For decades, it was commonplace for the foreign policy establishment to say: “Everyone knows what the solution in the Middle East is.” That solution was wo states — Israel and a Palestinian entity. Then someone, I forget who it was, asked this question: If everyone has known for decades that the Middle East solution is two states, why hasn’t this solution come to pass? The answer was obvious: This wasn’t the solution because the Palestinians didn’t want it and, increasingly, neither did the Israelis.
I have often wondered these things myself. How can someone like Tom Friedman genuinely believe that it is Israel and the settlements that is preventing a solution? He's not stupid. I don't believe he hates Israel (like say Peter Beinart). It must be that he is insane. To me insanity means a complete break with reality. He, Blinken others simply don't see the reality that 30 years of Palestinian self rule and education has turned the entire population into a Jew hating death cult that will never live peacefully with Israel. When Blinken referred to "the peaceful aspirations of the Palestinian people" I almost spit out my coffee. He is either lying or he is also insane. No one aware of reality could possibly think this. I don't know why they come up with this. The only one who even slightly acknowledged reality was W. Bush who wouldn't support a Palestinian state "compromised by terror." For everyone else its like the Palestinians don't actually exist. Even Trump who did some good things for Israel acted like a deal just needed the right deal maker. It's nuts.
Almost no one is as stupid as Friedman would have to be to write what he does. I therefore conclude that he does indeed hate Israel, but is too dishonest to say it and prefers to dress up the hatred as some fancy-dance "solution" that (at some level) will get Israel wiped out -- that being the point. When it happens, he'll claim to be shocked and sorry. But he'll be happy to continue to pick up his fat speaking fees from those, being lots and lots, who either (1) don't see through him or (2) do see through him but share his hidden contempt for Israel.
All these guys, including Biden and Blinken, want to suck up to the Supreme Leader, just as their leader, Obama, did and does. That means proposing plans to damage Israel, and destroy it on the installment plan so its destruction will be less visible and therefore harder to confront.
The Left plays the Long Game and is particularly adroit at disguise and lying. Don't fall for it.
We agree he's not stupid. I don't think he hates Israel and wants it to be wiped out. I think he hates Netanyahu and the Israeli right so much he has lost his mind and genuinely believes that the settlements and Netanyahu are what stands in the way of peace rather than the murderous Palestinians. We probably will never know the real truth.
As far as sucking up to Iran, in all my years in all the history I've studied I've never seen a stupider idea than believing that empowering Iran could bring about any kind of stability in the middle east or serve American interests. It's even worse than appeasing Hitler at Munich. At least Chamberlain didn't have the benefit of experience.
He's definitely an overrated writer. Fool? I don't think he's a fool. We are past the point where even fools can believe such nonsense. He is insane. He has broken with reality.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for calling out this enduring absurdity!
I think it's simple: the "two-state solution" is a pleasant narrative liberals cannot live without. They live by narratives, not by reality. They need to keep this one alive, whether it's any more plausible than purple sky. It's what their base wants to hear, so they keep saying it, with the cynical understanding that it will never come to pass, and even it destabilizes the region, they will be able to say they tried to be on the "right side of history."
But it is not the only fantasy that the foreign policy establishment has entertained, inexplicably, for decades.
I have often wondered these things myself. How can someone like Tom Friedman genuinely believe that it is Israel and the settlements that is preventing a solution? He's not stupid. I don't believe he hates Israel (like say Peter Beinart). It must be that he is insane. To me insanity means a complete break with reality. He, Blinken others simply don't see the reality that 30 years of Palestinian self rule and education has turned the entire population into a Jew hating death cult that will never live peacefully with Israel. When Blinken referred to "the peaceful aspirations of the Palestinian people" I almost spit out my coffee. He is either lying or he is also insane. No one aware of reality could possibly think this. I don't know why they come up with this. The only one who even slightly acknowledged reality was W. Bush who wouldn't support a Palestinian state "compromised by terror." For everyone else its like the Palestinians don't actually exist. Even Trump who did some good things for Israel acted like a deal just needed the right deal maker. It's nuts.
Almost no one is as stupid as Friedman would have to be to write what he does. I therefore conclude that he does indeed hate Israel, but is too dishonest to say it and prefers to dress up the hatred as some fancy-dance "solution" that (at some level) will get Israel wiped out -- that being the point. When it happens, he'll claim to be shocked and sorry. But he'll be happy to continue to pick up his fat speaking fees from those, being lots and lots, who either (1) don't see through him or (2) do see through him but share his hidden contempt for Israel.
All these guys, including Biden and Blinken, want to suck up to the Supreme Leader, just as their leader, Obama, did and does. That means proposing plans to damage Israel, and destroy it on the installment plan so its destruction will be less visible and therefore harder to confront.
The Left plays the Long Game and is particularly adroit at disguise and lying. Don't fall for it.
We agree he's not stupid. I don't think he hates Israel and wants it to be wiped out. I think he hates Netanyahu and the Israeli right so much he has lost his mind and genuinely believes that the settlements and Netanyahu are what stands in the way of peace rather than the murderous Palestinians. We probably will never know the real truth.
As far as sucking up to Iran, in all my years in all the history I've studied I've never seen a stupider idea than believing that empowering Iran could bring about any kind of stability in the middle east or serve American interests. It's even worse than appeasing Hitler at Munich. At least Chamberlain didn't have the benefit of experience.
Becuase Tom Friedman is a fool and a highly over-rated writer.
He's definitely an overrated writer. Fool? I don't think he's a fool. We are past the point where even fools can believe such nonsense. He is insane. He has broken with reality.
Spot on , Doug !
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for calling out this enduring absurdity!
I think it's simple: the "two-state solution" is a pleasant narrative liberals cannot live without. They live by narratives, not by reality. They need to keep this one alive, whether it's any more plausible than purple sky. It's what their base wants to hear, so they keep saying it, with the cynical understanding that it will never come to pass, and even it destabilizes the region, they will be able to say they tried to be on the "right side of history."
But it is not the only fantasy that the foreign policy establishment has entertained, inexplicably, for decades.