The Bloody Cost

Here's another bit of evidence that when the United States condones the bloody ways of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Americans pay for it with their blood.

I never saw this reported in the mainstream media, but libertarian Justin Raimondo quotes a group that claims credit for the murder and mutilation of four American mercenaries in Fallujah.

"This is a gift from the people of Fallujah to the people of Palestine and the family of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin who was assassinated by the criminal Zionists," said the statement from the Brigades of Martyr Ahmed Yassin. "We advise the U.S. forces to withdraw from Iraq and we advise the families of the American soldiers and the contractors not to come to Iraq."

The United States cannot stop Sharon from assassinating people. When President Bush demanded that Sharon withdraw his military forces from the West Bank, Sharon showed Bush the utmost contempt by ignoring him. However, the United States could join the rest of the world in condemning assassinations. But Bush does not have the guts to do it. He swallowed Sharon's calculated insult and, publicly humiliated, smiled like a little boy.

A real man would have called Sharon and said: "Look, Mister, you've got 24 hours to pull those troops out of the occupied areas. If you don't, I'm cutting off all U.S. aid to Israel immediately, and I will instruct the ambassador to the United Nations to inform other members of the Security Council that the United States will no longer veto any resolutions directed against Israel. Furthermore, if you think your Israeli lobby can change my mind, call the lobbyists up and ask them how they will feel if the president of the United States goes on national television and raises the subject of dual loyalty. You seemed to be confused as to who the dog is and who the tail is. Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm the dog and you're the tail, and you're damned close to getting chopped off."

Alas, there is no man in the White House.

Americans ought to hang their heads in shame that every candidate for national office feels obliged to pay public obeisance to and pledge undying support for a foreign country about the size of New Jersey. It's time Americans started asking these bozos: "Just what office are you running for: president of the United States or deputy prime minister of Israel? And whose interests do you put first – those of the United States or those of Israel?"

It ought to be a source of shame that Congress hands Israel a gift of $3 billion every year when there is neither a state nor a municipality in this country that isn't hurting for revenue. Israel has a high standard of living. It has more F-16s than any country in the world except the United States. It has modern tanks and nuclear weapons. In short, it does not need the coerced charity of the American taxpayers.

Everything I've said about Israel would apply to any other foreign country. The point is, the United States should not allow any foreign country to exert undue influence on its internal affairs and on its policies. If the Japanese, the French or the Germans tried to influence American elections the way the Israeli lobby does, Americans would be outraged. Well, the principle applies to everyone.

Those Americans who say to politicians "My vote depends on your support for Israel" ought to stop and examine their conscience. Which country are they a citizen of? Which country commands their loyalty?

As for President Bush, he should realize that every time he condones Sharon's crimes, some young Americans will pay for it with their lives. It is because of Bush's blind support for Sharon, a right-wing extremist with blood on his hands, that hatred for America grows in the Arab world. We don't need that. We should cut the apron strings and let Israel fend for itself.