What should the United States do?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is causing incredible amounts of tension not only in Israel and Palestine, across the world. The United States is stuck in the middle of the conflict. For the most part, it’s Israel on one side with the support of the U.S. and several European countries. On the other side we have Palestine with the support of many other Middle Eastern countries and is reaching out for Arab support. Israel is an important U.S. ally and over the years we have continued to show our support. In the past few decades the United States has also been building relations with other countries in the Middle East.

The United States is in a difficult situation. If the U.S. decided to become impartial to the conflict and simply do nothing it would upset a key U.S. ally and possibly send the conflict into a downward spiral. On the other hand, if the United States were increase their support for Israel it would upset many of the countries in the volatile Middle East and most likely damage or destroy political relations with many Middle Eastern countries. To be honest I can't make a concrete decision about what I think the U.S. should do but for the mean time I would continue our support for Israel until the US believes that Palestine should be granted statehood.

What we should do

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a pretty polarizing issue. It's pretty clear we've got some very stubborn people and since it's been going on for so many years I think it's rather safe to assume it's not going to end peacefully. There will almost certainly be some sort of attack, the only thing we have control over is the scale of that attack and how much time passes until there is conflict. I think Obama should put aside his personal agenda and allow the UN to vote on allowing Palestine to become a sovereign nation. Israel is clearly being ridiculous in their demands and failed negotiations. The majority of the world is backing Palestine because it makes sense. Millions of refugees are suffering for no reason, and their land is torn apart by destruction by Israeli's military. There is essentially no way to escape this conflict without some violence, since neither sides will budge, so we need to do the right thing to better how other countries see us.

What Should the U.S. do?

The Israeli Palestinian conflict has been going on for many years. President Obama has a huge decision to make. Although the chances are slim, I believe the United States should vote in Palestine’s favor. The U.S. should not abuse its power of being a permanent member in the United Nations. The majority of the world wants Palestine to become a sovereign state, and Obama needs to take that into consideration. Even though for Obama that could mean not getting elected for a second term. Either way there are going to be consequences. We have very close ties with Israel and if we do not stand by them in this they are most likely going to fight back. Most Arab nations already have strong aggression towards us, and if we vote in Israel’s favor they are going to have even stronger aggression towards us. We should accept the consequences and do what is morally right.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Whether to support Israel or Palestine may be the biggest decision the U.S. has had to make since we decided to cut loafs of bread into little slices. There is a serious possibility that if this situation isn’t handled right, we could be seeing a World War III. The U.S. and Israel are dedicated allies. We have even been secretly sending them missiles that can target things under the ground, like hidden bunkers or underground weapon storages, which is especially helpful for fighting countries like Palestine and Iran. The U.S. government clearly backs Israel where as I see the nation (and most of the world) supporting Palestine and their goal of becoming a sovereign nation.

Personally I support Palestine. I feel as though Israel has been using brute force to bully the Palestinians around. Many may call them “terrorists” which some Palestinians certainly are, but wouldn’t they be push-over’s if they just let Israel come into their country, take their land, and not let them become a sovereign state? I think we, as a people, owe it to Palestine. We do have to realize that Israel is a product of the holocaust, the worst event (genocide) to ever happen on this planet. So we need to respect Israel, but be fair to Palestine. Once Palestine becomes a state, the countries need to stop acting like toddlers and come to an agreement not just continue the warfare, because in my mind whichever way this decision goes, there will be consequences. The U.S. over everything needs to reduce those consequences and think about the future, not the past.

What Should the U.S Do?

I don’t know. Part of me knows that the right thing to do is accept Palestine as a sovereign nation..accept them so that they can work their way up to the top. This could be their one and only chance for a new future. Then, part of me knows that a friend always has a friends’ back. From what I know, Israel and the United States have very close ties. Ties they have had for years on top of years..ties that can’t be broken without some sort of conflict. I can’t imagine making a decision that has the potential to make or break. So what should the U.S. do? I don’t know. I don’t know what Palestine is capable of doing to us if we say no. And I don’t know how Israel will react if we say yes. All I know is that if we do accept Palestine, it can’t just be that easy. I believe that as a member of the United Nations, they should have an obligation to better their country. And I know that if we don’t accept Palestine, we should be prepared for the worse..along with the fact that Obama can say goodbye to his chance at a second term. Whichever the case, these two nations need to resolve any hostility so that they can both move on. So what is the right thing to do? I don’t know. I know that Obama has a lot riding on his shoulders right now, but I would hope that as the deciding factor on this issue, his decision will be the right one. I guess that’s all we really can do.

