considering what they've done to the palestinians, i'm thinking "national security" is just a euphemism for "fucking over the poor people." it's like how we enter other countries, depose their government, and call it "the defense industry."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJCrWmtpNrMThe suggestion that anything Israel does is A-OK because other Middle Eastern countries do shitty things is weak sauce. Especially because we give more money to Israel than probably all those countries combined.
It pisses me off to no end that an American citizen was executed in cold blood by Israeli commandos on the deck of the Mari Marvera and not a single one of our politicians had the guts to say jack shit about it. In international waters carrying only humanitarian aid and with only unarmed civilians aboard.
The thing that blows my mind is the strategy of starving the people of Gaza for protein through import restrictions. Then destroying the sewage treatment plant so raw sewage is dumped into the ocean. The forcing the fishermen to stay within the contaminated zone for their catch. The Palestinians who survive are going to be some strong and tough people through the process of survival of the fittest. There is a special place in hell for those who thought up and implemented such a strategy, and Himmler will have to scoot over to make some more room.
The whole world knows what Israel under it's stream of right-wing leaderships are up to and what Zionism is all about. Fewer in the U.S. due to the extra level of propaganda effort among other factors, but plenty even here know the score.
We (the U.S.A) give more money to Israel because they are our staunchest ally in the Mid-East. We participate in war games, elite tactical training, and counter-terrorism techniques. The U.S. is the only country in which Israel shares their covert information. I would be in complete favor of cutting off all foreign aid, including that to Israel. No reason to continue going deeper into debt when our country is broke. But, to not understand why Israel receives the majority of our aid in that region is ludicrous.
This American citizen that was "executed" was participating in an act of war against Israel and Israel (any country for that matter) has every right to protect itself. You can find the full clips on Youtube (you know, the non edited ones) showing the terrorists on the flotilla attacking the Israeli soldiers that were only protecting their waters, as any country has the right to do. Also, a few years back, there was another American citizen that jumped in front of a bulldozer as it was demolishing a terrorist's home in Gaza. That American citizen died as well. It's insane to blame Israel, you can't jump in front of a 30,000 pound vehicle and expect to walk away unscathed. What person in their right mind does these things?
It amazes me how up in arms people become over Israel wanting to be secure. I believe every country deserves the right to protect itself. The only reason Israel receives the criticism and hatred that it does is because it is the only free country in the Middle East. They allow freedom of press. Freedom of organized rallies. Yes, once religion is involved, those become more inflamed than anything we see in the United States. In addition, it seems to have become a political issue in the United States. Liberals hate Israel, Conservatives love Israel. As political rhetoric in the U.S. steps up, so do views towards their agendas. Obviously, it has less to do with the foreign entity, more with the division happening in the United States. Only focusing on the shortcoming of this one democracy in a region filled with apartheid states and brutal regimes seems less to do with Israel itself and more of political posturing (or something more deep seeded).