Countering Writer’s 9/11 Narrative | News, Sports, Jobs

Editor, news register:

The Wheeling News Register published an insidious letter to the editorial staff on 9/5/21 entitled “Teaching America September 11th”. It had less to do with teaching than slandering our country, its leadership, and Israel. Everywhere there are tropes like “Jewish lobbyists plotting to invade Iraq” that White House adviser Richard Clark “questioned why the American people should pay the bill in blood and treasure for Israeli security” and “Um Keeping Israel safe, the US government made sure that the Saudi rulers were chosen from among the families to do what we wanted. “

Does anyone believe the United States is involved in selecting Saudi rulers who will listen? Saudi Arabia is a monarchy and has been ruled by the Saud family without interruption since 1932. The king chooses his successor and appoints him crown prince.

The reality is that the United States and Israel are close allies because the two are democracies with common values. Both countries support a free market and value human life. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. Its citizens, including Muslims, Druze, Christians, women and the LGBTQ community, enjoy more freedoms and civil rights than anywhere else in the region. In addition, Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christianity is growing.

No American soldier has ever defended Israel, let alone died for it. Israel has benefited from American military equipment for which it is very grateful. From the end of the Vietnam War to the Persian Gulf War, Israel was the primary active test site for US aircraft and military equipment. When the United States formed a coalition force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait, the US urged Israel to stay out of the conflict. It did so despite the fact that Saddam Husein fired Scud rockets at cities like Tel Aviv. Would any other American ally have followed suit?

Israel is the United States’ 24th largest trading partner. In 2019, total bilateral trade between the two amounted to $ 47 billion. That included exports of goods and services to Israel for $ 20.4 billion and imports of goods and services for $ 27 billion. Israeli companies have opened offices in the US Massachusetts is home to nearly 100 companies that have Israeli founders or Israeli licensed technology. In 2009, these companies employed more than 6,000 people and generated more than $ 2.4 billion in direct revenue for the state. Georgia is home to more than 50 Israeli companies and Virginia has more than a dozen. Other “hubs” are California and New York City. In 2019, the U.S. Department of State estimated direct Israeli investments in the United States at more than $ 36.6 billion and supported more than 36,000 jobs.

Recently, Israel has served as a laboratory for research into Covid-19. Due to the size and population of the country, coupled with the Israeli health system and hospital network, it has provided a wealth of information and statistics. This is being used in the US and around the world to help stop the pandemic.

The United States purchased two units of the Israeli Iron Dome system that were shipped earlier this year to defend American soil. The system destroys incoming missiles in the air. Last May, Hamas indiscriminately fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli civilian population centers. The Iron Dome destroyed almost all of them and the US is now considering purchasing additional units.

Iran is the most worrying issue in the region and the world. It has been trying to develop nuclear weapons since the beginning of this century. The US and other countries tried to reach an agreement with Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. The agreement that came about in 2015 merely delayed the process. Iran was found to be violating several parts of the agreement. Iran has not allowed inspectors in several “military” facilities. Germany has noted that Iran is trying to purchase prohibited technologies under the deal. And Iran has said for years it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons, but a treasure trove of records captured by Israel and secretly brought from Iran proves otherwise. Now Iran is bragging about its ability to enrich uranium.

Why is Iran a global problem? For years it has been death to Israel and death to the United States. It also develops ICBMs. It can be argued that Russia and the United States have enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other multiple times. But the difference is that every country respects that and it scares off. Iran would not hesitate to give nuclear weapons to its proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and others. That, coupled with people willing to die for the cause, could create a myriad of problems. Unfortunately, the author of this letter seems to hate Israel, Jews, and perhaps the United States. By encouraging this false narrative to be taught about 9/11, it will only encourage more hatred.

Stuart V. Pavilack

Managing Director

Zionist Organization of America: Pittsburgh

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