"Fareed Zakaria GPS," Sundays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET.
By Fareed Zakaria
Yasser Arafat’s body has been exhumed for investigation, bringing back memories of the unpredictable Palestinian leader and the Middle East in which he operated. That news broke just as a conventional wisdom began to take hold that the Middle East today is much more dangerous, unstable, violent and anti-American than before. Let's take a look at the facts.
In the 1980s, the newly empowered, radical Islamic Republic of Iran unsettled the Middle East with its promise to spread its revolution to the rest of the region. The other powerful players were despots like Saddam Hussein and Hafez Assad, backed and supplied with arms by the Soviet Union. Lebanon was in the midst of a bloody civil war that engulfed not only itself but also the Palestinians and Israel. Iran and Iraq fought a gruesome war with over 1 million casualties. Hezbollah attacked U.S. armed forces directly, forcing a humiliating withdrawal from Lebanon. A CIA station chief was tortured and killed, and U.S. secrets and interests compromised. And that was just in one decade!
Watch the video for the full Take.
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Middle-East:-
at the past; if America did not discovered fuel, the Islamic Religion won't expanded and they will remained economical refugee in various Christian Countries by adopting Christian Religion.
At present; they can not manage and differentiate the copy-cat Techs and Governance, since they have no clue how it has been established.
Future consequences; NON-STOP Wars.
Sorry for them, it is reality.
For the moment, people in the Middle East is experiencing a period of score-settling and it goes in cycles. In Europe, we saw Poles take vengence on the Germans after the Russians defeated them in World War Two. Later there was reconciliation and the two nations are now on friendly terms. In the Middle East followers of the Sunni and Shia Islam will always try to dominate each other. The whole world has to bear the brunt of their religious conflict.
I agree with your assessment. There are some places now that are more "progressive" and see sunni and shia as a difference akin to Catholic and Protestant, not in rhetoric, but in terms of how they have disagreed, battled, committed genocide, and other acts, it is very similar to the earlier battles of Catholic vs Protestant, I think although their battles have been for a longer time, that the battles were sometimes unable to resolve themselves in many areas due to foreign intervention (aka extraction of resources, dividing borders/frontiers arbitrarily with no thought about the people who lived there), so just within the last 20-50 years have some of these people been able to actually conflict. Yes everyone hates conflict, but sometimes there's a cycle to it, the rest of world can just watch with guiding hands, while its sort of their problem, its also ours, we inherited the bad decisions of yesteryear/decade/century.
Fundamentally, very little has changed in the Mideast; it is stuck in the seventh century. Sad, but true. As Sir Winston Churchill once observed "Islam in a man is worse than rabies in a dog". Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern, secularTurkey, once remarked "This is Islam, an absurd theology of an immoral Bedouin, a rotting corpse that poisons our lives". That about sums it up.
However, efforts like sports, tourizm and friendly contests may quicken bridging the gap. The world societies are not founded on revenge and blood feud anymore. If common people are permitted to interact they will find out that they are similar.
Churchill said it best.
The Middle East has been 'score settleing' since before man learned how to write, and they will be 'score settleing' until the day this planet is turned into a cinder. All sides of any disagreement that takes place among the inhabitants lack one thing – the ability to come to any kind of a compromise settlement of the disagreement. For peoples of this area to display this behavior for millenea they must be genetically defective!
Von: I have read many of your reviews and if i didnt know better i would say your a religious right wing jewish extremist, spreading porpoganda and lies throughout all the articles on the middle east. I have also seen others like you , than found out they are being paid by AIPAC or some other right wing jewish organization.. All I can say is propoganda, lies, and misinformation like yours is what causes the world to go into chaos, because words lead to hate, hate leads to violence, and violence leads to genocide.....STOP YOUR BS
As long as they are settling scores between them selves we have time. the day they are done settling they will turn their attention on us. It is better they fight among themselves then with us.
And that is why it is immoral of the rest of the world totry and force Israel to give up land to the Palestinians who won't stop trying to terrorize the israel till they kick every last jew out, so we should just let Israel pound the crap out of them once and for all. That's the only way to solve the problems is for one side to destroy the other, and since Jews are a lot more prosperous and hard working than the muslims, my vote is for israel
Huh? The Islamic religion wouldn't have expanded if it were not for the discovery of oil? What does oil have to do with expansion of any religion? Second, the religion didn't expand since oil, its been where it is for a while now.
Oil is power, particularly in a world that is addicted to it. One way to cut the Arab states power would be to use the electric car everywhere, make it part of the planned infrastructure and economy. They don't have anything else to offer except oil, and if we're not buying, they don't have $$ to fund terrorism.
if it were that easy it would have been done already Tornoto Girl. it is not only cars that rely on oil products, there are many military uses as well. Do you think we can have electric fighter jets and missiles as well. loooool
Go back to your facebook and your boyfriend he said she said bs and dont get into matters that you can intelligently speak about,,,,
The plague of Islam spread long before oil had any value.
The Middle East was even a "hot spot" problem for the Roman Empire, and that was long before anyone cared about oil.
I hope you realize that Islam came about seven centuries after the peak of the Romans. Middle East was a hot spot for them as Jews and later as Christians...
we obviously have many demented peole here from fox news. No one knows anything about Islam...one moron said Islam was spread with oil,lol, another retart said it was spread with american money,lol, hahaha...did youknow the United States only imports 10% of its oil from the middle east? Canada is our #1 supplier of oil, duhhhhhh to all the idiots out there..of course these are same idiots who preach hate so i cant expect much from them...secondly Fareed zakaria never speask the truth so this article is really stupid
What the crap are you saying?
