Middle East Pop Quiz

[ritehook]

Some may think that I post things like below to provoke anger.

Not at all. I do so to provoke thought. In any case, here, as elsewhere, only a minority has any interest in political topics. The great majority are concened only with what is personal and immediate.

As it should be, and as it's always been.

Charlie Reese, an experience journalist, is outside the mainstream. Tho he worked as editor and columnist for 30 years for the Orlando Sentinel,and now does a synidcated column for King Features.

But, he's a contrarian. The best sports bettors, I think, are contrarians. JJ once acccurately stated that if you bet only underdogs you won't get hurt that much. (Too bad some onthis board didn't take the advice of the contrarian posters re Big Brown yesterday!)

Reese's pop quiz is below,next "reply."

[ritehook]

Middle East Pop Quiz


by Charley Reese

It's time for another pop quiz on America's favorite region of the world – the Middle East. Let's get started with the subject of nuclear weapons.

Which country in the Middle East actually possesses nuclear weapons?

Israel.

Which country in the Middle East refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

Israel.

Which country in the Middle East refuses to allow international inspections of its nuclear facilities?

Israel.

Which countries in the Middle East have called for the region to be a nuclear-free zone?

The Arab countries and Iran.

Which country in the Middle East occupies land belonging to other people?

Israel, which occupies a piece of Lebanon, a larger piece of Syria, East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

Which country in the Middle East has for 60 years refused to allow refugees to return to their homes and refused to consider compensation to them for their lost property?

Israel.

Which country has roads on which citizens who are Arab may not drive and housing developments where Arabs may not live?

Israel.

Which country in the region has violated more United Nations resolutions than any other?

Israel. The United States has on more than one occasion gone to war ostensibly to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions, but when it comes to resolutions directed against Israel, the U.S. is like the amoral monkey that sees, hears and says nothing. That raises the question of who's the dog and who's the tail?

Which country in the region has in the past been led by men who at one time were terrorists with a price on their heads?

Israel. Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir once led the Stern Gang and ordered, among other things, the assassination of Count Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat working for the United Nations. Former Prime Minister Menachem Begin led the Irgun, a terrorist gang that among other things blew up one wing of the King David Hotel, killing nearly 100 people.

Which country in the Middle East openly employs assassination against its political enemies?

Israel. There have been assassinations carried out by some of the Arab governments, but they usually don't own up to them. Israel has created a euphemism that the suck-up American press has readily adopted: "targeted killings." A British journalist told me once, "The Palestinians have a talent for picking bad leaders, and the Israelis have a talent for murdering their good ones."

What are the top five countries from which we import oil?

Here they are in order of volume: Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela. The next time you hear some blowhard politician ranting about how the Arabs control our oil imports, remind him or her of the facts. By far, a majority of oil imports come from non-Arab countries.

Which country in the region receives an annual gift of $3 billion or more from Congress?

Israel.

Which foreign-aid recipient is the only one allowed to receive its aid in a lump sum and which routinely invests part of it in U.S. Treasuries so that taxpayers pay them interest on the taxpayers' gift?

Israel.

Which country in the Middle East has the most powerful lobby in the U.S.?

Israel.

Which country in the Middle East are most American politicians, journalists and academics afraid to criticize?

Israel.

On behalf of which country has the U.S. vetoed the largest number of U.N. Security Council resolutions?

Israel.

What country do the people in the region consider the world's biggest hypocrite?

The United States.

Which countries in the Middle East have attacked U.S. ships in international waters?

Iraq and Israel. A lone Iraqi plane fired one missile at a U.S. ship by mistake. The Iraqi government quickly compensated the U.S. In 1967, Israeli airplanes and torpedo boats attacked the USS Liberty, killing 34 Americans. The U.S. government declared it an accident even before the ship limped into port, and to this day Congress has never held a public hearing and allowed the survivors to tell their story. Their story, by the way, is that the attack was deliberate. Israel compensated the families of those who were killed, but resisted for years paying compensation for the ship.

[NEP Dynasty]

Iran wants it to be a nuclear free region. Ha ha. Keep telling yourself that.

[ritehook]

Iran wants it to be a nuclear free region. Ha ha. Keep telling yourself that.

As long as their main antagonist Israel has nukes, I don't blame Iran for wanting same. (Tho there is no hard evidence that they are developing them.)

Israel is the state that broke the Nuclear Free zone in the ME.
And almost certainly with secret US help. And they tried to keep it a secret, and still deny they have them.

Do you actually believe what you just wrote,or are you a "fan" of the one of the players in the ME?

You know, like someone who graduated from a certain school and believes his alma mater will win the conf championship every year? And is deaf to and ridicules all naysayers?

