Israel Runs Amok

Rarely discussed or debated is Israel's role in destabilizing the Middle East. The current operations in Gaza have serious implications not only for that region but for the United States. The arrest of high level Hamas officials is unprecedented and will guarantee an escalation of the violence between Palestinians and the Israelis. The greater danger is the further radicalization of Islamic regimes throughout the Middle East. It could even affect the U.S. presence in Iraq.

One of the key motivations for Islamic fundamentalist militancy is American support for Israel. Bin Laden claims to have become a hater of the U.S. initially because of our support for the Jewish state. You might ask why do we give support to a state that causes so much trouble for us in that region. The answer lies in the U.S. and the power of the Israeli lobby. They've controlled our foreign policy in the Middle East for decades. Now they've gained complete dominance with the current administration in the form of the neo-cons. The war in Iraq was largely motivated by their desire to get rid of Sadddam Hussein, a major financial supporter of Palestinian terrorists.

The influence of the neo-cons over America cannot be overstated. Thousands of Americans have died because of their extremist thinking. And it is the lack of debate (since any critic of Israel is denounced as an anti-Semite) on the role of the pro-Israel lobby in America that threatens to plunge us into further international chaos.