Wrong....Actually without Islam many of today's modern scientific discoveries that led to discovering oil would not have been attainable. please get you facts straight http://www.ehow.com/about_6558792_scientific-discoveries-islam.html also you should know that if european countries and other colonizing powers would only have left the middleeast alone, arab and muslims would have been just fine. my suggestion is for the europeans to take back the jews and for all european and US presence in the middleast to end.
And you, please take back all your islamist friends that have infested our Europe.
to Crusaders...and all muslim return back from Europe
You want Europeans to "take back" the Jews whose ancestors came from the hills and plains of Judah, in Asia? I guess next you'll want the French to "take back" the Algerians!
Well said, nobody can dispute this except the war mongrers, colonists, subjugators and inhuman persons!
How far back do you want to go? Give Turkey back to the Byzantines? Israel existed before Islam anyway, the constant stupid argument by the community of morons.
As long as we're getting our facts straight... perhaps you should dig a little deeper and look at where "Islam's" scientific advancements actually came from and why there hasn't been any new scientific advances from the Muslim world since they ran out of people to conquer and steal from.
Islam is just a bit older than that well...several centuries. Islam spread centuries before we even knew there was a new world.
There will be peace only if everyone in the world wakes up tomorrow with complete amnesia.
Yea, I guess it always does look more dire when it's staring you in the face.
We should have let Hitler take the Middle East. First the jews. Then the muzzies. Hahahahahhahha
I think Hitler and the people you call the "Muzzies" were quite friendly. The chief "Muzzie" – the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem – Haj Amin al Hussieini was a guest of Hitlers throughout most of the war. Husseini is the father of the Muslim brotherhood and ran a sort of "Voice of Arab Jew Hatred" radio show out of Berlin where he exhorted Arabs to help Hitler exterminate the Jews. He also raised a Bosnian Muslm SS Division. But I'm surprised that CNN allows your outright call for genocide of both Jews and Muzzies to remain on this thread??
Muzzies were next. Hahahahahahahaha
just as a quick aside, yasser arafat was the nephew of huseini
Not only that, but the Arabic Baath party is modeled on one each National Socialist party well all know as the NAZI one the Hitler ended taking control of... Look at the history of Iraq/Syria after WW II and other Arab-Islamist nations where the Baath party took hold and still has power and where it got it's start from.
Also, well said, concerning the Muslim/Nazi connection in the Balkans in WW II... It is the reason that a lot of "atrocities" were committed against Balkan Muslims... Retribution, albeit years later for aligning with Nazis regardless if it was for participating in the final solution or not. Some things are not forgiven or unremembered by Communism and once those shackles fell, justice was served.
You are absolutely corrrect. Haj Amin el Husseini was the Mufti of Jerusalem, and he chose to ally himself with the Nazis because he liked the Nazis plan to extermnate us. I wish more people would remember this when they scream at us to be giving, to give up things we've won in war.
Just because they choose not to know or remember doesn't mean that what happened 50+ years ago is forgotten!! Sometimes the world today needs to be reminded of just how and why we got to where we are today.
Thanks, Toronto Girl.
So by this logic any country can be occupied and its poeple and children killed and lives destroyed due to the actions of one person or minority group. Wow what an excellent logic to justify Zionist Terror in the middleeast,,,,,,,at the end you should know that justice will always prevail...
Crusuader it is not just a few people but every tom dick and harry in that part of the world is raised from the day they are born to hate the jews, and this is a fact. If you want proof there are multiple videos of kids being brain washed about jews being the offspring of pigs and monkeys.
there really is no point in letting the world know that the dna for you brain ran down moms leg or was ingested by her. of course your an excellent driver.
But at least I'm CORRECT!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahahahahahah
Hahahahahahahahaha: Your comment is as stupid as your name.
HAHAetc do you know a poster by name of Lance????
Love The Respone to that Idiot!!!
If I could hunt you down I would. You are a stupid idiot. Make that an ignoramus as well. May you and your family have a crappy Christmas.
How does a comment like this not get removed?
I have replied three times to HAhahahahah, CNN will not put my reply where it belongs.
A - – H-
And then your mother.
And then you.
Yes lets get ALL the facts straight. The U.S. has been involved in trying to manipulate politics in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf since at least 1940. All to make sure the flow of oil keeps flowing. Does it look like it has worked? Are we supposed to continue arming various groups and propping up different puppets for another 70 years? Or possibly we should do what should have been done all along, become energy independent. If that means solar ans wind as well as wave energy, so be it. If it means coal and oil, so be it. The fact of the matter is if we had become energy independent, all the money spent fighting wars etc, would have covered the cost without the loss of thousands of lives.
While I appreciate your zeal for getting in your political plug about energy, it's obvious you completely missed Zakaria's point. Maybe you should watch the video again...
the polluting from oil production is in the middle east,the majority of the killing is being done in the middle east,sounds like it is working out fine for,for now. when the oil runs out in the middle east the US will use its own resources leaving the middle east in non sustainable economic strutcture doomed to poverty and famine if we do not feed them.and yes most of the killing will still be done in the middle east
Actually the company I work for opened a office in N. Dakota. We are home builders and there's a shortage of places to live. There's a oil boom there and four major oil producers are drilling. They say there's enough oil in N. Dakota for many years. The USA can become oil independent if they combine all the drilling states. Why we aren't doing it is a question that has many answers. This has been said on many Sunday morning shows. If the US wanted to they could do a slow pull out to ease the financial loss to the region. We will probably buy a much smaller amount of oil but will still be buying some. I do think that we should only get involved in a conflict if there is chemical weapons are used on innocent civilians and we are asked to do so. Those who said that the various groups will always be fighting,they have for thousands of years and will always do so. Let them work out the problems without us sticking our nose in. We should be involved in cases of mass genocide. I think every free nation should get involved with this type of situation. Loss of innocent lives should not be tolerated.
