Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Palestinian Bantustan and America's Reputation

I argued recently in “Palestine and Global Security” that the establishment of a Palestinian Bantustan, as opposed to a genuinely independent and viable state, would have several negative security impacts. One would, I predicted, be the undermining of America’s reputation.

Biden, in Israel, has been given a clear message by Netanyahu that Israel has no intention of returning to its legally recognized 1967 borders, thus underscoring the likely emergence of a Palestinian Bantustan. Even Biden found this egregious insult a bit much to swallow and immediately issued a bold condemnation.

Now the American reputation is again on the line. The world’s only superpower will look very pitiful if it does nothing substantive to back up its vice president’s condemnation. Washington’s approach to foreign affairs over the last year has relied enormously on words; to the degree that its words are exposed as nothing more than hot air, Washington loses influence with friend and foe, a dangerous situation that invites instability.

Thus the small issue of Palestine/Israel takes on broader security implications.

Keep an eye on this developing issue.

4 comments:

Veronica said...

While Biden condemned the stealing of more Palestinian lands to build houses for Israeli squatters, he also assured Israel of U.S.A.'s unconditional support for Israel. I believe Washington will bow down to Israel on this issue, as always. There will be no peace as long as Washington is occupied by Israel and its lobbying group - and U.S.A. seems to be content with this arrangement.

Aside from Obama's voting record in the Senate, it should have been clear to everyone where Obama's loyalty lay when, as soon as he won the presidential nomination, he ran to AIPAC conference with Israeli flag pin on his lapel and thanked them, swore his allegiance to Israel and gave Jerusalem to Israel. That was a sign for Israel to steal all of Jerusalem and continue to do whatever it wants.

William deB. Mills said...

I did not know about the Israeli flag pin. That goes a bit beyond politeness, doesn't it? I mean, when I was a college student and on language study overseas, I would wear pins of the foreign host country, but for a president to do that raises questions about his loyalty; Cheney at least once attended a religious ceremony in Israel wearing a yamulka.

I would happily accept a leader who called himself a citizen of the world and put the world first. Until we reach that level of maturity, I'd like a leader who puts the US first. It has to be Israel or the US; both cannot be first.

As for "unconditional support," no leader has the right ever to give that to another country.

But now there is a little problem for the Administration - either it stands up to Israel or, having been insulted before the world, it looks pathetic, which is a dangerous appearance for a superpower...it whets the appetites of enemies.

Veronica said...

William deB. Mills, I agree with all you wrote. I found it very disgraceful for a presidential nominee to do that but I was not surprised. Remember when Nancy Pelosi attended an AIPAC conference and yelled with her fist in the air, "Israel first, Israel last and Israel always"? So where does U.S.A. fit? I do not understand why politicians attend these AIPAC conferences. It seems to be a requirement. They are also required to travel to Israel, all expenses paid, for orientation to become good obedient US congresspeople promoting Israeli agenda which often is not good for U.S.A..

When Obama went to Israel, he wore the yarmulke and inserted a piece of paper with written prayer into the "wailing wall" but his prayer was never delivered to god because the Zionist postmen pulled it out of the wall and read it on their Israeli television news.

U.S.A. is like an abused child or spouse who gets beatings and humiliation routinely and still stays totally loyal to the abuser. How can a powerful rich country be in such condition and cannot free itself. U.S.A is in debt up to its eyeballs, willing to cut social programs for its citizens to manage the deficit but still has all the billions of dollars to send to Israel.

I hope the politicians, the military and the citizens wake up before it is too late.

Veronica said...

To clarify about the flag pin that Obama wore on his lapel at the AIPAC conference, one side of the pin had the Israeli flag and the other side had the U.S. flag conjoined. I found it very distasteful to see the U.S. presidential nominee wear the Israeli flag on his lapel in U.S.A. and I wondered where his loyalty lay.