I keep wondering when Slate will hire someone from Mugabe's press establishment to explain the facts of Southern African politics to us. Interesting also that Slate never offers a Palestinian counterpoint.

So Israel is not inclined to make strategic concessions until the non-existant Iranian nuclear weapons program is shut down? Israel, a country which secretly developed, and now possesses, nuclear weapons? Ah but you say, Israel is a levelheaded and reliable country and Iran is a rogue country. Well, if you think that, step away from what you've been indoctrinated in and look at what those two countries have actually done since 1947. Israel has invaded its neighbors over and over again (each time giving the invader's excuses, which all invaders cobble together). Iran has counterinvaded a neighbor once, is response to its own invasion by Iraq in 1980. Just draw up the list for yourself and then judge which one is the more dangerous regional player, the more destabilizing to regional peace.

We also learn that the Palestinians are stalling talks by demanding that Israel's continued theft of Palestinian territory in the West Bank cease. Why should they talk if the Israelis keep taking and taking? Talks are exactly what the Israelis want. "Yes, let's talk and talk and talk while we build and build and build. So by the time we are done talking, there will be nothing to talk about anymore."

Non-existent Iranian nuclear weapons program? Would you bet your life on that?

And as for all the Israeli propaganda...it sure didn't show up during the Gaza incursion. CNN became the nonstop Crying Arab Children channel, and almost no mention was made that Hamas had been firing missiles for months, also nonstop.

Obama, poor fellow, must learn that U.S. taxpayers sending billions $$$ to Israel every year does not translate into the U.S. having influence over there. The translation from Hebrew is "Thanks sucker" - now let Jonathan Pollard go! ...Or keep him a while longer if you promise to bomb Iran for us. Being a good patriot, he won't mind.

cassandra: "Non-existent Iranian nuclear weapons program? Would you bet your life on that?"

Cassandra you must admit you are dodging the very pertinent by Larry- Why should we be more worried for our lives from Iran's nuclear program when Israel is FAR more likely to have one? Neither Israel nor Iran are paragons of peaceful national virtue but Israel is surely the worse of the two. Isn't this your loyalty to Israel talking rather than logic and reason?

If you are jewish, hey it is easy to understand and justify blind loyalty to Israel (as long as you equally understand and justify blind Muslim loyalty to Palestinians). But consider the point Axel makes for regular Americans- What does Israel do for us?

Well, let's see. One big difference is...Israel is an ally while Iran is an enemy, which is constantly threatening to wipe Israel off the map. And as for Jews being blindly loyal to Israel...in fact, Israel is getting far more support from Evangelical Christians.

From the very first book those Zionist animals have written (Judenstaat by Herzl, 1886) they've always made it more than clear that they wanted to wipe out Palestine from the map so they wouldn't have to deal with the Palestianians.

Every fucking Zionist book since then made it very clear they wanted the Palestinians kicked out.

Cassandra, once again you're talking out of your ass and stiking up the air because of that.

THE

THE ORIGINAL SIN

"...IF WE HAD INVESTED IN THE ARAB PROBLEM A TENTH OF THE ENERGY, THE PASSION, THE INGENUITY, THE RESOURCEFULLNESS WHICH WE DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF GREAT bRITAIN, FRANCE, THE US, AND WEIMAR GERMANY, OUR DESTINY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISRAEL MAY HAVE BEEN QUITE DIFFERENT... WE WERE NOT READY FOR COMPROMISES;WE DID NOT REGARDED AS A MAJOR PROBLEM...WE DID NOT MAKE SUFFICIENT EFFORTS TOGET, IF NOT THE FULL AGREEMENT OF THE ARABS, AT LEAST THEIR ACQUIESCENCE TOA JEWISH STATE, WHICH I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL SIN"

DR. NAHUM GOLDMANN

PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS

DECEMBER OF 1974

We have never seen a Zionist here using language like that. I had been thinking of contacting the moderator about it...but on second thought, I decided it might be better to let the readers see how angry some Palestinians really are.