In the 1940s the USA was by FAR the greatest oil producer in the world, so it would be AGAINST their interests to find oil in the middle east.
It was an American oil company that found the oil in Saudi Arabia in 1933. It was Standard Oil of California. Oil is always about money; nothing else.
Energy independent...right. Then lets open oil wells in Alaska with a pipeline to Texas, install solar pannels that block out the sun from forests, use wind power that de-beautifies the land scape. Any way you put it, there will be some left wing mouth complaining, which will stifle our use of "green energy" that has already used trillions of dollars (given by Obama by the way), with nothing to show for it but increased debt. Concurrently the Mid East is in uprise, China is taking over our debt because we are too busy looking for "ways not to exploit the Middle East and get away from oil." While our own interests are being ignored by politicians elected by left wing mouthes like yourself. God forbid you elect someone vested in our interests...when the power goes out because your energy costs are out the roof in 2014, remember that stupid message you posted on CNN. The next thing you will want to do is conquer a nation to get some oil to get your energy costs down...hahaha. Chuck, Green Energy raised gas $1.50 over the last 4 years...subsidies and trade de-regulations kept it down. Think...who wins with Green Energy? Besides the Green companies who have not held up their end of the deal?
The middleeast: "snafu" as usual (I guess everyone knows the acronym and how it is deciphered)
Let us pray that our President does not give Morsi the 1.5 billion in aid he is negotiating for (hence the temporary peace
in the region- Israel and Hammas) for as soon as he gets it, the cease fire will most likely end!
This is all because of the jews. They are doing the same thing to the palestinians as the United States did to the Native Americans... In doing so, they have decided to relocate in a region surrounded by countries who despise them for that. Should have let Hitler finish his job.
Without a doubt...you are a jerk of the highest magnitude.
Look who is talking. The commenter's only error is blaming the "Jews" rather then the Zionists. They are Nazis who are pushing a semitic ideal rather then an Aryan ideal. Not all Jews are Zionists, but Zionists are a big voting block in Israel. Among other things they want to steal Arab lands including all of Syria, and even some of Egypt.
The Muslims hate the Jews because the Koran tells them to. Everything else is incidental.
Some are saying Israel is a majopr liablity to America.. as israel is doing things in the u.s name
Israel has a big chip on its shoulder.hoping the u.s will back it up no matter..some say thats
a bully mindset..many say 2 major wars in the so called mideast drained the life blood financially
out of the u.s economy isn't that what the enenmies of the u.s want..make love not wars.
When will people quit citing the Qu'ran?? Have you read it? Have you been schooled in it's interpretation? Like the Bible many verses can be taken out of context and twisted to suit whatever needs. All religions with the belief in one God, the only God, the God of the Jews, Christians and Muslims (yes He is the same, and only ONE) preach peace and love of all people and things created by Him. The 'Golden Rule" should be foremost in all our lives. Forget religion, live your life according to what God truly wants...... faith in one God.
That's just not true. The Qur'an tells Muslims to be nice to the dhimma, the people of the book. That's the Christians and the Jews.
hey Brian, if Jews and Christians subjugate themselve to Islam (i.e., assume the role of dhimmi) and pay the infidel tax, then they will be "protected." Failure to do so will get them killed, or at best expelled. "Oh muslim, kill the Jew hiding behind the tree" is also in the koran and is much closer to what today's Islamists choose to follow.
Joe, you're a fcking coward.
But every sunday you go kneel and pray to the dead Jew hanging on the wall of your church. he was a "good Jew", right? Laughable.
And you know Joe is a Christian how??
There's plenty of ignorant, racist Atheist's too. Don't generalize.
And Muslims pretending to be Christians.
Even if you remove the Jews, you will still have the same problem, or maybe even more. Quit bringing up Israel as the scapegoat when you have nothing intelligent to add to the discussion.
Couldn't agree more. Iran and Iraq didn't war for 10 years because of Israel. Syrians aren't killing each other because of Israel, nor are Egyptians and Libyans. If Islamic nations are so concerned about the Palestinians, why won't they grant them citizenship in Egypt and Jordan? Because Palestinians are much more useful as pawns and them to continue blaming all of their own problems on someone else.
It saddens me when brainless fools like you spout the same old lies over and over again. Manifest Destiny was the building of the American nation and to heck with who suffered. Now anyone can live wherever they want to in the US and no one can hinder them, regardless of race, color or creed. Yet no one but absolutely no one can live anywhere in the Middle East if he or she is not Muslim. An entire part of the world is off limits to anyone not sharing the faith, but they can move across the street from me and I can't stop them. Yeah jerk sounds like progress to me.
I know that I keep hammering at this but can anyone tell me why the religion of ??? Peace ??? is so intolerant of other religions and ideas?
My take on this intolerants is that the leadership is so weak/unsure of its self that to allow out side ideas would undermine their power if not their religion.
Manifest Destiny was not sought to enable "freedom" for everyone as you imply. It was meant only for white people. Don't be ignorant.
Or just meant for the country and whoever is a citizen which happened to be mostly whites. It was hardly a racist movement, just a greedy one.
Joe – you are a mor-mor-mor-mor MOST moron
How does a comment like this not get flagged and removed?
What kind of a country am I living in anymore?
