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The Forum > Article Comments > A few questions for Kofi Annan > Comments

A few questions for Kofi Annan : Comments

By John E. Carey, published 2/8/2006

For the last 50 years deterrence meant nuclear weapons. Is that next for Hezbollah? Kofi?

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keith

I am glad that we are friends. My mistake and I am glad you do not dislike Jews.

By the way I am most unobservant and usually describe myself in the census as agnostic. Though more accurate would be agnostic with a leaning to Judaism. That is because of my upbringing in a liberal Jewish Australian family. I consider myself as an uncompromising Aussie and so did my parents and my grandmothers.

However I do have a soft spot for Israel. But one of my greatest ambitions is to travel the Middle East. To have a swim at Tel Aviv, wander again around the old city of Jerusalem, watch the mad "froomers" at the Western Wall, walk again though the wonderful Arab bazaar then pass through the Damascas Gate and take a bus to the fabled city of Damascus. Have coffee with the Arabs there and later travel to Beirut and sink my teeth into a delicious Kebab taking in the sounds and smells of the wonderful Arab culture. To hear their music and be reminded that this was once the great centre of Western thought.

I hope that it will be so again.

But that will take time and I cannot believe that destroying Israel will help. I am no fan of either Yasser Arafat or Ariel Sharon. Where might we have been without either of them?
Posted by logic, Sunday, 6 August 2006 2:28:00 PM
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Peter

We were never enemies only debaters. Fierce ones ...truly. Arafat was simply a common criminal and retarded the establishment of a fair Palestinian state.

You may think me comic, but I believe Hamas, as a leader in Government, may have (HAD TO) come to a much more moderate position and more importantly would put Palestinian interests ahead of their own...eventually. And that was something Arafat never did.

History shows that even the (Mainstream as opposed to the militant factions) PLO, changed it's position on Israel, over time. It bought most of the militants 'to heal' despite Arafat. I think Hamas will probably go down the same path with the diference being it actually cares for the Palestinian people.

Borders are going to be the issue and Hamas will probably be a smater and less self-interested partner in negotiations on those issues both in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel shouldn't fear Hamas, from a violent point of view, it should have great respect for their strength as a true seeker of peace...eventually.

One day you may be able to take your trip...it is not such a fantasy...and it may be sooner than you think.

regards

Keith

ps I too am mostly liberal in my attitudes. I'm also an immigrant and have a huge soft spot for the All Blacks.
Posted by keith, Sunday, 6 August 2006 3:56:27 PM
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You don't have to worry whether you're anti-Israeli but not anti-Semitic. Take this simple test:

1) Which army killed Jesus Christ? Who do you blame for the killing?

2) Hypotethetical question: if the Aussie military was defending a border, and a well armed militia attacked both Aussie soldiers and targeted and killed Aussie civilians, should the Australians go after
a) only the patrol that did the targeting
b) (noting that the militia has made it clear they want all Aussies gone or dead, and won't stop till that occurs) the entire militia arsenal and every launching apparatus for militia missiles
c) (noting that the militia represents the largest party in the area from which the attacks occurred) go after any and all armaments and command-and-control centers for the militia
or
d) assume the militia is actually representing the country and target the entire country.

If you think the Israelis are wrong in what they're doing, but you answered (b) or (c), you're a hypocritical anti-Semite, but haven't yet admitted it. If, in question (1), you blame the ancient Jews for the killing, and have no blame for the Romans who raped ancient Israel crucifying hundreds or thousands, you may come to your own conclusions about anything; you are easily brainwashed and logic won't help you.

Israel's existence at even the 1967 borders is anathema to millions. How would you react if you were in control of a government of a country millions wanted utterly destroyed no matter what you did?
Posted by notAnAussie, Wednesday, 9 August 2006 5:21:46 AM
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I'd like to know what solutions people like Marilyn Sheppard and Shonga have for the Middle East?The US foreign policy has been a disaster supporting all manner of blood thirsty dictators for their own interest,however without the influence of the US since 1942 the world would be a calmity of ruthless dictators and Japanese would be the Australian national language.

The Middle East Marilyn has 65% of the world's oil,and holds our very existance in the palm of it's hand.If Iran and Saudi Arabia shut off supply,the world will be in total chaos in the form of war.You make no mention of Hezbollah overtly stating that they want to erase the State of Israel from the Middle Eastern map,nor do you acknowledge the intent of the Islamo-facists who want to impose their will on the entire planet.In London they conservatively estimate that 10% of the Muslim population agree or empathise with the bombings of their tube system and the recent attempts to bomb up to 10 planes bound for the US.

These Islam facists are the most base and retrograde culture ever to have walked the face of this planet,yet we have the left in our communities making excuses for them, using them as a tool to bring the present status quo asunder,no matter what the consequences.

There is no logical discourse with a philosophy that tells us to become a Muslim or I will murder you and your family.

We in the WEST have not only lost confidence in ourselves and the great civilisation we once had,we have have lost our grip on reality.

All cultures are not equal in terms of achievement and that is why so many have flocked to our shores.
Posted by Arjay, Sunday, 13 August 2006 1:14:15 AM
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Actually, world public rarely distinct UN-international meeting place with the UN system of professional bureaucrats supposed to execute UN-forum's decisions precisely.

This vogue UN dualism brings about over-exaggerated tales of the UN – a playground of well-connected privileged at the national levels from a third world mostly. Kofi is a mere product of the UN-hallways - a conformist for whom a bell rings, and practically, he is not in charge of any historical political decision-making but in capability to speed or slow bureaucratic UN procedures themselves.

Probably, while considering Hezbollah, it would be practical to think of then Australian international funding and aid spent with the best of intention on humanitarian local objects.
Posted by MichaelK., Monday, 11 September 2006 6:55:32 PM
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