Would America have aided Israel over the years as much as it has done?
If Hitler hadn’t killed most of the Jews in Europe, would the European countries give more support to Israel today?
Yes, to both questions.
To both questions? Seems a bit contradictory.
Here’s another question:
If so many of the surrounding Arab lands didn’t contain vast amounts of oil, would the U.S. have been supporting Israel even more?
No, because that would make the Arab world even more pissed off with America.
Seeing as how Jews only make up 2-3% of the whole population, do ya’ll really think they are the main reason why the US is so pro-Israel?
I’m thinking it’s a combination of Israel being more “Western” than the surrounding countries and the perception that having a Western influence there will ensure the stability of our oil supplies. I don’t doubt that our stance as a country would be different if there weren’t Jews here, but I don’t think it would be much different.
In New York the Jewish population is a lot more than 2-3%
What is the Arab pop?
No idea. Does anyone have figures?
I had asked:
Niobium responded:
Er, and we would care about this why? It would just be another bunch of tyrannical dictatorships mad at us – we have those all over the world. The difference is that these particular dictatorships have OIL. That’s pretty much the only reason we care if they like us or not.
Niobium said:
So what? I didn’t realize that New Yorkers elected all of our local and national politicians and made policy all by themselves.
They dont.
Then why did you bring up the Jewish population of New York as if it had some bearing on this discussion?
Well, yeah, but most Americans don’t live in New York. And there are some dense Arab American populations too, although not as long-established or powerful or visible.
I wonder if most Americans really don’t have an independent opinion one way or the other, but lean towards Israel’s side because our president keeps comparing the Palestinians to thousands of Osama Bin Ladins. My throat tightens every time he uses the word “terrorist”. Talk about buzz word of the 21st century.
To the same extent that it has? No, probably not. To some extent almost certainly, there being other commonalities bewteen the U.S. and Israel than varying percentages of Jewish populations.
So? I don’t really see the significance of the point.
- Tamerlane
Niobium Knight come on. The USA wouldn’t give a damn about the Arab world, if it wern’t about oil.
monstro said:
Well, it’s kind of hard to call 'em anything else. What do you call somebody who straps on plastic explosives and blows him/herself up in a crowded restaurant with the goal of murdering as many civilians as possible?
A terrorist.
What I call a Palestinian?
A Palestinian
I’m not participating in yet another “If the Palestinians Aren’t Terrorists, What Are They?” thread. So I apologize for causing you to ask that question.
To both efrem and monstro:
I’m not saying that all Palestinians are terrorists. However, monstro clearly said:
So I just wanted to know what you would call somebody like that if not “terrorist.”