Is 'Opportunity Cost' how much $ would be spent on the war and aftermath instead of being spent on things we need in the US, e.g. infrastructure improvement and healthcare and more ???
It is good you point this out. Only a handful of people in the US seem to care about the costly mess Bush/Cheney have left us in Afghanistan and in Iraq and what they have done to living American Servicemen and women who need on-going health and mental health help via the VA and to the families of the dead. And the US media seems to devote little space to this matter.
Ref: asylum for Mr. Snowden: If situation were reversed and a Russian whistle blower sought refuge / asylum in the US, how likely would it be that the US would send that asylum seeker back to Russia????
As an American citizen living outside the US at the time of 9/11 and the following decade +, I was/am amazed how contentedly 'in the dark' so many in the US were/are. Virtually everyone I knew/know in the Middle East and Europe believe the war was about Oil. A few think it was about Israel. People in the US tell me: "we have moved on." [I have not polled folks in the US, but I think most still think Iraq war was fought about weapons of mass destruction and Sadam helping Osama with 9/11 attacks].
Many thoughtful British and European people I knew in 2004-06 read the blog: Baghdad Burning. No one I know in the US read it.
I was staggered in 2005/06 when briefly in the US and watching CSPAN late one night, I noted 2 callers in to program on how to get the vote out in Iraq (I think to ratify the constitution or elect officials??). First one caller suggested that if security is poor, then why not use postal ballots??? She must have thought that people could go to their post box safely??? She did not know that there was no house to house mail delivery??? Second caller wondered why they could not vote 'on-line' -- seemed to be unaware that there were frequent, routine and huge electricity outages over much of Iraq most of the time!!! And not too many folks had working computers at home and access to internet!!! How could these callers NOT
have known??? Perhaps the media kept them in the dark, but I think they were ok with being kept ignorant.
I also recall in about 2002, how outraged some US expatriates became at me (the messenger), when I mentioned how an Afghan friend described people she knew in the US: "They are kept in a very low state of awareness," she had observed to me.
Anyone interested before the war should surely have taken note of Robin Cook's opposition. As former foreign minister (1997-2001 ?), he must have had close ties to UK intelligence -- even after he was no longer foreign minister.
I am saddened to see the kinds of people in this country, who seem to get arrested and tried for mini crimes (use of pot), but no one even seeks and prosecutes the real evil doers.
So it sounds as though we have another aspiring 'war president'. Not clear to me AT ALL how he figures to balance the budget AND fight these various wars -- I guess he will take the war expenditures OFF BUDGET???? And, how does he figure to raise enough troops not just to fight initially, but to ensure security for the indefinite future??? Assuming he is planning AT ALL, he is surely planning to re-start the draft. i hope this time it will be a fair draft: i.e. his own grandchildren / children could be as likely to be called up as the college kid who lives next door to me.
Having listened to Obama's Cairo speech (2009??), I think his heart is in the right place, BUT he's been running for re election and probably figures he cannot win if he angers the Israel Lobby too much. [I think the Israel Lobby's long term power in DC -- essentially dictating US Middle East policy for years -- is VERY dangerous for the US). In addition, he has had his hands tied by obstructionist Republicans in congress. And I figure he's been much pre occupied with trying to get a recovery going during this depression. I am hopeful that he can seize on opportunities in his second term without having to worry about re election.
Ref: Iran and the current sabre rattling: I am mystified that no one is talking about how a fair draft will be instigated in the US. Occupation of / security in Iran will take, I would think, huge numbers of troops. I do not think we have enough troops in our volunteer military. Yet NO ONE seems to be even speaking of a draft. Why would that be??
And it's VERY worrying -- seems to be across ALL US TV channels. It's like the channels all believe that war is good for the US economy; so they all want to promote war.
But even advocates of Freedom of Speech in the US believe it does not include the right to shout false alarm 'fire' in a crowded theatre. The idiot who made the film has endangered ALL westerners. He/she/they must face SOME consequence.
Excellent thoughts. I am in complete agreement.
But: this makes WAY too much sense for Amerika in 2012.
Was it Winston Churchill who said: "Ya gotta love the Americans: You can count on them to do the right thing ... after they have tried everything else."
