Reply #15: Uh... [View All]

[Darranar]

"has had George Bush under house arrest in the Oval Office. Mr. Sharon has Mr. Arafat surrounded by tanks, and Mr. Bush surrounded by Jewish and Christian pro-Israel lobbyists, by a vice president, Dick Cheney, who's ready to do whatever Mr. Sharon dictates, and by political handlers telling the president not to put any pressure on Israel in an election year all conspiring to make sure the president does nothing."

Note that he says "Jewish and Christian pro-Israel lobbyists", not "Jews".

It is certainly true that both Democrats and Republicans are stepping carefully on the Israel issue so close to the election. Bush has been saying little in this regard lately, and Howard Dean had to quickly step back in line when he said something that would indicate that he would actually treat people fairly. John Kerry had to quickly clarify himself after he stated something that was interpreted to be anti-Sharon.

I disagree with his statement, though. More accurately, the Bush Administration is not pressuring Sharon because they don't want to. Tom Friedman, however, is a Bush apologist, so of course he must make excuses for Bush whenever Bush does something foolish.