Glenn recaps the latest U.S. hypocrisy, disdain for the rule of law and reflects on "why they hate us"

glenn offers a detailed run-down on the pakistan/cia/raymond davis affair here and here, laments the u.s. veto of the u.n. security council condemnation of the continuing israeli settlements in palestine here and reflects generally on the abysmal job the u.s. does in "winning hearts and minds" in both of those posts...

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Now, for a little good news......

Israel scraps plan for massive new bridge to Mughrabi Gate

In a dramatic about-face, controversial plans to construct a major new bridge to the Mughrabi Gate adjacent to Jerusalem's Western Wall directly through an archeological garden abutting the Temple Mount have been nixed amid concern about possible damage to artifacts, officials said Monday.

The decision to abort the massive bridge, whose construction had been deeply contested by leading Israeli archeologists, effectively means that a salvage excavation under way in the area, which has drawn the wrath of Islamic officials and led to low-level Arab violence in the region earlier this year, will be coming to a close shortly, the officials said.

[...]

Other alternatives, including a modest bridge along the original route, are now being considered.

It's about time. This has been a considerable burr under the 'saddle of peace' that everyone says they want.

[...]

An obvious solution to the dispute - which was clear from the start but was previously rejected by the Antiquities Authority - would be to build a new bridge on the same route as the old one. Some officials had rejected this proposal as they wanted to separate the flow of visitors to the Temple Mount from those to the Western Wall, officials said.

The archeological tempest over the planned bridge was subsequently overshadowed by violent protests by Islamic officials over the salvage excavation near the Temple Mount that the planned construction prompted.

The dig, which began in February, touched off Arab violence in Jerusalem following assertions by Islamic leaders that the work, which is taking place dozens of meters outside the Temple Mount, could damage the mosque inside the ancient compound. Israeli law requires such an archeological excavation in advance of any construction in the Holy Land.

Israel desperately needs to understand that the Arab Muslims also have a stake and history in the Temple Mount. True peace can only come with mutual understanding and co-existence.

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Ray McGovern examines why Sen. Carl Levin so willingly raised the white flag

some thoughts on why levin would undermine harry reid so blatantly...

Never before have I felt such irk from a Cheney smirk -- the one with which he confidently assured CBS's Bob Schieffer on April 15's "Face the Nation" that the Democrats will continue to vote to fund the war without including serious restrictions.

Cheney referred approvingly to the fact that "Carl Levin, who's chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has indicated that they definitely do want to pass funding for the troops."

[...]

But how is it that Cheney can enlist the likes of Carl Levin in a policy built on the backs of American troops? Based on recent casualty rates, some 1,500 American troops already "in harm's way" will die, and several times that number will be wounded before Cheney and Bush leave office -- not to mention the ever mounting casualties among Iraqis.

ray mcgovern asks a very good question and offers a possible answer...

Federal Election Commission records show that Levin has received more money from pro-Israel political action committees than any other senator. But, given his distinguished record, it would seem appropriate to give him the benefit of the doubt. It seems less likely that he is influenced by the money than by his penchant to see little or no daylight between what he perceives to be Israel's interests and those of the United States.

wouldn't it be nice if we could have labels on our elected representatives as informative as those we have on our food products...? levin's would read, Sen. Carl Levin, D-MI AIPAC...

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