The Palestine Debate

America, and the United Nations, are facing a tough decision right now in the form of approving Palestine as its own sovereign state. Although it may seem a no-brainer that a smaller region should receive independence, especially with all the revolutions occurring in nearby nations, there are many issues clouding this debate.
Israel strongly disapproves of Palestine gaining independence. They are clear enemies with eachother. Without a doubt, Israel is the U.S.'s strongest allie in the middle east. We have supplied them with arms and funding for decades now. Israel is the strongest military nation in the middle east as well, and has shown that, when faced with impending conflict, Israel is not afraid to send armed forces to occupy a region or create peace. And it is very likely Israel will once again occupy the newly-independent Palestine, which could rouse retaliation from other middle eastern nations. In the future, I could see the middle east turning into a battleground of Israel and the U.S. vs. the rest of the middle east. This is why I believe the U.S. should stick to the status quo and deny statehood to Palestine. I have no doubt the region will eventually receive independence, but further discussion and peace talks should be carried out between Palestine and Israel first.

What Should the U.S. Do?

It’s tough to stay black and white on inviting Palestine to join the United Nations in my opinion. On one hand, having Palestine in those U.N. meetings would cause a lot of arguing but in order to make a proper decision in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict they need to be included in the conferences. By excluding Palestine, only more violence will erupt in the Middle East. I am sure that several other countries are for letting Palestine join as well to make negotiations.

I know that if the United States and Israel have very close bonds that lead back to World War II, but by taking their side and providing military aid for fighting terrorism with terrorism this conflict will only escalate. Even though the Jewish community have suffered greatly in World War II but the fact that there was so much fighting for making “equal” reparations for Israel that some force should step in and advise them to meet more demands in order to grow peace.

What should the US do? What I believe.

I believe that Palestine would be better off not becoming a state in the UN. Right now the US is trying to avoid this vote. The US believes that if they become there own state of the UN there will be a lot of issues. Palestine has a lot of security problems. The US is afraid that they will either attack anyone, either Israel or us. With all the issues between Israel and Palestine we believe that if Palestine becomes a country they will go right after Israel. This will escalate the conflict in the Middle East. The US is allies with Israel; if Palestine tries to fight we would have to step in. I believe that this war that could happen would be considered a World War III. This idea of Palestine becoming a state of the UN is the safest thing for them to do right now and also the safest for us.

What the U.S should do

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for years now and will continue to go on unless something happens in the near future. It seems as though the chances are slim for America voting towards Palestine becoming its own territory since we're allies with Israel. Palestinians and other Arab states feel aggression towards us already because they feel like we are trying to help Israel and Israel only. If it were up to me, the United States would help Palestine in deciding that they should become a member of the United Nations because of the brutality and intense conflict occurring between the two territories. The President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas just wants the world to recognize a Palestinian state at the General Assembly and he wants support from other leaders. In 2010, Obama said that he hoped the Palestinian state could and would be admitted into the United Nations. It's possible that views and opinions have changed since then, and since we are allies with Palestine's "enemies" (Israel) there is a lot for Obama to take into account.

What Should The U.S Do?

Should the United States take a side with Palestine and help it get into the United Nations and become a sovereign? Before I answer that you have to look at the whole situation and then the possible outcomes. Israel and Palestine have been fighting for a very long time over who gets certain borders/water rights and Jerusalem. To simply say yes for Palestine would be great, but since there are deeper issues within the other issue of wether or not they can become a sovereign and a part of the U.N, you can't do so. A huge problem I think President Obama is facing is the possible outcome of saying yes. If he says yes, Palestine will get to be a sovereign, which is great, but that will also mean that Israel will be even MORE hostile towards Palestine, and even the United States. If Palestine and Israel are fighting now, what do you think will happen if the President says yes?

