Not a new piece by any means but always worth it as a reminder or just a basic analysis for a better understanding of the alleged "hatred" towards the US in the ME and beyond..
The De-Zionization of the American Mind
How to Deal with The Lobby
By JEAN BRICMONT
"Americans are constantly told that they have to defend themselves against people who "hate them", but without understanding why they are hated. Is the cause our secular democracy? Our appetite for oil? There are lots of democracies in the world that are far more secular than the United States (Sweden, France...) and lots of places that want to buy oil at the best possible price (China) without arousing any noticeable hatred in the Middle East.
Of course, it is true that, throughout the Third World, Americans and Europeans are often considered arrogant and are not particularly liked. But the level of hatred that leads a large number of people to applaud an event like September 11 is peculiar to the Middle East. Indeed, the main political significance of September 11 did not derive from the number of people killed or even the spectacular achievement of the attackers, but from the fact that the attack was popular in large parts of the Middle East. That much was understood by Americans leaders and infuriated them. Such a level of hatred calls for explanation.
And there can be only one explanation: United States support for Israel. It is indeed Israel that is the main object of hatred, for reasons we shall describe, but since the United States uncritically supports Israel on almost every issue, constantly praises it as "the only democracy in the Middle East" and provides its main financial backing, the result is a "transfer" of hatred.
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So flaming ass..If you still insist that the US is not going to drop Israel then you have only yourself to blame..
ReplyDeleteThis alleged hatred is irrelevant really. We do not need to be liked or popular. This topic always reminds me of a taxi ride in Syria. The taxi driver regaled us with a tirade about the sins of the U.S., foreign policies, permissive culture, blah, blah, blah. The usual. When we arrived, he asked me if I could help him get a Green Card! Huh?
ReplyDeleteWe should do what is best for the United States. Period. Supporting Israel in all things, all the time, is not in the best interests of the United States.
<span><span><span>We do not need to be liked or popular.</span>
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I don't think it's the point vza..When you hear people keep saying "why do they hate us?" , analysis like this one is very useful to claify things up.. If the Americans stay neutral in this conflict, most people in ME would be just as happy. Sadly this is FAR from being the case. The frustration at the US attitude is reaching sky high, trust me! The latest congress demonstration of collective ass licking to the lobby is just the latest in line.
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Nicely put TGIA. I agree, America should be neutral, noy pro Palestinians, not pro Israeli. Most Americans would probably like a neutral policy. Hell I think even Flemming would. He just writes the bull crap because he gets high by offending people.
ReplyDeleteVZA, you are right. It is more valuable to be respected than to be liked. It is more important to do what is right than be respected. America shouldn't be motivated by a desire to be popular in the short term.
I agree, we should at least be neutral and this recent stupidity by Congress takes the cake.
ReplyDeleteI do not think most have any idea what that vote will cost, it is just a matter of time
ReplyDeleteI also like all of this talk about ME oil, because America does not get its lions share of oil from the ME. It gets it from south of the border and Africa, but there will soon be a conflagration in these countries, especially if the pricing starts to rise through the roof.
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