by mimi
Sat Jun 9th, 2007 at 09:02:15 PM EST
what questions would you ask him?
I am looking for questions of interest for Europeans, asked from an European perspective. Imagine those questions could be presented to an American audience. Your question would give you the opportunity to present your "un-american" analysis. Be kind to them (and to me). What comes to your mind spontaneously?
I forgot to mention, that you would also get the chance to have a breakfast with Edwards the morning after, what would you like to discuss with him?
And don't forget both their spouses. They are kind of unique and have a lot to say.
I appreciate your input.
by mimi
Sat Jul 22nd, 2006 at 07:50:01 AM EST
I was asked to write a diary about this article in the German weekly "Der Spiegel", whose translation I posted yesternight in an Open Thread. The author of the article suggests that Israel should become member of the NATO.
I really don't feel I should write a diary about it, because I don't have the background and education to have an informed opinion about it. I like to learn more though and therefore I post it here as a diary now.
From the reactions I got at dailykos I had the feeling that I misunderstand or don't know what limitations a membership in the NATO represent.
Obviously everybody thinks that the NATO is basically equivalent to being completely under the control of the US influence and therefore a membership of Israel in the NATO would worsen the Near East conflict, as Palestinians and radical Islamic terrorists would feel even more threatened by an US-EU-NATO western hegemonic superpower (or whatever one calls something like it) being a one-sided pro Israel's protection and defense alliance exclusively.
I understood the article differently, as a proposal to take the US military backup and political influence over Israel out of the hands of the US and replace it with a more balanced Alliance (including perhaps support from Russia?) that would protect Islamic, Palestinian and Arab interests as decidedly as Israel's right to exit without being attacked and threatened.
I think there is something missing in my way of thinking and I hoped I could learn something here about whatI am missing or why it should be impossible to convert the old-style NATO, which has lost its functions after the fall of the Soviet Union, into a new military Alliance with defense guarantee clauses that would be an international peace enforcer for all countries, theocratic Islamic states as well as secular, democratic Islamic states and the Jewish state of Isreal. I guess that is an imagination that is completely wrong, naive, uninformed or whatever.
Why don't you fill me in on it? I am just someone who isn't capable to keep up reading and comprehending much about these things.
BTW, Cohn-Bendit as well spoke out for an UN mandate to the NATO to secure Israel's borders as the only military power that could accomplish it. He suggested that the German former foreign minister Joschka Fischer should engage as special envoy between NATO, UN and EU and the Near East countries as well as Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel and groups like Hezbollah and Fatah etc.
Below is my translation. Please edit and improve, I know my English skills are poor. Thanks.
