Move Over Prof Chomsky .. Move Over Maestro Barenboim .. Make Room for Thomas Friedman

"Did you see Friedman's column in the NY Times this morning (8/1/12)?" asked my wife.

"No," I answered, "I try to avoid him."

"I haven't read him yet either," she said.  "But, Sharon did and she said his item made her livid."

Sharon gets livid easily.  But, perhaps, I decided, I should take a look at this column.

Friedman was true to form.  He starts off saying he didn't like what Romney had to say in the course of his overseas trip.  Surprise.  Surprise.  He was critical of Romney's remarks in London.  He nearly had a stroke over Romney's remarks in Jerusalem.  And, he was indignant that Romney's spokesperson told  the thugs of the liberal press where they could go as they showed unbelievable  disrespected at the Polish war memorial at Pilsudski Squares where Romney had just finished speaking.  But we get it.  Friedman is a person of the left.      Oops.  It was Maureen Dowd that said those things, not Friedman.  But what's the difference?  She's on the right side of the Op-Ed and he was on the left side.

Friedman's beef centers on Israel.  (Yes, I have it right now.)  But, it's not only Romney that gives him agita.  Friedman has an extreme allergy to "the right-wing, super pro-Bibi Netanyahu."  (I'm not sure exactly what he intended to say with that phrase.  I just copied it from his column.)  Friedman also has problems with the following: Republican contributor, Sheldon Adelson,  AIPAC, Israeli settlements (which presumably   includes parts of Jerusalem).

But, then he goes on to lose his senses entirely.  He writes,"they (the right wing)  don't care what absorbing all of its (West Bank) Palestinians will mean for Israel's future as a Jewish democracy."  What is this guy smoking?

He goes on to fault Romney for not going to Ramallah and for suggesting that Palestinians don't have a culture that promotes entrepreneurial  activity.  It's here that I was really amazed at the lack of understanding of this middle eastern "expert,"  Thomas Friedman.  Surely, he must know that neither Romney or anyone else questions the abilities and enterprise of individual Palestinians.  The culture that Romney was referring to was their societal and political culture.  It's well known that the Palestinian society is less open than Israeli society (more hostile to gays and to women's rights).  All societies have varying degrees of corruption.  It's something every society must constantly fight against.  It's just that the Palestinians don't put up much of a fight.  Had Fatah been less corrupt, it is unlikely that Hamas would have been able to supplant them in Gaza.  With the UN supporting Palestinians for generation after generation is it any surprise that they have become such a dependent people?

He goes over the bend once more lauding Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, and James Baker.  He must be on his second joint.

And, then, there's his use of the term "occupation".  It's certainly not what Israel wants.  Nor, did they want to build fences.  But when people come into your home to cut your throat as well as that of your children  ... when they come to blow up your buses and explode themselves in bars and restaurants (pretty much what they continue to do in Iraq), that's what you do.  Sleep comfortably Mr. Friedman.

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