeli-Palestinian question. We can be pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian at the same time - and should be. We can most help Israel in the long run by pushing Netanyahu as well as the wild extremists in Israel to indulge in serious peace negotiations instead of constantly building new settlements on the West Bank. The two are not compatible.
**What scares me is that if Gingrich is elected president, which I fear is a serious danger, our policy in the Middle East, bad enough already, will become even worse, leading to more and more conflict.** On this issue, I have some sympathy for Ron Paul who has been saying for years that we shouldn't involve ourselves in all the conflicts that inevitably will flare up around the world. This factor contributed enormously to 9-11 and targeting of US by Islamic crazies. And it will continue to contribute to terrorism and hatred of the US until we learn to mind our own business - and to stop boasting of our dedication to democracy while we supporting the Israeli occupation and the discrimination that goes along with it. For example, "Jews only roads" on the West Bank? How are they compatible with democracy?
**Now, as to Gingrich, his comments on the Palestinians in the last debate "as an historian" were outrageous. ** He tried to paint all Palestinians as terrorists. Nonsense. The Palestinians go back well beyond his false assertions. True, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire and the Arab world, but the inhabitants developed a sense of nationality long before the date stated by Gingrich. He was simply adopting the line of Israeli extremists - a popular thing to do among ardent Zionists, including millions of evangelical Protestants who are constantly fed the 'Chosen People' theme them from their pulpits. I am an amateur stamp collector and have Palestine stamps that come from the '20s. I also have visited Israel four times, and each time I have become more convinced that while Israel needs to be preserved the Palestinians have been and continue to be abused and mistreated. The least that should have been done is that when their homes were taken from them - places they had lived in for generations - they should have at least been generously compensated.
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**On the other hand, I do not agree that the US is the most hated nation in the world. M**y French-Canadian kinfolk up in Quebec disagree with US policy (as I do) but they admire and love America. Obviously, when millions from around the world stand in line to come here (or illegally cross into the USA) this says something. There is resentment of US hubris and arrogance, something I too can resent, but along with it widespread appreciation for our many democratic principles and much more.
**By the way, I love Canada.** "Oh, Canada!" My second favorite nation after the USA. Vancouver - what a beautiful city. I am proud of my French-Canadian heritage (paternal side). But I am also proud to be an American despite our checkered history and current mistakes.
