I'll take a crack at it. But please save the flames. I am not saying I agree with the following strategery. I am only taking the time to explain it.
Savage had the right idea but the wrong analysis. Savage attacked the withdrawal based on the "borders" part of his definition of a nation as "borders, language, culture."
His analysis based on the map is, of course, correct. Gaza does, geographically, violate the convexity of a continguous Israel. But the logic of the withdrawal is found in the "language" and "culture" domains.
There are 1.4 million crazy muslim arabs in Gaza. There are (were) 8000 jews in Gaza. Israel itself has a total population of about 4 million. The logic for the Gaza withdrawal is to defuse the demographic time bomb that the Palis have been working on for the last 3 decades. Bush's drive for democratization of the Middle East makes defusing this time bomb even more critical.
What Sharon et. al. hope to accomplish is the establishment of undisputed control of a set of territories that have an overwhelmingly Jewish character (language and culture if you will). This is what disengagement is all about. Once Israel and the Palestinians are separated, security becomes a straightforward military matter between states.
Interesting analysis. Good post.
Suggestion to the Jews of Gaza: Take the money and get the heck out of that heck-hole.
What Sharon et. al. hope to accomplish is the establishment of undisputed control of a set of territories that have an overwhelmingly Jewish character (language and culture if you will). This is what disengagement is all about. Once Israel and the Palestinians are separated, security becomes a straightforward military matter between states.
Well said.