Dem leaders out of step with voters on Israel's attack on Gaza

[Tigermike 4,304]

Dem leaders out of step with voters on Israel's attack on Gaza

January 3, 2009

BY GLEN GREENWALD

A new Rasmussen Reports poll -- the first to survey American public opinion specifically regarding the Israeli attack on Gaza -- strongly bolsters the severe disconnect between American public opinion on U.S. policy toward Israel and the consensus views expressed by America's political leadership.

Not only does Rasmussen find that Americans generally "are closely divided over whether the Jewish state should be taking military action against militants in the Gaza Strip" (44 percent to 41 percent, with 15 percent undecided), but Democratic voters overwhelmingly oppose the Israeli offensive -- by a 24-point margin. By stark contrast, Republicans, as one would expect (in light of their history of supporting virtually any proposed attack on Arabs and Muslims), overwhelmingly support the Israeli bombing campaign (62 percent to 27 percent).

It's not at all surprising that Republican leaders -- from Dick Cheney and John Bolton to virtually all appendages of the right-wing noise machine -- are unquestioning supporters of the Israeli attack. After all, they're expressing the core ideology of the overwhelming majority of their voters and audience.

Much more notable is the fact that Democratic leaders -- including Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi -- are just as lock step in their blind, uncritical support for the Israeli attack, in their absolute refusal to utter a word of criticism of, or even reservations about, Israeli actions.

While some Democratic politicians who are marginalized by the party's leadership are willing to express the views that Democratic voters overwhelmingly embrace, the suffocating, fully bipartisan orthodoxy which typically predominates in America when it comes to Israel is in full force with this latest conflict.

Is there any other significant issue in American political life, besides Israel, where citizens split almost evenly in their views, yet the leaders of both parties adopt identical positions which leave half of the citizenry with no real voice?

More notably still, is there any other position, besides Israel, where a party's voters overwhelmingly embrace one position (Israel should not have attacked Gaza) but that party's leadership unanimously embraces the exact opposite position (Israel was absolutely right to attack Gaza and the U.S. must support Israel unequivocally)?

Equally noteworthy is that the factional breakdown regarding Israel-Gaza mirrors quite closely the factional alliances that arose with regard to the Iraq war. Just as was true with Iraq, one finds vigorous pro-war sentiment among the Dick Cheney/National Review/neoconservative/hard-core-GOP crowd, joined (as was true for Iraq) by some American liberals who typically oppose that faction yet eagerly join with them on Israel.

Meanwhile, most of the rest of the world -- Europe, South America, Asia, the Middle East, the U.N. leadership -- opposes and condemns the attack, all to no avail. The parties with the superior military might -- the U.S. and Israel -- dismiss world opinion as essentially irrelevant. Even the pro-war rhetorical tactics are the same, just as those who opposed the Iraq war were said to be "pro-Saddam," those who oppose the Israeli attack on Gaza are now "pro-Hamas."

There are certainly meaningful differences between the U.S. attack on Iraq and the Israeli attack on Gaza (most notably the fact that Hamas does shoot rockets into Israel and has killed Israeli civilians and Israel is blockading and occupying Palestinian land, whereas Iraq did not attack and could not attack the U.S. as the U.S. was sanctioning them and controlling their airspace). But the underlying logic of both wars is far more similar than different: military attacks, invasions and occupations will end rather than exacerbate terrorism; the Muslim world only understands brute force; the root causes of the disputes are irrelevant; diplomacy and the U.N. are largely worthless.

It's therefore entirely unsurprising that the sides split along the same general lines. What's actually somewhat remarkable is that there is even more lock-step consensus among America's political leadership supporting the Israeli attack on Gaza than there was supporting the U.S. attack on Iraq.

salon.com

link

Rasmussen

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans back Israel’s decision to take military action against the Palestinians, but only half as many Democrats (31%) agree. A majority of Democrats (55%) say Israel should have tried to find a diplomatic solution first, a view shared by just 27% of Republicans.

While 75% of Republicans say Israel is an ally of the United States, just 55% of Democrats agree. Seven percent (7%) of Democrats say Israel is an enemy of America, but only one percent (1%) of Republicans say the same. For 21% of Republicans, Israel is somewhere in between, and 28% of Democrats agree.

Rasmussen

Just for the record, as I said in another post, sometimes a bombing run has absolutely nothing to do with seeking peace. It has to do with destroying a threat.

[rexbo 104]

It doesn't matter what the polls say in the States or what World opinion is; if Israel needs to kill terrorists to defend their people, then it's the right thing to do...

[RunInRed 19,665]

It doesn't matter what the polls say in the States or what World opinion is; if Israel needs to kill terrorists to defend their people, then it's the right thing to do...

TM has been trying to inject politics into this situation for days now.

[Tigermike 4,304]

It doesn't matter what the polls say in the States or what World opinion is; if Israel needs to kill terrorists to defend their people, then it's the right thing to do...

TM has been trying to inject politics into this situation for days now.

That's a damn lie.

In fact this thread is proof that you are also an idiot.

Dispense with the personal attacks and comment on the article and the poll if you can.

[Tigermike 4,304]

It doesn't matter what the polls say in the States or what World opinion is; if Israel needs to kill terrorists to defend their people, then it's the right thing to do...

To get back on subject, this thread, this survey has nothing to do with the fact that Israel has the right to defend it's self but with what are the opinions and "feelings" of people here in the U.S.

obamaboy has his panties in a wad because the poll backs up something I said in another thread. It's not politics, it's an observation based on peoples voting, their outlook in world affairs and what they support. obamaboy's feelings are hurt because the left does not wholeheartedly support Israel and their fight against terrorists. I don't know why, for the most part the left has not been in favor of eliminating terrorist in a long time.

Would you say salon.com was a liberal leaning website? According to Wikipedia, Liberal politics of the United States is its major focus.

[arnaldoabru 11]

Alright, I've stared at the damn picture until my eyes crosssed. What is it suppossed to do?

[AUslug 1]

Alright, I've stared at the damn picture until my eyes crosssed. What is it suppossed to do?

The picture doesn't do anything, just that there are 3 horses in the middle of it. Now about the topic at hand, Why is the world crying foul that Israel is bombing/putting troops into Gaza? Where were they when Hamas was lobbing rockets and motars in the months prior to this? Who cares what South America says, they don't have to deal with terrorists.

[arnaldoabru 11]

"The Zion Underground groups, paarticularly, the Linun and Lehi(Stern gang) used force to try to drive the British out of Palsetine. This included bombing of trains, train stations, an officer club and British headquarters in the King David Hotel, as well as kidnapping and murder of British personnel."

1945

[Tigermike 4,304]

Alright, I've stared at the damn picture until my eyes crosssed. What is it suppossed to do?

The picture doesn't do anything, just that there are 3 horses in the middle of it. Now about the topic at hand, Why is the world crying foul that Israel is bombing/putting troops into Gaza? Where were they when Hamas was lobbing rockets and motars in the months prior to this? Who cares what South America says, they don't have to deal with terrorists.

Actually there are 5 horses. 4 horses & 1 foal to be precise. The picture was painted by Bev Doolittle. For a long time I have liked her work.

Here is a couple more.

Season of the Eagle

Two Indian Horses

arnaldoabru, The picture doesn’t do anything, it is just a camouflaged picture of horses. She hides images in her pictures and sometimes they are pretty hard to find.

Now to get back on subject. Good question AUslug, why is the world crying foul that Israel is bombing/putting troops into Gaza? Why does the left almost without fail condem Israel for defending themselves. Why at the same time does the left world wide take the side of the PLO, HAMAS and other groups? I really don't understand it.