Drang nach Osten

From Wikipedia:
"Drang nach Osten (German for "yearning for the East",[1] "thrust toward the East",[2] "push eastward",[3] "drive toward the East"[4] or "desire to push East"[5]) was a term coined in the 19th century to designate German expansion into Slavic lands.[4] The term became a motto of the German nationalist movement in the late nineteenth century.[6] In some historical discourses, "Drang nach Osten" combines historical German settlement in Eastern Europe, medieval military expeditions like the ones of the Teutonic Knights, and Germanisation policies and warfare of Modern Age German states like the Nazi lebensraum concept..."

From Palin interview with Barbara Walters:
"PALIN: I believe that the Jewish settlements should be allowed to be expanded upon, because that population of Israel is, is going to grow. More and more Jewish people will be flocking to Israel in the days and weeks and months ahead. And I don’t think that the Obama administration has any right to tell Israel that the Jewish settlements cannot expand.
WALTERS: Even if it’s [in] Palestinian areas?
PALIN: I believe that the Jewish settlements should be allowed to be expand."

TW: I am not equating Drang nach Osten with Israeli policy. I am equating their policy with colonialism which in this day and age should raise serious red flags. In fairness to the Germans relative to Drang nach Osten, numerous Western powers created bullshit arguments for their own colonial ambitions.

The Palin quote though shows what happens when immature, ill-informed folks attempt to articulate policy without having the basis to do so. Consistently when faced with the most rudimentary policy questions, Palin issues incoherent or worse dangerous rhetoric. This particular stance on settlements is the proto neo-con position supported by many fundamentalist Christians as well. Usually more artfully stated (in a way I suppose) by relying upon biblical texts etc. rather than the bald-faced population expansion angle. Being a "real" person means many things to many people, but it should not mean placing a Palin type person on a stage in which she could do great harm to our national interests.