Can you look at this map and say Israel does not systemically appropriate land?

In my opinion, England is for Americans what Disneyworld is for children.

The difference is that the British do not have to put on Mickey and Minny costumes to entertain the tourists with their presence.

How insulting you are! England is a great power....admittedly not as great as it once was, but it is still a mighty ally to have, especially to the US. Just because the British in the wake of the doomed Iraq adventure is now thinking more independently, does not mean "our special relationship" has diminished. In the Iraq war, Germany and France refused to join in that illegal invasion of Iraq, but the British was loyal; however, there comes a time when one has to not just blindly support when asked, but inquire searchingly as to the possible outcome of an attack on Syria which could have far reaching repercussions with the possibility of Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran, al-qaeda, China and Russia on the side of Syria. Although I don't think for an instant China and Russia would join in the fighting,but these other forces might try to harm US interests and make it more difficult for Israel in that neighborhood....possibly carry out cyber attack, further attacks on our embassies around the world.

I am a great admirer of the British and the way they have National Health
Service for their people, and not just for their Monarchy, but because the UK has for the most part been such a staunch ally of the US and in my opinion, always will be.

I believe it's a very good ally relationship between the US and UK, and I hope it stays that way in the future.

Don't worry about Fluff, nobody else does, he's completely insane. His world view is fuelled by paranoid delusions and crude stereotyping. He thinks My Fair Lady, is a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

This may interest some here.
Interesting also, and quite surprising, that the recent vote in Parliament had such resonance in Washington. (Rumsfeld and Cheney must be foaming at the mouth)

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/29/syria-us-uk-special-relationship

We know how educated (or even interested) the average American is about matters outwith his own state.

"I am a great admirer of the British and the way they have National Health "

Than you should be also an admirer of the Israelis and the way they have National Health. Please don't tell me you believe the health system there only works for Jews .. and only very religious ones.

Britian's Parliament standing up to the US marks a significant point in global affairs...and perhaps even in the status of the US in today's world. Britian was (or at least, appeared to be) a significant world power at the beginning of World War II...but by that war's end, it was obviously a fallen power. Truman and Stalin pretty much decided how things were going to be...and Churchill was mostly an observer.

We may very well fall with that same rapidity. That Parliamentary vote may be a bell tolling.

Thanks, for posting the article, McTag. I'm familiar with much of the history, but a few loose ends were connected.

Who the heck cares if Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney are "foaming at the mouth?" They are two of the most despicable crooked politicians known to man. They possess no political power now because in most observant people's opinion, these two are scum. For a while the former VP was waiting for a heart transplant as he was existing on a portable heart pump which is designed for a limited period of time. Cheney jumped to the head of the heart transplant line. Wonder how this dark sinister force accomplished this?......surely there were thousands of desperately in need patients ahead of him.

Yea, those two were foaming at the mouth long before their political stints. Bunch of heartless SOB's that belongs in the nut house.

I'm sure the Palestinians would receive fantastic care if they weren't all being held at checkpoints.

Hiya, Frank. As per your statement above, well, you might be right. But one must not forget the GWB/Cheney administration which invaded illegally Iraq, killing so many innocent Iraqis, over 4,500 US military, many Brits, and displacing so many from their homes in Iraq, and not to mention so many maimed returning home. The impact of the Iraq illegal invasion was an exceedingly grave one, and a war that will go down in history as the worse US mistake ever! Governments are wary, skeptical regarding any evidence the US claims it has now to attack Syria. Right now, the people of the UK simply do not trust the US government and are just too war weary.

Who can blame them?! I curse the NEOCONS, GWB, Cheney, Condi Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, etc every day. They really put one over on the American people not to mention the British and other countries who meant well. PM Tony Blair knew the W admin was manufacturing b-u-l-l-S-h-i-t and readily went along with these lies.

That was a horrific mistake, but I don't think the British vote against the US signifies the beginning of the US downfall; I think that began with the rise of the Chinese economy amid its rising wealth and power.

For the millionth time: Palestinians are not Israeli citizens and not Israeli residents. What health care do Afghan residents get in the UK?

And somehow even the Syrian war victims get treated in Israel:

http://news.yahoo.com/ignoring-taboos-syria-war-wounded-treated-israel-143212700.html

I guess this adds to your cognitive dissonance of Israel as the small Satan, so you will ignore this and keep hating them. Have fun.

They don't get held for hours at checkpoints when they're desperately in need of medical attention.

It's good PR.

It's not about hating, it's about realising that Israel will never seriously pursue peace unless they're put under pressure. They just keep building more and more settlements making the idea of a Palestinian state less feasible every day. The status quo is preferable, they have cheap labour and greater landmass, for the relatively minor inconvenience of a few ineffective rocket attacks.

Our governments won't put pressure on Israel like they do with other nations so it's down to the people. The boycott worked with South Africa and it's making the Israelis sit up and take notice a lot more than any amount of handwringing by so called neutrals like yourself.

When Israel ends the occupation I'll buy Israeli produce, until then I'll observe the boycott. So I won't be going to Israel to spend money on Israeli hotels, airlines, restaurants and tourist shops thank you very much.

Yeah. Why don't more and more people do such "good PR" on all sides? Maybe then by accident they will get peace no one really intended to have (according to you). Are you reflecting from yourself? Is every good deed in your life just for good PR?

You're being consistent - I have to give you that. You will oppose anything that goes against the continuing violence - because peace is boring, fighting is interesting.

A strike against Syria won't do a damn thing to stop the continuing violence, it will just kill more people.

Sure. Lets boycott the UK for Afghanistan too then.

It's not about hating, it's about realising that the UK will never seriously pursue peace in Afghanistan unless they're put under pressure.