Our Sunday Oregonian newspaper has come out with the following views of our two candidates.
McCain
1. Supports two-state solution.
2.Encourages talks between Israel and Palestinian leaders.
3. Would provide military aid and aid to build schools, hospitals, road and power generation for moderates in Lebanon to counter Hezbollah.
4. Cut off weapons and equipment to Hezbollah in Gaza and Lebanon to isolate Hamas.
5. Press Saudi Arabia and other Arabs to help Palestinian Authority.
Record:
1. Backed US military aid to Israel
2. Israel's right to defend itself against attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006 affirmed.
3. With 3/4 of US Senate signing June letter to Bush criticizing Saudi Arabia for small $62 million in 2007 for Palestinians. (This is part of UN plan to support Palestinians-I have an article about it already. Arabs pay less or nothing compared to USA.)
Obama:
1. Supports two-state solution: that results in secure Israel and Palestinians are a sovereign, democratic, economically viable state recognizing Israel's right to exist and in agreement not to strike with military and terrorism against Israel. (I like this very much. We might see it happen at the time of the Messiah. It's not going to be overnight. I agree with him in that there's no way it should happen until they can give and carry out these guarantees.)
2. White House would encourage peace talks with effort.
3. Would isolate Hamas until it agrees to recognize Israel's right to exist and renounces violence against Israel. (I think this is happening right now. They have said they refuse to do this.) I imagine that Obama means he would continue this goal, which is the same as Israel's.
4. Would press Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel. (That will be the day. So far, we just aren't fighting with Jordan and Egypt. We have tourists go to Egypt. We're not allowed in other Arab nations. Iran is preaching just the opposite. They want us all butchered.)
5. He would increase economic and humanitarian aid to Palestinians Authority which would be under Abbas.
Record:
1. Backed military aid to Israel.
2. Israel's defending self against attacks by Hezbollah from Lebanon in 2006 affirmed. (Same as McCain.)
3. Co-sponsored legislation now before Senate for USA states and cities wishing to divest themselves of interests in energy companies doing business with Iran. (This is very wishy-washy in my opinion. It's not coming down hard on Iran in a diplomatic way at all. To me it's a "fearful I'll put my big toe in the water to test it" way. He spoke earlier of having divestment against Iran. This is lukewarm, and no one will do it.)
4. Among 1/4 of Senators who did not sign the letter to Bush about the paltry sum given by Saudi Arabia to the Palestinians that others did. He wrote a letter of his own.
I like Obama's first goal very much. I'm happy to see that he realizes that until the Palestinians are willing neighbors, it shouldn't happen that they be rewarded with a state. He needs to get tougher about showing Iran that we think their goals to wipe out Israel are detestible. He's not even thinking of slapping their hands. It's more like a tch tch.
McCain is so specific in what he's plannning. Until Lebanon realizes that they could easily be peaceful neighbors with Israel, bribing them with material things may not do the trick. They'll take them with a wink, and then fire away. Palestinians in Gaza depend on Israel's power plant. They shoot the plant, then cry that they have no power. It's an upside down world. I'd hate to see us throw away money. McCain might be right. I'd feel better if he took a crash course in the mindset of the Middle-East.
As for giving more money to the Palestinians, yes, Saudi Arabia, the richest country, is doing the least. They may have a reason. The Palestinian Authority would possibly just turn around and buy weapons to use against Israel with the money. We see this happening a lot with what they have. I have an article about this in my blog, also. When are the Palestinians going to learn to take care of themselves? Are they developing other skills besides killing us or each other? When we left Gaza, we left greenhouses where we had business going. They destroyed them. Did they not want a business? A job? Nothing has replaced them. They're on the dole and that seems to suit them.
How about this? For everytime a rocket lands in Israel, money is deleted from the Palestinian check that the USA donates to them. Let's make it a goodly amount. Every time they do something positive, showing friendship, they'll receive a monetary reward, like stop using schoolbooks that are hateful towards Jews. You could get any elementary teacher from the states to keep tabs on this behavior. It works in schools.
Resource: Sunday Oregonian Newspaper, September 28, 2008 A10.
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