The Voluntary Exchange Podcast - Jerusalem
This episode took awhile for me to get recorded. I wanted to let Trump's decision play out for a few, and I wanted to figure out from what angle I would come at this situation from. I decided to give my opinion on the announcement from the perspective of an American who lived through 9/11 and happens to think governments are just criminal gangs who answer to no one.
I know this decision has been rationalized by it's supports from Israel because the Palestinians are Muslims with a culture that doesn't vibe with my Western one. I should be on the side of the society which looks more like mine. But that is the society that continues to create situations which eventually end with Americans being attacked for our government's absolute support for the Israeli State. So when I heard of Trump's announcement, my anger came from two place:
A right-wing government controlled by religious extremists which has treated the people they occupy like 2nd or 3rd class citizens. Sometimes, in the example of non-Jewish Israeli citizens living in "Israeli Proper", they are 2nd class citizens. The extreme right in Israel looks upon the Arabs living among them (Christian and Muslim) as a population in the way. They would must rather have an ethno-state then a democracy. Trump's decision legitimizes the actions and aspirations of this group. A group I despise, regardless of the ethnicity they want to spread.
The government of the United States continues to put the wishes and wants of a foreign nation ahead of it's own people. This isn't new, and Israeli isn't the only nation Washington whores itself out for. But it is the only nation that I am told is my "ally", who I must support regardless of how immoral its actions are. Even when its influence leads to my government invading Iraq, killing hundreds of thousands and creating American vets with horrible mental and physical issues. Even when its influence push my country toward invasion of another sovereign nation (Iran). Even when that nation steals nuclear material, bombs US Seamen, openly supports Al - Qeada, declares 9/11 "good for Israel" and destroys the lives and careers of anyone who speaks out against United States material support for Israel.
I'm tired of living in a country which supports this regime. If proponents of Israel think they have the moral ground for their actions, fine; but acknowledge that this situation only exists because of US government and social support. And this American wants no part of it.
Quick Hits
In Yemen, the Houthi rebels killed the ex-president Saleh last week in reaction to rumors that Saleh was going to rekindle his relationship with the Saudis. Maybe as a result of this news, President Trump declared that the blockade of aid to the Yemeni people must end immediately. The word "aid" is important, as this in no way means the US has stopped supporting the Saudi slaughter in the Middle East's poorest country.
In Syria, Israel has decided it can target and bomb installations in a sovereign nation without declaring war on it. They probably get this idea from the Americans who provide them with cover to violate whatever international laws they wish. The Israelis state that the places bombed were really Iranian bases, and that is all their supporters in the US needed to hear. Speaking of the Americans, the Pentagon has declared US troops will stay in Syria to help with "training and supporting" their allies. In reality, they will be violating the sovereignty of a nation they were not invited into, because "terrorism".
Content
Episode can be found here...The full episode archive can be found here and on ITunes.
DISCLAIMER: The YouTube version of this episode is not available at this time as I had issues doing the conversion.
Sources
- Erdogan, Saudis Warn That Recognizing Jerusalem As Capital Would Be A "Red Line", Have "Catastrophic Consequences"
- US to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, will move embassy there, Trump to announce
- FANNING FLAMES
- "Declaration Of War": Trump Jerusalem Decision Sparks Outrage, Warning Of "A Fire With No End In Sight"
- Trump to Relocate Israel Embassy to Jerusalem
- Trump ignores warnings with 'reckless Jerusalem move'
- Hamas calls for Palestinian uprising over Trump's Jerusalem plan
- Both Parties Pushed Trump Toward Reckless Action on Jerusalem
- Anger Over Jerusalem Speeds Gaza Handover Talks
- Netanyahu: The Bible Proves Jerusalem Is Israel’s Capital
Thank you so much for spreading the word! #FreePalestine
Appreciate the support.
Syria has ended the war they started with Israel?
Thats funny I never heard of that deal.
Has Israel officially declared war on Syria?
And its pretty clear to everyone in the world that your country is the pimp and nobodies whore.
Yeah, I go back and forth on this. Who wags the dog over here?
Do you really think that people who weren't even allowed in the country clubs have all of sudden started running things?
Have you read "A Clean Break"? Do you see the authors of that paper and how they worked in the Bush Administration with Dick Cheney in the Office of Special Plans? Some of these men have duel citizenship with Americana and Israel. They were a major factor in the invasion of Iraq. They believed that overthrowing Saddam would lead to a Israel-friendly Shite government in Iraq (I know). Ahmed Chalabi was their source.
