Update on Transparent Olmert Visit

Dear President Bush,

In a surprisingly jubilant mood boosted by the anticipation of Speaker Hastert’s distribution of AIPAC checks, the House of Representatives passed a bill slashing aid to the Palestinian people. What better way to celebrate the campaign ka-ching than screwing the have not’s, especially when they are recalcitrant Arabs.

The measure, approved 361-37, would cut off aid to non-governmental groups working in the West Bank and Gaza except for health programs and would deny visas to members of the Palestinian Authority. It also would ban contacts with Hamas because of its classification as a terrorist organization and limit the president's authority to waive the aid bans.

But Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said Palestinians "have made their choice" in voting Hamas into power. "American aid to the Palestinian people must be predicated on their rejection of terrorism. We gave them democracy and they shit on it. Fuck ‘em."

Pro-Israel groups, have also split on the issue, with the largest lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), pushing for its passage. "Today, Congress made it clear that Hamas' decision to continue its support for terrorism has direct and immediate consequences," AIPAC said after the vote.

In another surprising revelation you supported Mr. Olmert’s West Bank land grab. The news reported you “praised” the Israeli Prime Minister’s peace plan. It includes unilateral border setting should the Palestinians not negotiate. Should that plan go through it will be a two state solution in the same way the U.S. unilaterally carved out lands for Indian reservations. The power differential is already great and you just enhanced the hand of the heavy hitter.

What drew you to change your mind on a negotiated settlement and to drop key aspects of the road map for peace? Was the idea of fence just too compelling? That just seems to be the answer for free and democratic countries nowadays. What would Ronald Reagan think about building up that wall? Write me back, I want to know.

P.S. Dennis Hastert did not publicly hand out AIPAC checks on the House floor and Tom Delay did not say the Palestinians shit on democracy, nor did he verbally use the same word said by V.P. Cheney to Sen. Leahy on the Senate floor in reference to the Palestinians. Those are fictional items building on my previous sarcastic post on Mr. Olmert’s itinerary.