On 26 October 2005, speaking at a seminar entitled "World without Zionism," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said: "God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism." Echoing the words of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ahmadinejad said "As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map."
"A world without Zionism, and the obliteration of Israel from the face of the earth, is not only the objective of Iran, but of the whole Muslim world." --Islamic Revolutionary Guards spokesman Seyyed Massoud Jazayeri, 26 October 2005
Now, I want you to compare and contrast
1) President Bush in Cleveland yesterday:
... the threat from Iran is, of course, their stated objective to destroy our strong ally Israel. That's a threat, a serious threat. It's a threat to world peace; it's a threat, in essence, to a strong alliance. I made it clear, I'll make it clear again, that we will use military might to protect our ally, Israel, and -- (applause.)
2) Professors Stephen Walt (Harvard) and John Mearsheimer (University of Chicago) in the London Review of Books, also this week:
... saying that Israel and the US are united by a shared terrorist threat has the causal relationship backwards: the US has a terrorism problem in good part because it is so closely allied with Israel, not the other way around.[....]
[Israel’s] backers ... argue that it deserves unqualified support because it is weak and surrounded by enemies; it is a democracy; the Jewish people have suffered from past crimes and therefore deserve special treatment; and Israel’s conduct has been morally superior to that of its adversaries. On close inspection, none of these arguments is persuasive. There is a strong moral case for supporting Israel’s existence, but that is not in jeopardy. [emphasis is mine]
None of these arguments is persuasive? Israel's existence is not in jeopardy? I can't even begin to address such drivel because, for the life of me, I cannot fathom these academics' inability to recognize the moral imperative of Jewish existence and the present threats against it.
Hey, I'm one of those Israel "backers." Kol hakavod (all honor) to President Bush... chazak ve'ematz (be strong and courageous).
And thank Gd, we don't have to worry this time that he's just trying to get the Jewish vote. Or do we?
Posted by: oldscouter | Tuesday, 21 March 2006 at 01:22 PM