I’m sure many Malaysians are aware of the existence of Dr Mahathir’s blog. His lastest posting is, without a doubt, vintage Dr M. The same hate-filled, Jew-hating and American-hating ramblings of an old, has-been politician, desperate for the attention and adoration of his supporters. His latest call to boycott US products, blockade the US, attack the US … what are those? If he really meant all that he had written, how come when he was the Prime Minister, he did not carry out any of these threats? To be sure, the conflicts in the Middle East are nothing new. Israel and the Arabs in that region have been at war with each other at one time or another and most certainly during his watch as the Prime Minister of Malaysia as well.
Talk about a “tin kosong”!
Dr M takes exception to President Bush’s claim that “the world respects America for its compassion” and to prove the point that not all Americans agree with such a claim he posted an article by Paul Craig Roberts. At the same time, Dr M points out that his rantings have nothing to do with his bias against Israel or the US due to the fact that he is a Muslim because there are other people like Roberts who are as rabid as he is about the Bush administration and the situation in the Middle East. Hah! When was the last time a Malaysian reporter/commentator write an excoriating article about Dr M and it saw the light of day in any newspaper in Malaysia? Fat chance, right?
Let’s see how compassionate America is.
In FY2008, Congress appropriated a total of $414.5 million in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians, the largest single year appropriation ever for the Palestinians. For FY2009, an additional $200 million have already been appropriated for the Palestinians (with another $100 million requested by the Bush Administration).
The motive for increased aid?
[T]he Bush Administration and Congress have boosted U.S. aid levels in hopes of fostering an economic and security climate conducive to Palestinian statehood. The revival of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations over a final-status agreement in conjunction with the Annapolis Conference of November 2007 provided further impetus for U.S. economic support of the institutional and societal building blocks deemed crucial for Palestinian self-governance.
Can anyone tell me if there is any other country that gives more than the US to help the Palestinians? Just what does the Bush Administration get for being “compassionate”? Ingrate responses from the likes of Dr M, that’s what! Of all the foreign aid funneled to the Palestinian Authority, about 30% comes from the US alone and a miserly 7% is from the Arab nations, the so called more compassionate and supporter of the Palestinians!
If Dr M and his ilk succeed in destroying the American economy through their boycotts, blockade, etc, they better be prepared to shell out the dough for their helpless Palestinian friends! Otherwise the poor Palestinians will be in worse shape than they are presently in despite the war with Israel!
Speaking of the war, how is it that only Israel is the demon in this war? Why is there no denunciation from Dr M and his ilk of Hamas and their use of civilians as human shields, and their use of hospitals, mosques, and schools for storing their weapons and for launching their rockets against Israel? How would Malaysia like it if their “friendly” neighbour starts firing rockets at it daily? Would Malaysia just ignore it?
Don’t even tell me about “disportionate response” from Israel! If the goal of your enemy is your complete annihilation, should you be blamed for your response to your enemy?
Just think about it. Food and medicine cannot be brought in to Gaza, but there is no such difficulty in smuggling weapons into Gaza so Hamas can continue firing rockets at Israel. Is there something wrong with this picture?
No, I do not like war. But war is a necessary evil. If the Allied Forces had not come to Malaya’s help during WWII, we would all be speaking Japanese today. If the Americans had not come to the aid of Western Europe, Europe would all be speaking German today.
Think about it.
He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain. Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor dampened, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue… In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.
-Sun Tzu, the Art of War