Of course I think that Palestine should have the right to be a sovereign and be a part of the U.N, it is morally the right thing to do. However, logically from my point of view, it isn't considering what can happen. Over all I have to say no. Israel isn't ready or able to handle the fact that Palestine just wants to be a sovereign, part of the U.N, and gain some land, and most likely start bombing and attacking them and possibly the U.S. If that wasn't a concern then I would say yes.

What should the U.S. do?

The situation that the United States is in involving Palestine and the United Nations is tough and consequential. Whether Obama decides to continue on with vetoing Palestine's application into the United Nations or accept it, either way, there are potentially serious consequences. There is a chance that Obamas decision could start a World War III. I believe that Obama should stop worrying about getting reelected and start doing what is right for the country and what is fair for Palestine. The War on Terror has increased and in my opinion, if Obama were to veto their application then the United States should at least declare their intention to revive the peace process between them and the Middle East. Along with the peace process they should introduce a plan for economic progress in the Arab world in order to decrease the likely hood of a revolt against whichever decision they decide to make.

What should the US do?

If I were President Obama, I would do the right thing and let Palestine into the United Nations. This situation is weighing heavily on the shoulders of the 5 permanent members of the UN (United States, China, Russia, France, & Britain), but it's the heaviest on the United States and Obama. If Obama wants to do whats right, he'll allow Palestine in to the UN, which would pretty much destroy any chance he had of being re-elected. I believe that they should be voted in as an observer and as they move along eventually move to a country that can vote in the UN. But, no matter what the outcome is someone wont be happy about which could cause a war between any number of countries in the Middle East and the United States as well. Either way, one relationship, whether it be with Palestine or Israel, will be severed completely. I think Palestine should be voted into the UN and work their way up to being allowed to vote on issues but they have every right to be a sovereign nation with the proper representation.

What Should The U.S Do?

The United States are in a really difficult position right now. They are basically the deciding factor in which Palestine should be part of the U.N or not and if it should be sovereign. I personally think right now that whatever decision they take, there will still be a problem between Palestine and Israel and it could cause a war. I think that the United States should let Palestine be part of the U.N and also a foreign country. I say this because Israel is on the United States side and won't really cause a war if the United States aren't supporting them. If the United States let Palestine be a part of the U.N and sovereign then Israel will still have attacks on Palestine like they've always had but i wouldn't cause a war because the United States wouldn't be there to help them out. The U.S should really let Palestine do what it needs to do.

What Should The U.S. Do?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has come to headlines once again, but this time there are no missiles being fired upon Palestinian territory nor are there suicide bombers attacking Israeli cities. Now Palestine is attempting to be a voting member of the UN, and to be its own independent state. For this to occur China, Britain, France, Russia, and the United States must agree to pass a bill that would give Palestine its statehood.

If Obama were to pass this bill the backlash would be substantial and would kill any chance he would have at being re-elected. However, this backlash needs to be ignored, as it is time for Obama to do what is right, no matter how difficult it is. This would be the biggest showing of political courage since Ford’s pardoning of Nixon. The Palestinians had their land stripped away from them due to the abominable Holocaust. If America really did care about Israel having a state where they would be given no more discrimination, they wouldn’t have placed it in the most tumultuous region in the world. But, what has been done has been done and we must focus on the present. For America to deny the statehood of Palestine would be advocating Imperialism. We should not live in a world where any group of people can unwillingly be stripped of their land and replaced by the will of superpowers. Therefore it is time for Palestine to be given what is rightfully there’s.

What Should The U.S. Do?

Everyone must understand that the U.S. does not have an easy decision that can be simply answered then moved on from. This issue between Israel and Palestine is complex and has many consequences no matter which side the U.S. takes. That is why in my opinion we should choose to support Palestine. No waiting for diplomacy between them because it's been at least a decade and no long lasting agreement has been found. Israel clearly has a Superior military and left alone, let alone supported by the U.S, would destroy Palestine. However, if Palestine becomes a state backed by the UN then Israel will have to deal with them diplomatically or face the UN. from the U.S.'s perspective, of we take Palestine's side our relationship with Israel will be severely hurt maybe even destroyed, and Israel will most definitely attack Palestine. On the other hand if we take Israels side most of the world will hate us and Palestine won't stand a chance. In the end if both options lead to violence, then the morally right decision should be made.

