Sand Trap

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  • Posted By: Bluestone @ 01/10/2008 9:39:29 AM

    First of all, I would like to state that I am a Bush supporter. I understand that he has made mistakes, as we all have. I think this trip he is on now should never have taken place. I know I will be labeled and made fun of for my thinking, but my Bible tells me that that land is not supposed to be divided. It belongs to Israel. I am not trying to impose anything on anybody, that is just my belief, and I don't think Bush or anybody else is going to override God's plan for his chosen people.

    • Posted By: PGelsman @ 01/10/2008 1:28:59 PM

      Well, I am NOT a Bush supporter but I am a Jew. The land is ours, God (if you believe) gave it to us. Who the *** are these arabs to come along and say it's their's? It was ours before the 7th century, and its ours now. There is no God. Man invented God when there was no science.

    • Posted By: leodelaney @ 01/10/2008 10:52:27 AM

      Aren't you trying to impose Israel on the Palistinians. So much for not trying to impose anything on anybody.

    • Posted By: Saltydog_0 @ 01/10/2008 10:24:25 AM

      Bluestone, what makes you think that what your Bible tells you has any relevance in political discourse? I understand that you put a great deal of importance in what the Bible says, but to the majority of the people on this planet who are not members of your religion, it's just another book. You don't see me making policy reccomendations based on what is written in Moby Dick.

      I'm not making fun of you. I am asking that you widen your perspective and accept that your religious beliefs are an OPINION; one of many. You have a right to believe whatever you choose concerning God and the hereafter, but your beliefs and the beliefs of other religions DO NOT have a place in determining public policy. I'm sure you're familiar enough with the Bible to know that if we followed it's every directive (many of which are contradictory) our society would be unbearably violent and oppressive.

      Furthermore, if your religion has a right to dictate policy, it would be hypocritical not to allow all religions the same right. How would we decide when and where to follow which religion? WAR?! Oh yeah. . .I forgot. . .that's what we do now. How's it workin out?

      It's time to keep religion out of government. NOBODY knows the mind of God and it's high time we stopped killing each other because we're arrogant enough to think we do.

  • Posted By: PGelsman @ 01/10/2008 1:22:10 PM

    He (Bush) has some nerve to tell Israel it must stop 'occupying' Arab territories when he's got 150,000 troops in Iraq occupying their country for it's oil. I am fed up with the US Policy to dominate the world. The US is building permanent housing for US troops to stay in Iraq forever!
    I think Bush AND Cheny oughta be impeached!

  • Posted By: Bluestone @ 01/10/2008 11:30:21 AM

    I give up. I sincerely belief that one is supposed to love others and witness to them. I am certainly not trying to dictate to anybody. You are right, I will live my life as I think I should and believe and honor the God of the Holy Bible and look forward to my eternal home. You won't hear from me again on this subject.

  • Posted By: booklady @ 01/10/2008 11:21:37 AM

    People seem to forget that the pilgrims came here to escape religious persecution. They wanted to worship their own way. Also, Our country, I believe, was not founded on Christian beliefs but on the deepest need of separation of church and state. Belief in God should a deeply personal thing. Your religious beliefs should govern your behavior and not dictate to others.

  • Posted By: Bond 007 @ 01/10/2008 10:25:51 AM

    Thanks for your honest comment Bluestone, even that I desagree with you, you made a clear view of your ideas. But people like dwaynedog911 that belive that the US is here to bully the world or belive we are a super power gave us the creepy. People like that are the reson they chose politician in power, not enhance our live but to conquer and bully others, just because we are american and we know more that anybody in this palnet.

  • Posted By: carnabylane @ 01/10/2008 8:19:09 AM

    Once again Bush talks "PEACE" while he bombs the crap out of one country and threatens The word Bush and Peace do not belong in the same sentence.His complete lack of understanding of both the Arab culture and Islam are apparent by his forcing the leaders of these countries to deal with a black woman as the US head of state, the ultimate in disrespect for their culture.

