We live in interesting – and astonishingly hypocritical – times.
The US forces Israel to release 104 Islamist terrorists tried and convicted of terrorism against civilians in Israel, because their release will allow the current US government to curry favour in the Muslim world. Their release will strengthen the USA’s hand in whatever political, diplomatic, financial, industrial, commercial and other lucrative deals it has in the pipeline. It is therefore labelled a GOOD THING.
Simultaneously, the US is conducting drone strikes on suspected Islamist terrorists, most recently today in Yemen, where three suspected terrorists were killed. Note: these are not tried and convicted terrorists, as in the case of the 104 held in Israeli prisons who were duly given full legal representation at the expense of the Israeli taxpayer. No, these suspected terrorists (and countless others) were summarily executed by remote control via military drones. Without trial, without being convicted. They are people who are SUSPECTED of considering an act that may displease the US government in territories far beyond the US homeland. According to the US government their execution without trial is also a GOOD THING.
So, coercing other countries into releasing convicted terrorists serves a vital national interest if it is done at the behest of the US, depending of course on what the current US agenda may be on any particular day. And at the same time, summarily executing non-convicted terrorism suspects is also a vital US national interest, even when conducted on a continent thousands of miles away from the US homeland.
It all depends on whose personal political agenda is being served.
Blatant hypocrisy of the very worst sort. And no, this is not to be taken as criticism of domestic US politics or the Americans’ choice of President and Commander in Chief – it is simply a comment on the nauseating two-facedness of politics at the very highest level. The US administration, and the US electorate, deserve leadership with at least a semblance of principle, moral and even-handedness.