Learning From Bin Laden?

Here are a couple of letters to ponder after the killing of bin Laden.  I will comment at the end. 

Barry Wright May 3, 2011 at 6:52 pm


MIchael Scheuer, former chief of the ‘bin Laden Section’ at
the CIA, wrote that bin Laden demanded two things.


1) An end to US support for Israel and 2) A withdrawal of
all US military troops from the Mideast.


bin Laden felt that Israel had become overbearing and
dangerously aggressive, and that the US had obvious imperialistic plans in the Mideast.


Frankly, I wonder how many Arabs feel the same way he
did. The 9/11 attack was meant as a retaliation for many attacks by us or with our support on innocent
people in the Mideast. Why is this not discussed by our
media?


Killing bin Laden is another symbolic gesture reminiscent
of the capture of Saddam. The underlying hatred of the US is untouched and left to fester. When will we come to
terms with our grievous actions and repent?




( to be found at the end of this article, which isn't bad, but doesn't touch any sensitive areas like Israel
   http://www.tikkun.org/nextgen/tikkuns-spiritual-response-to-the-assassination-of-osama-bin-laden)

My suggestion for a Forum segment or two would be the imprisonment of Gaza.
 It seems a shame that Gaza has been under a kind of siege by
 Israel, which has refused access in or out of this tiny province by land or sea.

 In terms of journalism, why were Gaza Flotilla survivors not interviewed, and could they still
 be?

 The new government of Egypt is finally allowing humanitarian supplies
 into Gaza, but this story seems to be barely mentioned in our news.
 Here's a website with some information on that if you like.  http://theonlydemocracy.org/

 We have outstanding people in the Bay Area who know this 'Occupation' situation very well
 indeed.  Elderly infirm and ill Palestinians who die waiting to cross at Israeli controlled checkpoints for example,
 these are humanitarian concerns, all based on an effort to, I can't think of a better word, 'cleanse' Palestinians
 from their ancient homeland to make room for Israel's growth.

 If this is a forbidden topic on KQED, which I suspect it is, then the question of Zionism's influence must
 be raised.  Well, look to your hearts for the answers dear KQED staff, and thanks for the great programming
 and more like this to come?  Thanks Michael.

 Barry,

 Gilroy

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Most of the questions are obviously rhetorical.  We are never going to act sensibly in the Middle-East and never have.  Why start now?

In Bahrain, 23 Doctors and 24 nurses are being tried for insurrection because they "helped sick and wounded people".  Now that is the kind of country we can support.  Israel has confiscated millions of dollars due to the Palestinians because they have made peace with each other.  Now those are the sorts we can live with.

The best we CAN HOPE FOR IS A REVIVAL OF THE ELVIS PHENOMENON:  BIN LADEN IS ALIVE!! 
(I saw him in downtown Kansas City eating a falelfel.)