  • Posted By: johnqpublic2004 @ 01/10/2008 6:58:53 AM

    Bush hating? are you kidding...the guy is a loser..total zero. Foreign policy wise, domestic policy wise, militarily...complete, and total failure. Worst president...EVER. For those of you out there that believe Bush has done the right thing all thru his presidency..go back to school, learn history, and stop taking the testosterone. Your screwin the world up for the rest of us smart people. (I'd use a stonger word, but I"m afraid it would get blieeped.)

  • Posted By: dwaynedog911 @ 01/09/2008 9:23:57 PM

    are all of you people kidding with all the bush hateing ????the nutz in the sand keep trying to wipe Israel from the map BUT the USA is in the way thats why where the bad guys in the middle east huh?
    iran is in the middle of more crap in the whole middles east there the main problame in the middle east right now IF THERES GOING TO BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST SOMEONE HAS TO PUT IRAN BACK IN THERE PLACE AS A 3ERD WORLD NOBODY LOOKING AT THE USA WISHING THEY HAD THE POWER WE DO !!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: renewableenergy2 @ 01/09/2008 1:56:56 PM

    NO PALESTINIAN STATE R1

    Imagine that the various people who settled in the United States for the past 300 years decided one day that they one to parcel the United States into an independent State just for them, would the American public go for it. The Answer is absolutely NO.

    The situation in Israel today is no different. The Arabs there are not Palestinians, there is no such Arab nation as Palestine or Palestinian people.

    Europeans countries today are consisting of numerous people from other countries. Would the Europeans people cede part of their country to set up another State in their midst. The answer is absolutely NO.

    All the Arabs in Israel and surrounding areas are from the various Arab nations, such as Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and other Arab nations.

    Prominent PLO Arab says there are no 'Palestinians' and no "Palestine"

    PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein admitted in a 1977 interview with a Dutch magazine.

    "The Palestinian people do not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct 'Palestinian people' to oppose Zionism. "

    Yehuda Draiman

    • Posted By: Saltydog_0 @ 01/09/2008 5:22:19 PM

      Yehuda, your argument is ridiculously hypocritical. You can't say there is no Palestinian people on one hand, while legitimizing the Jewish state of Israel on the other.

      You ask us to: "Imagine that the various people who settled in the United States for the past 300 years decided one day that they one to parcel the United States into an independent State just for them. . ."

      You mean imagine that people in the US did EXACTLY what the Jewish people did in Israel?!!! Are you making a joke?!!! Do you not know how the state of Israel came into being after WWII?

      Look. This endless cycle of "I was here first. . .NO! I was. . .NU Uh! I was first!!" has got to stop. Who the hell cares who was around 100, 200 or 2000 years ago?!! Just shut the F up and let the rest of the world quit worrying about what you idiots in the desert might do next. It seems to me, that everyone is willing to let Israel exist within the boundaries that existed pre-1967. Even the Palestinians (or Arabs, if you prefer) find that an acceptable solution. But no! Israelis won't accept such a reasonable agreement because there is a group of Jewish extremists (No, Islam doesn't have a monopoly on extremism.) who think it's there God given right to settle wherever they damn well please because their great great great great great great great grandfather once squatted on the same godforsaken rock.

      Enough!! I say, evacuate EVERYONE from the region and nuke the whole damn place. Give the world something better to worry about. And make sure every frickin church, mosque and synagogue is levelled in the process. Let God find a new home. It sure wouldn't hurt for him to get out and see the world a little bit.

  • Posted By: ConstitutionalSupporter @ 01/09/2008 2:37:42 PM

    Comment on Hawks make better peace then Doves. In order to bring peace the people in power must be wlling to negotate peace Even if your premesis is correct Bush has never been willing to talk peace. His legacy will be "My way or the highway". . The world looks at us like the old USSR, a bully pushing it's way through the world withut care for any other. Examples; North Korea, Iran and Iraq his axis of evil. North Korea has expressed an interest in negotiations. Iran has not had a viable program since 2003 and no weapons of mass destruction were ever found in Iraq. Bush goes into these peace talks as a Don Quixote. Slaying windmills to prove he is a viable warrior willing to discuss peace. It's as foolish as his legacy. PLEASE Mr. Bush go into the good night quietly so America can regain it's status as a world leader in human rights.

