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Two Democratic Partners (so they claim) in Oppression

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Joseph Clifford
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American and Israeli Flags on Mast_0844
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The US, led by Obama, constantly talks about spreading democracy, but the world laughs at his hypocritical nonsense. He preaches but does not practice; and while many in this country believe his rhetoric because of a non-existent fifth estate to point out the inconsistency of his words with his actions, a better-informed people see through his nonsense. He has stood before the US public, the UN, the world, and preached endlessly how the US stands for democracy, and how our policy is designed to promote democracy, but in practice he and the US appear to be the biggest hypocrites of all time.

One current foreign-policy position clearly shows the extent of his, and the nation's hypocrisy, when it truly comes to promoting democracy.

Palestinians are one of the most oppressed people on the planet and it is the US who maintains the oppression and continues to ratchet up the oppression and prevent justice, self-rule, and independence. Recent positions by the Obama administration speak volumes. In 2014 Israel launched yet another brutal attack on the largest prison colony in the world; the Palestinians in Gaza. The US refused to condemn or take any kind of position that would signal the Israelis to back off. While Israel laid waste to Gaza and killed over 500 children and thousands of innocent civilians, the US expressed "concern" and "urged both sides to cease hostilities". Gazans, in their Israeli-maintained prison, have no place to escape when bombings begin, and no air force, standing army, or navy, while Israel has nuclear weapons and is the fifth strongest military in the world. It's the ultimate David vs. Goliath. The bombing was so intense Israel ran out of ammunition, but the US moved quickly to re-supply Israel with new weapons and ammunition to insure more killing. If you give a gun to someone, and they kill another person with the gun you gave them, you am legally an accomplice to murder. Is remaining on the sideline and watching an oppressed people being killed, then sending more weapons to insure more deaths, how we spread democracy around the world?

Palestinians recently took their case to the UN where a resolution was introduced that would end the long, bloody, brutal, Israeli occupation, but the US got in the way and prevented its passage by strong-arming Nigeria into abstaining, which prevented Palestinians from getting the 9 votes needed to insure passage. If the strong-arm tactics against Nigeria, which involved a call by Obama to Nigeria's leader the night before the vote, had failed, the US had a plan B. If the resolution by chance passed, the US was prepared to veto it. Palestine has already been recognized by 135 nations. It is the US who stands alone doing Israel's work of preventing Palestinian statehood and freedom. Is this "spreading democracy"?

Palestinians are now trying to formally become members of the International Criminal Court, which would allow them to pursue justice against Israeli illegal actions in a civilized legal way. Any nation who supports democracy and the rule of law could never object to this lawful method of settling disputes, but both the US and Israel did. The US Congress has threatened to blackmail Palestinians by withholding any foreign aid if the Palestinians pursue membership in the ICC. The US and Israel have displayed, once again, their abhorrence to democratic principle and the rule of law, and instead have resorted to the complete dictatorial practice of blackmailing the Palestinians to withdraw their request for membership in the ICC. Is this "spreading democracy"?

Israel, our partner in crime, has just withheld $100 million of tax money they hold for the Palestinians, which is akin to outright robbery as the tax money belongs to the Palestinians. Israel collects the money and holds it for the Palestinians, and like the US, uses Palestinian tax money to blackmail Palestinians. Is blackmail a "democratic" process?

It should be duly noted that neither Israel nor the US belong to the International Criminal Court. Neither has joined because they fear being dragged into the court as defendants in war crimes. Both countries have worked to sabotage the ICC. Is this "spreading democracy"?

Obama speaks out of both sides of his mouth on the issue of democracy; on the one side he verbally advocates and praises, but on the other he acts as the biggest hypocrite on the international stage by doing everything he possibly can to flaunt freedom and independence for a terribly oppressed people. It is not surprising that the two birds of a feather are annually voted "the biggest obstacles to world peace" in world polls.

It certainly appears that Israel dictates what our policy should be, and we, like a good lapdog, merely carry out their wishes, but readers should be aware of the terrible price we pay for being a lapdog. The perpetrators of the first failed attack on the WTC in New York in 1993 left a note explaining their reason for this horrific attempt to kill Americans. They argued it was in retaliation for the US blind support, shielding of, and aiding Israel in their slaughter of Palestinians. They also warned that there would be another attempt on the WTC if the US did not alter its one-sided immoral stand with Israel. Then came 9/11. Almost every subsequent terrorist act against the US has been followed with similar explanations. It appears we would rather sacrifice American lives and democratic principles than to give up being a good lapdog.

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Joe Clifford lives in Rhode Island and has written a regular column for an online newspaper and has contributed many articles to various RI newspapers. His articles deal almost exclusively with American Foreign policy but ventures into other (more...)
 

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