Author: overcoffee879

AARP is one of the strongest voices to be heard in the defense of the needs and interests (¿rights?) of retired Americans and, indirectly,  the less favored  of our fellow citizens. As retired persons it is time to stand up. AARP can show us the means of taking the offensive in issues of real importance to us. One of those matters is public health care in the United States.  As an American living abroad I am very embarrassed when Spaniards tell me how lucky I am to live abroad. They are right! I had surgery for cancer and two hip Continue reading “Obamacare or … .” →

Mr. Trump´s outburst against an actress, CNN or BBC gives shivers. Not even Mr. Nixon in his paranoia came close to the fury Trump throws at those who publically declare their  opposition to him. Maybe  that´s  behind his respect for Mr. Putin who  purrs about the US under Trump. I was happy to hear Senator Rubio stand up to question Trump´s cabinet choices. Mr. Trump is not a Republican. Mr. Rubio and his colleague  from Arizona are wise in reminding us of that. Senators and house members such as Paul Ryan should meditate the stance of their wiser, more valiant colleagues-

From a distant shore,

Ever since its first days as a nation Israel has known that the United States supported a two state solution in Palestine. No US administration has ever favored a greater Israel option. What the UN did was remind us all that Israel is not alone in having rights there. The Palestinians have their right to nationhood too. Every president of the United States and now the Security Council have so declared, thus causing the rage of Tel Aviv. Of course Israel has always favored officially a two state solution but, of course, not before she has absorbed as much land as possible so that, guess what, there isn´t enough left for the Palestinians to even plan a vegetable garden.

Kerry is right! Support the right of Israel to exist but not to exist at the outrageous cost of national murder against her neighbor.  We should recognize Republic of Palestine now and we should, along with others, insist that both of them meet to agree to the minimal conditions that allow both to live in peace and hope.

Former ambassador Bolton´s call for Mr. Trump to retaliate in general against the UN and specific members of that organization for what he defines as vindictive action against Israel is a call for more blind support to accept the right of one side today and the other side tomorrow of this or that nationalistic, religious and  cultural extremism to continue in a no-win reality for all  in Palestine. Of course Israelis have every right to live in peace and hope in their country. What they cannot accept, and what the UN censured, is their assumption that their country includes their neighbors´ land also. That vote was not unfair. It was realistic in that it invites both sides to admit that peace for all is essential for peace for each. This means that the Israelis and the Palestinians must face the fact that each nation there must identify itself from a posture of minimum acceptability of space so that the other side has its living-room also. A blind support of Israel’s right to a Zionist dream or a Palestinian obsession with driving the Jewish people into the sea has proven totally futile. The UN resolution on which the United States wisely and with risk allowed to flourish was correct. That a fervent nationalist like Mr. Netanyahu was outraged was and is due to the fact that at long last the civilized world has slammed its fist on the desk to signal that enough is enough! I hope that Mr. Trump will not try to turn the clock back in a cruelly divided land where two people have established their right to be. To continue to be a blind supporter of either side is to condemn Palestine to more turmoil with dangerous implications for all of us.