  • Posted By: Bond 007 @ 01/09/2008 2:27:54 PM

    Bush is not interested in solving the Israel, Palestinian issue, his solve purpose to his visit is to make sure what or whom will support him for the invasion of Iran, yes you hear me.

    Coincides that theatrical show yesterday with the Iranian speedboat and the US Naval force in that region. For years Bush has tried like in Iraq to create a conflict, he got it in Iraq with lie of WMD. Now the Iran WMD did not work, he will look for other excuses for war. Moreover, probably he will get it using the speedboat attack.

    I???m sorry to said this but still have in back of my mind the true of 9/11, the lack of remain of airplane in the pentagon (the declassification of video from several location in that area) and in the field of Philadelphia. I do not trust Bush at all.

    I do not doubt that for the next election and a win for the GOP a war for Iran will happen, using that patriotic slogan ???support our boys??? with that he has kill many of our son, husbands and friends.

  • Posted By: ru4real6846 @ 01/09/2008 12:52:13 PM

    Bush ought to mind his business about Iran and worry about America. It will be a big mistake, if he starts war with Iran. You are an idiot Bush and always have been. Get out of office and let someone else in who knows what they are doing, because you sure don't.

  • Posted By: miked @ 01/09/2008 12:29:58 PM

    Readers, The glass is half full. Taking a half empty approach is defeatist. By the way, Richard Nixon went to China and started detente with the USSR. Maybe Bush can make something out of this. If not, there will be more bloodshed. Hawks, not Doves, are the best peacemakers.

  • Posted By: thebullss @ 01/09/2008 3:07:22 AM

    Annapolis, was grate start for promising the Palestinians their long over due land. In fact to date was the 60th anniversary of such decision by the UN, Sixty years of war and peace talk and a few UN resolutions to that effect which the U.S. would not bother to enforce unlike the resolutions that would like to enforce.

    Palestinians have come to conclusion that Israel and its supporters just talk for the sake of talking and do not wish to end this conflict. Notice I said Palestinians and NOT Mahmoud Abbas. They (Palestinians) have been toyed with not only by Israelis and Americans, but also by their own leaders, by other Arab countries, each for their own political reasons, and also by Islamic Republic of Iran.
    If sixty years ago the UN told the Palestinians and the Israelis to go and negotiate a peace based on two state solutions, and sixty years later they are still at the exact same place that they were, what make them to do this now?
    Does the Palestinian have something this time around to offer for the negotiation to go forward that they did not have for the last 60 years? Probably not.
    Does the Israelis have more incentive to offer the Palestinian their statehood? Definitely yes.
    The problem is that the Palestinians do not have anything to offer at the peace negotiation or anything that they could negotiate with, or any bargaining chip, except to say what they want. For instance if Israel would not give the lands before 1967, and say, we can only give you 90% of them, could the Palestinian counter offer and say okay will give you??? this??? and you give us the whole 100% of the 1967 land. No, they can not, since they do not have any chips to negotiate with. And because Palestinians believe, by virtue of their rights and a few UN resolutions to the idea that Palestine must have its 1967 boarders in order to say we have a just peace.

    That is the essence of the problem. The Israelis has taken so much from the Palestinians that they have not left anything for negotiation. Palestinians have nothing to negotiate with, as they say no bargaining chips. Then you might ask how this could be solved? As always most difficult problems have simple solutions;

    That simple, Israel must go back to 1967 boarders, and that would solve most of the problems, everything this side of the boarder will stay in the Palestine, and everything on the other side will stay in Israel. Settlers will have a choice to live in the New Palestine country and live like the Arabs living in Israel, or go back to Israel. Except the older problem of the refugees, which goes back much further? That problem also should be look at in the simplest way, some ideas have already surfaced, compensation for those people and their family, in fact it should be a very generous compensation offer that they (refugees) can not refuse.