Yeah, more censorship is what's needed. LOL How about you put more faith into people's ability to discern between nonsense and constructive comment,s so I don't live in a country where all comments not agreeable to the masses can still be viewed.
@Joe
You sir are a total $%$$$. We did not 'choose to relocate to an area'!!! WE ARE FROM THAT AREA. We have ties, we have history, our religion comes from there. Christianity comes from US, or were you not aware that Jesus was Jewish??
Hitler tried, and even the Arabs allied themselvles with the Nazis to exterminate us! People tend to forget that these days.
We aren't going to die to suit you.
Thanks for another demonstration of complete ignorance, Joe. Your comparison would only be valid if there were a territory once referred to as the "Native American Territory" but never any "Native Americans". There has never been a country or culture known as "Palestine", nor any state up until a few days ago at the UN.
joe,
I'm Jewish, and oh yeah, I'm also seeing your mom....
And what would have have accomplished? Instead of attacking Israel they'd invent some excuse to want to genocide the Greeks or Bulgarians or somebody.
Sorry to hear one sideAmerican Propaganda from the mouth of an intellectual. Search for bias free truth is no more the objective of journalism. States and statesmen may choose unwisely, but it is the media which spreads disinformation and increasing instabiity and confusion among the people all around the world!
Zakaria: you are abosilutely off target: Americans already have the facts about the ME: a cesspool of terrorists, lazy, zealots who intend to bring their ancient and dubious religion to the world. The only peaceful land iin the ME s Israel and Americans should fight tooth and nail to protect it. –you want to romaticize the inlictions these Arabs have created worldwide because, you also, are from that area it seems. The Jews are the true Palestinians: a name the Romans gave to them as a reminder of their subjugation under the Phillistines: that part of history you don;t mention. Arafat was perhaps one of the world's worse terrorists: why bring up his filthy, rotting body back?
No, robertotirado, you don't have facts, you have anger and prejudices. I suggest you take some history courses, because you're just plain ignorant.
From a historical perspective he is correct. Perhaps it is YOU who needs some classes.
Robert's correct!! Before 48, anyone Jew or Arab was called a Palestinian because that was the name the Romans gave it and it stuck. The Brits were given the Mandate for Palestine by the UN, they weren't given the Mandate for Israel. That area is now Israel.
I have envelopes from family that lived there pre-48, and we addressed them all as :Tel Aviv, Palestine.
Robert is exactly correct. "Palestinians" were invented after 1967 merely to serve the interests of despotic Arab regimes to deflect attention from the brutal control and crimes committed against their own people. History says there was never an actual Arab Palestinian people, just Jordanians, Syrians and Egyptians. There are many historical quotes from Arab leaders stating these facts.
Paul,
nobody can influence you. you're a big time hater....
As a point of fact, the Romans considered all the people there "Judeans" and did not differentiate any further than that.
Perhaps you are forgetting that the Romans called anyone from that area "Falestina", which translates to "Philistine".
Please, line your kids, your wife and yourself up and move to Israel so you can fight shoulder to shoulder in their garbage conflicts. Don't pull our kids into that mess where groups fight over stuff they are told in fairytale books.
Wow, what a well-written article. It seems familiar, wait a minute...
new E.U Reports are saying Drones over Iran are Israeli..drones were giving free
by the. U.S Reports talking on how the drones are creating record number of enemies
towards the west specialy the u.s and Israel. oy vay
Mr. Zekaria has lost all credibility with me ever since he claimed on a CNN news report, "Do you really think that Palestinian mothers want their children to be suicide bombers?" I can do no more than to listen to many of those mothers themselves who speak about how lucky they are to have a child who served as a "martyr" ie killing as many innocents as they could.
...when the mothers are allowed to speak at all.
well they get $$ when a child becomes a 'martyr'!! The terrorist groups pay the parents a stipend when their children become 'martyrs'.
Does the world really want these people to expand, to be a nation. Look, this world is s a mess, but seriously, do we need these haters pushing their demands regardless of how violent their intentions are ? Come on people now...
The people responding are not, I truly hope, representative of the United States as a whole. Talk about an indictment of our education system.
Here's something constructive towards the conversation: at any point, at any time, if people take a snapshot of their current situation it will always-ALWAYS-seem like the absolute worst point in their life, the history of their nation, the world, etc. People need to give their situations some perspective, which it seems is what Zakaria was trying to do. By the way there was a lot of truth in what he said, however, I think he left out the part where Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons against his own people (you know, like Assad in Syria seems to be preparing to do according to some).
What's the difference today? We are threatening action against Syria if Assad actually pursues that course of action, with the real possibility that we will actually get sucked in to yet-another-conflict. Then again I think we wanted Iraq and Iran to duke it out to the fullest extent and waste their own resources on each other, but do we really want to get dragged into Syria?
Classy Joe. You must be a lot of fun at parties.
In the words of the late Rodney King. "Can't we all just get along."The sooner we all follow that mantra the better we all will be.
I remember when Beirut was the "Garden City" of the middle east, till they turned it into a dump.
Who are "they"??
"They" are the ones who turned it into a dump.
I point no fingers and that wasn't the object of the article.
that would be the warring parties of the time, the Phalange, and a lot of the earlier terrorist groups. Can't remember them all.
I remember when it was called the "Paris of the Middle East".
There is only one reason that the US supports Israel to the point it does: Israel has one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington.
And somewhere along the line, it became OK to brand anyone who opposed or criticized Israel in any way an anti-semite. Or in the case of politicians, AIPAC (the Israeli lobbying group) simply funds the opponent(s) of anyone daring to question overly favorable US support of Israel or the ~$500 in aid for each man, woman, and child in Israel the US sends each year.
