New Middle East

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
137
63
You have to understand that some people make an awful lot of money off war and security. Out of all those people there are a smaller amount who lack scruples and are willing to put their livelihood above the lives of those who live there. This allows them to use whatever underhanded methods they can think of to cause war to continue. Thus keeping the money coming in.

Most people don't want war. Is always a small number of people instigating it, a slightly larger amount that respond in kind to it and the vast majority who suffer under it to provide the fodder for propaganda that justifies it.


it often seems to me that what the middle east really requires is for someone with power to be capable of realizing that the whole goddamn mess isn't going to be solved by saying "it was them who started it" or "we gave them x so they should give us y". Some people are going to have to learn pragmatism, and face the problems of the present instead of those of the past. Arabs and Jews have both acted horribly in history, and if it's true that the Jews acted worse (or that the Arabs did, believe me I don't know the truth, and i bet you don't either. too much propaganda makes the truth unknowable), then we'll have to get over that too, cos shouting about it and throwing grenades at each other won't help the cause.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
It seems to me that arming the Jews in Israel to the teeth with every modern weapon the U.S. has including nuclear weapons, was not, in hindsight, the best thing to do. It is time the U.S. decided to wag their own tail ....as opposed to letting Israel wag it for them. The U.S. created this problem by pushing and bullying to create the state of Israel....It is time they took control.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
it often seems to me that what the middle east really requires is for someone with power to be capable of realizing that the whole goddamn mess isn't going to be solved by saying "it was them who started it" or "we gave them x so they should give us y". Some people are going to have to learn pragmatism, and face the problems of the present instead of those of the past. Arabs and Jews have both acted horribly in history, and if it's true that the Jews acted worse (or that the Arabs did, believe me I don't know the truth, and i bet you don't either. too much propaganda makes the truth unknowable), then we'll have to get over that too, cos shouting about it and throwing grenades at each other won't help the cause.

That's always been my take on the situation. What happened in the past should stay there, and eyes should be looking forward. Obviously the stiff arm has not worked, for any of the parties involved. The idea of saving face or not giving in, is juvenile and a proven exercise in idiocy. That's why we have laws in a society, to prevent the escalating violence. Unfortunately there is no such course of action when the larger society in this case involves many countries, and groups of peoples wishing for their own, with their own uneven hand in international affairs.

I normally stay away from this issue, because I find it to be one horrible round on the merry-go-round. Much like the chicken and the egg....People end up on one side of the fence and can't see the mirror they're looking into. Left hand becomes right hand, looks similar, and for all intents and purposes is.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
brilliant. I bet all the cypriots, greek and turkish alike, who already have such a peaceful time together on their overcrowded island, will love that.

I know a few Airborne guys who'd smile and call it revenge....

Right about the time WW2 was ending, and just before some brainfart decided the Holy Land needed a third at the table, Cyprus would have been as accepting as Palestine....

Woof!
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
That's always been my take on the situation. What happened in the past should stay there, and eyes should be looking forward. Obviously the stiff arm has not worked, for any of the parties involved. The idea of saving face or not giving in, is juvenile and a proven exercise in idiocy. That's why we have laws in a society, to prevent the escalating violence. Unfortunately there is no such course of action when the larger society in this case involves many countries, and groups of peoples wishing for their own, with their own uneven hand in international affairs.

I normally stay away from this issue, because I find it to be one horrible round on the merry-go-round. Much like the chicken and the egg....People end up on one side of the fence and can't see the mirror they're looking into. Left hand becomes right hand, looks similar, and for all intents and purposes is.

Israel was a mistake ... an experiment gone horribly wrong. There's no right side, and neither is wrong. Accept it and move on. To see wrong in one is to be called racist or hateful by the other because nobody sees middle ground.

Sad part, the egg thing has an answer....

Woof!
 

hermanntrude

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jun 23, 2006
7,267
118
63
46
Newfoundland!
I know a few Airborne guys who'd smile and call it revenge....

Right about the time WW2 was ending, and just before some brainfart decided the Holy Land needed a third at the table, Cyprus would have been as accepting as Palestine....

Woof!

unfortunately, we're not talking about that time now are we? we're talking about now.

If "dump them all in cyprus" is your best answer, perhaps you'd better wait till another idea hits the fan swirling in your brain before speaking up.

My point is that we cannot go back in time and undo any bad decisions that were made in the past (and i don't claim to know what the decisions were or whether there were any alternatives), but it MIGHT just be possible, IF people can get their heads into the present, for people to make the best of the crappy, crappy situation they're in now.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
It seems to me that arming the Jews in Israel to the teeth with every modern weapon the U.S. has including nuclear weapons, was not, in hindsight, the best thing to do. It is time the U.S. decided to wag their own tail ....as opposed to letting Israel wag it for them. The U.S. created this problem by pushing and bullying to create the state of Israel....It is time they took control.

I still wonder if Uncle Sam hasn't stepped on it's own landmine. Something still stinks. 9/11 was a lot bigger than terrorism.

Woof
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
unfortunately, we're not talking about that time now are we? we're talking about now.

If "dump them all in cyprus" is your best answer, perhaps you'd better wait till another idea hits the fan swirling in your brain before speaking up.

My point is that we cannot go back in time and undo any bad decisions that were made in the past (and i don't claim to know what the decisions were or whether there were any alternatives), but it MIGHT just be possible, IF people can get their heads into the present, for people to make the best of the crappy, crappy situation they're in now.

Dump them all on Cyprus made a much sense as dumping them in Palestine. I'll speak up when I choose because that's where open thoughts come from. People who want to make it work will make it work. Obviously, they don't. That makes it a queen-sized solution for a king-sized problem. Uncle Sam has got to wean Israel and let her stand on her own feet.

Woof!
 

hermanntrude

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jun 23, 2006
7,267
118
63
46
Newfoundland!
I ... uh ... don't recall anyone saying one could....

Woof!

My solution? Move Israel to Cyprus where UN should have put it in the first place.

Woof!

this is not a viable solution in modern times. So you then suggested it would have been back then. Now when I point out that you cannot turn the clock back and do it when you say it "should" have been done, you say you ddin't suggest you were going to turn the clock back.

So...

which was it? did you want to relocate the jews to cyprus now, which I think we agree is a foolish suggestion or did you want to go back in time and do it then, when it's just possible it might have been a good idea.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
this is not a viable solution in modern times. So you then suggested it would have been back then. Now when I point out that you cannot turn the clock back and do it when you say it "should" have been done, you say you ddin't suggest you were going to turn the clock back.

So...

which was it? did you want to relocate the jews to cyprus now, which I think we agree is a foolish suggestion or did you want to go back in time and do it then, when it's just possible it might have been a good idea.

My my but we're being testy here. First off, I said nothing about moving a Jew. What I did say is Israel should have been located on Cyprus then, as it too, was a Brit protectorate. To move them now, in real terms, would be impossible.

Woof
 

hermanntrude

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jun 23, 2006
7,267
118
63
46
Newfoundland!
Is there any other kind in terms of the Middle East? Yup ... that was my addition to the scrap heap.

Woof!

fair enough. As long as you're aware it's not really a solution. When you said "my solution..." it appeared that you were actually trying to pass it off as a real solution.