    • Posted By: Saltydog_0 @ 01/09/2008 12:15:52 PM

      Unfortunately they do have one bargaining chip; violence. With nothing substantial to negotiate with, the only power they have is a threat of violence. It's either that or capitulate to Israel's bullying. For decades the Palestinians have been unfairly labeled as terrorists and savages. Israel introduced themselves to the Palestinians as friendly neighbors who only desire peace and mutual prosperity, only to steal more and more land and resources from their new neighbors. When the Palestinians complained and fought back with the only tools at their disposal, Israel played the role of the victim; capitilizing on the massive currency of empathy from the holocaust and 3000 years of repression. Palestine was in a no win situation. They could either roll over and give up THEIR homeland, or they could resist and be labeled as terrorists by the rest of the world who is always looking for the next anti-semetic antagonist.

      Don't get me wrong. I would never make light of the holocaust or any of the other hate filled events the Jewish people have endured going back to the times of the pharaohs. But past wrongs do not give Israel liscense to persecute an innocent people. And the Palestinians ARE innocent. The western world can prosecute the victim all we want. We can label a people fighting for their homes as terrorists, but it's just spin and obfuscation. Calling a turd a rose doesn't make it smell sweet.

      Most important, we'll never sell our brand to the Palestinians. So, we have two choices. Deal with the them in good faith, or kill em all. Until one or the other happens, they'll just keep being "terrorists". Wouldn't you?

  • Posted By: John Loves Peace @ 01/09/2008 10:31:21 AM

    Dubya is going through the motions again (basically more lame photo ops that he thinks someone will actually buy into) because he wants to salvage something positive for his worthless legacy. It's way too late for that King Georgie! Your seven years of being a major bully around the world by using our poor military to the breaking point while managing to alienate all of our global allies at the same time has ruined any chance of that happening. Not to mention secret prisons, routine torture, illegally wire-tapping US citizens, firing government employees with decades of service because they don't agree with your views, constantly demeaning the Democrats while making zero attempts to work with them on important issues affecting the United States, running up a mind boggling national debt to finance wars most of us disagreed with from the start and still do, ruining the economy and destroying the dollar as a global currency, appointing people to important positions while Congress is out of session, claiming executive privilege to avoid any legal responsibility for pretty much everything, and the list goes on and on. This "peace process" is just another joke like all of the other ridicules jokes before it. Go away Bush...you suck!

  • Posted By: okie3 @ 01/09/2008 9:30:40 AM

    Another excuse to get out of the White House, since the man already has the record for the most time away from Washington. I agree with the poster who said it was probably just sightseeing, we'll see a lot more now since George has lost the election for the Repubs.

  • Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 01/08/2008 11:29:05 PM

    Bush goes to the Middle East for sight-seeing - nothing else. He should buy his own holiday package to the region and not waste both the American taxpayer money and the host nation.

  • Posted By: Jojo Jones @ 01/08/2008 6:27:54 PM

    Asking Bush to mediate between Israel and Palestine is much like asking the wife's mother to intervene in a dispute between husband and wife. Bush is more partisan and less intelligent that the average mother-in-law.

  • Posted By: Jojo Jones @ 01/08/2008 6:25:25 PM

    Having Bush mediate between Israel and Palestine is like asking the wife's mother to mediate a dispute between husband and wife. Bush is partisan and not especially intelligent.

  • Posted By: Saltydog_0 @ 01/08/2008 5:17:52 PM

    Has there ever been a lamer duck than this president? It's really funny how out of touch he is. I actually think Bush believes he has enough clout to accomplish something in the middle east. How pathetic. Someone in his inner circle needs to sit him down an give him a little tough love. They need to tell him the truth with compassion: "You're not taken seriously by anybody. People only listen when you speak because they don't want to hurt your feelings or because they are waiting for you so say something assinine that they can laugh about behind your back."

    Please. Send anybody other than Georgie to the middle east. They have real issues there that need adult attention. I know that Bushie Boy has a good time playing president, but someone's gotta draw the line somewhere. Isreal is no place to let your child play unattended. Someone could get hurt. And if you have any care for little GW's feelings, please don't let him go over there. In fact, just let him keep playing in the Whitehouse. It has a real big back yard and the staff is always nice there. If you do decide to let him join the games over there, please don't come cryin to me when he gets a black eye or a bloody nose. Some of those big boys can play pretty rough!

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