I have only studied a bit of Gulf Arabic (as spoken in the Arabian Gulf) and I thought that 'jihad' meant sort of "to make an effort" for or against something. I suppose I have, in a way, been making 'jihad' to learn to understand spoken Arabic. Peace.
Yes. If Dick Cheney were still in office, I would simply assume that this story came from there. Like ... um ... the story re: yellow cake uranium shipments from Niger to Iraq, back in about 2002?? Who stands to benefit if this story is believed by the US media?
I understand little of what goes on in the US and why the US media seems so focused on celebrity news that really matters so little.
But I do recall in late 2001, an Afghan-born friend of mine was quoted in a Denver Post interview as saying something like: "Americans are kept in a very low state of awareness" ... about matters of importance in their own country and about what is going on in the world.
After she said this and I quoted her to various US citizen friends, they became sooooo angry at me and her and ceased to associate further with me.
I am amazed that so many US citizens think they are well informed.
Well, first of all, I figure it's a good thing that the Asian Beach Games (including swim n sail events) are being held near Muscat instead of over in the Red Sea.
Second: Is it just possible that the lure for sharks over there these past weeks = end of eid; ships loaded with dead goat carcasses from ... um ... Saudi or the Emirates; and ships cannot make it to Africa to give away the meat to deserving folks before all that meat might spoil. So, the ships just dumped it all overboard. And, if this has been going on for a number of years, the sharks by now could be pretty savy -- have been trained to look for this meat at this time of year here and there in the Red Sea?
I must be taking all this WAY too seriously, but I honestly thought he would say:
"I have a dream that one day our children will be judged not by the content of their character, but by the colour of their skin."
I copied this message below, from US Dept of State, out of our email inbox. We have been getting more than the usual number of messages like this in the past month. We are American and live in a Gulf country. I think one effect of these messages might be to 'scare' Americans to stay at home AND to exonerate the US Dept of State from blame/litigation in case some American runs into trouble (as I suspect Dept of State did not warn passengers on Pan Am 103).
When I note the recent "flurry" of these messages we have been receiving, I often think: what are the neo cons, et. al. planning now?
copied material follows below here \/ \/ \/ \/
Travel Warning - Israel, The West Bank, and Gaza
August 11, 2010
1. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of
traveling to Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, and about
threats to themselves and to U.S. interests in those locations. The
Department of State urges U.S. citizens to remain mindful of security
factors when planning travel to Israel and the West Bank and to avoid
all travel to the Gaza Strip. This replaces the Travel Warning issued
August 5, 2010, to update information on the general security
environment in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
----------------------------------
The Gaza Strip and Southern Israel
----------------------------------
2. The State Department strongly urges that U.S. citizens refrain from
all travel to the Gaza Strip. This recommendation applies to all U.S.
citizens, including journalists and aid workers. U.S. citizens should
be aware that as a consequence of a longstanding prohibition on travel
by U.S. government employees into the Gaza Strip, the ability of
consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens there is
extremely limited.
3. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strictly controls the crossing
points between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and has essentially sealed the
border. The security environment within Gaza and along its borders,
including its border with Egypt and its seacoast, is dangerous and
volatile. U.S. citizens are advised against traveling to Gaza by any
means, including via sea. Previous attempts to enter Gaza by sea have
been stopped by Israeli naval vessels and resulted in the injury, death,
arrest, and deportation of U.S. citizens. From December 27, 2008,
through January 17, 2009, the IDF conducted a major military operation
in Gaza. Israel and Hamas, a State Department-designated foreign
terrorist organization that violently seized power in Gaza in June 2007,
declared separate truces to end the fighting.
Occasional small clashes continue to occur along the border. Rockets
and mortars are still occasionally fired into Israel from Gaza, and the
IDF continues to conduct military operations inside Gaza, including
airstrikes. The IDF has also declared an exclusion zone inside Gaza
along the border with Israel and has taken lethal measures against
individuals who enter it.
4. In the past, some rockets have travelled more than 40 km (24 miles)
from Gaza and landed as far north as Yavne and Gadera and as far east as
Beersheva. As a result of possible IDF military operations in Gaza and
the ever-present risk of rocket and mortar attacks into Israel from
Gaza, U.S. government personnel travelling in the vicinity of the Gaza
Strip border, to include the city of Sderot, require approval from the
Embassy's Regional Security Office. U.S. citizens in the area should be
aware of the risks and should follow the advice of the Government of
Israel's office of Homefront
Command, at: link to oref.org.il.
