Iraq war was good for Israel: Olmert

<snip>

"The Iraq war was a boon for Israel's security, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday, voicing fresh endorsement for a Bush administration sapped by the unpopularity at home of its Middle East policies.

The mid-term election losses of U.S. President George W. Bush's Republican Party were widely considered a repudiation of his decision to topple Iraq's Saddam Hussein as part of a vision of democratizing the region and bolstering allies like Israel.

Olmert avoided explicit comment on the Republicans' fortunes during Washington talks with Bush earlier this month. But in a speech to visiting American Jews, Olmert made clear he had few regrets about the changes wrought by the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

"I know all of his (Bush's) policies are controversial in America. There are some who support his policies in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq, and some who do not," he said.

"I stand with the president because I know that Iraq without Saddam Hussein is so much better for the security and safety of Israel, and all of the neighbors of Israel without any significance to us," added Olmert, who was speaking in English."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061122/wl_nm/israel_usa_iraq_dc_1

:puke:

:wtf: Olmert sounds like he just had sex. This is war and mass death, mofo. How fucking sick!

In the short-term the threat of Saddam is removed. He is also no longer there to pay suicide bombers' families thus removing at least one "incentive" to be a bomber (although I questioin what role it actually played in the decision-making process).

In the medium/long-term the ME is a mess with terrorists in full recruiting and campaigning mode and Israel is still the main regional target. Iran is developing nukes and missiles at break-neck speed and flexing its muscles as a regional power by showing its control of the Hamas et al.

If the Iranians get nukes the Saudis will have to have them too lest the Shiites gain a position of strength.

So the settling dust of this fiasco seem to put Israeli security in a not-so-great place. Combine this with your comment of disgust at the US appearing to do Israel's bidding and you have a situation in which Israel's region is even more dangerous and there is a growing chorus of voices in the US who think that Israel has too much influence on American policy.

Overall Olmert, this doesn't sound like Israel's security is "improved".

That should distract them for a while. But soon enough, some of them will remember that the US caused their living hell and will take steps to retaliate.

as the power brokers of the ME.

:puke: :sarcasm: :puke: :sarcasm:

Much better to have the radical clerics pay for Hamas than to have Saddam pay the palestinians.

the U.S. once had with Israel in intelligence sharing, military matters, and most importantly,the near consensus of American public support Israel once enjoyed in its treatment of neighbors.

This is the consequence of the greatest single mistake in Israeli intelligence ever made: the decision to coordinate with American neocons to provide false intelligence supporting the invasion and occupation of Iraq, the OSP-OVP scandal, and the twin Iran program: OSP-AIPAC.

This has damaged relations for years, perhaps decades, maybe forever.

the Carlyle group, Bechtel etc… Because, it’s certainly not benefiting the cannon fodder at the bottom of the social ladder.

The crap they pulled in Lebanon, which was what changed my opinion of Israel, is straight out of the neocon book.

"Thank God for the power and the determination and leadership manifested by President Bush."

He must be a contender for Worst PM 0f Any Country, Ever, not just the worst PM Israel's had.