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 Posted by aron on March 04 2008 (Tuesday) : 10:39 AMIn an incredibly timely work of investigative journalism, David Rose over at Vanity Fair has dropped a bombshell: it was Condi who pushed Fatah into their disastrous confrontation with Hamas in Gaza. Chalk it up to another big "win" for U.S. meddling in other country's affairs. One of the interesting side-angles in this article is the role of the neo-cons in this particular debacle. There is a meme going round, particularly among Ron Paul libertarian, anti-interventionist geeks, that somehow US foreign policy is controlled by "the neo-cons," AIPAC and the "Zionuts." While I am loathe to trot out the word "anti-semitism," there is a certain xenophobia behind these sentiments, that seem to be using code words for Jews: i.e. the old canard that there is a Jewish conspiracy that controls the world. It is similar use of code words to those who blame "welfare cheats" (i.e. blacks) for government bloat. In the run up to the Iraqi war, there was a lot of the above going round on anti-war blogs. I have long contended however, that the neo-cons were tools of the Bush & Co and not the other way around. Not that I am a fan of the neo-cons. They and the neo-liberals are misguided "intellectuals" who have fantastical believes about the efficacy of force in changing the world. They provided an intellectual cover for the Bush & Co's plunge into war. Most were booted from the administration after the invasion, having served their purpose. Some like Wolfowitz and Libby became useful pieces of meat to keep the hounding press at bay from those really in charge of the crimes. Getting back to the article, what I find interesting is that many of the remaining neo-cons in the administration actually opposed this ridiculous move by Condi. However warped their ideology, at least they had the integrity to realize that over-throwing Hamas and casting the lot of the U.S. with yet another strongman, is the very opposite of the "bring democracy to the world" ideology they espouse, and to which Bush & Co give lip service. I, of course, am of the "war is a racket" school. In Israel, the majority of Israeli citizens, and most of the more intelligent analysts support dialog with Hamas. Yet not one major Israeli politician has come out in support of that (except for Ami Ayalon who appears to be a man of integrity). That is because the Israeli military-industrial complex has a vested interested in keeping the conflict with the Palestinians alive, As always, follow the money. The Israeli "security" industries have been booming over the past several years, funded by the "war on terrorism." People like Ehud Barak and his ilk have cashed in on this boom. Chaos in Gaza is the best advertisement for their "services." But this rich elite in Israel, like in most third world countries, are not pulling the strings here. They are puppets of vastly more powerful and wealthier corporate interests here in the U.S. War and discord are profitable for these interests, so true democracy and calm must always be disrupted. If Hamas would reach an agreement with Israel, the core justification for the trillions spent on the "war on terror" would be called into question. What, you mean you can negotiate with "Islamofascists"? The very idea! By the way, it is these interests that are the main beneficiaries of government "welfare." It is ridiculous to blame some poor unwed mother or some neo-con intellectual for the trillions of dollars being transferred from working people to corporate entities. In the past, this may have been less obvious. But Bush & Co are so blatant in their policies, you have to be blind not to see what is going on. < Don't Blame the Jews | Lessons not Learned >
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  Cost of the War in Iraq
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"Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz -- Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace" -Benito Juárez
"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it." -Eleanor Roosevelt "Let them call me a rebel and welcome. I feel no concern from it. But should I suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul" -Thomas Paine | |
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The Gaza Bombshell
