U.S. Quagmire

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Author: Bruce Berlin

The current war in the Middle East is just the latest terrible chapter in an intractable 75-year conflict. Clearly, Hamas’s recent terrorist attack on Israel was horrendous. While an Israeli retaliation may seem justified, it must be truly measured at all costs. A full-blown invasion of Gaza would needlessly kill countless of innocent Palestinians and could result in expanding the war throughout the region. While highly unlikely, a cease-fire would be in the best interests of moving toward a peaceful resolution of this long-standing quagmire.

That Israel has relentlessly mistreated the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza over these many decades cannot be ignored as a major contributing factor to the current fighting. Nor can Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s focus on consolidating his own power by overhauling the judiciary while under indictment be overlooked.[1] In fact, Egyptian intelligence officials claim they personally warned Netanyahu that Hamas was planning “an explosion of the situation…and very soon, and it would be big.” Netanyahu denied receiving any such advance warning.[2]

At the same time, the U.S.’s unconditional military aid to Israel (over $3 billion/year since 2009) has given the Jewish state carte blanche to handle the West Bank and Gaza however it pleases. Consequently, no one has clean hands in this tragic situation.

While the Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem, denounced Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ‘criminal policy of revenge,’[3] the Biden Administration has given its full support to Israel.

Josh Paul, until recently the Director of Congressional and Public Affairs at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, quit his position. As the director, he helped shape policy regarding sending military arms to other countries. Paul’s resignation was in response to America’s rush to arm Israel in its battle against Hamas.[4]

Paul sent the following email to his Bureau’s leadership noting:

“It’s been clear for decades that the only route to that future — that future being peace — is not through military victory, but through diplomatic compromise, not through creating fear, but through building trust, not through killing enemies, but through making friends, not through imposing suffering, but through inspiring hope. On all these counts, what is happening now in Israel is a tragedy not only for lives it is taking and also for the future, whose possibility it is foreclosing upon for yet another generation. … In this conflict everyone loses, and the longer it lasts, the greater the losses will be.”[5]

Paul then suggested that:

“…maybe the best thing for Israel right now is not security assistance in the sort of volume that makes them think they can afford to just ignore the Palestinian question and hope that, cordoned off, it will go away. Or to put it another way, if we weren’t giving them billions a year for decades, is it more or less likely they would have found it in their interest for the Oslo process to work and we wouldn’t be where we are today.[“6]

[The Oslo Accords were a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) that established a peace process for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a mutually negotiated two-state solution. Netanyahu was a harsh critic of the Accords which ultimately failed.[7]]

Like Josh Paul, Ralph Nadar believes the Biden administration has failed to put the current hostilities in the broader picture. Nadar observed:

“Biden seems unwilling to recognize the historical origins of this conflict that now has mighty Israel occupying, colonizing, brutalizing and stealing land and water from the twenty-two percent of the original Palestine left for millions of Palestinians under Israeli daily control.“[8]

Even when Israel was established in 1948, the leading Founder of the Israeli state, David Ben-Gurion, understood the profound injustice driving the Palestinian resistance: “If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel….They see but one thing: we have come and stolen their country. Why would they accept that?”[9]

According to Nadar, Biden’s failure to call for a ceasefire disregarded his own military’s private advice against an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. They knew it would increase the risk of a larger war in the Middle East that would clearly be against the national interests of the American people and U.S. security.[10]

While most Americans support diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,[11] Biden endorsed Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas. However, he did say, “it would be a big mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again.”[12]

As Diana Buttu, a Palestinian lawyer living in Haifa, explained, “If there is one lesson of this, it is not that this was a security failure. It was a failure on the part of the world to address the conflict.”[13] America’s unconditional military support of Israel over the decades has played a huge role in that failure. If the Biden administration learns that lesson, it would be one very positive thing that comes out of this tragic war.

Bruce Berlin

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/netanyahu-israel-warning-america-trump-20231019.html

[2] https://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-intelligence-official-says-israel-ignored-repeated-warnings-of-something-big/

[3] https://www.commondreams.org/news/btselem-israel-gaza

[4] https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/10/20/josh-paul-israel-civilians-00122716

[5] https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/10/20/josh-paul-israel-civilians-00122716

[6] Ibid.

[7] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oslo-Accords

[8] https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/biden-will-not-escape-history-s-judgement-for-failure-to-stop-gaza-assault

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/wall-street-journal-ipsos-poll-israel-hamas

[12] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/15/us/politics/biden-israel-gaza.html#:~:text=officials%20have%20warned%20of%20a,and%20aired%20on%20Sunday%20night.

