Neoneocon

My solipsistic, misanthropic side that basically abhors my fellow man is suddenly starting to wax like a gibbous moon. Long held liberal brain circuitry is morphing into a conservative world view that would make John Bolton blush. Something is rotten in Denmark, and the intoxicating stench is hypnotizing and blinding many of us. Easily manipulated lovers of peace and love and freedom have mindlessly swallowed the bait, and not yet felt the naked hook.

I am a backer of the State of Israel's right to exist and as so a pariah in many circles. My objectivity regarding my tribal roots has been called into question at times, occasionally to my face.

Item: The International Red Cross admitted this week that they have been tending to Taliban casualties during the Afghani conflict. The Red Cross disclosed that in April its workers tended to over 70 members of the fundamentalist terrorist organization.  An ICRC spokesman in Geneva said the practice is consistent with its obligation of neutrality and its mandate to provide assistance to all sides in conflict. The ICRC says it provides a three-day course that includes lessons in international humanitarian law, practical work with bandages and other basic medical techniques.It says the course is also a chance to remind all sides about respect for civilians and proper treatment of detainees.


Item: In New York on Friday, the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty's 189 signatory nations proposed new steps towards disarmament and making the Middle East free of atomic weapons. Diplomats approved a document that laid out action plans on the three pillars of the treaty -- disarmament, non-proliferation and promoting peaceful atomic energy. The NPT called on Israel to join the treaty, which would oblige the Jewish state to do away with the nuclear weapons it is widely believed to have but does not acknowledge.

It mentioned ¨the importance of Israel's accession to the treaty and the placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA safeguards.¨


Item: U.N. Secretary General wrote an editorial in the Washington Post today extolling virtues of the new and improved International Criminal Court, which will now have the teeth to try individuals and nation states for "crimes against humanity."

The first item is interesting. Being a supposedly neutral organization, the Red Cross makes no distinction between terrorist and coalition forces. It anoints them with a broad brush of moral equivalence. Get the terrorists back on the battlefield within three hours or they get their money back.

Neutrality is a precious thing but not really a moral high ground, in my way of thinking. Switzerland feigned neutrality in World War II, a convenient way to aid the germans and get some new banking work. Neville Chamberlain tried to take a neutral, middle course. Didn't work out so well.

But the Red Cross, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, various U.N. Commissions and organizations of similar ilk have the luxury of taking a detached, neutral, objective stance that places all sinners on a level playing and killing field. Including patching up soldiers in a god's army dedicated to establishing a world caliphate, no matter how many innocent civilians might get whacked in the process.

As to the second item, it is laughable in its transparency. The Israelis are expected to allow their teeth to be pulled and voluntarily give up the only thing that has kept their numerous enemies at bay for the last forty years, their nuclear arsenal. In the face of persistent threats from the Persians to wipe it off of the earth and in the face of the Iranians own accelerated race to their own bomb. Thankfully, the Israelis are not signatories to this treaty.

Ditto the last item. The United Nations has an exalted sense of its own power, and Israel is now firmly placed in its gunsights. The United Nations is a charade and has been for some time. They have never been an honest referee. Its proclamations are a testament to political expediency and hypocrisy. China has consistently thwarted any threats to its allies, including North Korea and Iran. Ditto Russia. Look at the U.N.'s emasculated response to Sudan. The I.A.E.A. has been consistently gamed by Iran. Venezuela and Iran continue their protracted courtship. Does any one truly think that the United Nations has any credibility in its edicts? Or in its evenhandedness? Can a country find any real protection under its wing?

***

Israel is in crisis and they are themselves responsible for much of their plight. They made overtures at Oslo that they seemed to have no intentions of following. It is interesting how they have had reasonable stasis in their relationship with the PLO dominated West Bank but Hamas dominated Gaza is still a powder keg. Ultra right wing fundamentalists are dominating the political agenda and are not willing to give an inch on a divided Jerusalem or an expansionist settlement policy.  Sixty one years after their birth, they are still facing an existential threat to their survival.

I read an article yesterday that pointed out an interesting observation. Young people today have only known of Israel as an occupying power, the dominant partner in their dyad with the Palestinians. They are blissfully unaware of the jews and Israelis struggle to survive, or perhaps they are tired of hearing about it.  I got a facebook message this week from an Israeli hater who told me to move my ass back to my "precious racialist theocracy". My local paper runs a letter every day about the Israeli's subjugation of the poor Palestinians. And if evil Israel did give up its weapons and ended up vanquished by its many enemies, most would share nary a tear. They had it coming and they should just go back to wherever it was they came from.

I am drawing a line in the sand. There is a clear demarcation between people who think it is acceptable to bomb restaurants and trains and trade centers and synagogues and rival mosques and innocent people and those that are merely protecting their own den. We should not have a long term presence in Afghanistan or Iraq, short of quick strike actions against those that would fly planes into our buildings. You know, the people that the Red Cross are trying to heal and fix up.

President Obama's own neutrality and stance on the Israeli question is still largely an unknown. Israel should be prepared to go it alone. I stand with them. If this is blasphemy for my liberal friends, I am sorry and it's been swell.