Posted on 04/24/2007 8:19:36 AM PDT by presidio9
Scholars and writers gathered at Queens College the past two days to discuss threats to Israel and the West under the conference title: "Is it 1938 Again?"
The participants, representing the pro- Israel center left and center right positions, expressed vigorous differences. The editor-at-large of Commentary, Norman Podhoretz, spoke of a World War IV against Islamofascism and favored American military action against Iran's nuclear capability.
A professor at Hebrew University, Moshe Halbertal, told The New York Sun that Mr. Podhoretz's target was too broad, saying there should be a more "calibrated definition" of specific targets to avoid increasing jihadism. In confronting radical militant Islam, he said, "You don't have to transform the political culture of the Arab world."
Disagreement also arose when a professor from the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, Michael Walzer, mentioned the term "ethnic cleansing" in connection with the Arab refugees of 1948. A professor at Harvard Law School, Alan Dershowitz, took strong exception to this, but said he basically agreed with him on everything else.
A professor at Dartmouth, Susannah Heschel, said Mr. Podhoretz's calls for attacking Iran "give us false security," while she said Mr. Walzer's call for a secular Jewish state was neither desirable nor realistic.
An author and Orthodox feminist, Blu Greenberg, expressed regret regarding critics of Israel who speak "half-truths" contributing to Israel's vulnerability. She said if one criticizes "the wall" for frightening and restricting Palestinians, one should also note that it had reduced terror attacks by 65%. She said
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
There are many differences; there are many similarities. Ultimately, it boils down to a real threat that will eventually unfold in a similar fashion and for similar reasons, with the addition of nukes in the hands of the bad guys.
ping
Pelosi and Reid are playing the role of Neville Chamberlain.
“There are many differences; there are many similarities.”
The major ‘similiarity’ being that once again, ‘good men’ are saying ‘do nothing’.
Pretty much the General Pelosi and Harry Reid position as we’ve seen. To the point General Pelosi wants to play ‘Neville Chamberlain’ again, as if it will turn out differently.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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Someone somewhere said that people often fight the last war when there’s a new conflict. That’s my problem with the comparision between the current clash between Islam and the world and Neville Chamberlain bragging about peace in his time. By definition, we aren’t repeating 1938 simply because that time and those events have already happened, and we are reacting to those events even as we try to figure out a solution to the current crisis. We need to see this with new eyes. Now if I only had enough brains to figure out the person who is the Billy Mitchell of the current era I’d be better informed. LOL
Seriously, our current war against the Islamofascists, as well as the cultural suicide of the Western left and Western elites, appears unique to our time and place. Sure, we can gather analogies from the past - Marathon, Tours, the Crusades, World War II - but it seems like we’ll need all of our wits and strategy to get out of this with our culture and lives intact.
Like I’ve written a dozen times now, I fear for my son’s future. It appears as if the Islamofascists are willing to wait 100 or 200 or 300 years to accomplish their goal of wiping out me, my way of life, and my culture, while Harry Reid doesn’t have the patience to wait 12 months. I can’t say with certainty whether we’ll win or whether my great-grandchild will be hearing the call to morning prayer from the minaret in town.
I don't give them that much credit. Chamberlain was naive; Pelosi and Reid are leftist traitors.
Yeah, I agree. Chamberlain’s actions were not out of sheer malice.
In confronting radical militant Islam, he said, “You don’t have to transform the political culture of the Arab world.”
In confronting radical militant Nazism, he said, “You don’t have to transform the political culture of the German world.”
I beg to differ.
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