[13] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/08/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-gaza-analysis.html

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Will Justice Be Done?

Posted on December 11, 2021 by Author: Bruce Berlin

As more and more facts regarding the January 6^th attack on the Capitol come out, it’s clear that this was a coordinated conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election and keep then President Trump in the White House. In addition, Trump incited the insurrection and did nothing to stop it for several hours while law enforcement officers fought the rioters and four people died.

Consider the following:

For months before Election Day, Trump repeatedly told his supporters falsehoods about voting, including that Democrats had “rigged” the election. Trump ramped up the rhetoric after he lost the election, filing court challenges in battleground states unsuccessfully trying to get judges to reverse the outcome.[1]
In December 2020, Trump issued a battle cry to his supporters, encouraging them to gather on his behalf on Jan. 6. On December 18^th, he tweeted, “We won the Presidential Election, by a lot. FIGHT FOR IT. Don’t let them take it away!”[2]
Just two days before the attack on the Capitol, Trump declared that the Democrats are “not taking this White House — we’re going to fight like hell, I’ll tell you right now… We’re going to take it back.[3]
Two organizers of the January 6^th attack said they took part in “dozens” of planning meetings with members of Congress, their top staff and White House staff prior to that day. These organizers indicated that Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows played a significant role in discussions regarding the planned protest. One of the planners explained, “Meadows was 100 percent made aware of what was going on,” adding that he was “a regular figure in these really tiny groups of national organizers.”[4]
Meadows discussed the appointment of an alternate slate of electors. He “loved” the plan which included a January 5^th recommendation of putting the National Guard on “standby.”[5]
Former Trump Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller told a House of Representatives panel that he spoke with Trump on Jan. 3. Trump wanted Miller to place National Guard troops in Washington to protect his supporters at the Jan. 6 rally.[6]
At the rally, Trump repeatedly said there was a need to “fight.” He said, “Unbelievable, what we have to go through…you have to get your people to fight…We’re going to have to fight much harder, and Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us. And if he doesn’t, that will be a sad day for our country because you’re sworn to uphold our constitution. Now it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy…because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”[7]
Trump was clearly aware that the vice president was in danger that day. He had a callous disregard for Mr. Pence’s safety.[8]
At the White House, advisers were trying to get Trump to do something, but he rebuffed calls to intercede. The president, advisers said, was expressing pleasure that the vote to certify Mr. Biden’s win had been delayed and that people were fighting for him. “According to public reports, he watched television happily — happily — as the chaos unfolded,” Sen. McConnell noted. “He kept pressing his scheme to overturn the election. Even after it was clear to any reasonable observer that Vice President Pence was in serious danger, even as the mob carrying Trump banners was beating cops and breaching perimeters, the president sent a further tweet attacking his own vice president.”[9]
At 1:49 pm, the chief of the Capitol Police made a frantic call to Gen. Walker, the head of the D.C. National Guard, for support. Walker did not receive approval from Acting Defense Sec. Miller to send Guard troops until 5:08, over 3 hours later.[10]

The case is now in the hands of Attorney General Merrick Garland. More damning facts are sure to be revealed. Trump, Meadows, and other government officials who participated in the conspiracy to overthrow our government must be prosecuted and imprisoned for treason. We all must demand that the Department of Justice ensure that justice is fully and swiftly served so, as Lincoln implored the nation at Gettysburg, “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2021/a-timeline-of-what-donald-trump-said-before-the-capitol-riot/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/578251-jan-6-protest-organizers-say-they-communicated-with-conservative

[5] https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/12/08/meadows-pushed-for-alternate-slate-of-electors-following-trumps-loss-documents-show/?sh=57c9fb016795

[6] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/congresswoman-says-trump-administration-botched-capitol-riot-preparations-2021-05-12/

[7] https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2021/a-timeline-of-what-donald-trump-said-before-the-capitol-riot/

[8] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/us/politics/trump-capitol-riot.html

[9] Ibid.

[10] https://www.npr.org/2021/03/03/973292523/dod-took-hours-to-approve-national-guard-request-during-capitol-riot-commander-s

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Can Dark Days Have a Silver Lining?