Enough Already.
Open ended, nearly unlimited support of Israel has only brought the US trouble for the last 30 years. It is time to treat them like any other country, and not some special case protected by a hugely powerful PAC and their friends in the US media.
Israel is almost certainly the largest undeclared nuclear weapons state in the world. Let them declare/test and then stand on their own two feet.
This is not 1948, Israel does not need unlimited US protection any more, and frankly they probably do not deserve it.
And from the US side of things, Israel has been far less of a friend and far larger a pain in the behind, then they are frankly worth.
I agree with all that.
The "friendship" of 6.2 million people is not worth the hate of 1 bil+ people. Especially when when the gov't of those 6.2 mil people does a lot of S**^%$ things to their neighbors.
Plus, as a long retired Navy man, I don't forget that Israeli planes shot up a US Navy ship in 1967 during the war, and killed 19 US sailors.
And they did it on purpose, because it was an "intelligence vessel" monitoring the actions in that war.
Anyone interested can look that up.
Wait. Let me see if I've got this straight. You're saying a country of 6.1 million people need to stop talking smack to the 1+ BILLION people around them who have threatened to wipe them out. THAT'S what you're saying?? Ok, then when your kid in 4th grade threatens to take down all the 9th graders who dare get in his way and try to take his lunch money, be sure to chastise him for being the town bully.
What are you smokin' Old BOB?? 6.2 million people doing WHAT to their neighbours? Trying to survive? You don't hear them talking about wiping their neighbours off the face of the earth,now do you?? The Arabs allied themselves with the NAZIS, but that's ok with you??
And do you think that if we were suddenly ALL GONE, that the Muslims are going to suddenly lose interest in destroying trhe US?? More like: one down, one to go.
Israel has done all kinds of things to PO the Arab world over the years and they continue. And I don't even say that are always wrong in doing some of these things, but when they do, they bring the hate upon themselves and by extension, the US.
Let's see, last years assassination of the guy in Dubai was a good example. Israel felt they needed to assassinate the guy and did, but then Hamas retaliated, and then Israel retaliates some more.
And then there was the killing of the 10 or so people on the Turkish aid ship to Gaza. Fine, Israel needs to search the ship, but kill that many people during a search, even if they resisted? It cost Israel a long time Islamic supporter in Turkey.
And that is only the last couple of years.
I do not dispute that Israel is in a tough neighborhood, and some of their neighbors talk big about wanting to cause Israel grief, but how much do they bring on themselves?
Israel often says they will "Do what they must.." to ensure their security. But why should the US "pay the price" for that diplomatically and with unlimited financial support?
As Tony said, let Israel be treated like any other US ally in the world, and not some special case.
Old Bob, I'm a Jewish Air Force veteran, vietnam Era. you my friend, are so full of ignorance it oozes from your pores.
The problem is, like most bigots, you don't recognize the prejudice in your own position. At some point it was fashionable to use words like n*****, f** and q****. People who talked like that didn't see any problem with it. Nowadays we recognize it as hate speech pretty quickly. But most people don't recognize anti-Semitism, in large part because of the Nazis and Iran sympathizers who flood the media with propaganda.
What does anything Tony had to say have anything to do with race or bigotry?
Israel is not the US, why do they get all the support and then turn around and do things that make people hate the US for?
I can't think of another country that does.
Israel can do what it wants, but why should the US pay the price for that. They have their own country, and their problems should not automatically be our problems. The same as any country, be they Christian, Jew, Muslim, whatever else.
the semites are the original Philstines not the jews. but when you are the only one around with ink and paper at that time you could write what you want. Just take it from Jesus he called the jews sons of snakes...... who r we to argue.
Good post, Tony. Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't Israel actually the only undeclared nuclear state in the world? Also, there is no reason we should have any high level politicians with dual citizenship in any other country, as I know we have had with Israel. Especially knowing that much of the policy over there is driven with strong theological undertones of the biblical chosen people. I like my governance influence void of fairytale means and ends.
Here's the problem with that logic. Muslims have been attacking everybody around them for 1000 years before Israel came into being. They started attacking the United States in the late 1700s. Today they're attacking people all over the world, regardless of any connection to Israel.
Israel is an excuse for their actions, it's clearly not the cause.
If there were no Jews around to hate, do you think they (Arabs) would suddenly stop and live peaceful, productive lives in their own countries?? Hardly!! There's alway someone to hate, something to destroy! Will it be other Arabs of different sects, or Christians or Hindus or Zoroastirans??
didn't the Taliban destroy a statue of Buddha that was about 1000 years old?? Religious sites and objects of other religions are not something they will respect because fundamentally they think of EVERYONE ELSE AS VERMN.
I remember Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union colluded to limit oil production to raise oil prices. Yep, our friends the Saudis.
"Hezbollah attacked U.S. armed forces directly, forcing a humiliating withdrawal from Lebanon...." ...Absolutely – And what a large # of the Ronald Reagan die-hard supporters fail to realize was that it was former President Reagan himself who sent those 200-USMC soldiers into Beirut, Lebanon solely to watch them perish at the hands of the terrorists, Hezbollah. Yet today, it seems like Ronald Reagan is worshipped as some sort of messianic figure !!
This is true, even after Israel forewarned President Reagan that he did not know what he was getting himself into. At that time, I do not believe your Marine Corp. was fully trained to deal with terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah. The Israeli Knesset advised President Reagan to let Israel handle the situation in Beirut, Lebanon, but I guess your former President had something to prove. Sadly, it cost the heroic US Marine Corp. many lives.
