The modern world tends to use the word 'Imperialism' as an accusation. America for years has project the idea world as being a democratic one, or if not that republican perhaps. But what happens when the leader of a republic who speaks of democracy and consultation, starts behaving like he leads an imperial power? Such was Ancient Rome of Julius Ceasar. Such we have seen, recently.
The founders of the USA were rather influenced by the glories that once were Greece and Rome. One only has see Washington DC to know this. In the era when the US Constitution was written they viewed the glory that was Rome through the misty romantic haze of the distance in time, and through the glasses of a sincere Protestantism that had, with rational triumph, thrown off the shackles of the Holy Roman Empire. When they came to decide the emblem for the USA they rejected Benjamin Franklin's wise advice to take as their symbol a game but humble domestic bird and chose the Bald Eagle, because the eagle was like the
Golden Eagle, an emblem of Ancient Rome.
But the Bald Eagle is a shy and wild maritime bird, best in the freedom of open space and could not be trained as a fearsome hunter in the way the Imperial Eagle could. Until now. The Bald Eagle of the seal of the President of the United States has morphed into an Imperial one.
The world can, in recent events, again see how Rome established its hegemony and Imperial character. We can once again observe the type of ruthless action that was accompanied by the ever present standard of the Imperial Eagle and see how the 'glory' of Imperial Rome emerged from its Republican phase.
The emerging US Eagle, even in Iraq, sought both international and local support, and though accused of being imperial, one had the sense it could be about high flying ideas of freedom. But the US President's recent action in Afghanistan and Pakistan seems more about imposing US will to the ends of the Middle East, despite other nations such as France expressing hesitancy. Coverage of the forming of the Afghan government implies the people must be of the type the US approves of, and that the peace must be the type that the US desires.
That the US type of peace in that area may be intractable, the Imperial US policy has no conception of. There is the sense that the US can make no mistakes, that it is 'far seeing' and that its 'wings' cover all the Middle East, seeking to appease all from Egypt to Indonesia, and Iran to Syria.
This is now very evident in the recent US dealings with Israel. In recent days there has been strong and rapid official condemnation of Israel for the peaceful effort of building housing in an area agreed as Jewish, whereas there has been no condemnation at all for the un-peaceful Palestinian Authority's elevation of violence in naming a plaza after a suicide bomber. The conclusion one could make was that the current US administration is applying coercive pressure to Israel, and are far from bi-partisan. The recent words from US officials have crossed the line from diplomatic to dictate, and from republican to imperial.
Isi Leibler analyses the actions that show how the US administration has crossed the line.
www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx.
with actions that may be seen as "attacks on Israel’s sovereignty by the Obama administration". Recent events fit an emerging pattern of increased coercion.
The words are such and the pattern is such that there can be no doubt at all that from a US perspective, of the High Eagle, Israel ought not to be free to do what it wishes even in its agreed territory. Its seems though Israel's administration is democratically elected, in US eyes, its leaders ought to be no more free than those of Afghanistan. In recent rebukes to the Israeli government, it appears the US thinks that the protection of its Imperial wings, the promise of weapons to Israel, is enough to give it power to determine what both Israel and Palestinians should do: to the glory of the Imperial Eagle of USA.
One should beware of the shadow of the gold Imperial Eagles wings. Those who became subject to Imperial Rome know the weight of the 'glory' of Rome's Eagles wings crushed all others.
Perhaps it is the time of year Israel might ponder of some other protecting wings,
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on vulture's (nesher) wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine; (Exodus 19:4-5)
The nesher will only clean up the carrion that offends. An eagle will eat live prey.
For the portion of the LORD is His people, Jacob the lot of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste, a howling wilderness; He compassed him about, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As a nesher (vulture) that stirs up her nest, hovers over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her pinions - The LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange
mighty one (god) with Him. (Deuteronomy 32:9-12)
Such a bird has a greater wing span, flies higher and sees further than an Imperial Eagle. When Israel at its beginning was delivered from bondage, there was no foreign mighty one. The hand of the oppressing mighty Imperial power was weakened for generations. Only one Mighty One will lift up the weak. The mighty of the earth, will crush others. Beware of the Eagles with 2 faces, and, beware that the republican white (bald) Eagle has begun to act as if it is gold and Imperial.
