This article is not about supporting Israel. The best way to stop the carnage in Lebanon and in Israel is to do get rid of the leaders who only see war and violence as a solution-- get rid of the chickenhawks in the Whitehouse, in congress and get rid of the Warhawks in Israel who don't know how to think of peaceful means to move forward. Israel cannot be led by people who believe that there will never be peace, as the orthodox Jews teach their children. We need to dump the leaders in the US who have basically engaged in a hands off policy in the Middle East. This is not working.
This article may anger some progressives, even outrage them. But we are talking about a long term chronic, horrible problem, perhaps the most difficult one in the world today, and simple answers, easy criticism may feel "right" and self righteously correct, but it's just not that simple. It's hard, ugly, tough, awful and, in some ways, disgusting that we have to hold back calling horrible horrible because of politics. But we must exercise that discipline now in order to gain the power we need to really make a difference.
In addition to of focusing entirely on Lebanon and the 40 to 50 people a day who are dying, remember Iraq, where 100+ Iraqis who are still dying every day. It is estimated that up to 250,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since Bush brought war to the country.
We are on the brink (or in the middle) of insane times. At a recent Muslim conference, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, says --The war must stop or it will radicalize the Muslim world, even those of us who are moderate today." and "From there, it will be just one step away to that ultimate nightmare: a clash of civilizations."
If we (the left) lose the November elections, the carnage we are now seeing will seem tame. It is time to keep our criticism powder dry, to focus our media and criticism ammunition focused on the Bush Administration and Republican leaders who have set all the pieces, powers and energies in motion that produced the current Mideast conflict. Anything else could come with a price that is too horrible to imagine-- continued, even consolidated control of congress by the right wing extremists currently in charge. That will surely lead to a massive world war. Perhaps that threat of world war is what we need to start talking about as the reason to oust the Republicans.
Bottom line-- the left should continue tocompassionately support the innocent civilian victims in Lebanon and Israel. it should continue to criticize attacks on civilians, but it must be very careful to not put itself at risk of being accused of supporting the enemy.
This article may anger some progressives, even outrage them. But we are talking about a long term chronic, horrible problem, perhaps the most difficult one in the world today, and simple answers, easy criticism may feel "right" and self righteously correct, but it's just not that simple. It's hard, ugly, tough, awful and, in some ways, disgusting that we have to hold back calling horrible horrible because of politics. But we must exercise that discipline now in order to gain the power we need to really make a difference.
In addition to of focusing entirely on Lebanon and the 40 to 50 people a day who are dying, remember Iraq, where 100+ Iraqis who are still dying every day. It is estimated that up to 250,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since Bush brought war to the country.
We are on the brink (or in the middle) of insane times. At a recent Muslim conference, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, says --The war must stop or it will radicalize the Muslim world, even those of us who are moderate today." and "From there, it will be just one step away to that ultimate nightmare: a clash of civilizations."
Bottom line-- the left should continue tocompassionately support the innocent civilian victims in Lebanon and Israel. it should continue to criticize attacks on civilians, but it must be very careful to not put itself at risk of being accused of supporting the enemy.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
