Why do conservatives care about Israel?

Yup, Bush Sr., W., and Regan definitely lost the debate with that one.

I reckon it'll cost them both the 2012 election.

You don't think it's massively hypocritical to attack the president for not doing in four years what his GOP predecessors did once in 20 years?

They're so devoted to the Great God of the Trickle-down, they don't even remember how to spell his name...

Sure, I guess. Romney isn't under any obligation to defend or criticize his own party's presidential predecessor's during a debate with someone of the opposite party, however.

Their actions are treasonous and they should be hung along with soldiers, Confederates, meter maids, and ghost hunters.

Say, what ever happened to the people behind the Project for the New American Century? Their site hasn't been updated since 2006.

They were taken out by a militarized Confederate meter maid ghost.

Conservatives like to pretend to care about Israel. That means this kind of bullshittery about Democratic Presidents visiting Israel or meeting with Israeli officials rather than actual policy matters. In reality . . .

None of which is to say anything much about what our Israel policy should be, but it' clear that one of our major political parties feels free to strong-arm Israel at will, and that's the Republican party.

Serious attempt at an answer to the OP: (Haven't read all the stuff in between)

I think, more than anything else, it's a gradual consequence of history. We were heavily involved in establishing the nation, and over time they have proven to be the most 'Americanized' nation in the ME, so to speak. A staunchly allied western-style democracy that has, past and present, relied on our support for its very survival.

With 100% hindsight, would the west have established Israel? Maybe, maybe not. There are other places the Jewish people could have been offered a safe haven. So many came to America- why not all of them? Here they would not have had 'a nation of their own', but they would have been free and American, and think of the history of the past sixty years if Israel had never been established.

Turtledove should write an alternate history series where Israel is never established, but the post Cold-war world might end up being too boring to read about.

A better question to ask is why do liberals take this issue so lightly?

Hmmm.... Look at what the Mormons were able to do with Utah. Imagine if we had given the Jews S. Dakota or Arizona or somewhere along those lines.

They could turn it into a Jewtopia.

Sure, Sheldon. The Democrats hate Israel. Mitt Romney tossing you a billion dollar tax cut has nothing to do with it at all.

http://wordforge.net/showpost.php?p=2377819&postcount=15

Actually they tried that back in the Dakota Territory days, but they've never built up much of a presence. And now they have Israel, back in their ancestral stomping grounds, which, as a Native, I can respect their desire to hold on to.

It's hard to call them natives, though, since they were Europeans displacing actual natives.

Yes, many of the original Zionists that founded Israel were Ashkenazi, but what about the Sephardim and Mizrahem that were in turn kicked out of their own countries following the first Arab-Israeli war?

Muad Dib and Paladin pretty much summed it up. For me, it has jack shit to do with Biblical prophecy. It's about one island of success and democracy in an ocean of shit. Call me crazy or prejudiced, but I DO care more about the Jewish people than I do about the Muslims. So sue me (with a Jew lawyer).

If there's an ocean of shit, I don't plop my wallet in there, and if I do, I don't leave it there, and "defend", it, I get it the fuck out of the shit, and I hose it off, and try to salvage the contents.


I mean, do you do that?
Ants are coming at your cinnamon bun, you leave it right there, and keep shooting the ants with Raid, and the Raid blows back on your cinnamon bun?
Pick up the fuckin' bun.

Why don't liberals care about the U.S.?

Simple. It's our nuclear stockpile in the middle east.

Kicking those Palestinians to the curb was a plus.

With "friends" like American conservatives, Israel really doesn't need its enemies as well.

A great point.

Mormons have had a distinct effect in Alberta as well, to the point where they were almost entirely responsible for building the biggest irrigation system in Canada, and giving Alberta a serious running start when it comes to raising irrigated crops like potatoes, corn, beets, etc, etc.

Alberta lobbied pretty aggressively to get them up here, and exchanged land deeds for work done on the irrigation system. Areas like Magrath, Cardston, Raymond where the St. Mary's irrigation district runs through have a VERY high rate of Mormon's, and for the most part of thriving, vibrant communities.

Of course, a lot depends on how aggressive the Mormon's were in terms of being willing to work in exchange for land, but I don't think you could excuse the Jews of being lazy.

And we're only talking about the Mormons. Canada and the US have many other examples of a 'group' of people settling down somewhere and developing the area.

As for Israel, the only reason I give more of a shit about them is the fact that Israel has contributed far more to the world in terms of science and technological advancement in areas such as medicine, healthcare, etc, etc.....than all Muslim countries combined.

Why shouldn't I care about a country that allows people to live freely and with persecution? I mean I don't agree with MANY things the US government does, especially corporate welfare and the continuous effort to screw over the little man, but hell yes I support the underlying idea of freedom, security and 'fair' justice for all.

Israel has more patents per person than any other nation in the world.

Israel, making conservatives' heads explode from cognitive dissonance since forever:

Conservative nattering about how Obama hates Israel: delusional transparent partisan hackery, as acknowledged by the state of Israel.

^ God, is this dumb bastard still around?


Anyway, last night (I believe it was), History Chanel ran an outstanding documentary called "Third Reich: The Rise" and "Third Reich: The Fall". It was sickening. German got off way too easy for what they did.

That whole area is practically the cradle of evil on this planet.

They deserve every acre of land they have and every ounce of assistance they can get due to the fact they are surrounding by barbarians. In fact, I think they should have been handed west Germany at the end of the war.

Sokar watches A Predigested History of WWII for Dummies...film at 11.

"They" meaning the Nazis? Because that's what follows from "that whole area." Obviously not. Transitions just aren't your strong suit.

So you approve of the award. Bravo.