Charlie Rose

rtb  07/21/2010 07:38 AM Report

Israel has the largest foreign lobby in Washington and the second largest PAC. You get (in this case, my country) what you pay for. There's not a spine in Washington that resists.

The irony is: Israel uses our foreign aid to fund their lobbies.

robdverity  07/20/2010 09:59 PM Report

Classic blame-the-victim. Damn those children for getting in the way of Israeli tank firing phosphorous shells into their school. Hating Israel? Not after say five generations after the last pointless death - with luck.

ShalomFreedman  07/20/2010 04:35 PM Report

There is a certain assumption in this discussion which so far as I know underlies all discussions regarding Palestinian Arab affairs i.e. The Palestinian people are always treated as if they are in no way responsible for whatever happens to them. Thus it is not the people but it is Hamas or Fatah. But who are 'Hamas' and 'Fatah' Who elected 'Hamas'? The incredible culture of hatred which pervades the Palestinian media is the product of whom? The severe problems created by demography have of course nothing whatsoever to do with the people. I am not trying to say that there are not many factors involved in the difficult situation of the Palestinians in Gaza but only that one central one is the attitude and action of the Palestinians themselves. Had they not spent years working to destroy and hating Israel their situation would be far better than it is now. Had they when Israel withdrew decided to concentrate on building the economy and society rather than attacking Israel with rockets, they would be in a different place now.

truth_hates_delay  07/20/2010 01:49 AM Report

I noticed Mr. Zuckerman repeated the oft mentioned talking points about the one kidnapped Israeli soldier but there is no mention/challenge of Palestinians killed/kidnapped days before or the thousands of Palestinian men women children and elders tortured and unjustly imprisoned by Israel.

Similarly, why let your guests falsely portray the history of Gazan rocket attacks, (which were largely w/o lethal results or structural damage) BUT NOT DISCUSS a near " Palestinian Cease Fire prior to the 2008 Operation Cast Lead offensive - when Israel attacked Gaza with hundreds of bombing raids and drone attacks, and thousands of artillery and tank shells - 14 Israelis had been killed by mostly home-made rockets fired from Gaza over the previous seven years as against 5,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces. Some 1,400 Palestinians were massacred in the Cast Lead assault" -Media Lens

What about legal right of Gazans to security and defense against attacks against civilians, homes and towns by jets, helicopters, missiles, bombs and chemical weapons?

Tonight, an update on the Goldstone report and war crimes from the New York Times? Nope.

So, rather than giving us the view from the ground tonight, Mr. Rose has allowed for one from well above a thicket of clouds.

No, nothing to see here but another long apologetic defense of Israel for again using overwhelming military aggression against defenseless civilians and the obligatory heap of blame on Palestinians and Arabs for bringing this all on themselves.

truth_hates_delay  07/20/2010 01:33 AM Report

THOUGH SHAMEFULLY AND ENTIRELY AVOIDED TONIGHT, I would have liked to learn more about:

What has been the effect on the wellbeing of Gazans by Israel from over 50 years of Israel violating international laws against, abuse, military aggression, false imprisonment, assassinations, rights to determination, theft of property and all forms of racism and double standards? I don't even recall hearing the word occupied once.

What is the impact from yet another major military assault on Gaza and ongoing military and economic blockade on broken Gazan families?

How are Gazans facing Israeli unexploded and radioactive ordnance, related water treatment destruction & contamination of fisheries, and lack of clean drinking water? And Israeli prohibition of re-construction of Gazan home, hospitals, schools and businesses?

Will Israel compensate Gazans for the assaults?

Since the end of the invasion, how many Palestinian vs. Israeli casualties have been attributed to Operation Cast Lead?

How could Gazans be helped if Israel didn't seize Palestinian natural gas and oil fields? Wouldn't encourage peace?

Since Israel's fiercely blockades roads, land, air, and sea routes(attacking/harassing fishing and humanitarian aid ships.e.g., Israeli Commando raid on the Mavi Mandara) into Palestinian territory and subsequently deny life sustaining food, medicine, medical care and supplies shouldn't the US and international community enforce the rules a foreign occupier is to follow?

What about the psychological toll on Gazans of which 40% are children, average age of fifteen and their mothers? PTSD?. Other health statistics for Gazan children are also appalling, as intended by Israeli imposed "diet". Digging dangerous tunnels can't be good for those kids either (yet a necessity for survival).

truth_hates_delay  07/20/2010 01:28 AM Report

Dear Mr. Rose,

your show tonight failed to tell us " What's happening on the ground on Gaza Strip and why" as you promised. I suggest next time you interview Palestinian people living daily in Gaza, or an actual Gazan representative.

On the other hand if the topic was No light tonight between the Times, New York Daily News, USNWR and Fox news regarding Gaza....

It is wrenching to listen to such strong personal bias from better known news producers with as much news media influence as Zuckerman on this program, though not unusual.

Why did you choose one of wealthiest men on the planet from New York who knows well the leaders of Israel, a major contributor to the US "Israeli lobby" and WINEP member to tell us about the view from Gaza? WHY? Was is to demonstrate why Americans DONT GET THE PALESTINIAN VIEW FROM THE GROUND from actual Palestinians?

REMant  07/19/2010 01:46 PM Report

No doubt there are some Hamas ppl who would rather keep the status quo for long-term political and military reasons, and on the other hand Israelis who would not like either to risk their independence. This is a common enough situation. We see it in the civil rights groups right here. And no doubt there are moderate Arabs in agreement, never having welcomed the Palestinians in their own countries, and always two-faced about the issue. It leaves the ppl in limbo as in most such quasi-war situations and no one seems to have taken that into account. But it mattered what the Vietnamese villagers thought, and I'm sure it matters in the Near and Middle East today. To get around this an independent body with both will and clout is needed they can trust. Our own position was compromised long ago because of our opposition to Germany, and then to Russia. Had we instead tried to stake out middle ground the world might be better off today.