--------------------
The West Bank
--------------------
5. The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when
traveling to the West Bank. Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces
are now deployed throughout the West Bank, including all major cities.
As a result, violence in recent years has decreased markedly throughout
the West Bank. Nonetheless, demonstrations and violent incidents can
occur without warning. Vehicles have also been the target of rocks,
Molotov cocktails and gunfire on West Bank roads. The IDF continues to
carry out security operations in the West Bank. Israeli security
operations, including incursions into Palestinian population centers,
can occur at any time and lead to disturbances and violence. U.S.
citizens can be caught in the middle of potentially dangerous
situations. Some U.S. citizens involved in demonstrations in the West
Bank have sustained serious injuries in confrontations with Israeli
settlers and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The State Department
recommends that U.S. citizens, for their own safety, avoid
demonstrations.
6. During periods of unrest, the Israeli government sometimes closes
off access to the West Bank and those areas may be placed under curfew.
All persons in areas under curfew should remain indoors to avoid risking
arrest or injury. U.S. citizens have been killed, seriously injured, or
detained and deported as a result of encounters with IDF operations in
Gaza and the West Bank. Travel restrictions may be imposed by Israel
with little or no warning. Strict measures have frequently been imposed
following terrorist actions, and the movement of Palestinian Americans,
both those with residency status in the West Bank or Gaza as well as
foreign passport holders, has been severely impeded. Current
security-related restrictions on travel by U.S. government employees to
the West Bank hinder the ability of consular staff to offer timely
assistance to U.S. citizens.
-----------------
Jerusalem
------------------
7. The State Department urges U.S. citizens to remain vigilant while
traveling throughout Jerusalem, especially within the commercial and
downtown areas of West Jerusalem and the city center. Spontaneous or
planned protests within the Old City are possible, especially after
Friday prayers. Some of these protests have led to violent clashes.
Travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days,
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Isolated street protests and
demonstrations can also occur in areas of East
Jerusalem, including around Salah Ed-Din Street, Damascus Gate, Silwan
and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. U.S. government employees are
authorized to visit the Old City during daylight hours only except
between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Fridays. The area of
the ramparts on the city wall between Herod's Gate and Lion's Gate is
off-limits to U.S. Government personnel at all times. The Sherover or
Haas Promenade (scenic overlook) located in Armon Hanatziv is open to
U.S. government personnel during daylight hours only.
-------------------------------------------------
Travel Restrictions for U.S. Government Personnel
-------------------------------------------------
8. Personal travel in the West Bank for U.S. government personnel and
their families is allowed for limited mission-approved purposes in the
areas described below. They may travel to Jericho, or to transit through
the West Bank using Routes 1 and 90 to reach the Allenby/King Hussein
Bridge, or the Dead Sea coast near Ein Gedi and Masada. They may also
travel north on Route 90 from the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge to the Sea
of Galilee. Use of these routes is approved for transit purposes during
daylight hours, with stops permitted only at Qumran National Park off
Route 90 by the Dead Sea. Each transit requires prior notification to
the Consulate General's security office. U.S. Government personnel and
family members are permitted both official and personal travel on Route
443 between Modi'in and Jerusalem without prior notification, during
daylight hours only. All other personal travel in the West Bank, unless
specifically authorized for mission-approved purposes, is prohibited.
---------------------------
General Safety and Security
---------------------------
9. Israeli authorities remain concerned about the continuing threat of
terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens are cautioned that a greater danger
may exist around restaurants, businesses, and other places associated
with U.S. interests and/or located near U.S. official buildings, such as
the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in
Jerusalem. U.S. citizens are also urged to exercise a high degree of
caution and to use common sense when patronizing restaurants,
nightclubs, cafes, malls, places of worship, and theaters, especially
during peak hours. Large crowds and public gatherings have been
targeted by terrorists in the past and should be avoided to the extent
practicable. U.S. citizens should take into consideration that public
buses, and their respective terminals are "off-limits" to U.S.
government personnel. U.S. government personnel have been directed to
avoid protests and demonstrations. Personnel have also been urged to
maintain a high level of vigilance and situational awareness at all
times.
