"I always am able to provoke chris into saying whats really on his mind, and he always gets a pass from the left on this thread."
Well, you have a history with him that the others don't have. For example, he might mean an involuntary deportation to the Falklands, but he has never couched it that way here. As far as any international conspiracy, well, we get so much of that from various quarters I just view that as, as he terms it, asstalk.
The one thing I agree with him on is that I don't think Israel is all that great of an ally. For reasons that are understandable, Israel always wants the maximum benefit for themselves. But, when we need for them to do something, we have to drag them, kicking and screaming to the table. Then, shortly afterward, they vote in an administration that reverses whatever they agreed to do. Either explicitly or through neglect.
I understand the internal politics of Israel is complicated. For historical reasons, some groups have a lot more influence than their numbers or contributions justify. I also understand that their situation is fairly precarious, being surrounded by people who hate them. What I don't understand is why they insist on policies that make the hatred even stronger. With Palestine, a lot of ground can be gained by closing most of the settlements. Maybe not all, but most. Having the settlers walking around with automatic weapons and using them as they see fit does not win friends. In their case, if they don't want to go, then they are the ones who get a one way ticket to the Falklands... |
