Paul J. Balles argues that, rather than allow Israel’s self-inflicted paranoia lead it further along the path of destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States should take a long hard look at its own policies and “leave Israel to its sickness”.
"Paranoia is a social disease – you get it from screwing other people." – Paul Brodeur
Today, America is involved in an illegal "war" and a pre-emptive pregnancy. Everyone now knows that the invasion and occupation of Iraq were, and still are, based on a fraudulent attempt to capitalize on 9/11.
Everyone (who pays attention to politics) knows that the weapons of mass destruction excuse for invading Iraq was a fraud, making the entire murderous exercise even more illegal than a defensive war would be.
The only thing America and the UK were defending by invading Iraq was the vague possibility that sometime in the distant future Iraq, under Saddam Hussain or another leader like him, could pose a WMD threat to Israel.
Let's face it, Israel is paranoid. According to Canadian Mordecai Richler, Jewish paranoia has become a natural phenomenon. As he expressed it, "Coming from Canada, being a writer and Jewish as well, I have impeccable paranoia credentials."
Many will argue that Israelis have a perfect right to be paranoid, based on their experiences with persecution and genocide. However, that does not give Israel the right to exercise its paranoid reactions against Gaza or transmit its national disease to America.
America is also engaged in a war in Afghanistan which was justified enough by 9/11 to conjure up the support of the UN and military troops from other Western countries.
Based on fear stemming from 9/11, America was supposed to go after Bin-Laden. With all of the combined military might and infusions of money into Afghanistan and Pakistan, the US-led forces still haven't been able to rout a sick old bearded financier out of his caves or hideouts.
Now, out of the same fear, President Obama is going to increase the troops and military costs for a still undefined end result. The only predictable outcome will be a massive increased recruiting opportunity for jihadism throughout the Muslim world.
This only increases the likelihood of another 9/11, fuelling American paranoia. If the US would honestly admit that 9/11 might have been provoked by the actions of the American government, it would have to admit that there is no plausible excuse for remaining in either Afghanistan or Iraq at any troop level.
Similarly, Israel has never even considered the possibility that its treatment of the Palestinians has been responsible for the Palestinian resistance. Israel continues to blame "the Arabs" or "terrorists" while feeding its need to blame others for its plight.
Now, out of the same paranoid delusions towards Iran as it had toward Iraq, Israel makes continued efforts to goad and provoke America into engaging in a war with Iran. America resists (or pretends to), giving itself the excuse of trying to approach negotiations with Iran, but finding Iran uncooperative.
Israel's appetite for destruction of almost anything that doesn't support and subscribe to the paranoid Zionist mantra is overwhelming. Terrence Des Pres said, “The greater the concentration of power, the greater the paranoia it generates about its need to destroy everything outside itself."
Persecutory paranoia is defined as “the most prevalent type of paranoia; the patient makes himself believe that all those around him are his enemies, bent on harming him or even taking his life. In this delusion people of an aggressive temperament often turn dangerous killers.
A perfect fit for Israel. While America has been acting in a feeding frenzy for Israel's paranoia, it can choose not to. According to mental health experts, “paranoia is incurable. The best course is to discharge the patient for the sake of the supporter’s health.” In short: leave Israel to its sickness.
Paul J. Balles is a retired American university professor and freelance writer who has lived in the Middle East for many years. For more information, see http://www.pballes.com.