Are you talking about the half a century long conflict between both parties? That's fine, and if Syria sent missiles into Israel I'd be saying the same thing. Declare war and have fun. Israel does what it wishes and my country gives it cover. Leave the US out of it.
You leave the US out of it! I didn't tell them to stick their nose in.
Yes I'm talking about the half century conflict in which Syria is the aggressor, why declare war on someone your still at war with?
Your country imposed the Oslo process on Israel just like they did with Yugoslavia with friends like that who needs enemies!
I wish more "pro-Israel" (that's their term) had the outlook you have. I can disagree with your country's government and policies, but my real issue is more domestic. There is nothing more toxic in American political discussion then suggesting that Washington D.C. should be hands off when it comes to Israel.
You Disagree with Canada? Unforgivable!?!😜
A lot of the American people support Israel, I would say they know who their religious enemies are. Now that may be a concept that means nothing to you(or me for that matter) but to a large percentage of the world its very important. Just because when you look out on the world you see human beings it doesn't mean the world looks at you so kindly.
If some Americans believe that their "religious enemies" are Muslims an ocean away, they can go fight them. But that fight leads to blowback here, and not all of us signed up for it. Arab Muslims are not planning to invade the United States because we allow women to vote. Its because of their dead kids.
And if they do want to come here and "get me", having the full might of the US military stationed here and on my coast makes a lot more sense.
You think the Israelis are happy about their dead kids?
You ascribe the Muslims contention with us and others is because of our past crimes while ignoring what their ideology claims as their reason for opposing Israel and Jews i.e. jews are descended from apes and pigs. Or the creator of Fatah being an actual Nazi who sought nothing less than the destruction of all jews.
You kill a kid in Gaza now. The kid's relatives hate you. You're doing all the ascribing. You putting everyone involved in groups and claiming every human being called a Palestinian does what they do because of "their ideology".
People from Yemen try to blow up Americans because we killed their kids.
What about the 1/5 Palestinians that are Christian?
What about the secular ones that just hate guns in their face and checkpoints?
I know why the Muslims hate me. It's not because of their ideology.
I've had open discussions with pro-Israel posters on here that told me Muslims are "beasts". I think both sides are out of their minds.
I just look at the reality of who controls the walls, the airspace, the water, electric, has nukes, and who doesn't.
If Syria armed and supported Hizbollah what would you say?
Any guesses?
https://steemit.com/informationwar/@openparadigm/a-comparison-of-the-crimes-of-two-countries-and-how-they-are-viewed-by-the-world-can-you-guess-which-country-i-m-talking-about
I'm not surprised that Syria arms Hizbollah. I'm not even surprised that Israel "supports" the Sunni groups in Syria against Assad. My issue again is as an American, any group declaring allegiance to Ayman_al-Zawahiri is my enemy, and having my government support these groups is treason in my humble opinion.
Now why they support these groups is the question. Is it FOR Israel? Or is it for "American interests" and those line up with those of Israel. I happen to think it's a mix of both. American interests have melded with Israeli interests over time, because of the likes of AIPAC, Bill Kristol, the Kagans, and Sheldon Adelson.
This goes back decades, and American patriots are tired of it.
I don't want the US policy towards Israel to switch to support for the Palestinians. I want the US government to have no policy towards Israel. Other an open free market trade.
You've been supporting the "palestinians" for decades! You rescued Arafat from Lebanon, check out this article to see the billions your country has given the "palestinians".
https://steemit.com/fakenews/@openparadigm/just-a-little-chat
Funding both sides is really the way we do things. But I'm not going to ignore the facts on the ground. The Israeli lobby in America has the ear of Washington D.C.
And the Arabs are voiceless?
Dude, the simple reality of American politics is that Israel has more influence than the American people when it comes to foreign policy.
I would appreciate your input on my recent pro-israel articles.
I call myself pro-israel not for any ethnic or nationalist reasons but because I have learned what their enemies say about themselves what they describe as their motives. Don't silence the arab leaders voices.
I don't support any nation state that expands its borders and removes people from plots of land and replaces them with people from oceans away who's families come from another place on the planet thousands of miles away. I don't care about the historical context.
I don't care for the right-wing government in Israel and the things their politicians say.
I won't support any state. Especially one that operates as Israel does.
I don't think the Arabs are better people, I simply find it irrational to not see the difference in power between the two sides.
Curated for #informationwar (by @openparadigm)
Relevance:Discussion Of Israel