Article: "Israel and Turkey, Foes and Much Alike"

Turkish-Israeli relations are in a hostile state and both sides have their own opinion as to how things got this way. Israel says that Turkey is looking for regional leadership and therefore is abandoning Israel. Turkey removed the Israeli ambassador and cut military ties because it believes that Israel oppresses Palestinians and they refuse to apologize for killing the activists on the Turkish flotilla last year.

Both countries have followed very similar paths in the past few decades in terms of their political shifts. They were previously run by western educated elites that were aggressively secular and after the political shift they became populist etho-religious countries with a strong sense of nationalism. Turkey and Israel gone back and forth with controversial diplomatic actions such as giving the Turkish ambassador a lower seat at a table with no refreshments or flag.

Currently Turkey is looking to establish its Middle Eastern identity because it feels rejected by Europe. On the other hand Israel is looking to the new Europe because of its quickly deteriorating ties in the Middle East. The United States is working to resolve the conflict because both countries are key allies.

New York Times Articles

"The Palestinian Bid for Statehood" matters significantly because for one, it explains in simple terms what happened and what is happening surrounding Jerusalem. The way this article explains it is the Palestinian authority was supposed to be a temporary thing until an agreement was reached but ended up being permanent because no agreement was ever reached. This is helpful to explain how the fighting began, because most average Americans probably wouldn’t know how. Then it goes on to discuss more recent news with the leaders of the Israel and Palestine. Palestine’s leader Mr. Abba refused to negotiate while Israel continued to build on occupied lands. Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli prime minister was less then pleased. Then seeing negotiations were going nowhere, Mr. Abba changes his strategy to seeking UN recognition. This would give them rights that would make getting their lands back much easier. Israel obviously strongly objects. This is important because if Palestine succeeds in becoming a sovereign state, war could possible brake out.

“Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing A Wider Siege” is very important once again for the general public. This is because although the government may have seen this issue coming I was un aware of the pending disaster that happened that Saturday. This is yet another major conflict in the middle east that the U.S must keep tabs on. While Obama expressed great concern for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone, The U.S has not sent troops over for either side. Then Turkey expelled the Israeli Prime Minister after he refused to apologize for the raiding of a Turkish ship and the killing of two Turkish soldiers by Israeli military was hunting down terrorist suspects. This trio of conflict and resent, in my opinion, will not end soon or without bloodshed.

Both these articles are key because They discuss happenings that could result in another world war and with globalization at its peak and growing the general public needs to know what is going on in the world.

Palestine's bid for Independance

Palestine's bid for independance, in my opinion, is comparable to colonial America's predicament in gaining independance from Great Britain. Palestine is a small part of Israel that is being pushing around and harassed by Israel (a bigger state, comparable to Great Britain in colonial times). They are currently making a bid to be inducted into the United Nations so they can benefit from advantages that soverign states recieve, such as treaty organizations and allies. U.S. diplomats were sent to Paletsine and urged the preisent to reconsider a bid for statehood. The situation in the Middle East is volatile and the result of this current struggle will easily change the whole political climate of the Middle East.

NY Times

"In Seeking Statehood, Palestinians Stir Concern" taught me a lot about what's going on over seas is Pakistan. It shows me that their country knows what they want and they will do almost anything to get it. The General Assembly over there even states that they will go to Washington with their request to be part of the International Criminal Court in Hague if they have to. I think the reason for this article is to show us Americans that Palestine is working towards something they feel so strongly about. It shows that maybe their country is developing over time.

"Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing A Wider Siege" opened my eyes to things I didn't know were happening. I didn't know things were so bad over there with them facing crises with Egypt and Turkey that they had to turn to us for help. This article tells us that we have been watching the tensions between these three countries all along, so this wasn't entirely unexpected. It showed me that Israel denied the apology from Turkey stemming from a raid that happened a year ago. It showed me that it's gotten so bad that the Palestinians have stopped trying to talk to Israel.

I think that's the point the NY times was trying to make. I think they wanted us to see what is happening half way across the world in the Middle East and the huge ties we have with it. It shows us how much we are involved in the whole process; how much we are being relied on.

