Victor Davis Hanson: Just Imagine... Trying to believe in the make-believe world of the present age.

NRO ^ | 02/13/2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Tolik]

I guess the Left's self-righteousness is like it's own religion. One does not really needs a proof if he is a true believer. They closed for argument, period.

Others are not convinced with our logic, and see no holes in theirs. Entering the argument I leave a possibility that I might be wrong (hard to believe it, but it might be). A paradox is that the Left's dogma is to question themselves and give benefit of the doubt to the Other in all cases BUT the conservative/traditional/religious.

On another hand I have more difficulty with paleo-conservatives who I agree with in many points but foreign policy and some others. For many of them the logic stops at the gates of Israel.

On the good side this all contributes to a very lovely debate.

[Akira]

Back then, Egypt was the big Arab kid on the block. Most Arabs saw (and continue to see) the 1973 war as a huge Arab victory, despite the fact that only a UN cease fire, coupled with Soviet and American pressure, kept the Egyptian army from being completely destroyed. But once the peace deal with Egypt was signed, Israel felt much safer that the wars were over as the felt Jordan and Syria would never go to war without Egypt's help. It was really the 4th war involving Egypt in 25 years (not counting the "war of attrition" during the late 60s and early 70s). Most of the Israeli public wanted the peace deal at the time. There were huge demonstrations and lots of pressure on Begin.

Anyway, Israel did not have to make any concessions to the Palestinians and they were allowed to focus elsewhere (i.e. Lebanon).

But I agree with you. A cold peace, coupled with continuous terrorism, is worse for Israel in the long run. Especially given the bias in the UN and elsewhere.

Of course, Sadat's efforts earned him an assassination.

[lainde]

Bump and THANKS!!!

[Tolik]

I thought again about yours and mine puzzlement. It feels like the Left and the Right speak different languages, operate in different logic. Somebody said it well: "the Left is from Venus, the right is from Mars". It feels indeed like we are from different planets. They wonder how anybody smart can have so stupid views like the conservatives have. "A smart person can't really believe in what the Right says, so it must be just a hypocrisy". Our reaction is practically a mirror of theirs: "how a smart person can't see that our logic is correct?" Complete mutual incomprehension.

And returning to my other point about differences between conservatives themselves. We presumably speak the same "language". Why then is so polar views, for example, about WOT and Israel? Why they side with the Left and practically repeat the Left's argument against both when otherwise they leave no stone unturned (rightfully so I think) in the Left's logic (or lack of it)?