Naively, Reagan thought that by injecting himself in Beirut he could prevent the very war crimes committed under Israeli supervision at Shatila and Sabra. Israel rightly bemoans the treatment and murder of Jews during the Holocaust but it seems to have little qualms to engage in similar behavior. And by our silence, we, the US, became accomplices in this crime as well as in others.
Only Republicans feel that way. They seem to have forgotten all the bad times in the Regean presidency.
Yo Norb,
Where did you learn that crap ? In your church ??
Why is it that CNN is NOT reporting truth and facts regarding the extent of problems in Egypt. Cnn and the Obama administration promoted and supported the Muslim Brotherhood take over of Egypt – and now the country is about to collapse because of the dictator supported by Obama and CNN – Why are they not reporting fully on this failure? Hummmmm.
Muslims stick together??
Aren't we well overdue for a good 'ol fashion world war??? It' s clean up time.
what ever happens china will be the biggest economy on earth in 2016 3 years from now spain has what a unemployment of 26.2% thats higher then the highest unemplyment that the usa had 25% during the great depression of 1930s. usa sent 11 satellites into space china sent 18 so china sent twice as many satellites into space then the usa. usa dosent even have the biggest pc producer of the world this year chinese lenovo surpassed hewlett-pakard as the biggest pc and computer producer in the world. even in education shanghai schools for 15 years olds have the highest ranking in the world for math, science and reading. usa and britain are the real 3 world countrys.
China is starting a recession, in case you haven't noticed.
Yes I remember the Middle East in the 1980s. I recall waiting for a bus to Tel Aviv which never arrived. Sadly that bus was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists. Forty people, men women and children were murdered. It's kind of hard to forget when the Palestinians name streets and parks after most notorious terrorists.
Has the situation changed? Let me ask you, Fareed. Do you ride the #66 bus to Tel Aviv often?
It stuns me how uneducated the world is over the Middle East. In the early 1900's when Turkey was defeated, Britain gained control of "Palestine" an area that now covers Israel AND Jordan. They wanted to create a homeland for the Jews and a separate land for the Arabs. A "Two State Solution" (sound familiar??) So they created an Israeli Palestine and an Islamic Palestine. The land Israel now had was for the Jews and TransJordan (now Jordan) was created (with blessings of Muslim leaders) so both could have a home.
What we see now is radical Islam trying to wipe Israel off the wipe by taking bits and pieces of her land. All supported by the main stream media and clueless members of the UN...
And your point is to make clear that many people are ignorant to how this whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict started or that British colonialism set precedence and that should be the way it is?
No, but when things dont go there way they always want a 'do over'. In this case a chance to destroy Israel. Again, and maybe again. I don't want to destroy them, I want to be left alone. They however, want to kill me. And when we're gone, who will stand up for you, because believe me, they want to destroy you almost as much as they want me dead.
Jon,
your point is clearly understood here. Hatred of Jews, at all costs. Was daddy a Jew ??
The Brits did offer us Uganda. Yup, Uganda. I would also like to point out that the Jews accepted the two state solution back in 47, the Arabs did not. BTW, the size of the states were miniscule and nothing like the eventual states we see today.
The Middle East has been consistent. Consistently terrible. It has now taken a turn for the worse with nutter Islamists taking power.
They simply can't manage themselves. If there was ever a region that needs a colonial overseer it's the Middle East. They will only know freedom when they reject the oppressive ideology of Islam.
You make it sound like only Islam is oppressive, in theological interpretation. Do you realize how many people in this worlds history have died in the name of Christianity?!
so true, but right now the Vatican isn't sponsoring the Inquisition. The Muslims make it almost impossible for minorities to live within thir midst ie the Copts in Egypt. They've been attacked and murdered in their churches (last year). They do not tolerate minorities well, yet they scream racism when we object to their ways!!
Christianity has a lot of ugliness in the past, Islam has at least as much. But the real difference is that Christians today view those acts as wrong, while Muslims view it as god's will.
How many books or movies have you seen or read that are basically apologies for what happened to the tribes that were in North America when the colonists arrived? They're everywhere.
Now, go look for something similar from Muslim culture in regards to what they did during the invasions of India ( which were MUCH worse than anything that happened in the Americas ), you'll find nothing. They don't view the death of hundreds of millions of Hindus as anything to regret.
The Middle East of the 80's...ah, the good ole' days...
Muslims have been defeating america for years. We will continue to do so in the future as well.
Oh, yes. We are tripping over defeat on a daily basis from...wait, who did you say you were again?
Oh, and let's not for get your
false religion
false prophet
false book...
well, pretty much that everything about is false and a lie.
And that differs from Christianity and Judaism how?!
Right. Muslims likewise are awarded the most Nobel prizes, rescued Kuwait from Saddam Hussein, kicked the Serbs out of Kosovo and pioneered the rights of women. The truth is, as Kemal Ataturk once observed "This is Islam, an absurd theology of an immoral Bedouin, a rotting corpse that poison our lives". That about sums it up.
How many muslims win nobel prizes compared to Jews? Muslim intellectual decline happened when they stopped naming stars and declared mathmatics the work of the devil.
And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."
Indeed, to Allaa belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth Billon of universe; He gives life and causes death. And you have not besides Allaa any protector or any helper. Only Allaa Akbar
PLEASE IGNORE WAR SAVE GLOBAL ECONOMIC
Improve Economy only by 6 points. Peace, prayer
Liberty, Unity, friendly And simplicity.
Sub: Prosecution of previous President Mr. George W.Bush, for violation of International Code of Conduct.