Israel and Palestine

After reading these two articles it has come to my conclusion that the situation in the Middle East is far worse than I had thought. I believe that America should withdraw its support for Israel as I think Israel is digging its own grave here. Israel never deserved the land that they were given, it rightfully belongs to the people of Palestine. And to not only take this land from them, but also to act hostilely to its neighboring Islamic countries. With Israel’s last ally, Turkey, now pitted against them after an altercation I see no way that Israel would have a fighting chance against the people of the Middle East. I hope that we don’t make the same mistake as we did one thousand years ago during the crusades. Religion isn’t worth the bloodshed that this situation is sure to cause.

A 3rd world war??

After reading the article assigned, I can see why people are saying that the conflicts between Israel and Palestine could start a 3rd world war . In the article "Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing A Wider Siege" Ethan explains that Israel found itself becoming more and more isolated from the Middle East after Palestine was trying to seek statehood, and also after Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador because they didn't want to apologize after killing people during a raid on a Turkish ship last year. This situation could easily start a 3rd Word War due to the fact with every Middle Eastern countries rebelling against their government. The USA would eventually get involved and try to aid israel while France aids Palestine. A perfect set up for a new world conflict yet again.

Articles

I thought that these two articles together were very interesting and informative. I knew a bit of this information before reading but these articles went much more in depth. Something I found particularly interesting was how the protestors in Egypt pulled down the Israeli flag. This symbolizes the end of 31 year alliance. They claim that they will "maintain peace" but it seems that they clash on a few of their ideals. It's quite possible that conflict revolving around Israel and Palestine could result in a global conflict on the scale of a third world war, which, with modern technology, could be devastating. The main conflict revolves around Palestine which is a nation within Israel, containing Jerusalem. There's much conflict over Jerusalem which many relgions consider to be their holy land. Within the next few weeks the United Nations is going to take a vote as to whether or not Palestine will become an independent nation with East Jerusalem as their capital. The potential consequences could be devastating.

Crisis in the Middle East

In the first article, "Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing A Wider Seige" the author addresses the fact that Israel is becoming more and more isolated in the constantly changing Middle East. Even after 31 years of peace between Egypt and Israel couldn't be salvaged after 7 months since the downfall if Hosni Mubarak's regime. Eventually both countries released statements reaffirming the commitments to their previous peace treaty. Israel has warned Egypt that they cannot ignore the damage done to the peace between those countries. I feel that Israel is being picked on by other Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey and Egypt. I don't think it is fair that many Arab leaders are using Israel as a"convenient scapegoat" and turning the public wrath against the country. They are also blaming Israel for their problems which isn't right at all. Unless Israel had direct involvement with another country, they shouldn't be blamed for anything. In the second article, " In Seeking Statehood, Palestinians Stir Concern", Palestine wants to shift their statehood quest toward international legal and political pressure on Israel. If and when they do this, it could start "World War 3" in the Middle East, as Israel will cut off all aid to Palestinians, which could cause the Palestinian Authority to collapse.

Middle East Crisis

After reading these two articles, it almost seems like Israel is being picked on. Even though Israel may not be liked by Egypt, Turkey, and Palestine for good reasons, one being their attack on Turkey’s ship heading to aid Palestine, Israel feels “isolated”. In the article by Ethan Bronner he explains how “traditionally, many Arab leaders have used Israel as a convient scapegoat”. They are being used to solve other countrys conflicts. And the worst part is, is that they are now dragging the United States into this. Also, in the second article, joining the UN for Palestine has its cons and its pros. If they were to join, Israel would not approve and huge conflict would evolve but they would also be supported by the UN which is what Palestine has needed for a while now. On the flip side, if they don’t join the UN, the struggle between Palestine and Israel will remain the same but not be as serious and they would get no support from the UN.

World War 3?

Israel and Palestine has had a very heated relationship since the late 1800’s. When Palestine asks the United Nations to grant them membership and statehood recognition their tension is going to increase more then ever. The Middle East is already slowly falling apart. Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador over Israel’s refusal to apologize for a deadly raid last year on a Turkish ship that killed nine “Turks”. Also a lot of middle eastern countries have been rebelling against their government. This could very easily be a start to a third world war. The United States would step in to help Israel and France would help Palestine. We could definitely not handle another war let alone a world war. We don’t have the money or supplies to step in if we needed to.

