And so is Joe Biden…
The Vice President was on Meet the Press Sunday trying hard not to trip over his tongue. It was a mildly entertaining interview with certain revelations on healthcare and economic policies for those who read between the lines. The first topic of discussion was of course Iran (a subject I will come back to in a later post).
Of course the unlikeable David Gregory could not resist bringing up US-Israeli relations, asking Biden whether his boss is “trying to distance himself from Israel in order to assuage the Arabs?”
“Absolutely not,” responded Biden, but before he could go into one of his diatribes about how much he loves the state of Israel, Gregory cut him off with a most asinine question:
If that’s the case, then why is this administration only making unconditional demands over settlements on Israel and on no other parties?
Biden tried to keep his composure but his discomfort was easily apparent. He tried to explain but was cut off once again by the Zionist host who maintained a stupid grin on his face throughout the exchange as if he was actually onto something. Gregory kept on stressing the notion of “unconditional demands” being made of Israel and of nobody else.
It must not have occurred to Biden what a ridiculous concept he was being pressed on – settlements are illegal under international law and the biggest obstacle to the two-state solution US officials supposedly support. But instead of making this clear to the biased journalist sitting across from him, the VP tried his damnedest to convince the skeptics that everything is cool between the Obama administration and the extremists controlling Israeli policy. Instead of explaining to Gregory (and the audience) why the line of questioning was without merit, Biden gave in…
The unconditional demands we’re making on the Palestinians that they have to provide security for Israel. They have to stop this, this, this, this baiting of their populations. They have to stop incitement. We’ve made it clear to the, to the Arab states, they have to do something more than just talk about normalizing relation with Israel.
No they don’t… not yet, at least. For peace to have a chance, Israel must stop settlement activity – that is the very least. It is not enough for members of the Obama administration to say so in prepared remarks; they need to be able to face down biased journalists doing the bidding of the lobby. Otherwise, the US media will continue to spin things in favor of its Zionist masters and the public will continue to think of Israel as a tiny virtuous state struggling to survive in a sea of barbarous A-rabs.
To me, the saddest part of the interview came when Gregory asked Biden whether he sees “moral equivalency in the fight between Israelis and Palestinians” to which the VP replied in the negative before being interrupted once again by his host.
I agree with Biden that there is no moral equivalency in the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Dispossession, occupation, and suppression are only some of the things that prove morality is on the side of the Palestinians.
(Friends of mine who have had the misfortune of meeting David Gregory confirm the arrogant condescension that is apparent in his work. I’d like to see him take on the Iron Sheik in a no-holds-barred cage match.)
Related posts:
- The Shameless Media Blackout Continues
- The Art of Not Getting it: David Brooks on Israeli Public Culture
- A little more than a shameless plug
- Breaking KABOBnews: David Duke Brushes his Teeth
- Assassinating Zionist Servers
why is this question assinine? "If that’s the case, then why is this administration only making unconditional demands over settlements on Israel and on no other parties?"
That's a big deal, getting Palestinians to stop attacking Israel. Seems to be a reasonable question, then, to ask why no demands are being made of the Palestinians. But daring to ask that makes him a Zionist? Funny.
Rockets launched into civilian populations are illegal under international law. So are suicide bombings and other attacks. These have been the biggest obstacle to peace.
Another big deal is incitement – inciting hatred and violence against Israel.
The American media has Zionist masters? Did you take your meds today? Gregory is a notorious liberal, and as you know, liberals usually favor policies which benefit the jihadists.
Posted by big-e | June 15, 2009, 3:36 pmIt's a stupid question because the Palestinian Authority has no real authority to do anything as it is under occupation. Continued settlement activity trumps any hope for a peaceful settlement to the conflict. The biggest obstacle to peace is occupation and continued colonialism; it really is that simple, but then again, I don't expect you to understand.
Posted by Kalash | June 15, 2009, 6:39 pmThe Palestinians have no power to stop their attacks and incitement? Huh? Yes they do!
Posted by big-e | June 17, 2009, 2:29 pmYeah it's like, if I squish an ant that's walking by me, it's not my fault, it's the ant's fault, because he had the power to stop his incitement of my ant-squishing tendencies. But he chose to provoke me. To ask me not to needlessly kill ants is really making unconditional demands on me and letting the ants get off scot-free.
Posted by M.M. | June 19, 2009, 8:36 pmI agree with Kalash. By not challenging the question he is accepting the premise that Obama is favoring the Palestinians over the Israelis. That isn't true. Obama made demands of both sides, not just the Israelis. With regard to the settlements, Obama merely restated the US position since 1980.
Posted by Light | June 15, 2009, 4:10 pmNice work calling David Gregory out on his biases. It's impossible to see US policy in the Middle East in favor of the Palestinians, even after Obama. If Obama is holding the Israelis accountable to the agreements they signed 15 years ago to stop settlement activity, then he is only playing by the rules, not showing bias.
Posted by yaman | June 15, 2009, 4:13 pmSo David Gregory is automatically biased because he asked a question?
Posted by big-e | June 15, 2009, 4:55 pmHowdy there Big-e and welcome to our humble corner of this here internets. while we do love us some differing view points 'round these here parts, we don't really take too kindly to them straw-man type arguments. thank ya kindly.
Posted by The Notorious Nimr | June 15, 2009, 5:25 pmThat's too bad for you, isn't it?
Posted by big-e | June 17, 2009, 2:31 pmNo, he's biased because of the assumptions inherent in his question. Questions are not innocent and neutral. A loaded question is a biased question.
Posted by yaman | June 15, 2009, 8:56 pmI wish I could find it, but there was this great interview with Gregory on the Daily Show discussing Gaza and it was very obvious where Gregory stood and how Stewart just was not on the same page.
Posted by SanaKF | June 15, 2009, 5:02 pmYou mean this episode?
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?vid…
According to the DS; he "is like the Lebron James of Jews."
Posted by Anon | June 15, 2009, 8:48 pmIf the Palestinians need to "end violence" against the Israelis, then the Israelis better end the violence against the Palestinians which is a 1000 times worse.
And besides, the Israeli settlements on colonized land are illegal, the fact that this is even on the table for negotiating is outrageous.
Posted by Super Sayyin | June 15, 2009, 8:44 pmWhen all is said and done, Israel will face the same fate as all other colonialist-settler states dependent on another country thousands of miles away, i.e., abandonment. Israel is an historical anachronism, a blip in history. As Charles De-Gaulle put it just after Israel invaded and occupied the rest of Palestine (as well as Syria's Golan Heights, Lebanon's Shebaa Farms and Egypt's Sinai) in June 1967, "Israel will drown in a sea of Arabs." Also, more and more American's are coming to realize that Israel is our number one geopolitical liability.
Posted by David | June 16, 2009, 1:37 pmUniting Anti-Zionists
Posted by Arian-ator | October 12, 2009, 9:38 amStopping settlement activity doesnt even solve anything – it doesn't even take away the obstacle. it just stops the obstacle from growing……..its like when a country has a high manslaugher rate. only allowing 30% murder crimes as opposed to letting it grow to 31% is not solving the crime.
yet its still viewed as an arab kiss-ass move? As my teacher says, "La 7awla wala quwata ella bellah"
Posted by Lena | June 16, 2009, 4:38 pmYes Lena, the cancerous Israel must be destroyed.
Posted by jihad | June 17, 2009, 2:33 pmmvIlfZ
Posted by Jgfuzzkv | July 14, 2009, 4:21 pm