Should the U.S. support Israel?

[Wienholdland]

Agreed. If we are allied with Israel, we only anger Arab nations.

What does not anger Arab nations?

Leaving them alone would work quite nicely, I believe.

[Conserative Morality]

Isreal won that land fair and square. Who are we to tell them to give it up?

The most powerful country in the world?

If we're playing Might = Right, then we have the right to tell them to give up that land.

[Vecherd]

What does not anger Arab nations?

Leaving them alone would work quite nicely, I believe.

Nah, then they still would be pissed of because we aren't all Muslims yet.

[Mahdah]

Other countries are the US' business.

Israel won that land fair and square. Who are we to tell them to give it up?

Would you rather have a huge amount of Anti Jewish forces from the Middle east take over isreal and possibly kill everyone and restore it Palestine..

Or...

Ask them to move themselves back to there 1967 borders

[Esoterias]

Israel won that land fair and square. Who are we to tell them to give it up?

Would you rather have a huge amount of Anti Jewish forces from the Middle east take over isreal and possibly kill everyone and restore it Palestine..

Or...

Ask them to move themselves back to there 1967 borders

Asking is different. I don't want American lives and Dollars getting involved in this though.

[Genivaria]

Leaving them alone would work quite nicely, I believe.

Nah, then they still would be pissed of because we aren't all Muslims yet.

Then we win them over WITH SCIENCE!

[EnragedMaldivians]

Isreal won that land fair and square. Who are we to tell them to give it up?

The most powerful country in the world?

If we're playing Might = Right, then we have the right to tell them to give up that land.

As long as you employ the proper euphemisms and conceal your realpoliticking in diplomatic language. There is no need to be completely blatant about it - not in an age when "soft power" matters.

[Wienholdland]

Leaving them alone would work quite nicely, I believe.

Nah, then they still would be pissed of because we aren't all Muslims yet.

Some of them. But the actual hatred to the point of suicide bombing would be greatly diminished.

[Vecherd]

Nah, then they still would be pissed of because we aren't all Muslims yet.

Then we win them over WITH SCIENCE!

Sounds like a plan.

[Call to power]

Yes if only for the sole purpose of maintaining a strong ally in the region and being able to use the military aid as leverage to get what you want from Israel (because the country is rather able to piss on its neighbours atm without western help)

Not our problem.

oh look an American.

Exactly, try being gay in any other Middle Eastern country and see how far you get. Also, try practising freedom of religion anywhere else in the Middle East. Then tell me how evil Israel is compared to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Iran... etc.

Turkey, Cyprus and the rest

the real question is should the USA support Saudi Arabia?

yes the United States should protect Saudi Arabia from external threats and continue to use it as an ally so long as interest remain aligned (which doesn't exactly mean you can't call them on doing stupid shit)

[Conserative Morality]

As long as you employ the proper euphemisms and conceal your realpoliticking in diplomatic language. There is no need to be completely blatant about it - not in an age when "soft power" matters.

Of course, of course. I'm a blunt person, but I don't advocate straightforward dealings in international politics.

Me: "Screw Pakistan/Israel/China/Unruly ally of the day. Seriously. Just bomb 'em."

What I actually want: "In response to increased budget concerns blah blah blah lack of co-operation etc etc Regional instability so on so on removal of aid."

[Vecherd]

Turkey, Cyprus and the rest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_by_country_or_territory#Western_Asia

Cyprus isnt an Islamic nation.

[Darenjo]

The most powerful country in the world?

If we're playing Might = Right, then we have the right to tell them to give up that land.

As long as you employ the proper euphemisms and conceal your realpoliticking in diplomatic language. There is no need to be completely blatant about it - not in an age when "soft power" matters.

We tried that. It's called the Clinton and Bush Administrations.

And, um, if "soft power" mattered more than actual power, then Iran and North Korea would not have nukes, America would take orders from China, Russia would be a gigantic corporation-state, etc. "Hard" power still matters. A lot. America just doesn't know when to use it.

[Keronians]

Isreal won that land fair and square. Who are we to tell them to give it up?

The most powerful country in the world?

If we're playing Might = Right, then we have the right to tell them to give up that land.

The most powerful country in the World. Pfft. Tell someone who cares.

[Conserative Morality]

We tried that. It's called the Clinton and Bush Administrations.

Yeah, Bush was pretty inept at the whole 'soft' power thing.

And, um, if "soft power" mattered more than actual power, then Iran and North Korea would not have nukes, America would take orders from China, Russia would be a gigantic corporation-state, etc. "Hard" power still matters. A lot. America just doesn't know when to use it.

Military strength contributes to soft power.

[Genivaria]

The only foreign american military presence I believe in involves Navy Seals.

[Gaiso]

We should support Israel just as much as we support Palestine.

[Call to power]

Here the Liberal supports Israel and the Authoritarian are against Israel.

get out.

Israel won that land fair and square. Who are we to tell them to give it up?

international law would be a start

Cyprus isnt an Islamic nation.

but it is in the middle east which was what was asked (suppose you could argue Northern Cyprus if you want to be controversial)

[Keronians]

The most powerful country in the world?

If we're playing Might = Right, then we have the right to tell them to give up that land.

As long as you employ the proper euphemisms and conceal your realpoliticking in diplomatic language. There is no need to be completely blatant about it - not in an age when "soft power" matters.

Does "do what I say or we'll liberate your ass" count as concealing it?

... Perhaps I should work on that, then...

[EnragedMaldivians]

As long as you employ the proper euphemisms and conceal your realpoliticking in diplomatic language. There is no need to be completely blatant about it - not in an age when "soft power" matters.

We tried that. It's called the Clinton and Bush Administrations.

And, um, if "soft power" mattered more than actual power, then Iran and North Korea would not have nukes, America would take orders from China, Russia would be a gigantic corporation-state, etc. "Hard" power still matters. A lot. America just doesn't know when to use it.

Uh-huh. You misunderstood my arguement; Soft power complements hard power - it is not a replacement for it, nor is it in anyway more important.

What was wrong with George H.W's foreign policy?

Though yes - the U.S does not always use its might properly; I've always been pissed at them for failing to support the Shah and subsequently for not organizing a counter-coup. But that's for another thread.

[Conserative Morality]

Does "do what I say or we'll liberate your ass" count as concealing it?

... Perhaps I should work on that, then...

That's coercion, hard power.

[Keronians]

As long as you employ the proper euphemisms and conceal your realpoliticking in diplomatic language. There is no need to be completely blatant about it - not in an age when "soft power" matters.

We tried that. It's called the Clinton and Bush Administrations.

And, um, if "soft power" mattered more than actual power, then Iran and North Korea would not have nukes, America would take orders from China, Russia would be a gigantic corporation-state, etc. "Hard" power still matters. A lot. America just doesn't know when to use it.

I think you mean that America doesn't know how to use soft power.

Look at Europe. There's an example of how to make good use of soft power.

[Keronians]

Does "do what I say or we'll liberate your ass" count as concealing it?

... Perhaps I should work on that, then...

That's coercion, hard power.

Yup. Something America's all too familiar with...

[Syvorji]

No, because Israel is a puppet state of America. If it ceases to support Israel, we would have one less puppet state to deal with, ergo, encouraging Israel to adopt the Juche ideology.

[Conserative Morality]

I think you mean that America doesn't know how to use soft power.

Look at Europe. There's an example of how to make good use of soft power.

Not really...? Not most of Europe, anyway. Europe has done very little independently with it's considerable amount of power.