Discussion:

Well I guess I was mistaken then. I did understand that the Administration was attempting to negotiate an agreement with Iran that would prevent Iran from developing a bomb. But what if I’m wrong? Chill dude. Have me met? Is it something I wrote? Ciao.

you implied that rabin would be opposed to the deal that we’re negotiating just as netanyahu is. i assume this is predicated on the assumption that iran is some sort of existential threat to someone, which mossad and a series of NIEs tells us is not the case.

I agree that this is a fantastic piece, and much needed right now.

There has been so much agitation in the past two or three decades in favor of globalism and superseding the nation-state, but that has always given me doubts.

If states and their laws reflect the will of their people, that will should be honored and not overridden.

I recall being in France when the EU was starting up with multiple regulations and the Minister of Labor came to a dinner I was at. She complained that all the protections that the French had built into labor laws were being overridden by the EU, and not just that. The EU was proposing, for example, to demand that baguettes not be permitted to be sold unless wrapped in plastic.

In other words, the supra-nationals were on the side of corporations, with their desire to undo the gains of labor and to demand a uniformity in food and agricultural laws to erase the distinctiveness of any particular culture’s cuisine and agricultural practices.

Netanyahu, a corrupt man in general, is bad for Israel. And the people who propelled him to power–the right wing orthodox who don’t pay taxes and don’t serve in the otherwise universal military–are just exactly those who benefit from this anti-statism and ‘globalizing’ of Jewish glory.

Don’t forget Michael Collins. Same story. Irish Civil War. Fine Gael = Labor; Fianna Fail = Likud. Michael Collins just about to become the first PM of the Irish Free State was assassinated by the IRA (very much linked to Fianna Fail) for agreeing to dominion status and only 26 of the 32 counties.

I did not say that. I said that the two different strains were not dispositive on how Rabin would be responding under similar circumstances. I think you perhaps would like to use me as a prop to make another point relating to your rather narrow-minded understanding of the Mossad leaks as that story has developed over the last 24 hours. Check out what guys like Barak Ravid over at Haaretz (and perhaps Mr. Kampeas too?) have to say about that story. Or don’t.

Look, I don’t want to ruin Mr. Kampeas’ excellent piece with a silly and unnecessary spat. I really am every stereotype you could possibly ever think of. I am exposed. Go nuts.

Bruce

War is easy, it’s peace that’s hard.

…that’s Zionism in a nutshell. I’m surprised people use the term as freely as they do. It equates to a form of racism. It’s sad that Zionism is recognized as tantamount to being Israeli, because I would hope that entire nation isn’t composed of racists. Unfortunately, the evidence points to the contrary.

Zionism is, first and foremost, a project to build and maintain a nation as a safe haven for Jews. If we can agree on this definition then I don’t see anything racist about it, as long as this nation is open to all who subscribe to its secular values.

It was a good and timely read.

“I was struck by his belief that he and Israel were one and the same, and that he was the innocent victim of mistreatment.”

Netanyahu, the narcissist. I fear his upcoming political victories.

The lobby, whatever one thinks of its agenda, earns most of its respect
not for instilling fear, as the cliché would have it, but for staffing
itself with bright political thinkers who can see what’s coming up in
the U.S.-Israel relationship three steps ahead of everyone else.
Netanyahu and Dermer have just done what every AIPAC hater never could
do: made AIPAC look caught unawares.

This article attempts to do what every AIPAC lover could never hope for: it makes AIPAC look good. OK, Netanyahu is so bad that anything looks good by comparison, but I ain’t buyin’ it.

For all intents and purposes, Netanyahu IS Israel. Most of the people there voted for him, or some even more right-wing party. I see no hope for a more moderate government there as far as I can see.

“Though I greatly appreciate your kind invitation to meet with Democratic Senators, I believe that doing so at this time could compound the misperception of partisanship regarding my upcoming visit,” Netanyahu wrote in a letter to Senators Richard Durbin and Dianne Feinstein obtained by Reuters.

Really!! He disdains meeting with Democrats altogether.

An interesting article from Israel on the history of Zionism:

I found the last paragraph rather perceptive, and does not bode well for the future:

Sometimes, a heretical thought arises: Maybe there is something in a
peace agreement that threatens Zionism? Throughout the years of the
conflict, we’ve lost almost all of the values and unique, positive
qualities that connect us all – save for the tireless debates over the
future of the territories.

The author Avi Shilon is a Ph.D. scholar of political science. He has written a biography of Menachem Begin and monograph on Ben‑Gurion.

Because they were all assassinated for advocating peace?

Even better.

When Russia got the bomb the US was equally delighted.

Having a capability and using a capability are two different things in the same way that have a trigger and pulling a trigger are two different concepts. However, those who insist on having a trigger will be suspected to intend to pull the trigger until they have shown otherwise.

For all intents and purposes Bush was the US after 9/11. Why was that?

so you’re an ‘existentialist’? that’s okay; many intelligent people are. many more intelligent people aren’t.

…by their own people.

If your definition is to build a nation that is a safe haven for Jews, you are by necessity excluding other people who are not Jewish. Therein lies the root of the racism that constitutes the practice of Zionism. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Your cake being a nation that is exclusive for Jews, and eating it being pretending it’s a democracy that represents the interests all peoples living on those lands. Obviously you’re not going to agree, despite overwhelming evidence of institutionalized racism in Israel. I just wanted to make sure other people are aware that Zionism is considered to be a form of racism.

Thought I’d post another article on Former Spy Chief with Mossad, Meir Dagan, and his take on Netanyahu’s bullshit speechifying to Congress this week. The article Josh Marshall linked to in his newest editorial on Dagan is from Ha’aretz and is behind a paywall unfortunately.