11 thoughts on “People in a Cage”

  1. It’s sad to see. And one of the saddest things is watching George Bush’s reaction to the suffering and death. To my mind it seems that no matter how you felt in your heart about who’s right and who’s wrong in this conflict, a normal person with an ounce of decency would hide their true feelings and call for an end to the violence..just for the selfish sake of appearing human. What kind of an animal can be so devoid of compassion that they encourage the slaughter of innocents by proclaiming it is necessary in order to achieve an unattainable goal.

    It’s by far worse for me to view with spiritual eyes the sick and twisted morality and mindset of a man who is held up as a leader of our nation, than to view with human eyes the carnage which his sick little mind endorses to placate his lame little theories.

  2. If ever there was a classic illustration of tribal thinking, this conflict is it. Bush can ony se that we are killing terrorists. And Juan Cole never mentioned the aggression of the Palistinians. You are on one side or the other – completely (Swami excepted) and no one seems to see the imperitive for a mutual cease fire before there is a glimmer of a hope for peace.

  4. I’m not “on one side or the other – completely,” but I have noticed that, with our government and news media so completely pro-Israel, anyone who points out Israel’s long history of grossly disproportionate responses runs the risk of being called “pro-Palestinian.” That’s dishonest.

    It seems to me that both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a vested interest in continuing the bloodshed, just as ours have a vested interest in propping up collapsing corporations. I want both sides to respect the other’s right to exist, to cut the crap and get on with the business of daily living. I have no idea at this point how that’s to be achieved. The cease fire didn’t work. I’m hoping someone (Obama?) comes up with new ideas. I’m not holding my breath.

  5. Please note that when the refugees try to flee, they are turned back by Egyptians armed with machine guns. So Egypt is complicit in this, as has been the rest of the Arabic world, for decades.

    Israel’s problem is that it has real enemies. Palestine’s problem is that it has no real friends.

    Nobody should be surprized by this war. Horrified, depressed, outraged, yes, but not surprized. This war was scheduled months in advance, and mutually agreed to. The outcome is also pre-programmed; a meaningless military victory for Israel, and a meaningless propaganda victory for Hamas.

    Maybe, just maybe, there’ll be a real victory for Fatah, by staying out of the mess.

  7. Douggie, dude, you’ve gotta be shitting me!
    There is no comparison between what the IDF is doing and what HAMAS is doing.
    The IDF is shooting fish in a barrel, those fish just happen to be humans. Something like 700 dead Pals to 5 dead Israelis, WTF?
    I am quickling loosing faith in the Democrats for not comdemning Israel. BUT, Rahm IS former IDF. Washington is Israeli occupied territory, both parties bought and paid for. How is this possible?
    “All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing”
    Paradoctor, Egypt is complicit in this because the gov’t of Hosni Mubarak is corrupt, he is an American/Israeli installed stooge, just as Anwar Sadat was. As far as Fatah goes… HAHAHA, another American/Israeli installed quisling.
    I love both you guys, but get your facts straight.PLEEZE…..

  10. erinyes, I have to disagree strongly that Sadat was “an American/Israeli installed stooge.”

    Like Rabin, like Malcolm X, like others throughout history, Anwar Sadat was murdered by his own when he deviated from the self-perpetuating status quo, and had the courage to try peace.

    There’s an old song by Tom Lehrer, called “National Brotherhood Week,” that goes something like:

    Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics
    And the Catholics hate the Protestants
    And the Muslims hate the Hindus
    And everybody hates the Jews.

    Be careful where you get your “facts”… some of them seem to spring from that age-old, universal trap of anti-Semitism.

  11. Let me make this perfectly clear, I do not hate Jews, Afghans, Russians, Chinese, Canadians, Mexicans, Iraqis, Frenchmen, or Finns; nor do I hate life forms from deep sea vents or deep space, should they exsist
    What I detest with all my being is relegious extremism, be it in the form of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hinduism and the religion of “mi;itarism”. The actions of these groups are quickly approaching the scope of death and violence done by Stalin; and if left unchecked, will far surpass what he did.
    I consider actions by those listed above to be dire threats to human exsistance on the planet, since all those mentioned have nuclear weapons, and ALL are insane enough to use them, given half a chance.

    What I find enjoyable is life with my friends and family, being able to speak freely ( within the limits of good judgement regarding slander, gossip, etc.), tending my garden, an occasional dive trip to the springs, and building stuff for people I like.
    I consider the actions of Israel to be a direct threat to my simple freedoms, since I could be considered “anti-semitic” because I am as appaled by the actions of The Israelis as I am by the inaction of our politicians regarding Israels actions and speak out against these actions.
    Regarding the government of Israel:
    Israel was created as a homeland for the Jewish people who were oppressed.The land for this “homeland” was stolen from the people living there at the time.The nation of Israel is expanding, and will continue to do so until it is forceably stopped.
    The British, with all their colonial wisdom managed to screw-up the Levant and Arabia almost as badly as they screwed-up South Asia with their partitioning of the regions.
    Most of the major conflicts today are the direct result of what the British did one hundred or so years ago.
    I do not “like” Israel because they spy on my government, intimidate my elected officials,take billions of our tax dollars to fund their education and health care system while ours suffers from lack of funding.
    I do not “like ” Israel because the country is over sixty years old and fairly wealthy, yet needs support from us; more support than all other nations on the planet.
    I do not “like ” Israel because they use brutal force against the people of Palestine, steal their land, shoot them down like dogs, and do all this with jet fighters, combat helicopters, unmanned drones, and horrific bombs and missiles provided by Americans.
    I DO NOT condone violence AGAINST Israel, but I DO support ending ALL financial and military aid to them. If someone thinks that opinion is anti semitic, so be it.

    As for where I get my facts;
    The governments of Jordan, Egypt, and Pakistan are military dictatorships which could not stand without American aid, indeed their dictators would be dragged through the streets then hanged by their subjects were the subjects given half a chance. All of the leaders of those countries are friendly to Israel, not because they want to be, but because the MUST be, or will be replaced.
    I did not get these facts at RENSE or world net or Arian nation or at Ihate israel so much i could puke.com.

    AS much as I admired Anwar Sadat when he was alive, the fact is he was a dictator installed by the US on the behalf of Israel, and Sadat was murdered by members of his own military who considered him a traitor. His murder was a terrible crime, but these are the facts.
    There are a number of good books on these subjects; two in particular are “War at the top of the world” and “American Raj”, both by Eric Margolis.
    I appreciate Joanr16 bringing up the subject, I’m sure that I appear to be anti-semetic to unconditional supporters of Israel, and I’m dumbfounded when intelligent people will not speak out against evil deeds done by their own “tribe”, be they American, Israeli, etc.
    It is rediculous to call criticizing the actions of Israel “anti-semetic”, especialy when the criticism is done at a forum critical of our own government.
    “All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing”

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