Mr. George W.Bush, the previous President of United States of America, initiated a war against IRAQ, without obtaining the previous sanction of United Nations Organization (UNO) on the pretext of having nuclear weapons, even though the then IRAQ government openly exhibited to the whole world that it has no nuclear weapons.
According to the CNN WORLD report, in the war 6, 75,000 civilians killed, 7500 troops of USA and its allied forces killed .3 25 000 people wounded and $ 3.5 Trillion Dollar spent for the war. This spending of $ 3.5 Trillion Dollar is the main cause of action for the present economic crises prevailing all over the world.
After winning the war against IRAQ, the United States of America’s President Mr. George W.Bush, also admitted the same fact, and he openly stated that the Intelligence agency misguided him.
Later on, even the United Nations Organization (UNO) also certified that the IRAQ has no nuclear weapons.
M.S.MOHAMED ANSARI
Here's a bit of free advice.
If you don't want the civilized world to come after you, stop running planes into buildings.
Since all the news seems to be saying that the U.S. will achieve energy independence within 6 years & become the world's largest oil exporter at the same time why do we bother with the Middle East now? If we don't need their oil we don't need them. It's the only worthwhile thing they possess in that part of the world. Let the countries importing their oil (China, India, Pakistan) send their money & troops to police that part of the world & patrol the Straights of Hormuz. And if the Middle East has no strategic interest for us, then we need not bother with Israel, either. Two birds with one stone.
The bottom line is that the "west" should have withdrawn from the arabian penninsula after the Kuait war. If they had, there would never have been Al Quieda.
And when Britain and France let Hitler annex the Slavic states there would be NO World War 2. When will giving up land won by blood stop mothers from sending their 12 year old boys and girls blow them selves up.
We can all dream.
Appeasement wins wars every time.
If all non-Islamic nations pulled out of the Middle East the killing would continue. Why? They just do not like each other, why do you think all of the independent state for the most part are and will be control by dictators of some sort be it a strongmen, kings or Ayatollahs. Half of the region is Sunni the other Shiite. Sadly they kill each other like the two major Christian groups did for hundreds of years. Until they learn to live with each other in peace will not happen.
Also why would their leadership really want a true peace? In peace they lose their power and control. Love or hate the western form of government but every 4 years we have a chance to change the way we do business. A state controlled by religion can not change its path.
What a nice arena to measure and evaluate newcommers
The world has always been a hospitable land for all human race.
m.s.mohamed ansari
A vast number of civilian deaths were caused from car bombs set off by Sunnis or Shiites killing women and children while they shopped for food or attended services of some sort.. That not to say the U.S. or others is not responsible for a percentage of them.
Can someone tell me how many women and children have been killed by secular violence in Iraq. How many were killed by U.S. military?
I would bet according to world news reports secular violence in Iraq has killed more by a very large number than mitiary action.
Hell forget the 80's I thought we were going to world war in 1967.
Thins NEVER change in the desert.
Let us not forget that the mess in Iran started because the USA launched operation Ajax in 1953 at the behest of Britain in order to get back the Iranian oil. Operation Ajax was the first time the USA overthrew a democratically elected government. The USA then placed the Shah in power. The Shah was very unpopular and was a bad ruler. Yet the USA did not care and continued to support him. When the Shah was overthrown the USA got upset and started sanctions not even a month after that event. The USA has a history of backing or putting into power the wrong person.
Let see if this app works?
The HAHAHA person is so sad, small penis, hates life, people and probably himself. When you feel small you put down others to deflect your insecurity.
Michael,
you've exposed this turd !!!!!!! BRAVO !!
In the 80's we did not have to worry about the Middle East. Whenever there was a problem, we could just send in Major Scott McCoy and the rest of the Delta Force to clean up the situation.
The primary change, is the desire for world domination of Islam. That, of course, is going to lead to WW 3.
Bring it on. It's long past time to irradiate and cook some Islamic Fundamentalists.
Both religion is fighting for the same goal, as for isreal it is a military occupation since every citizen has to join the military so every isreali is a soldier
If the surrounding Arab countries would make peace, Israel would not have to have a standing army or demand army service from all of its citizens. That would be nice, not having to give up 3 years of your life (or your life!) and the next 25 years in ithe reserves.
Do you want to hookup?
Why is Fareed Zakaria still employed as a "news" person? At this point, he has no credibility; everything he says, writes, etc. can be taken as a lie. He should just go back to his home country, crawl under a rock, and die.
May be you intelligence is not sufficient to understand him. Mr. Zakaria is a brilliant journalist. It takes an intelligent person to understand him not a Jil/Joe.
the Middle east in the 80's in a nutshell
Saddam vs Khomeini
Assad's father commits a massacre rivaled by his own son
Gaddafi funds terrorist organizations around the world.
Russians occupying Afghanistan.
Palestinian Liberation Organization abandons terrorism in favor of diplomacy.
It is not our issue until these fools ask for it now as far as I am concerned. We should stay away, concentrate on rebuilding our economy and focus on family. They want me? Come to me and they we can have a shoving match but be prepared to understand you have to get through me. These Middle Eastern countries have been doing this to each other fot thousands of years. Let them go at it. Don't get me or my young family involved in a no win situation. We should fight for our own backyards. These uncivilized religious freaks can go to see Allah.
too many historians spoiled history ... idiots!
The West has broght hell to Mideast.
Considering what's going on Egypt and Syria, I'd say they were doing a fine job all on their own.
You failed to mention that the Palestinian charter that mentions the destruction of Israel has been repudiated and deleted by Yasser Arafat in 1989 in Paris in front of the French President Francois Mitterand, which caused a lot of embarrassement in Israel, because they did not like to have peace with him.