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Wednesday was one of the darkest days in American history. Pro-Trump fanatics stormed the U.S. Capitol, overran an understaffed security force and forced Congresspeople and their staffs to run for cover. Five people died, including a Capitol police officer who supported Trump.[1]

The assault on the Capitol was a result of Donald Trump’s relentless, unfounded claims that the election was stolen and he actually won “by a landslide.” He had urged his supporters to come to Washington on January 6 for a “wild protest” against Congress’ certifying that Joe Biden had won the presidency. Trump implored his legions to march on the Capitol and take back their government.

Two burning questions immediately come to mind out of this horrific event: First, why weren’t the Capitol police better prepared and ready with sufficient backup for this well-publicized protest that was ripe to turn violent? And, second, will Trump and his Congressional rabble rousers be held accountable for this attempted insurrection? It will take weeks, perhaps months, for these and related matters to be resolved.

As ugly and tragic as that day was, I believe there is a silver lining. Trump has been using his false claims of a fraudulent election to keep a hold on his base and to raise funds for his post-presidency undertakings. Those pursuits include preparing for another possible run for the White House in 2024.

After Wednesday’s mayhem, the chances of Trump winning the presidency in 2024 are nil. While some of his base will surely stick with him, Trump’s insurrection was the final straw for many Republicans and Independents. The size of his following as well as the amount of funds in his campaign chest will surely shrink.

In fact, Wednesday’s insurrection increases the possibility that Trump will land in jail. While there was plenty of evidence of his criminal behavior prior to this week, Trump’s attempt to overthrow a legitimate election only adds fuel to the fire of prosecutors seeking to imprison him for his multitude of crimes.

Additionally, Trump has clearly created a deep chasm in the Republican Party that will take a long time to bridge, if ever. The Wall Street Journal, a Republican icon that had long backed the president, called for Trump’s resignation.[2] Others have suggested the formation of a third party to separate themselves from Trump’s Republican Party.[3]

This can only be good news for Biden, the Democrats and the American people. While the new administration’s task come January 20 will not be easy, having a divided opposition may well enable Biden to form a broader coalition to enact his agenda to help our nation. Already some Republicans have renounced their allegiance to the Party. In addition, Independents will be more inclined to favor the new administration. And, of course, the Democrats capturing control of the Senate will be a tremendous help as well.

In turn, this will assist the Democrats in holding onto Congress in 2022 and the White House in 2024. The more they can accomplish for the American people in the next two to four years — whether it’s providing greater COVID relief, creating a living wage or reigniting the economy — the better the odds they will be rewarded at the polls by the voters.

Lastly, Trump’s disgraceful final act has given some Republicans the courage to stand up to him. With his reduced stature, his threats to find primary candidates in 2022 to run against Republicans who crossed him no longer will be the kiss of death. The fear of Trump’s wrath has lost a good deal of its potency.

American democracy has survived a deadly attack. But, let this be a vital lesson: we the people must not let down our guard. We must vigorously protect our democratic institutions and hold accountable those elected officials who do not.

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/brian-sicknick-capitol-police-officer-dies/2021/01/08/5552e036-51bc-11eb-83e3-322644d82356_story.html

[2] https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trumps-final-days-11610062773

[3] https://www.denverpost.com/2021/01/07/donald-trump-us-capitol-takeover-gop-split/

Terrorism – Shouldn’t We Be Looking in the Mirror?

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Author: Bruce Berlin

In 2003 the United States massively attacked Iraq under false pretenses. Despite the fact that we had no verifiable evidence, our government claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that posed an international security threat. Big Oil led by oilman-turned-vice president Dick Cheney manipulated the country into believing this trumped up claim in an effort to gain access to Iraq’s huge oil and gas reserves. In doing Big Oil’s bidding, our country spent close to $2 trillion; sacrificed thousands of American lives as well as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilian lives; and caused many more Iraqis to flee their country.

Our country terrorized the entire population of Iraq. We unjustifiably destroyed the Iraqi government and much of the country. The world is still suffering the grave repercussions of our terrorism. And, it is getting worse day-by-day. The Paris and Mali acts of terrorism are just the latest examples.

Until we step back and examine how we have brutally wronged many other countries, we will not understand why we are in the mess we are in today. How many Americans know that our government overthrew democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegn of Iran in 1953? As result Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlav became a virtual dictator for more than 25 years. The Shah was supported by the CIA in creating the Iranian SAVAK, a vicious secret police for the Shah’s dictatorial government. Look up Operation Ajax for the details.

America’s failure to acknowledge the dishonorable nature of its actions in Iraq and other countries or to punish those officials responsible for the destruction they unleashed clearly is a major cause of today’s terrorism. When will we ever learn?

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