10. In the Golan Heights, there are live landmines in many areas and
visitors should walk only on established roads or trails.
11. U.S. citizens planning to travel to Israel or the West Bank should
read carefully the detailed information concerning entry and exit
difficulties in the Country Specific Information sheet at: link to travel.state.gov
12
. U.S. citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are
strongly encouraged to register with the Consular Sections of the U.S.
Embassy in Tel Aviv or the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem through
the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. Occasional warden messages issued
by the Embassy and the Consulate General are e-mailed to registered U.S.
citizens and are posted on State Department websites to highlight
time-sensitive security concerns.
13. U.S. citizens who require emergency services may telephone the
Consulate General in Jerusalem at (972) (2) 628-7137, after hours (for
emergencies): (972) (2) 622-7250, or the Embassy in Tel Aviv at (972)
(3) 519-7575, after hours (for emergencies): (972) (3) 519-7551.
14. Current information on travel and security in Israel, the West
Bank, and the Gaza Strip may be obtained from the Department of State by
calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or, from
overseas, 1-202-501-4444. For additional and more in-depth information
about specific aspects of travel to these areas, U.S. citizens should
consult: the Country Specific Information for Israel, the West Bank and
Gaza; and the Worldwide Caution. These along with other Travel
Warnings, Travel Alerts and Country Specific Information are available
on the Department's Internet website at http://travel.state.gov.
Up-to-date information on security conditions can also be accessed at http://usembassy-israel.org.il or http://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov.
15. Additionally, U.S. citizens are encouraged to sign up to receive
security-related information from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv via email
at the following link: link to telaviv.usembassy.gov
1. Not knowing too much about planning details for operations like: Israel bombing of Iran, I did, however, assume that Mr. Netanyahu's (PM of Israel) recent visit to DC had little to do with any 'peace process', but had a lot to do with planning for strike on Iran.
2. I have lived here in a Gulf country for nearly a decade. I am American. Only once since I have lived here has a 'local' expressed a single 'political' thought to me. And that was the day 4+ years back when sabre rattling was going on re: possible US strike on Iran. And an overall very tolerant and polite local man said to me: "If the US / Israel were to strike Iran, even WE would not be able to protect you." (I took this to mean that many of the locals figured that the US was already engaged in a war against Islam. So a strike against Iran would enrage these normally tolerant folks enough that, though their government might tolerate the strike, the people would not and might well come after folks like me -- Americans living in their midst.)
3. If a strike were planned by Israel, I would assume they need not worry over: Turkey's air space, but could use (as needed) bases in the Gulf, Oman or Saudi.
4. My observation from afar is that most in the US have NO CLUE in what peril the US unreserved support of Israel puts the US and its citz. Seems that the US public has been soooo brainwashed for so long, they don't know what is REALLY going on.... they just believe what CNN or FOX tells them they should believe. And some of the public believes itself to be well informed. A very dangerous situation. And very sad.
Sad to say, I am not sure what I would do (I live outside the US) to join in with some kind of boycott. What should I and my friends stop buying?? Please offer a few concrete suggestions. Thank you, Juan.
I DO feel that rational people and others who may offer a perspective different from that of Fox / Beck/ Limbaugh, et. al., are being silenced one way or another. It's time that rational people stike back. Am I the only one who sees similarities here to ... um ... Germany in the 1930's ?
Not being an expert about the Lockerbie affair, I did , however, see a pretty compelling interview on BBC w father (a medical doctor) of one of the Lockerbie dead. He had met the convicted "bomber" and spoken with him and was convinced that this man was innocent. He figured the Brits let the Libiyan go because British govt (and Americans) did not want some things revealed in an appeal that was likely to happen soon. Also I have always thought (because of US shooting down Iranian airliner in July 1988) that there could well have been some connection / retribution re: Pan Am 103 downed at Lockerbie.
Is 'Opportunity Cost' how much $ would be spent on the war and aftermath instead of being spent on things we need in the US, e.g. infrastructure improvement and healthcare and more ???
