Theodore's World

We have neighbors who were young children in the early 30's in Germany and both were brought up "Nazi". He was trained by the Hitler Youth to be a welder and to climb. If we bombed a bridge he would shimmy out over the water and aid in repair. After the war the Union Pacific brought a bunch of these young Nazi's over here to work in the Sierras welding rebar in the new snow shed.
Anyway when we first moved here both he and his wife were friendly, smiled and waved and would tell us stories. Her dad was killed in the Messerschmitt factory when we bombed it and how her mom was in love with Adolph..."Uncle Adolph" actually was the term she used.
Anyway when they once told me that the Holocaust NEVER happened and we called them on their lie you should have see how fast they changed. He went from demure to calling us at 3 in the morning...pounding on our house at night (these folks are in their late 70's) and trying to torment us. They have become a freak show that has lasted 6 years now and they HATE Bush and they LOVE the Arabs. I was painting the side of our house 3 years ago and this he (at 78) walked up to his side of the fence and said "I hope some of your fucking family was killed on 9-11". The relationship between the Nazis and the Muslims (I'd say radical Muslims but they are all radical as far as I care) is incestuous. I see an interesting paradox in how the left would spew "Bush-Hitler" and how much my next door Nazis HATE Bush. One thing I have learned if I have learned nothing else is this. If someone lies and falsely accuses you of something what they are really doing is telling you the things they are actually capable of.
There is a hatred of Jews that I cannot understand but you have no idea how we have seen it played out just here between our two houses and not because we are Jewish but because we are so willing to stand with them.

The chinless dork Assad probably isn't in control anymore. He's a weakling; his father knew it and the Ba'athist kingmakers around him know it. The Israelis will kill him first, which is what he deserves. Slowly.

I wonder if the Syrians would be as aggressive now if Olmert and the US had allowed the Israeli military free reign two months ago. Could the Israelis have destroyed Hizbollah in Lebanon? I do not know. Maybe the Israelis ran into tougher opposition than they were accustomed to. Or maybe World opinion just got to the Israeli and American leadership, again.

I really think the IDF was willing to pay the price as they had already paid a steep price. It appears the Israeli population was willing. Weak leadership could not stomach the wailing of World opinion.

Only this time Israel gets to keep Syria

TomR,

I think it was weak leadership. And now that Olmert has let slip the world's worst kept secret, Iran had better think real hard about their hunger for nuclear weapons and that "Death to Israel" meme. Appears that most Israelis are a bit tired of being threatened and the leadership (both Israel's and the world) doing nothing about it. And with Mark's comment, Israel gets to keep everything they take this time out.

Before your trousers get too wet . . . I remind you PM Olmert said recently that war is not in the interest of Syria. There is no need to believe that Israel actually believes Syria is planning for an offensive war. These are constant murmurs from the Israeli hawkish Right, which wants the world community to put continuous pressure on all its surrounding Arab states.

To up the ante a bit, this Israelophilia among the mainstream (i.e., super-partisan and not independent in thought) American Right is ridiculous. Those of you who support Israel for "religious" reasons are being played . . . Israel's leadership is highly secular and typically agnostic-to-atheist (though more respectful of Jewish traditions than our intellectuals are of Christian ones). Virtually all Holy Land Christians are Arab, and 2/3 of them reside in the occupied territories. The Israeli border guards make no distinction between a peaceful Arab Christian and a Hamas member, and this is why Palestinian resentment is universal across all social groups (a bit less among Bedouin, since they are the Arab equivalent of Mountaineers).

Of course certain ones of you probably like Israel BECAUSE it is secular, nonreligious, has a modern consumerist capitalist economy, has a huge military with modern weapons, and mostly, is opposed to the Muslim world. Well, I can't help you, except to reiterate to the rest of the conservative family that secular capitalism + militarism undermines Christian values, and Israel is on the WRONG side of the line, whether or not Nazis and Communists and Islamo-fundamentalists might also oppose it (though need I remind ye, the USSR was the first nation to recognise Israel).

Sierrahome, wow what a story about your neighbor. How awful that you have to be in that situation and have to have that kind of thing happening. I am proud of you for the stand you take. Thank you for sharing about this.

Rhod I sure hope they do kill him asap.

Tom, yes, it sure was weak leadership. The IDF was willing to fight to the bitter end, but Olmert is a horrible person and does and says things that are against Israel all the time.

Mark I agree this time they should keep Syria.

Thomas:

The man who knows everything is a charm, especially the one who can tell you what you're thinking.

We can deduce from your first paragraph that Syria has the best of intentions for Israel. Thanks.

Second paragraph. Your Israelophobia has blinded you to the possiblities that we, lots of us, support Israel because it's essentially a free, Western state. Period. You reveal more about yourself here than about us "super-partisans". You're not too bright, are you Tom?

Third paragraph? Who asked for your "help"? The subject of the modern world, and where economics interesects with Belief is way beyond your slight capacity for comprehension. The USSR recognized Israel? So what.

Thomas, you're too dense for consideration.

"These are constant murmurs from the Israeli hawkish Right, which wants the world community to put continuous pressure on all its surrounding Arab states."

You make that statement as if that's a bad thing....the "hawkish" Israeli Right is "owlish" (wise, that is) if you ask me....

Key word there Thomas: Surrounding. You don't think the bloodthirsty Muslim savages are just itching to exterminate Israel, as they have tried to do so many times before?

"Virtually all Holy Land Christians are Arab, and 2/3 of them reside in the occupied territories. The Israeli border guards make no distinction between a peaceful Arab Christian and a Hamas member, and this is why Palestinian resentment is universal across all social groups (a bit less among Bedouin, since they are the Arab equivalent of Mountaineers)."

I actually feel bad for Arab Christians, but unfortunately it's hard to tell them apart, and the Muslim Palestini-goons will masquerade as Arab Christians to commit their bloodthirsty savagery. The Bedouins fare better since it's REALLY hard for urban Palestinigoons to masquerade as the very clannish and insular Bedouin.

"Of course certain ones of you probably like Israel BECAUSE it is secular, nonreligious, has a modern consumerist capitalist economy, has a huge military with modern weapons, and mostly, is opposed to the Muslim world."

Again, you state that like it's a bad thing...leaving the religion vs. secular question aside, we support Israel because they are nearly always the good guys. Period.

Thomas, do you have any idea WHY the USSR was initially gung-ho to recognize Israel? Because it was a great way to drive a wedge between the USA (where a lot of Jews lived/live) and the UK (which still had colonies and oil concessions among the Arabs and was trying to placate both sides). Then they gave Nasser whatever he wanted to try to kill them.

Nick:

Good post. But much of what you've said will zoom past Thomas's head, leaving him the same as when he came in.

Nick thank you. I hope Thomas is reading the responses to him.