To Follow My Thought...
In the interest of following my thought wherever it might lead I will now wonder if Israelis are cowards.
I underwent an immense change of thought after 9/11, from a vague conception that Islam was a "great world religion" to an understanding that Muslims are not very nice. While my intent in study had been to understand what had happened to America, it incidentally but powerfully made clear to me what Israel was facing: In short, a religion of hate. I saw the problem as the Quran, not as "fascism", not as a "hijacking of a peaceful religion". This perception is true, and it's way beyond anything I have yet heard stated by any public figure. It has brought to my heart an immense sympathy toward Israel, and an admiration... But are Israelis cowards?
This is not a small consideration. The evidence that they are, the certainty that they are, is just this last and still present war. The only question is this: is the cowardice in the leadership only, and in a supporting faction, or is it in the nation as a whole? If only of the leadership and a faction, they can be beaten at the polls. (And later, as far as I'm concerned, tried under some concept of treason and executed). If on the other hand the entire nation is cowardly the nation will soon cease to exist. It's a rough neighborhood there in the Middle East. That nation unwilling to sacrifice its young men will die as a nation! That's brutal, it's basic. In that part of the world life means death. Continued life necessitates death. It's the young men who will die. If you can't face it get out.
To emphasize my point I'll say this: To every mother that wails her son should not go to war, that there has to be a better way, to that mother I would say "Come to the public square and we will beat you with sticks." Every mother who so wails should be beaten with sticks. --Once she has lost a son however then the matter changes. Then she will grieve --that's a mother's job, to grieve; and the nation will grieve with her and redouble it's resolve.
It's a tough world in that part of the world, and just now, in this new kind of war, Hizbollah is the stronger horse. I'm just very pessimistic that Israel has enough moral force to do any more than just linger.
............
I haven't yet read anything on yesterday's progress in the war. I'm hoping that the military has been a military and has seized ground that it will hold. It's not much, but possession is nine-tenths of negotiation. If Israel is deeply into Lebanon it's a bargaining chip. If Israel can hold ground until after a new election possibly something good can yet happen.
This all sounds good:
Brave talk, and exactly the right talk. Despite my pessimism expressed above I have no doubt Israel can win if they decide to fight... But is the talk real, will Olmert screw it up, will the military ignore him if he tries?
Comedy:
I underwent an immense change of thought after 9/11, from a vague conception that Islam was a "great world religion" to an understanding that Muslims are not very nice. While my intent in study had been to understand what had happened to America, it incidentally but powerfully made clear to me what Israel was facing: In short, a religion of hate. I saw the problem as the Quran, not as "fascism", not as a "hijacking of a peaceful religion". This perception is true, and it's way beyond anything I have yet heard stated by any public figure. It has brought to my heart an immense sympathy toward Israel, and an admiration... But are Israelis cowards?
This is not a small consideration. The evidence that they are, the certainty that they are, is just this last and still present war. The only question is this: is the cowardice in the leadership only, and in a supporting faction, or is it in the nation as a whole? If only of the leadership and a faction, they can be beaten at the polls. (And later, as far as I'm concerned, tried under some concept of treason and executed). If on the other hand the entire nation is cowardly the nation will soon cease to exist. It's a rough neighborhood there in the Middle East. That nation unwilling to sacrifice its young men will die as a nation! That's brutal, it's basic. In that part of the world life means death. Continued life necessitates death. It's the young men who will die. If you can't face it get out.
To emphasize my point I'll say this: To every mother that wails her son should not go to war, that there has to be a better way, to that mother I would say "Come to the public square and we will beat you with sticks." Every mother who so wails should be beaten with sticks. --Once she has lost a son however then the matter changes. Then she will grieve --that's a mother's job, to grieve; and the nation will grieve with her and redouble it's resolve.
It's a tough world in that part of the world, and just now, in this new kind of war, Hizbollah is the stronger horse. I'm just very pessimistic that Israel has enough moral force to do any more than just linger.
............
I haven't yet read anything on yesterday's progress in the war. I'm hoping that the military has been a military and has seized ground that it will hold. It's not much, but possession is nine-tenths of negotiation. If Israel is deeply into Lebanon it's a bargaining chip. If Israel can hold ground until after a new election possibly something good can yet happen.
This all sounds good:
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 12 — Israel poured troops, tanks and commandos into southern Lebanon on Saturday, tripling its forces, pushing deep toward the Litani River....“This operation is aimed at preventing Hezbollah from firing rockets into northern Israel and is not limited in time,” said a government spokesman, Avi Pazner.... Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, the Israeli chief of staff, said he had tripled the number of his troops in Lebanon — that would make 30,000 or more — and expected to fight for several weeks despite the cease-fire call. “We are fighting Hezbollah and we will continue to fight it until a cease-fire is decided,” General Halutz told reporters at an army base in northern Israel....“We will continue to operate until we achieve our aims,” he said, adding, “The fact that a U.N. resolution was accepted yesterday doesn’t apply immediately on the cease-fire arrangement. Once the agreement is completed in all its details, then we will be able to decide.” ....An Israeli ground commander, Brig. Gen. Alon Friedman, told Israeli radio that “this is a phased plan and the first stage allowing us to control the ground could take a few days. Cleaning-up operations will follow, in a stage that could last a few days or a few weeks.”
Brave talk, and exactly the right talk. Despite my pessimism expressed above I have no doubt Israel can win if they decide to fight... But is the talk real, will Olmert screw it up, will the military ignore him if he tries?
Comedy:
Aug 12, 2:30 PM (ET)Also...
By ZEINA KARAM (myway)
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Israel will halt its war in Lebanon at 7 a.m. Monday (midnight EDT Sunday night), a senior Israeli government official said Saturday.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz rejected criticism against the government, asserting that both he and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had approved every operation that was brought before them....another nut.
posted by mouse at 1:37 PM
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