It is good you point this out. Only a handful of people in the US seem to care about the costly mess Bush/Cheney have left us in Afghanistan and in Iraq and what they have done to living American Servicemen and women who need on-going health and mental health help via the VA and to the families of the dead. And the US media seems to devote little space to this matter.
Ref: asylum for Mr. Snowden: If situation were reversed and a Russian whistle blower sought refuge / asylum in the US, how likely would it be that the US would send that asylum seeker back to Russia????
You are SO right. I could not agree with you more. Makes me sad, cause these non readers and viewers of Fox/CNN are my countrymen.
I am in complete agreement. And I figure Rachel Maddow et al would not broadcast about this issue?? or NPR ????
As an American citizen living outside the US at the time of 9/11 and the following decade +, I was/am amazed how contentedly 'in the dark' so many in the US were/are. Virtually everyone I knew/know in the Middle East and Europe believe the war was about Oil. A few think it was about Israel. People in the US tell me: "we have moved on." [I have not polled folks in the US, but I think most still think Iraq war was fought about weapons of mass destruction and Sadam helping Osama with 9/11 attacks].
Many thoughtful British and European people I knew in 2004-06 read the blog: Baghdad Burning. No one I know in the US read it.
I was staggered in 2005/06 when briefly in the US and watching CSPAN late one night, I noted 2 callers in to program on how to get the vote out in Iraq (I think to ratify the constitution or elect officials??). First one caller suggested that if security is poor, then why not use postal ballots??? She must have thought that people could go to their post box safely??? She did not know that there was no house to house mail delivery??? Second caller wondered why they could not vote 'on-line' -- seemed to be unaware that there were frequent, routine and huge electricity outages over much of Iraq most of the time!!! And not too many folks had working computers at home and access to internet!!! How could these callers NOT
have known??? Perhaps the media kept them in the dark, but I think they were ok with being kept ignorant.
I also recall in about 2002, how outraged some US expatriates became at me (the messenger), when I mentioned how an Afghan friend described people she knew in the US: "They are kept in a very low state of awareness," she had observed to me.
Anyone interested before the war should surely have taken note of Robin Cook's opposition. As former foreign minister (1997-2001 ?), he must have had close ties to UK intelligence -- even after he was no longer foreign minister.
I am saddened to see the kinds of people in this country, who seem to get arrested and tried for mini crimes (use of pot), but no one even seeks and prosecutes the real evil doers.
So it sounds as though we have another aspiring 'war president'. Not clear to me AT ALL how he figures to balance the budget AND fight these various wars -- I guess he will take the war expenditures OFF BUDGET???? And, how does he figure to raise enough troops not just to fight initially, but to ensure security for the indefinite future??? Assuming he is planning AT ALL, he is surely planning to re-start the draft. i hope this time it will be a fair draft: i.e. his own grandchildren / children could be as likely to be called up as the college kid who lives next door to me.
YES! I agree. Good for you for being willing to write this out loud!
Having listened to Obama's Cairo speech (2009??), I think his heart is in the right place, BUT he's been running for re election and probably figures he cannot win if he angers the Israel Lobby too much. [I think the Israel Lobby's long term power in DC -- essentially dictating US Middle East policy for years -- is VERY dangerous for the US). In addition, he has had his hands tied by obstructionist Republicans in congress. And I figure he's been much pre occupied with trying to get a recovery going during this depression. I am hopeful that he can seize on opportunities in his second term without having to worry about re election.
Ref: Iran and the current sabre rattling: I am mystified that no one is talking about how a fair draft will be instigated in the US. Occupation of / security in Iran will take, I would think, huge numbers of troops. I do not think we have enough troops in our volunteer military. Yet NO ONE seems to be even speaking of a draft. Why would that be??
And it's VERY worrying -- seems to be across ALL US TV channels. It's like the channels all believe that war is good for the US economy; so they all want to promote war.
But even advocates of Freedom of Speech in the US believe it does not include the right to shout false alarm 'fire' in a crowded theatre. The idiot who made the film has endangered ALL westerners. He/she/they must face SOME consequence.
Excellent thoughts. I am in complete agreement.
But: this makes WAY too much sense for Amerika in 2012.