Middle East Articles

In the first article, "Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing a Wider Siege,"it explains how Israel found itself limited and poor. Just seven months after the fall of Mubarak's regime, protesters from Egypt tore up an Israeli flag which was a symbol of peace between Egypt and Israel after 31 years. Tearing up and disrespecting a nation's flag is bound to cause conflict in the first place, and it's not looking bright for the two to make amends anytime soon. Netanyahu from Israel said that Egypt can't ignore the heavy damage done to the fabric of peace, which to me interprets that he's ready to fight back. I was surprised that Israel turned to the United States for help, because before this article I never would have thought they would do that. Obama responded by calling on Egypt to honor its international obligations to protect the security of the Israeli Embassy. It also explains how Arab leaders have turned to Israel as a scapegoat and blames it for their problems. In conclusion, they feel that they are left with the United States as their only ally, and even that relationship has an exhaust on it.

In Seeking Statehood Palestinians Stir Concern/Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing A Wider Siege

Palestinians are putting pressure on Israel for statehood. Palestinians had stormed into Israel's Cairo embassy which confirmed the feeling of a disaster. Their reasoning was because "their lives have long been a train-wreck-and Israeli-induced one of settlement and occupation- and that it is time for a radical shift in approach." The Israelis say the move will kill the chance of future talks.

As of now, no one knows what will happen.

Israel has become isolated and is having a hard time adjusting to the rapidly changing Middle-East. Egyptian protesters tore up an Israeli flag, which was the symbol of peace between them. Aluf Benn, editor and cheif of Haaretz said that the flag will not return to the flag staff anytime soon. Turkey removed the Israeli ambassador for its refusal to apologize for a deadly raid on a ship. Growing hostility from Egypt could call for radical decisions of Israel's defense doctrine. Threat by Turkey about changing Israel's gas plans could threaten an agreement with Cyprus and make tensions grow with Lebanon.

In Seeking Statehood Palestinians Stir Concern and Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing a Wider Siege

The first article I read was "In Seeking Statehood Palestinians Stir Concern”, at first I didn't really understand what the problem was with Palestine joining the UN. Once I really thought about it I realized that joining the UN could make the situation worse and cause more violence. But also, if they stay the way from the UN and don’t become statehood they are going to keep struggling. I think the UN wants to go in and help but Palestinians know they are going to come in attempt to make changes that the Israelis will likely disagree with thus causing increased violence. In the second article “Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing a Wider Siege”, after the embassy in Cairo was ransacked there was a question as to whether or not the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt would be followed. Although they both agree to commit to the treaty, Israel is seeking help from the US government. Israel is concerned that the increased rioting and lack of stability in Egypt’s transitional government will lead to more conflict.

Middle Eastern Problems

The Palestinian authority led by Mahmaud Abbas seek membership and statehood recognition at the U.N. They want to have the land they had been promised by the U.N in 1967. The problem is that the Israelite will never accept giving up half of Jerusalem and the territory they concurred when 500,000 Israelite live. The tension is building up in the region with muslem neighbors. First, the Turkish government seeks an apology from the Israel for killing Turkish civilians last year. Israel, of course, will never apologize because it would be showing a sign of weakness. Second, last Saturday an Egyptian mob attacked the Israelite embassy because of the hatred they have for them. Following the arab springs the middle east is changing fast and could create problems for Israel.

World War 3 Begins in the Middle East

Within the next two weeks, Palestine will be submitting their request for membership and statehood recognition at the United Nations. Israel is now being looked at with scrutiny from states around the world. Israeli-Palestinian tensions are more heated than ever because of Palestine’s request for statehood and Israel is receiving no support from its neighbors. Turkey kicked out the Israeli ambassador and Egypt stormed its embassy in Cairo. Turkey also made a threat last week to challenge Israel’s gas exploration on Cyprus, which may also lead to worsened tensions with Lebanon for drilling rights. The U.S. is backing Israel where as France is backing Palestine. Many believe that Israel is unjustly occupying Palestinian land. The Middle East seems to be separating into two sides. It reminds me of the tension in Europe before World War 1. We have to ask if a match is lit, is the Middle East going to explode?

HW

Please make sure you post asap if you haven't already, some of you have not.

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich !!!