And who, like Notre Dame, has "fans" everywhere, flooding the tailgate area, bullying others in the stands, hollering, yelling, sceaming. Lots of fun!

[ritehook]

Notre Dame plays Army almost every year.

While I usually don't bet the game, I root for Army. Who,I don't think, has beaten ND in decades.

Still, there's always a first time. Will those young officers who swear a solemn oath to above all defend the United States someday, sometime, against all odds, break the long domination and rise up to emerge victorious?

The ebb and flow of sports, the ebb and flow of history.

And when the Black Knights finally do stick it to ND we can excuse them if for some brief moments they break military discipline and rush the field to tear down the goalposts.

Or whatever

[pavyracer]

Ritehook,

The US actually doesn't need Israel. There are two airforce bases located on the island of Cyprus just 100 miles off Israel coast that house nuclear weapons and U2 spy planes. They are British territory and we use them to store our nuclear weapons and bombers in case they need to be used against hostile arab countries.

The security of the United States is not endangered if Israel is moved away from it's current location. It's easier to move Israel that was created in 1948 than move the Arabs that are the rightful owners of their land.

[hackattack]

Which country in the region receives an annual gift of $3 billion or more from Congress?

Israel.

The $3 billion is for military aid which accounts for more than 20% of Israel's total defense budget. From the American point of view, $3 billion/year is cheaper than to 'police' the region themselves.

I don't have a problem with that.

[pavyracer]

The $3 billion is for military aid which accounts for more than 20% of Israel's total defense budget. From the American point of view, $3 billion/year is cheaper than to 'police' the region themselves.

I don't have a problem with that.

How does Israel police Iran when they don't have aircraft or navy capable to reach Iran and patrol it?

I hope you are not curious.

[pirate]

Which is the only country in the WORLD who is threatened to be eliminated from the face of the earth?
ISRAEL

[BuddyBear]

I got a 100% on this pop quiz

But I had a cheat sheet....scroll down to see what I used to get a 100% on this pop quiz!



































































A brain

[pavyracer]

Which is the only country in the WORLD who is threatened to be eliminated from the face of the earth?
ISRAEL

US don't need to threaten any other country. They know we have 12,000 nukes.

What do Arabs have capable of eliminating Israel? Riffles or home made pipe bombs?

[5 star bomb]

fukk the middle east

[hackattack]

How does Israel police Iran when they don't have aircraft or navy capable to reach Iran and patrol it?

I hope you are not curious.

Many think Israel cannot handle Iran because of what happened in Lebanon. They were fighting against a terrorist organization inside Lebanon who were hiding and operating from the inside of heavily populated villages and cities, hiding behind the backs of innocent Lebanese people.

In a 'open' war I think you would see a different outcome. Fact is, Israel would wipe out Iran in hours...not days.

[pavyracer]

Many think Israel cannot handle Iran because of what happened in Lebanon. They were fighting against a terrorist organization inside Lebanon who were hiding and operating from the inside of heavily populated villages and cities, hiding behind the backs of innocent Lebanese people.

In a 'open' war I think you would see a different outcome. Fact is, Israel would wipe out Iran in hours...not days.

We said the same thing about Iwo Jima. After 50,000 marines died we conquered the 10 mile square mile island.

May I remind you that Iran is 100,000 square miles and every inhabitant is a potential suicide bomber. Noone has ever conquered a country by using nukes. You need infantry and in the case of Israel, navy to transport the infantry!

[hackattack]

We said the same thing about Iwo Jima. After 50,000 marines died we conquered the 10 mile square mile island.

May I remind you that Iran is 100,000 square miles and every inhabitant is a potential suicide bomber. Noone has ever conquered a country by using nukes. You need infantry and in the case of Israel, navy to transport the infantry!

This thread contains a lot of political and religious overtones. I am not Jewish and do not wish to debate you on the topic. I respect whatever views you may have. Peace is really my only wish.

[flyingillini]

Many think Israel cannot handle Iran because of what happened in Lebanon. They were fighting against a terrorist organization inside Lebanon who were hiding and operating from the inside of heavily populated villages and cities, hiding behind the backs of innocent Lebanese people.

In a 'open' war I think you would see a different outcome. Fact is, Israel would wipe out Iran in hours...not days.

In a couple hours at that. If it ever happens and I doubt it will it will be with very little effort.

[Justin7]

I have to call bullshit on this. This quiz is propaganda-ish, and ignores much of the history of Israel. I am not Jewish, but this "quiz" is distortionist. Therefor, I offer my own pop-quiz.

Which middle-east country was invaded in 1948 by Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, Iraq and Egypt?

Israel

Which country did a mid-east coalition try to deny water by building river damns to diver water in 1964?

Israel

What country did Syria sponsor rocket attacks against in 1966?