Was it Winston Churchill who said: "Ya gotta love the Americans: You can count on them to do the right thing ... after they have tried everything else."
I have only studied a bit of Gulf Arabic (as spoken in the Arabian Gulf) and I thought that 'jihad' meant sort of "to make an effort" for or against something. I suppose I have, in a way, been making 'jihad' to learn to understand spoken Arabic. Peace.
Yes. If Dick Cheney were still in office, I would simply assume that this story came from there. Like ... um ... the story re: yellow cake uranium shipments from Niger to Iraq, back in about 2002?? Who stands to benefit if this story is believed by the US media?
I understand little of what goes on in the US and why the US media seems so focused on celebrity news that really matters so little.
But I do recall in late 2001, an Afghan-born friend of mine was quoted in a Denver Post interview as saying something like: "Americans are kept in a very low state of awareness" ... about matters of importance in their own country and about what is going on in the world.
After she said this and I quoted her to various US citizen friends, they became sooooo angry at me and her and ceased to associate further with me.
I am amazed that so many US citizens think they are well informed.
Well, first of all, I figure it's a good thing that the Asian Beach Games (including swim n sail events) are being held near Muscat instead of over in the Red Sea.
Second: Is it just possible that the lure for sharks over there these past weeks = end of eid; ships loaded with dead goat carcasses from ... um ... Saudi or the Emirates; and ships cannot make it to Africa to give away the meat to deserving folks before all that meat might spoil. So, the ships just dumped it all overboard. And, if this has been going on for a number of years, the sharks by now could be pretty savy -- have been trained to look for this meat at this time of year here and there in the Red Sea?
I must be taking all this WAY too seriously, but I honestly thought he would say:
"I have a dream that one day our children will be judged not by the content of their character, but by the colour of their skin."
I copied this message below, from US Dept of State, out of our email inbox. We have been getting more than the usual number of messages like this in the past month. We are American and live in a Gulf country. I think one effect of these messages might be to 'scare' Americans to stay at home AND to exonerate the US Dept of State from blame/litigation in case some American runs into trouble (as I suspect Dept of State did not warn passengers on Pan Am 103).
When I note the recent "flurry" of these messages we have been receiving, I often think: what are the neo cons, et. al. planning now?
copied material follows below here \/ \/ \/ \/
Travel Warning - Israel, The West Bank, and Gaza
August 11, 2010
1. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of
traveling to Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, and about
threats to themselves and to U.S. interests in those locations. The
Department of State urges U.S. citizens to remain mindful of security
factors when planning travel to Israel and the West Bank and to avoid
all travel to the Gaza Strip. This replaces the Travel Warning issued
August 5, 2010, to update information on the general security
environment in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
----------------------------------
The Gaza Strip and Southern Israel
----------------------------------
2. The State Department strongly urges that U.S. citizens refrain from
all travel to the Gaza Strip. This recommendation applies to all U.S.
citizens, including journalists and aid workers. U.S. citizens should
be aware that as a consequence of a longstanding prohibition on travel
by U.S. government employees into the Gaza Strip, the ability of
consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens there is
extremely limited.
3. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strictly controls the crossing
points between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and has essentially sealed the
border. The security environment within Gaza and along its borders,
including its border with Egypt and its seacoast, is dangerous and
volatile. U.S. citizens are advised against traveling to Gaza by any
means, including via sea. Previous attempts to enter Gaza by sea have
been stopped by Israeli naval vessels and resulted in the injury, death,
arrest, and deportation of U.S. citizens. From December 27, 2008,
through January 17, 2009, the IDF conducted a major military operation
in Gaza. Israel and Hamas, a State Department-designated foreign
terrorist organization that violently seized power in Gaza in June 2007,
declared separate truces to end the fighting.
Occasional small clashes continue to occur along the border. Rockets
and mortars are still occasionally fired into Israel from Gaza, and the
IDF continues to conduct military operations inside Gaza, including
airstrikes. The IDF has also declared an exclusion zone inside Gaza
along the border with Israel and has taken lethal measures against
individuals who enter it.
