"Hey, hey, what's that sound? Everybody look, what's going down. Battle lines are being drawn."
Reflect on what is happening in Egypt from Israel's perspective. Whether you consider Egypt and Israel "friends," Egypt did help orchestrate a peace accord back in, what, 1978, and does have a peace agreement with Israel. Egypt provides 40 percent of Israel's natural gas. Egypt has stood with Israel on the embargo of freight (and therefore military supplies) into the Gaza Strip. It has been said, other Arab nations will not go to war against Israel without Egypt, but should Mubarak be pushed out . . . well, the new government likely will not be pro-Western, nor even half-friendly to Israel. The threat of war escalates. And, should it come, Egpyt would more likely be among the foes.
I do not say let Mubarak remain. His elections have apparently been fraudulent. And, I take it he has not treated his own people well. I only say, this will harm Israel. Now, the U.S. does dole out more than $1.5 billion each year to Egypt. Yes, they are a poverty-ridden country, the average per capita income being about $3,000, but our money also is buying them off, keeping them as an ally. Perhaps, even under a new regime, the lure of our dollars would help keep them aligned with us. Some political watchers are thinking otherwise, however, suggesting a Western-favoring and Israel-tolerant Egypt will no longer be around. Either way, I believe we must quit giving that money. Must. We are looking for places to cut our deficit -- we must cut the deficit -- and this is one place we should cut.
All nations united against Israel, says the Old Testament? Does it mean all nations of the earth, or all nations in that part of the world? Turkey was friendly with Israel until just the last few years, and now with Egypt possibly falling away, they (Israel) will be closer to being alone. I believe Jordan is the only other neighboring nation with good relations. That nation, too, is experiencing unrest, though most observers do not expect the unrest to reach what it has in Egypt.
Battle lines are being drawn.
Note: This was rewritten with corrections 2/4/11.
Reflect on what is happening in Egypt from Israel's perspective. Whether you consider Egypt and Israel "friends," Egypt did help orchestrate a peace accord back in, what, 1978, and does have a peace agreement with Israel. Egypt provides 40 percent of Israel's natural gas. Egypt has stood with Israel on the embargo of freight (and therefore military supplies) into the Gaza Strip. It has been said, other Arab nations will not go to war against Israel without Egypt, but should Mubarak be pushed out . . . well, the new government likely will not be pro-Western, nor even half-friendly to Israel. The threat of war escalates. And, should it come, Egpyt would more likely be among the foes.
I do not say let Mubarak remain. His elections have apparently been fraudulent. And, I take it he has not treated his own people well. I only say, this will harm Israel. Now, the U.S. does dole out more than $1.5 billion each year to Egypt. Yes, they are a poverty-ridden country, the average per capita income being about $3,000, but our money also is buying them off, keeping them as an ally. Perhaps, even under a new regime, the lure of our dollars would help keep them aligned with us. Some political watchers are thinking otherwise, however, suggesting a Western-favoring and Israel-tolerant Egypt will no longer be around. Either way, I believe we must quit giving that money. Must. We are looking for places to cut our deficit -- we must cut the deficit -- and this is one place we should cut.
All nations united against Israel, says the Old Testament? Does it mean all nations of the earth, or all nations in that part of the world? Turkey was friendly with Israel until just the last few years, and now with Egypt possibly falling away, they (Israel) will be closer to being alone. I believe Jordan is the only other neighboring nation with good relations. That nation, too, is experiencing unrest, though most observers do not expect the unrest to reach what it has in Egypt.
Battle lines are being drawn.
Note: This was rewritten with corrections 2/4/11.
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