Sunday, March 18, 2007

reading update

i finished reading 'power, faith and fantasy: america in the middle east 1776 to present' by michael oren. i would encourage everyone to read it. it was written because there wasn't a comprehensive look at america's role in the middle east prior to the 20th century. it put many things into perspective for me that's for sure. i encourage everyone to read it but here are some thoughts that struck me while i was reading:

america's view of the middle east has always been that they were backwards and needed conversion to democracy and preferably christianity.

zionism has roots in the american evangelical christian community and eventually in eastern europe.

america has never really cared one whit what the arabs wanted in regards to the us push for a jewish state.

america has attempted to start democracies from north africa to the fertile crescent and most americans have never bothered to learn about the people or their culture.

america promoted arab nationalism against european colonialism and imperialism when it suited us.

not much has changed in america's approach to the middle east in 230+ years.

3 comments:

The Future Was Yesterday said...

zionism has roots in the american evangelical christian community and eventually in eastern europe.

I believe what we're seeing now, is a budding form of what has been the de facto standard in the middle east for hundreds of years. The top leaders pick their religious wars to fight, disguise them as protecting the homeland, while ignoring the plight of the very people they claim to be fighting for. Evangelicalism is a cruel cult, a warring cult, a brainwashing factory that will never be stopped - only eradicated. And that will only be done with brute force. Read Nuclear - with several applications.

The songs in the old Evangelical song books (old defined as pre-1960's)also shed much light on the subject. "We're Marching To Zion" is an all time top ten, for instance. Israel is the "Promised Land." When Evangelical leaders go over there on trips, they never say "I'm going to Israel." They say I'm going to the promised land, or holy land, as it's also sometimes called. People donate thousands of dollars for those trips, fearing the "wrath of God" should they not help a leader visit the promised land.

That tie is perpetrated on both sides of the aisle, and has been for I don't know how long. It's just been held in check is all. Now....the monster is out of the bag, and it is going to be hell putting him back in.

landsker said...

Zionism was supported and promoted from the mid 1800`s, mostly by bankers, such as Rothschild, politicians and oil company bosses such as Rockerfeller.
The intent to obtain control over the reserves of crude oil was and is the main reason for america and israel shooting and bombing, killing and looting.
Most uncivilised behaviour, and can be clearly observed by the rest of the world.
As long as the pentagon can find enough "soldiers", then they will carry on "defending" their interests.

Religion is just the background music, which help delude the poor fools that are currently serving the united states of Bush, Cheney and Olmert.

slcslc said...

betmo, I'd definitely like to read this one. thanks for the review.