Pretty Talk Is Not An Answer To Ugly Reality

IBD Editorials ^ | January 12, 2009 | Thomas Sowell

[Kaslin]

No phrase represents more of a triumph of hope over experience than the phrase "Middle East peace process." A close second might be the once-fashionable notion that Israel should "trade land for peace."

Since everybody seems to be criticizing Israel for its military response to the rockets being fired into the country from the Gaza Strip, let me add my criticisms as well. The Israelis traded land for peace, but they have never gotten the peace, so they should take back the land.

Maybe a couple of generations of Palestinians in Gaza living in peace under Israeli occupation and a couple of generations of the occupation troops squelching the terrorists — "militants" for those of you who are squeamish — would set up conditions where the Palestinians would be free to vote on whether they would like to remain occupied or to have their own state — minus terrorists and their rockets.

Casualty totals alone should be enough to show that the Palestinian people are the biggest losers from the current situation, where the terrorists among them, firing rockets into Israel, can bring devastating retaliatory strikes.

Why don't the Palestinians vote for some representatives who would make a lasting peace with Israel? Because any such candidates would be killed by the terrorists long before election day, so nobody volunteers for that dangerous role.

We don't know what the Palestinians really want — and won't know as long as they are ruled by Hamas, Hezbollah and the like.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

The Israelis traded land for peace, but they have never gotten the peace, so they should take back the land.

I would go even further, and say that if they don't do this, they cannot win.

[Nateman]

If they really want peace they should be pushing for “unconditional surrender”. Worked for Germany, Japan and Italy.

[jazusamo]

Repinging to previously posted column under different title.

*PING*
Thomas Sowell

Recent columns
Pardon Scooter Libby
An Emergency Review

Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to, or removed from, the Thomas Sowell ping list…

[george76]

Never much liked the trade land for peace idea.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"We don't know what the Palestinians really want"

Gee, Dr Sowell, that one isn't very hard to figure out.

How many times do they have to mob, and chant, "Death to Israel, Death to America" before we realize what they really want?

[Tax-chick]

Too long for a tagline, unfortunately.

[dbz77]

Peace will come when all the sand Nazis are dead.

[oldbrowser]

Or is the real agenda to engage in moral preening from a safe distance and at somebody else's expense?

Perfect description .

[GBA]

"Since everybody seems to be criticizing Israel for its military response to the rockets being fired into the country from the Gaza Strip, let me add my criticisms as well. The Israelis traded land for peace, but they have never gotten the peace, so they should take back the land."

An excellent point for many reasons. The Israelis tried for peace by following other people's prescription and, no surprise, they got the opposite. Now they should do it their way, take back the land and secure victory over their enemies. That is what we would do if we experienced similar rocket attacks from our neighbors.

I caught part of Laura Ingraham's program yesterday when she was interviewing some guy who wanted to reinstate the draft. I don't agree, but he did have one point that made sense to me and that is the idea that b/c only such a small percentage of the population now have experience with the military, the majority who do not, in their ignorance, push for decidedly stupid ideas and policies the military should follow.

The Israelis have followed poor advice given by State dept. types who mostly lack the military experience that might have taught them some basic common sense. As such, it's an expensive lesson mostly paid for by the unfortunate people living in Gaza.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.