Do I remember the MidEast of the 1980's? yeah – it's the same as the MidEast of the 1380's.
All I remember abouit the Middle East, is that the Arab Oil Shieks were Quite Amusing in the Movie "CannonBall Run" 1981 with Burt Reynolds and all the other stars !
Fareed, you have your facts all wrong. Israel didn't exist before 1948 and all it's "New" citizens came from outside of Palestine. They came and introduced Terrorism killing women and children, kicked Palestinians out of their land and established an Exclusive Jewish State. Israel is a made up state and with our support it continues to exist. The day we realize that supporting an Exclusive Jewish State, which is against everything we stand for, the middle east may see some peace.
You are absolutely right. We should not make miatake Israelis as real Jews. Judaism high standard and morality should not be compromised with the inhumane action of Israelis.
I am very concern about the future of our great nation because we have morons like agstrange,i12bphil, Rb, and like...every where. I have already seen chinese, Indians, and other immigrants have the best jobs with good pays.
If wars could save the world the Cross and Gospel of Jesus Christ wouldn't be needed to save the world,we could just kill all the evil in the world with wars.But the truth of the Bible says it can't be that way,there's only one way to save the world and that's through the Cross and Gospel of Jesus Christ.And wars really can't kill an evil person's soul,the Bible says all souls are eternal,with God forever,or separated from God in Hell,and again,only Jesus Christ can save people from Hell,and get them into Heaven,and only God can send people to Hell.So man is really only playing God with his Holy Wars,or just plain wars.
according to D-bag zakartia the mideast is way better now. brilliant mind
"Remember the Mideast of the 1980s?"
I remember that Purdue beat Duke in the Mideast finals 68-60.
Remember the G-Bombs and Anna Frank's Diary...Remember Marlin Monrow...Remember the cold war.
Does not leave much to live for in the sence of human dignaty.
Technology does not mean EQ. Technology does bot mean maturity of the people in general.
I see Zakaria is writing again...better check his sources.
Yes Americans and Europeans were routinely murdered by terrorists, jetliners were hijacked on a monthly basis, And it was generally considered a fools errand to vaction or do business there.
Take away the modern technology and 1000 years ago it was the same, 3000 years ago it was the same. And 1000 years into the future it will still be the same. Remove religion and oil and there is zero reason for the west to even be there.
Jesus teaches,a good tree can't bear bad fruit,and a bad tree can't bear good fruit,you will know them by their fruits.So wars can't be good and bad,as may believe,because a good tree can't bear bad fruit,and a bad tree can't bear good fruit,neither are wars all good,the Bible ends in the worst war ever,an Armageddon War,and God will end all wars,says Isaiah2:4,and God doesn't end what is good,so wars are all bad,bad fruit from a bad tree.And you will know them by their fruits,those who are responsible for wars,for the bad fruit from a bad tree,those who support wars as a solution,those who seek peace through wars,rather than through the Cross and Gospel of Jesus Christ.
CHRISTMAS JOKE "FIGHT FOR PEACE"
Someone has lost track of the definition of "news."
There will be peace only if everyone in the world wakes up tomorrow with complete amnesia.
And you think that would result in peace? Everybody would just end up with a new set of enemies.
The stark fact is the almost total incompetency of the US administration to comprehend the events in the Middle East.
In an act of sheer stupidity it continues to pour arms into Israel making it the only undeclared nuclear weapon state that is totally outside the inspectorate of the IAEA and the almost certain place from where he spark will originate that will set fire to the entire Middle East.
Israel now has more nuclear warheads than either Britain or France and a larger nuclear armed fleet of submarines than any state in Europe, Africa or Asia. I.e. other than the US, Russia or China. Worst of all, it is now beyond the control of the US.
Thus far they seem to understand the situation pretty well.
It's cheaper to keep Israel capable of defending itself than it would be to fight the inevitable wars ourself.
They may have all that and more. I have no idea, however it's amazing what a deterrent that knowledge is. Israel doesn't call for the destruction of its enemies like Iran, Iraq, even Egypt back in 67. They will think twice and maybe three times before hitting that red button. Certainly Israel does.
I will ask the same question once more!
Why is it that Israel and the U.S. always the villains in most of the post. When neither one ask 12 boys and girls to strap bombs to their small bodies to kill other small children?
Also the major religion that sends these small children has a very large group of followers that will kill or disfigure young women/girls for just wanting to read.
Very convent would you say to divert the attrition from these atrocities?
Why not stop sending children with bombs and firing rockets into Israel and force Israel to make the first move? And if that move is an atrocity then take your case to the U.N.
Remember Gondi he won India’s independence by making the British make the mistakes.
All you Israel and West bashers have never answered these questions.
Because they're really not interested in knowing. Most of the posters here have a very superficial knowledge of the ME and what has happened on both sides since or before 1948.
NEXT:
Explain to me how Yasser Arafat "who seamed to alway look like he needed a bath" ended up with billions in the bank and while tens of thousands of Palestinians go hungry and live in sub standard conditions?
OH I know to let them have a good standard of living with the money he stole from them, he and those who replaced him would not have angry starving little boys to strap on bombs!
I'm guessing he was 'trusted' enough to be handed the $$, yet who knows if the US ever demanded an accounting. Certainly his widow has control of most of it, which I understand she controls yet lives in Paris!! Yeah, she's really suffering his loss.
The extent to which Fareed Zakaria tries to whitewash the US's awful historical record overseas, particularly in the Middle East never ceases to astonish me.
In the Arab world you have two basic choices: totalitarianism and complete anarchy. Pick one.