Nationally syndicated radio columnist Andy Martin on Wednesday announced that Israeli troops were setting up stations at American facilities in Qatar and throughout the Middle East. "If true," says Martin, "This is the last nail in the coffin of Bush's Middle East policy."

"We have received reports that Israeli forces are now billeted at a Qatari air base, and are setting up coordinated facilities with the United States. In effect, Bush has now linked Israel and the United States in his misguided 'war against Iraq,' which is really an Israeli-dictated war for Israeli hegemony of the Middle East.

"I do not support attacking Iraq, although I support vigorous efforts to contain, quarantine and restrain Saddam Hussein. American policy must act in America's interests, not Israel's. Linking Israelis to U.S. military facilities endangers Americans and makes us sitting ducks for inclusion in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

"When Israelis are committing war crimes against occupied Palestine, to join our forces with theirs makes us complicit in the war crimes and undermines our legitimacy. I call on President Bush to evict the Israelis from American/Qatari facilities and to quarantine the Israeli war mongers just as I support quarantining Saddam," says Martin. "What is happening now is not in the interests of Qatar and not in the interests of President Bush."

Source: Reuters