Here's what I'm talking about. Recently, I've read articles and letters by three liberal Jewish intellectuals -- two of whom are friends -- which denounce Muslims. The essence of their rants is that Islam, as a religion, is actively engaged in a campaign to rule the world -- wiping out Israel and all Jews (and Christians) elsewhere -- and must be stopped now, while it is still relatively weak.
Of course, one easily can find similar screeds from Muslims denouncing all Jews (who, in their eyes, already call most of the shots in the world), and Americans in general, who by condoning Israel's policies have become honorary Jews and thus co-candidates for extermination.
The writings by friends are the most distressing, since I know them as good people. But, blinded by fear and anxiety, they are giving in to their basest stereotypes about Muslims, while offering unconditional support for Israel. There is little willingness to concede that maybe, just perhaps, Israeli occupation and political policies over the years are at least partially responsible for the tense situation in the Middle East.
THE MIDDLE EAST TINDERBOX
No wonder the Middle East is about to explode. It's as if everyone is running around inside a crowded bomb factory with blowtorches ablaze. The U.S. is letting its proxy, Israel, do the dirty work in Lebanon and Gaza. Iran and Syria egg on Hezbollah, having furnished it with thousands of missiles. Bush's war in Iraq is engendering Shia/Sunni civil-war slaughtering. Turkey and Iran are seriously talking about a possible assault on a nascent Kurdistan. American neo-cons are drooling over the prospect of -- and trying to foment -- the U.S. and Israel starting a wider war by bombing Iran and/or Syria.
In short, the ingredients for a regional war (which easily could spin out of control and involve larger nations) are approaching a combustible critical mass -- and yet Cheney and Rumsfeld and that crew, as usual, block attempts at a cease-fire and are deliberately delaying even attempting to do anything to tamp down the conflagration; indeed, they seem to believe that the U.S. and its few allies will reap the benefits after the situation calms down, with fewer "terrorists" to deal with and with recalcitrant Arabs chastened by Israel's version of shock-and-awe. (That strategy didn't work for the U.S. against Iraqis, why should it work against anybody else who believes passionately about defending their country?)
Rather than reap the benefits, the U.S. and Israel are more likely to reap the whirlwind as anti-U.S./Israel anger may well bring more and more Muslims, now at each others' throats in sectarian rivalry, into unity against the "infidels." In addition, moderate Muslims, already a mostly silent and shrinking breed, will diminish further, while extremist Muslim organizations (such as Hezbollah, Hamas, al-Qaida), much better organized and determined, will pick up the nationalist, anti-U.S. banner and attract more and more adherents.
In short, every time ordinary civilians die from bombs or missiles made in the U.S., another brigade of suicide bombers is created. Stated baldly: Bush&Co. couldn't be doing more to aid Osama bin Laden's cause. The Administration may have started out with motives to do the opposite, to wipe out terrorism, but their reckless policies, ivory-tower ideological theorizing, and bumbling incompetency, have made terrorism a greater threat to America and the West in general.
CHANGE NEEDED AT THE TOP
Unless U.S. policy changes soon -- a major GOP defeat in November would certainly aid in this regard -- how long do you think it will be before suicide-bombers carry out their grisly work in America's major cities, airways and trains, and tourist attractions?
No wonder so many of America's retired generals and active officers -- and so many moderate and traditional conservatives -- are terrified by the bumbling, militarist crew in the White House and are hoping for, and in some cases working for, a GOP defeat in November. This mid-term election may be the last chance we'll have to begin moving America back toward a rational foreign/military policy. (Assuming, of course, that the election is an honest one; recent history has demonstrated that Rove and his minions will do whatever they have to do to pull out a victory at the polls)
Howard Dean's 50-state strategy -- beefing up the Democratic Party in all states across the country, not just the "Blue" ones -- will work best if every Dem candidate, no matter for what office, makes this election a referendum on the Bush Administration. Local issues do matter, of course, but the Democrats should be hammering out a national strategy with which to defeat the Republicans, so that we can begin to extricate our country from its current nightmare.
What might such a platform consist of? To simplify it to its bones:
VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS, IF...
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