tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16816866.post2986052690830286718..comments2024-02-29T02:10:56.878-08:00Comments on J O S H U A P U N D I T: Israel: Dealing With Boycotts, Lies And Intimidation Freedom Fighterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649470110087808596noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16816866.post-75059257027434610492014-02-04T19:02:12.998-08:002014-02-04T19:02:12.998-08:00I read your article in its entirety. You are spot...I read your article in its entirety. You are spot on especially with the last part. I sometimes wonder why Israel even works with the US at all. It would be so much better off without the current relationship with the US that it currently has. In fact, both nations would be better off if the nature of the current relationship changed!! I suspect this continues because of special interests within both nations desire it to continue even though it is to the detriment of both nations as a whole. <br /><br />The last paragraph could apply equally to America as it does to Israel. Relying on foreign arrangements is not going to end well for either nation. America should likewise put more trust in its capable people and its brave warriors and less faith in institutions like NATO, the UN, IMF, or the other various alphabet soup of international agencies. B.Posternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16816866.post-16083672222477426042014-02-04T16:38:35.556-08:002014-02-04T16:38:35.556-08:00There's always been a common thread running th...There's always been a common thread running through the "peace talks." This is unconditional support for the Palestinians and either no support or highly conditional support for Israel much like Israel receives from America. If we truly want a peaceful situation that involves a two state solution, either all support for the Palestinians needs to be withdrawn or it needs to be made highly conditional much like what Israel receives from America. <br /><br />As long as long as the Palestinians receive this level of unconditional support, they have no incentive to negotiate in good faith. Removal of this support would put the parties on more equal footing. In such an environment, the Palestinians would have much more incentive to negotiate in good faith. <br /><br />If an end goal of two states living side by side in peace is truly the goal, this is the first thing that needs to happen yet unconditional support for the Palestinians continues unabated. Either a peaceful solution is not desired or the leaders are to blinded by ideology to understand the problem. B.Posternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16816866.post-87369401520241536982014-02-04T16:28:28.572-08:002014-02-04T16:28:28.572-08:00"Had the Obama Administration wanted the EU b..."Had the Obama Administration wanted the EU boycotts quashed completely, a mere mention of these laws would have been sufficient." Actually it would not have been. The end result would have likely been the EU would have cut off trade with the EU in import and export markets, drop all support for the dollar as world reserve currency, and draw closer to Russia whom they depend on for much of their oil supplies among other things. While such actions would hurt the EU nations, they would hurt America far worse. American officials, EU officials, and officials within the EU nations all understand this as does Mr. Kerry.<br /><br />The centerpiece of EU foreign policy is the creation of another Arab state carved out of Israel. As such, they would very likely hurt America acting to cripple it's economy and halt all cooperation with America in areas of national security if a mention of the 1977 law were made in order to try and get the EU to drop the threats of a boycott of Israel. It's not a simple as a "mere mention" of things like this. <br /><br />Truth is Mr. Kerry and the Obama Administration are completely powerless to affect EU policy regarding Israeli boycotts or pretty much anything else. For what it's worth, I think the Obama Administration does NOT want to oppose boycotts of Israel and is agreement with the EU position on this. The point is even if they wanted to "quash" this, they can't. <br /><br />With that said, I think you are spot on the other options that Israel has with regards to trade and other situations that you mention at the end of your post, however, it seems unlikely the EU would not exist in a couple of years. France and Germany will go to war before they let the other nations of the EU go their own way. Ultimately this may be inevitable. Attempts to hold the EU together will only lead to war as nations with such radically different cultures and interests cannot possibly adhere to any kind of union in this manner. <br /><br />What is more likely than the EU not existing in a couple of years is America ceasing to exist. It's survival already hangs by a thread. It's major competitors could finish it off at any time with minimal effort but as Napoleon once said why intervene when your enemy is destroying himself!! <br /><br />While Western policies can and do change with elections, you are correct to point this out, you mention Australia and Canada. while their support is good, I don't think it could be relied upon. These countries are simply to far away and they lack the political power to play any significant role in this situation. They might make good trading partners though but are unlikely to be able to be of much assistance politically or militarily.<br /><br />Actually the entire "West" is likely to be politically irrelevant within the next 5 years. With the EU imploding due to internal problems and likely facing internal strife it figures to be preoccupied. As for America, it is unlikely to even exist in two years. Even if it does manage to somehow hang on, it does not figure to be an important nation in world events. The sooner Israel separates from America and the "west" the better actually. <br /> B.Posternoreply@blogger.com