Further Light and Knowledge

Don't know what to think about Obama's saying that Israel should return to pre-1967 borders.

On the one hand, it was kind of shocking to hear him say that. I mean, wouldn't that only serve to piss off Israelis and upset the peace process? On the other hand, maybe he's using a little psychology here. Israel is known for being bold. Perhaps Obama's bold speech is meant to wake them up and speak to them in their own language of boldness. They may not agree with him, but they'll understand that he's saying that if they want peace, they're going to have to compromise.

I don't know that I agree with the Prez on this, but who knows? It's not as if anybody else has been able to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This thing has been going on for decades, and lots of people are willing to talk about peace, but nobody, on either side, seems willing to make the concessions necessary to actually make peace happen. Maybe that's the President's point--you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. Crossing my fingers that it won't blow up in his face, and that a productive discussion (and hopefully more) will ensue instead.

To be fair to Obama, he is not the first US president to suggest such things although I don't recall it being done in this way.

Land for peace doesn't work. Obama has lost all credibility on FP, our allies don't trust him and our enemies play him for a fool.

Why 1967 and not 1000 BC?

I support Israel, but putting that aside I don't get why every president sets out on this futile errand to bring peace to the Israel.

Yeah, it's not actually our job, as a foreign power, to resolve their problems or tell them what to do. If they're going to have peace, they'll have to work it out themselves. This is not to say we can't help, but ultimately it'll have to come from the parties directly involved.


Oh, I don't know about that. Imagine if Canada invaded and took over the state of Michigan. We'd go to war with them to get Michigan back. Michigan would be the issue, and the U.S. probably would not even consider peace until they returned Michigan. Once Michigan was returned, the chance for peace would suddenly improve dramatically. Land may not be the only factor in establishing peace, but it is very important to people.


Probably because 1967 is within living memory. The Israel-Palestine issue is complex, and I can understand Israel's concerns about security, but I can also see why the Palestinians are upset that Israel would take over those territories (Gaza Strip, West Bank, etc.) and never return them.

their are So Many political Minefields...

I think it's Gutsy to say anything substantive about any of them.

Abortion
Stem-cell research
Immigration
World politics in general, ANYTHING in specific.
Budget & National Debt
Medicare


I don't see how any of these can be Resolved; perhaps they'll be with us for another 20-30-40 years...

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The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. "Technology and the Future" Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - ; Clarke's second law)

Fuck Israel. We give those motherfuckers 3 billion a year, and they do squat for the peace process. And I do mean squat.

Are you for real?

They pulled back from the Sinai for peace
They pulled back from Lebenon for peace
They pulled back from gaza for peace
They pulled out of most of the west bank for peace
They pulled the doors shut on their bomb shelters because rockets still fly their way..Damn! No peace I guess.

They've done a lot for peace yet people keep forgetting that the Palestinian Authority, the Hezbullah, and most other Middle East governments want them wiped form the earth as part of their basic political views....and yet somehow it is always the Israelis fault. BULL SHIT!!!!
Israel does a lot of crappy stuff and looked at out of context it seems horrible, but in context of their backs being against a wall I can see why they do a lot of it. So don't give me that PC anti-Israel view without looking at both sides.

By the way. We give a shit load of money to a lot of governments over there that are by far damn worse and few bitch about that.

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Covering your body in jello pudding and answering the front door should NOT be a crime....and that's my defense.