4. In the past, some rockets have travelled more than 40 km (24 miles)
from Gaza and landed as far north as Yavne and Gadera and as far east as
Beersheva. As a result of possible IDF military operations in Gaza and
the ever-present risk of rocket and mortar attacks into Israel from
Gaza, U.S. government personnel travelling in the vicinity of the Gaza
Strip border, to include the city of Sderot, require approval from the
Embassy's Regional Security Office. U.S. citizens in the area should be
aware of the risks and should follow the advice of the Government of
Israel's office of Homefront
Command, at: link to oref.org.il.
--------------------
The West Bank
--------------------
5. The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when
traveling to the West Bank. Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces
are now deployed throughout the West Bank, including all major cities.
As a result, violence in recent years has decreased markedly throughout
the West Bank. Nonetheless, demonstrations and violent incidents can
occur without warning. Vehicles have also been the target of rocks,
Molotov cocktails and gunfire on West Bank roads. The IDF continues to
carry out security operations in the West Bank. Israeli security
operations, including incursions into Palestinian population centers,
can occur at any time and lead to disturbances and violence. U.S.
citizens can be caught in the middle of potentially dangerous
situations. Some U.S. citizens involved in demonstrations in the West
Bank have sustained serious injuries in confrontations with Israeli
settlers and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The State Department
recommends that U.S. citizens, for their own safety, avoid
demonstrations.
6. During periods of unrest, the Israeli government sometimes closes
off access to the West Bank and those areas may be placed under curfew.
All persons in areas under curfew should remain indoors to avoid risking
arrest or injury. U.S. citizens have been killed, seriously injured, or
detained and deported as a result of encounters with IDF operations in
Gaza and the West Bank. Travel restrictions may be imposed by Israel
with little or no warning. Strict measures have frequently been imposed
following terrorist actions, and the movement of Palestinian Americans,
both those with residency status in the West Bank or Gaza as well as
foreign passport holders, has been severely impeded. Current
security-related restrictions on travel by U.S. government employees to
the West Bank hinder the ability of consular staff to offer timely
assistance to U.S. citizens.
-----------------
Jerusalem
------------------
7. The State Department urges U.S. citizens to remain vigilant while
traveling throughout Jerusalem, especially within the commercial and
downtown areas of West Jerusalem and the city center. Spontaneous or
planned protests within the Old City are possible, especially after
Friday prayers. Some of these protests have led to violent clashes.
Travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days,
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Isolated street protests and
demonstrations can also occur in areas of East
Jerusalem, including around Salah Ed-Din Street, Damascus Gate, Silwan
and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. U.S. government employees are
authorized to visit the Old City during daylight hours only except
between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Fridays. The area of
the ramparts on the city wall between Herod's Gate and Lion's Gate is
off-limits to U.S. Government personnel at all times. The Sherover or
Haas Promenade (scenic overlook) located in Armon Hanatziv is open to
U.S. government personnel during daylight hours only.
-------------------------------------------------
Travel Restrictions for U.S. Government Personnel
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8. Personal travel in the West Bank for U.S. government personnel and
their families is allowed for limited mission-approved purposes in the
areas described below. They may travel to Jericho, or to transit through
the West Bank using Routes 1 and 90 to reach the Allenby/King Hussein
Bridge, or the Dead Sea coast near Ein Gedi and Masada. They may also
travel north on Route 90 from the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge to the Sea
of Galilee. Use of these routes is approved for transit purposes during
daylight hours, with stops permitted only at Qumran National Park off
Route 90 by the Dead Sea. Each transit requires prior notification to
the Consulate General's security office. U.S. Government personnel and
family members are permitted both official and personal travel on Route
443 between Modi'in and Jerusalem without prior notification, during
daylight hours only. All other personal travel in the West Bank, unless
specifically authorized for mission-approved purposes, is prohibited.
---------------------------
General Safety and Security
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9. Israeli authorities remain concerned about the continuing threat of
terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens are cautioned that a greater danger
may exist around restaurants, businesses, and other places associated
with U.S. interests and/or located near U.S. official buildings, such as
the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in
Jerusalem. U.S. citizens are also urged to exercise a high degree of
caution and to use common sense when patronizing restaurants,
nightclubs, cafes, malls, places of worship, and theaters, especially
during peak hours. Large crowds and public gatherings have been
targeted by terrorists in the past and should be avoided to the extent
practicable. U.S. citizens should take into consideration that public
buses, and their respective terminals are "off-limits" to U.S.
government personnel. U.S. government personnel have been directed to
avoid protests and demonstrations. Personnel have also been urged to
maintain a high level of vigilance and situational awareness at all
times.
