President George Bush, victory-flushed, vowed last week, “I earned political capital, and now I intend to spend it.”
He also scolded the press, whose compound and follow-up questioning had frequently vexed the unloquacious president: “Now that I’ve got the will of the people back,” he announced, “I’m going to start enforcing the one-question rule.”
One question.
This is mine: For the first time since 1948, the president of the United States has the political capital necessary to resolve the crisis in Israel. But is Bush smart enough?
The greatest obstacle to Middle East peace and the source of most hatred toward America abroad is the morally corrupt, hypocritical, and one-sided neocon view that consistently favors Israel. It does not matter what Israel does. Israelis can fire rockets into a busy, Palestinian-filled marketplace, alleging they were merely assassinating an assumed Hamas bombmaker, and the neoconized US State Department doesn’t speak a single negative word to Israel. One need not be a genius to figure out this is wrong. But is Bush smart enough? Israelis armed with high powered rifles routinely kill individuals who appear suspicious from a distance of a mile, but who are often running children, electricians with a tool in hand, or someone carrying a section of plastic water pipe. Not only does America look the other way, but our own soldiers in Iraq now act like Israelis.
Most Americans, who voting exit polls indicate are horrified by abortion and stem cell research and value life above all else, would see that Israel’s “lessons” in shooting first, and never asking questions later, are wrong. But is Bush smart enough?
Now Israel’s building an “Iron Concrete Curtain” across Palestinian land, cutting off families, neighbors, and commercial networks from one another. When similar walls went up in Eastern Europe half a century ago, the West considered them an illegal, unnatural work of an evil, godless empire. US President Ronald Reagan dared its leader, “Tear down this wall!” and won the free world’s heart. Bush could now say the same to Israel. But is Bush smart enough?
Why the US government is uncritical of Israel’s atrocities, of Israel’s intentionally cruel and barbaric actions, is a mystery for some people. However, the impunity with which Israelis kill Palestinians is directly linked to the iron grip held to the throat of elected leaders by wealthy AIPAC lobby.
This Israeli lobby uses its riches to obtain disproportionate representation with both parties in the great halls of power. This wealth intimidates elected American leaders and forces them to ignore Israeli crimes, and this is where the problem begins. When America ignores inhumanity, Israel’s crimes appear condoned. Thus, every time Israel fires rockets at Palestinians throwing stones, Americans receive part of the blame. And thus, part of the hatred.
By our own logic, in standing firm with Israel, we are state-sponsoring terrorism in the Middle East! We must stop. But is Bush smart enough?
Starting right now, Israel’s stranglehold on US government can be broken. President Bush has three assets: He leads an army of Fundamental Christians, he’s a lame-duck, and he has “political capital.” That combination neutralizes the influential Jewish lobby. President Bush could demand a very few things of Israel that would completely change the anti-American feelings held by millions of Middle Eastern citizens.
First: Return Israel to the pre-1967 borders.
Second: Remove the concrete barrier. All of it.
Third: Give UN inspectors full access to Israeli muclear sites.
President Bush can do this. He holds the approval of the majority of the Americans. The Jewish votes are merely a drop in the bucket compared to what the “Deep South” Baptist churches delivered.
Imagine this: A fair and balanced approach to Israel. An appropriate, critical condemnation of Israeli atrocities, and a sincere threat to withhold military and financial aid if Israel does not conform, would place a golden halo of approval over America abroad. The tempers, disgust, and out-right hatred of America would lessen... and the first substantial step toward resolving the “Middle East Crisis” would be taken. But is Bush smart enough? That’s the only question.