I have no idea who Warren Buffet is, either than observing vague references to his wealth over the years, but I must admire his sense of character and sacrifice. Seldom does one see anyone, especially one of the super-rich, ask for more taxes on thier income. Mr. Buffet makes, and owns, alot of money, and in return expects to be taxed more money than those who make, and own, less money than he. Makes perfect sense to me. The incredible part is, many of his wealthy peers agree with him! Maybe common sense still exists after all, but clearly not in Washington D.C. Perhaps all the rich members of Congress are giving tax breaks to the rich in order to "preserve thier own kind", so to speak. Assuming most members of Congress are wealthy, that is. It is also sad to see that in the 80's and 90's, taxes were much higher for the rich. Someone needs to go to Washington and give these congressman some brains.

P.S. Mr. Walliman- my comment is late because I have been in New Hampshire on vacation with no internet access since I left school.

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

I completely agree with what Warren E. Buffett says in this article when he says that the tax rate for the mega-rich is usually 15 percent and that the middle class has a different tax rate from 15- 25 percent. It is strange that they tax a bigger percentage to the ones that make less money and they tax a smaller percentage to the ones that make a hundred times more. It just does not make sense. If they would start giving less taxes to the average Americans and give more to the mega-rich, I believe that the economy would gradually get better because if the average Americans had a bit more money, they would go out and spend a bit more then what they do now. Also, there will be more funds for job creations and we all know what new jobs mean. I am Joe O'Neil and I approve this message.

Stop Fondling The Super Rich

After reading Warren Buffett's short article "Stop Coddling the Super Rich" I have determined that I agree with him only to a certain extent. Buffett claims that since him and his billionaire friends make hundreds of times more than the average American, then they should be taxed a larger percent of their income. This way we could cut back on the taxes of the impoverished, or even use the extra money to help them. This idea is great at face value simply because at the end of the day, you could cut most of these people's income in half, and they'd still have enough to live more then comfortably. Buffett claims that America has a "billionaire-friendly Congress" but I'd argue that this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many Billionaires are the largest philanthropists in our country, donating huge sums of money. It's important that we not anger these touchy rich people. If they feel betrayed and we as a country lose their trust, they may lose their want to donate. All in all I'd say Buffett has a pretty solid plan and it seems pretty fair, but I think that it shouldn't come at the expense of angering these people too much.

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

I agree with Warren E. Buffett when he says to stop coddling the super-rich. Especially in these troubling times with the nations debt at around $14 trillion the idea of shared sacrifice needs to be taken seriously and used properly. This is a very brave move by Buffett publishing this article will certainly cause some unrest in the upper class. It also says a lot about his character when he is saying that he needs to be taxed more because not many people would complain about being taxed less. He states his case very well not attacking anyone but simply stating the facts in a well-organized manor that gets his point across. I especially like how in the end he gives a possible solution rather then just complain about the issue. That was my favorite part because that is what this nation needs, solutions not more people bringing up an issue over and over. I also liked how he used specific examples and statistics rather then vague references.

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

I agree with Warren E. Buffet on his article to some extent discussing taxes involving the rich and the poor. When Buffet explains how, “Back in the 1980s and 1990s, tax rates for the rich were far higher” it made me think of how times back then may not have been perfect, economy wise, but were much better than they are now. So in that case, I completely agree with Buffet on how the rich, like himself, should be taxed more than the middle or lower class because there’s a chance of it improving our economy. Also, the first thing that really caught my attention while reading this article was how it is even possible for someone who makes billions of dollars to have a lower tax percentage than anyone in the middle or lower classes. This just seems unfair and not right. But on the other hand, I don’t think that the difference in tax percentage between the middle/lower classes and the upper class should be huge. Buffet describes it as a, “Shared sacrifice” which I think is the wrong term for this situation. The increase should not be considered a sacrifice; it should be considered something that’s fair and right.

Stop Coddling the Super Rich

When I started to read into this article, the obvious question came into my head about how it's even possible that rich people pay less taxes then say someone in the lower class, or even middle class. The system seems very unreasonable, and it's easy to get frustrated about, but then I thought about how the rich, the millionaires, and the billionaires don't just become wealthy over night. Whether you work as a fry cook at McDonald's, or you're the CEO of a huge company, everyone works hard to earn money; some just harder than others. I'm not saying that billionaires and millionaires should still pay less in taxes, and I completely agree with Buffett in that they should be paying more. If the average family didn't have to pay so much in taxes because the rich had to pay more, I'm sure it would take a large amount of financial stress off of lower and middle class families. As Buffett said, "While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks." There's nothing fair to this, and hopefully the twelve members of congress meeting to rearrange the finances of the country can straighten it out. I'm sure that most families wouldn't argue against it, and I can bet the fast food fry cooks wouldn't either.

