I want to respond to Angelo’s Feb. 15 editorial regarding our senators’ and representative’s stand on funding more aid to Israel. For many years, I have heard said that the U.S. and Israel were the most warlike countries in the world. I see a great deal of evidence to back up that claim, at least in regard to the major nations.

For a long time I have heard reports from people visiting both countries that they were absolutely appalled at the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis. These were largely Jewish visitors. One Jewish-American woman, who was very tired of the discrimination she received here, was under the impression that Israel was the safe haven for Jews. Upon going there and witnessing the genocide by Israel, she wanted nothing to do with that state and stayed put here.

Netanyahu is one of the cruelest fascists on the planet, backed up by Israeli government officials of like kind. It is outrageous that the U.S. has sent such huge amounts of monetary aid and armaments there to enable their genocide over the years. This is an extension of the widespread genocide of indigenous people, which has been noted to be the worst applied to any group. 

What we hear and see on the corporately funded mainstream media is often very flawed. I heard an hour of testimony, on strictly listener-supported Alternative Radio, by a Jewish man, who distrusted Israel’s propaganda and set out to find the truth about Hamas “atrocities.” One by one, he spoke with the purveyors of the claims to get the stories directly from the eyewitnesses. The responses he got were ridiculous excuses, lies and other evasive tactics.  Despite a great amount of effort expended, he came up with no witnesses.  

Why do these claims get repeated on the mainstream without question? I think the answer lies in the fact that war is immensely profitable for the wealthiest corporations and individuals. Let’s look at some other U.S. manipulation. Iran, years ago, had a duly elected peace-oriented government. The CIA ousted it and railroaded in the current regime. The same, later applied to Nicaragua, Guatemala and other Latin-American countries, from which people are fleeing the unbearable conditions the U.S. has created. Why should we not give them refuge, green cards and employment to rescue us from the effects of our aging population and the affordable labor we so badly need. Vermont is especially affected, with many of our young fleeing south to earn much better money.

The ever-wise Ralph Nader, who grew up in an indigenous family, learning their time-honored wisdom, stated on the last Alternative Radio, that we are led to believe that the current slaughter is due to Hamas’s actions. He said that this war started in 1948 by Israel. He also said that we hear, endlessly about Israel’s right to defend themselves, with almost no mention of any such right for Palestine.

It is time to get our heads out of the sand and acknowledge the great environmental destruction that the huge amount of “defense” money, so willingly forked out, exacerbates. Our social well-being and infrastructure also suffer. Yes, war is highly profitable. If enough people speak out and resist the status quo, the warmongering of the U.S and NATO allies could be brought to an end.

It is high time to make friends, rather than enemies.

Joe Gleason

Bridport