10. In the Golan Heights, there are live landmines in many areas and
visitors should walk only on established roads or trails.
---------------------------
Entry/Exit Difficulties
---------------------------
11. U.S. citizens planning to travel to Israel or the West Bank should
read carefully the detailed information concerning entry and exit
difficulties in the Country Specific Information sheet at:
link to travel.state.gov
12
. U.S. citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are
strongly encouraged to register with the Consular Sections of the U.S.
Embassy in Tel Aviv or the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem through
the State Department's travel registration website,
https://travelregistration.state.gov. Occasional warden messages issued
by the Embassy and the Consulate General are e-mailed to registered U.S.
citizens and are posted on State Department websites to highlight
time-sensitive security concerns.
13. U.S. citizens who require emergency services may telephone the
Consulate General in Jerusalem at (972) (2) 628-7137, after hours (for
emergencies): (972) (2) 622-7250, or the Embassy in Tel Aviv at (972)
(3) 519-7575, after hours (for emergencies): (972) (3) 519-7551.
14. Current information on travel and security in Israel, the West
Bank, and the Gaza Strip may be obtained from the Department of State by
calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or, from
overseas, 1-202-501-4444. For additional and more in-depth information
about specific aspects of travel to these areas, U.S. citizens should
consult: the Country Specific Information for Israel, the West Bank and
Gaza; and the Worldwide Caution. These along with other Travel
Warnings, Travel Alerts and Country Specific Information are available
on the Department's Internet website at http://travel.state.gov.
Up-to-date information on security conditions can also be accessed at
http://usembassy-israel.org.il or http://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov.
15. Additionally, U.S. citizens are encouraged to sign up to receive
security-related information from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv via email
at the following link:
link to telaviv.usembassy.gov
1. Not knowing too much about planning details for operations like: Israel bombing of Iran, I did, however, assume that Mr. Netanyahu's (PM of Israel) recent visit to DC had little to do with any 'peace process', but had a lot to do with planning for strike on Iran.
2. I have lived here in a Gulf country for nearly a decade. I am American. Only once since I have lived here has a 'local' expressed a single 'political' thought to me. And that was the day 4+ years back when sabre rattling was going on re: possible US strike on Iran. And an overall very tolerant and polite local man said to me: "If the US / Israel were to strike Iran, even WE would not be able to protect you." (I took this to mean that many of the locals figured that the US was already engaged in a war against Islam. So a strike against Iran would enrage these normally tolerant folks enough that, though their government might tolerate the strike, the people would not and might well come after folks like me -- Americans living in their midst.)
3. If a strike were planned by Israel, I would assume they need not worry over: Turkey's air space, but could use (as needed) bases in the Gulf, Oman or Saudi.
4. My observation from afar is that most in the US have NO CLUE in what peril the US unreserved support of Israel puts the US and its citz. Seems that the US public has been soooo brainwashed for so long, they don't know what is REALLY going on.... they just believe what CNN or FOX tells them they should believe. And some of the public believes itself to be well informed. A very dangerous situation. And very sad.
Sad to say, I am not sure what I would do (I live outside the US) to join in with some kind of boycott. What should I and my friends stop buying?? Please offer a few concrete suggestions. Thank you, Juan.
I DO feel that rational people and others who may offer a perspective different from that of Fox / Beck/ Limbaugh, et. al., are being silenced one way or another. It's time that rational people stike back. Am I the only one who sees similarities here to ... um ... Germany in the 1930's ?
Not being an expert about the Lockerbie affair, I did , however, see a pretty compelling interview on BBC w father (a medical doctor) of one of the Lockerbie dead. He had met the convicted "bomber" and spoken with him and was convinced that this man was innocent. He figured the Brits let the Libiyan go because British govt (and Americans) did not want some things revealed in an appeal that was likely to happen soon. Also I have always thought (because of US shooting down Iranian airliner in July 1988) that there could well have been some connection / retribution re: Pan Am 103 downed at Lockerbie.