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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: thames_sider who wrote (27736)	4/29/2002 3:27:37 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

On the inspection issue... what currently separates the stances of Iraq and Israel? The latter has a more aggressive government, is conducting its own little atrocities against minorities within its borders, sends out death squads, and definitely has WMD... oh, and is refusing inspection. Iraq was a US (and Western) ally only 15 years ago, too. Democracy alone doth not an angel make. You mention one difference, democracy. Others are 1 - Israel is less aggressive not more. It never had taken over an entire country the way Iraq took over Kuwait. 2 - It's death squads are aimed at terrorists as part of a low intensity war, some might find them morally questionable but they are the equivalent of supporting terrorism. 3 - They have not signed a treaty that requires them to allow inspection. Iraq is violating the cease fire agreement, so we would be in our rights to resume fire. 4 - Israel has been a more important ally for a longer time then Iraq ever was. Iraq wasn't really an ally 15 years ago, there might have been some level of cooperation but they where not an ally. 5 - Human rights record. Israel arabs have it better then citizens of many other Arab countries. Even Palestinians are in many ways treated better by Israel then people in Iraq are treated by Saddam. If something like the Intifada had happened in Iraq Saddam just would have run over the Palestinian Authority with his tanks and then took the chance to shoot anyone who looked like a good target in the neighborhood. When he did face an uprising of the Kurds he used poison gas to put it down. Israel could have just blown up the towns where the terrorists where hiding but to try and reduce civilian casualties they sent infantry building to building, exposing their forces to a lot more danger then they would have had to face if they where more ruthless and aggressive. Tim