Israel

What country was invaded by Egypt, Jordan and Syria in 1967?

Israel

Who was attacked by surprise in the 1973 in the "Yom Kippur" War by Egypt and Syria?

Israel

I could continue on to the present... but you'll see a recurring theme. Secular groups invade or attack Israel, and they defend themselves. I don't know of any country that has been attacked as many times as they have, especially in their short existence (Israel has existed only 60 years).

I study military history as a hobby, and find this country fascinating. Most of the mid-east countries want the destruction of Israel. Iran has said as much.

I'm not saying the Israelis are nice guys. Just that I understand it. When you've been screwed with as much as they have, and face annihilation every day at the hand of Arab aggressors, you do what it takes to ensure your survival.

[BuddyBear]

I am sorry Justin, but just about everything you said is 100% wrong and it's clear to me the propaganda efforts have worked wonders on you....

[NEP Dynasty]

Stop making an ass out of yourself, BuddyBear.

[ntho4life]

Buddybear u must have a phd in political science, and years of expereince in the political world to make a bold comment like that. U dumb a#s everything ritehood has said is true, if u believe its wrong post where u attained this vast array of knowledge.

[ritehook]

Ritehook,

The US actually doesn't need Israel. There are two airforce bases located on the island of Cyprus just 100 miles off Israel coast that house nuclear weapons and U2 spy planes. They are British territory and we use them to store our nuclear weapons and bombers in case they need to be used against hostile arab countries.

The security of the United States is not endangered if Israel is moved away from it's current location. It's easier to move Israel that was created in 1948 than move the Arabs that are the rightful owners of their land.

"The security of the United States is not endanged if Israel is moved away from it's current location."

pavy, I know you are knowledgeable about military affairs, more so than I, and what you say is doubtless true - from strictly a tactital position.

But it ignores the practical, the political. The US does not give aid, money and secrets to Israel (and make war on her - not our - enemies) becuase it is of any tactical good to us.

In fact, when the founder of Zionism, a French journalist named Theodor Hertzl (his book, The Jewsih State is Zionism's founding document) was offered a remote area of Africa (a piece of Mozanbique, I thiink) he expressed interest in it. But by that time the "alrightniks" (anyone raised among those who spoke Yiddish know what I mean) had their greedy eyes set on Palestine, in what the old geopoliticians used to call The Heartland.

They insisted on "old Israel." (Tho jewish novelist Arthur Koestler - see his fascinating book "The 13th Tribe" - don't think they have any racial right to Palestine).

When the partition of Palestine occured in 1948 ol' Harry Truman had the US become the first nation to recognize the Israeli state.

"There are a lot more Jews than Arabs in America," he said by way of explanation.

If a national politician stood up, pavy,and said the sensible things you say here - "moving Israel" - do you have any idea the kind of muscle and money that will roll into action to discredit him, to smear him, and to crush him the next time he runs?

Is isn't about American's geopolitical or military interests in the region. The tail wags the dog, as Reese said.

There are now a few counter-pressure groups to AIPAC, the huge pro-Israel lobby group. (Capitol Hill buffs know it as the second most potent lobby in Wash DC - sandwiched between the AARP and the NRA)

One is a new pro-Israel group, J Street, who will support and endorse candidates who put American interests in the region first. I support J St and made a small donation to them. But I kind of think they are fearing the same thing many aware Americans feel. As the betrayal of US interests to Israel become more widely known, there will be a very unpleasnat backlash.

It has, unfortunately, happened before in history. Many times. For instance, the very day Colombus set sail from Spain on his great voyoge of discovery, he crosssed another fleet. Full of Spanish Jews, seeking a home, after being expelled from Spain by the very monarchs who financed Columbus.

I was at the beach most of the day, out in the sun and the salt sea, so if I seem more rambling than usual that's the reason.

And I'm replying to t he replyable posts as I read them in order,so someone else may have already responded to your note. Tho I appreciate your insight.

[ritehook]

The $3 billion is for military aid which accounts for more than 20% of Israel's total defense budget. From the American point of view, $3 billion/year is cheaper than to 'police' the region themselves.

I don't have a problem with that.

I assume you mean we fnance the IDF so that they can "police" the region?

Then what the hell are we doing in Iraq?
Why do we have two combat carriers in the Gulf?

Asking Israel to "police" the region is like a asking the Mafia to police the hijack and heroin trade in the region where jj lives.

[ritehook]

How does Israel police Iran when they don't have aircraft or navy capable to reach Iran and patrol it?

I hope you are not curious.

You mean the last word as a -um, ha, urp, lesse - a
"play on words."

As in phucking curious?

