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Bernie is right. Timing is questionable. [1]

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Date: 2024-09-19  

Bernie Sanders just proposed the cutting of $10 billion in aid to Israel. It is hard to disagree. At some point, they have to get the message that war and terrorism are not the same thing. Right now, Netanyahu seems to think blowing up individuals while they are grocery shopping is a legal form of warfare. Possibly worse, is the somewhat secret policy of forcing Palestinians off their land for new Israeli settlements during the current conflict. Everywhere else, this is considered terrorism.

Frankly, stopping this and other kind of behavior, should be the U.S. goal. Do we really want to double down on what seems to be Israel’s attempt to broaden, then win, a much larger Arab-Israeli conflict. Cut off enough aid now, so that Netanyahu, and more importantly, the Israeli people, will see that there is a limit to U.S. patience.

Sure, build in provisions, that the U.S. will adhere to when Israel stops violating human and world norms. Sure, continue, as much as possible, to help keep Israel safe, while at the same time beginning to help reconstruct the destruction in Palestine...and now Lebanon. Seriously, hold on to the aid to Israel until they put someone in charge who is not Netanyahu.

Rebuilding relationships in the Middle East will be long, arduous, and as history has shown, risky. It cannot begin until leaders of the key factions are replaced by leaders less interested in vengeance and more interested in peace. That is a big lift.

So, once again, Senator Sanders steps up to the plate and calls balls and strikes correctly. This could put the Harris campaign on the horns of a dilemma. It will be hard for her to defend the current U.S. policy while trying to run a campaign of inclusion. That is too heavy lift for any one individual.

FPOTUS Trump has never had any compunctions about killing folks he doesn’t like. Take the Central Park Five as just one example. His stance on Israel and Palestine has no nuance, and therefore will be easily digested by folks who are already inclined to think of the entire world in terms of us versus them. Someone must present an alternative.

President Biden could take up some of the load. Tell Netanyahu publicly that the U.S. is done with his acts of terrorism. We will support a policy of self-defense. We will begin to tighten the screws on aid if anything like this happens again. And...just to make sure Netanayhu gets the message, there must be a concrete step in slowing or stopping some specific military aid until we see progress.

There is already growing opposition to Netanyahu’s policies in Israel, by Israeli’s. Presumably, there are some in Palestine and Lebanon who are also sick and tired of being sick and tired. It is time U.S. policy shifted some of its focus to a policy of the hopeful, not of the vengeful. Joe Biden is still President. This could be his final great accomplishment.

Beginning to shift U.S. funding in the Middle East from military to support of those who want to rebuild the region. Cut military aid in favor of demonstrable economic success. Ms. Harris could run a winning campaign on that policy.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/19/2271428/-Bernie-is-right-Timing-is-questionable?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web

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