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

I agree with Warren E. Buffet to a certain extent. I do agree that it is fairer to tax the wealthy more heavily based upon their income because they have the money that the poor and middle class don’t have, like Buffet said, “…for those making more than $1 million — there were 236,883 such households in 2009 — I would raise rates immediately on taxable income in excess of $1 million, including, of course, dividends and capital gains. And for those who make $10 million or more — there were 8,274 in 2009 — I would suggest an additional increase in rate.” However, a huge problem in our country is that our unemployment rate has skyrocketed. The “super-rich” are the foundation of our country, they create jobs. If they didn’t have the tax breaks they have or if they couldn’t register their income as “carried interest” they wouldn’t have the discretionary income to hire people to landscape or clean or cook. By doing so they are creating jobs for people, therefore they are circulating the money and alleviating the deficit.

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

Alright..here’s the thing..the rich are going to be rich no matter how much they pay in taxes. Warren Buffett is absolutely right when he says that it is actually time for the government to start taking “shared sacrifice” seriously. It only makes sense that if you have money you can afford to give some away. It may be hard to believe but nearly half of Americans consider themselves to be middle class. And the worst part is, they are actually struggling to remain in that social category. When a whopping 50% of the country only has enough money to pay bills and buy their weakly groceries, they cannot and should not be expected to pay what they are paying. Mr. Buffett tells us that while he is paying only 17.4% of what he makes to the government, the normal, middle class, American citizen is paying double that percentage. Sure the numbers are going to be very different seeing as taxes are based off of what you make, but that doesn’t mean they are fair. To me, it doesn’t make sense that while the rich actually have the money to keep the economy going, the government isn’t asking for it. In all honesty, the rich should be taxed just as much, if not more than the middle class. Warren as well believes that a graduated income tax is necessary for this country. Depending on how much you make; the more it is, the more you pay. The less you make, the less you should be expected to contribute. It seems to be a huge problem that has one simple solution. The government should want to be taking more money from those who can afford it; especially if they are now expected to reduce the 10-year deficit by 1.5 trillion. And as Mr. Buffett states: the mega-rich appreciate everything they have been given by this country, they definitely won’t mind giving a little back.

Warren E. Buffett Stop Coddling The Super-Rich

I agree with Warren E. Buffet's idea of a "shared sacrifice" for the taxes of both the super rich and the poor and middle class. The super rich have extra money, work less. The lesser off classes have to pay more in taxes, earn less, and work more. Yes, the super rich may have worked hard to get the amount of money they have now, but if they are billionaires now, then most likely they have other people doing manual labor. The lower classes however get less, work more, then have some of that money taken out in taxes. The billionaires, like Warren for example, pay 17.4% while the lower classes pay up to 41% with the lowest being 33%. To me I think they should be taxed for the same amount, if not 2% more. This is why I totally agree with Warren Buffett and his “shared sacrifice” proposal.

Why I took Gobal Issues.

I took global issues because I've never really been on top of our current events that are going on in the world and I figured I might aswell start now.

Stop Coddling the Super Rich

It must have taken Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, a lot of courage to speak out on the issue of the lack of taxes that the super rich in the US pay. I agree with him because even though the "super rich" provide money for the country through investements in major companies, they should pay a hefftier amount in tax dollars. I also agree that Congress should reduce the taxes on the poor and middle class because they are having a hard time as it is trying to make ends meet at home. A high amount of taxes is the last thing that they need. I believe that if the "super rich" did pay more in taxes, that the United States would begin to remove the debt that they have collected. The fact that Mr. Buffett is willing to do this to help the country is incredibly generous. He also seems like he doesnt want to see his country become even more in debt in the future. It also seems that he wants some of the "super rich" to experience a little bit of what the majority of the country experiences, paying a high tax amount.

Why I Took Global Issues

I took Global Issues because the only other option was AP Comparative Government.