Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

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

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (111759)	8/16/2003 7:38:13 PM
From: Bilow	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Hi Nadine Carroll; Re: "So this whole distinction you made about the difference between big and little countries was too simplistic?" No, you're just rejecting the distinction because you don't like the implication that Israel can't commit genocide. The facts are that if Israel had 100 million citizens instead of 6 million, their foreign policy options would be much much larger. The US sent hundreds of thousands of troops over to Kuwait to push over the Saddam regime. Britain sent 15,000 troops to the Falklands. The USSR conquered Afghanistan and set up a government that lasted a few years. France fought in Vietnam for decades, losing tens of thousands of soldiers. Germany conquered most of Europe in 1940. Compare the above: Israel is so weak that it's never sent more than a few dozen soldiers anywhere outside of its immediate neighborhood. The only incident that comes to mind was an attack against 4 terrorists at Entebbe airport. There is at least one US corporations that has had more foreign adventures (other than neighboring states) than Israel has. By the way, it's not that you require all your distinctions to be so completely perfect that they fit 100% of the cases. No distinction on the international level is accurate to that level, LOL. You just don't like the conclusion. Your example of Syria is particularly weak because the oppressors and the oppressed are in the same nation (i.e. Arab). You could list what the Clinton administration did to those fruit cakes in Texas as a similar example, but it would be better to look for a cross ethnic example like the Armenian genocide. That genocide was largely unpunished because (a) it was a very long time ago when people didn't care so much about that sort of thing, (b) it went against a people that nobody cared about, (c) Turkey was still sort of a great power, in people's memory, and (d) everyone was exhausted from the other conflicts at the time and immediately before. If it were possible for Israel to ethnically cleanse the West Bank and Gaza and get away with it, (i.e. survive the international repercussions), they'd have already done it. The fact is that Israel remains Jewish today only because the US supports them with cash and weapons. Israel is a tiny player in an inhospitable world. -- Carl