[ritehook]

Which is the only country in the WORLD who is threatened to be eliminated from the face of the earth?
ISRAEL

Pirate,

I'm afraid you've been taken in by the media propaganda.

The president of Iran (call him Adm, because altho i won a county spelling bee last century I can't get his name right) never said it. Speech was mistranssalted from Farsi. He was quoting his departed leader, Khomeini, who once said that the Zionist state will disappear from the pages of history. (In a political,not a phsical, sense.)

Not that Israel will "be wiped off the map." If pirate is going to be at the bash (I'm not,I'm not a desert toad) and can bring a dime with him, any other poster can bring Adm original speech in Farsi, bet pirate his dime that Adm never siad "wiped off the map." take it to a Berlitz school for translation, and pocket some easy money.

pirate,it was sort of like all the hype surrrounding Big Brown, "can't lose," all that nonsense reapeated endlesssly so it becomes like a relgious text,no one can doubt it.

But several on this board were contratrians, did not accept revealed gospel,and DID doubt it. They're in poster Hall of Fame because they went contrary to propaganda.

You can do so too when you learn to look past the manure.

[ritehook]

fukk the middle east

Unless the Middle East phucks us first!

[ritehook]

I'm not saying the Israelis are nice guys. Just that I understand it. When you've been screwed with as much as they have, and face annihilation every day at the hand of Arab aggressors, you do what it takes to ensure your survival. - justin


Including using fanatic Likud party members who are the muscle behind the neocon contingent who roosted on Bush's brain, and lied us into the invading Iraq so at to actualize their dream the proponents of "Greater Israel?"

Was that OK to ensure their survival?

It was worth it, Justin, to lose 4000+ soldiers, tens of thousands more permanently mained, the dollar in the tank and inflation approacing runaway proportions, being hated in all parts of the world, being known by all as Israel's bitch . . .

All to "ensure" the survival of a foreign country . . .

In your studies did you come across the 1996 Likud paper, "A Clean Break: Securing the Realm?"

The Realm is Israel. It was a "position paper" written by Americans of Jewish descent!

Let that sink in: Americans writing a position paper for a rightist party in another land. Do Irish-Americans write positions papers for the opposition party in Eire?

Well, you might say, so what? No harm done.

Really? Well, guy, the author of that position paper brushed it off when George The Disgraceful won the presiddency, and 911 happened. Their time had come to actualize it.

And btw, the first thing this position paper called for was regime change in Iraq, ie, getting rid of Saddam.

Who were the authors of that Likud position paper,that GW Bush now had the task of putting into action?

Richard Perle.

Douglas Feith, who pulled Rumsfeld's strings.

David Wurmser and his wife. The lady still occupoies some kind of high position in Wash, and David is a big man in VP Cheney's office.

Aided and abetted by other powerful neocons like Wolfowitz, et al. They still at, from their luxury offices at the American Enterprise Institure. One of AEI's bright boys wrote the playbook for the "surge" hoax.

You can google Dickie Perle (a protegee of late Senator Henry Jackson, reffered to as both "the senator from Boeing" and "the senator from Israel." ) He was not in govt during the Iraq war, but had a direct line to the office of George the Disgraceful.

This is one of the great, silent coups de etat of history, as devastating and as quiet as a highly toxic and odiferous fart that blows everyone from the room.

Hollywood will one day make a movie of it.

Well, maybe not . . .

[ritehook]

Buddybear u must have a phd in political science, and years of expereince in the political world to make a bold comment like that. U dumb a#s everything ritehood has said is true, if u believe its wrong post where u attained this vast array of knowledge.

Well, by the gods, I certainly do welcome you to this forum!!!

An infusion of brains and courage.

[ritehook]

And of course, BB, who likely knows as much or more about this topic than do I, but isn't quite as - hmm, uh, err - voluble about it than yrs truly.

[ritehook]

I'm gonna try to post my Summer Surprise musings here soon, because I promised my good friend Willie Bee I would. And yes, I still have not counted Hlllary out. Demo convention is not until late August, a lot can happen.

And that is polit stuff.

And on Fourth of July an article I saw last year online, a really terrific thing, written by a former Pulitzer Prize winner, and former NY Times staffer.

When you read this courageous piece you will know why the guy will never again write for NY Times,or any other major media. But he helped rescue the honor - such as it be - of American jornalism.

Other than that I'm gonna try to enjoy the summer and stay off thesse boards until foots kick in.

[BuddyBear]

Buddybear u must have a phd in political science, and years of expereince in the political world to make a bold comment like that. U dumb a#s everything ritehood has said is true, if u believe its wrong post where u attained this vast array of knowledge.

no, actually i have a graduate degree in a similar subject matter but not political science though. I agree, everything that ritehook has said is true, not sure what your deal is????