How ironic is this? Back in Biblical times, as the story goes, Goliath, the giant Philistine warrior confronted and threatened to attack the Israelites; but then the diminutive David stepped forward to defend his people and slew the mighty Goliath. We're now watching a kind of role reversal take place in that region of the world as Israel, the modern-day Goliath, is devastating the city of Gaza.
Israel which possesses one of the most powerful militaries in the world, including the 5th largest nuclear arsenal, is in the process of leveling the tiny city of Gaza, an area of no more than 139 square miles, about 1/3 the size of New Orleans. During these massive attacks Israel has now bombed schools and the city of Gaza's main power plant. Some Israelis have been quoted as saying, "It's unfortunate, but every once in a while you have to mow the lawn." What callousness, what unconscionable, cruel thinking.
This is a monumental crisis, but don't wait for the U.S. government to enter the picture and strongly pressure Israel to stop these escalating attacks because, as is now common knowledge, Israel can do no wrong and is untouchable. Doubt that? Well, just after Israel's latest attack on Gaza commenced the U.S. Congress almost immediately showed its staunch support for what the Israelis were doing. This from the Information Clearing House website: July 18, 2014 - "Following a similar resolution passed last week by the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to support Israel's ongoing invasion of the Gaza Strip."
No dissenting vote was cast, and no mention was made of the hundreds of Palestinian civilians, most of whom are women and children, that have been killed since that operation was initiated.
This U.S. Congress is simply appalling; this latest vote to totally support the ongoing destruction of that very small city is so reminiscent of the vote that members of Congress took in 2002 when they showed no hesitation in voting to authorize G.W. Bush's attack on Iraq. The dramatic vote to go to war in Iraq, Joint Resolution 114, was taken on October 11, 2002. It passed the Senate by a vote of 77 to 23, and the House of Representatives by a vote of 296 to 133.
That Congress capitulated to that completely fabricated war on Iraq that was based on lies, distortions and not a shred of evidence that showed that Saddam Hussein possessed any kind of weapons of mass destructions. It bought into those blatant lies hook, line and sinker and allowed Bush to take this country into a war that historians are already calling one of the greatest military debacles in history.
So the question is, how much longer will Israel, the tail, be allowed to wag America, the dog? Israel calls the plays and the U.S. Congress runs with the ball; Israel plays the tune and the U.S. government dances to it; Israel says "jump" and the Obama administration asks, "How high?"
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).