Let Israel fight its way to peace

BOSTON GLOBE ^ | 4/14/02 | Jeff Jacoby

[finnman69]

IF THE DEFINITION of madness is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result, Secretary of State Powell's mission to the Middle East is crazy. ''However long the Israeli incursions continue,'' he said on Thursday, ''the problem will still be there. We will still need to go to a negotiating process that will lead to peace.'' Even for Powell, with his long history of strategic misjudgments, this is insane.

[finnman69]

I thought this was a very concise articulate commentary on Israel and terrorism.

[neddah]

"I thought this was a very concise articulate commentary on Israel and terrorism"

Absolute agreement here.It just doesn't go far enough.Ridding so called Palestine of Arafat is only the beginning however,since it will take ridding the whole area of those practicing the "religion" of islam with its insane belief system.Martyrs indeed! What a despicable joke these islamists are.

[uncbob]

I thought this was a very concise articulate commentary on Israel and terrorism.

Yeah his and Mark Steyn's say it all

[Torie]

The way to end the war in the West Bank is not to make Israel retreat but to let it fight its way to a decisive victory

How is that achieved, and what does it entail?

[inquest]

Ridding so called Palestine of Arafat is only the beginning however,since it will take ridding the whole area of those practicing the "religion" of islam with its insane belief system.

This illustrates one of the dangers of aligning ourselves with a foreign power. Not only are we adopting allies that are foreign to ourselves, but some of us are beginning to adopt ideologies (such as religious intolerance) that are completely foreign to anything America was founded on.

[Cicero]

How is that achieved, and what does it entail?

It's delusory to think the world's problems will ever be permanently solved. But they can be ameliorated or controlled. Things were reasonably stable in the Middle East when Bill Clinton came into office. The whole Oslo Peace Process proved to be counterproductive, and things gradually got worse and worse, until when clinton left office there was a total breakdown and the present high level of violence was well established.

Basically, that happened because clinton and Barak fed the Arab fanatics with the conviction that violence works, that the Jews were getting tired, and that they were on the verge of giving up in defeat. Now, the only thing that will stabilize the situation is to persuade them that violence does NOT pay and that they are not about to win against Israel by pursuing their present course. That's a lot harder to do than it would have been eight years ago. The spectacle of the Israeli army fleeing Lebanon in disarray did incalculable damage. It also does incalculable damage when European politicians and the western media calmly accept and excuse atrocities of this kind, as if they were perfectly understandable, or even admirable.

There's no way of removing all the Muslim fanatics from the scene, short of a horrendous massacre that Christians and the West simply won't accept. But you can nail a number of them, separate them from their weapons, break down their infrastructure, deprive them of their bomb factories, and in general make it a lot harder for them to operate. We must also change the mood of the Arab people. We can't really afford to let them continue educating their children in violence. We can't afford to let them cheer and dance in the streets every time a Jew or an American is murdered. We have to make them understand that every time a terrorist atrocity is committed, they will have to pay an unacceptable price, and that whatever cause they claim to be fighting for will be set back, not advanced. By its peculiar nature, Islamic martyrdom demands success. If it doesn't work, it will sputter out.

[Torie]

I don't see a coherent plan in your thoughful post. It sounds like Israel would have to administer the West Bank, lock, stock, and barrel, including taking over the educational system. That will never happen. Among other things, it is simply too expensive. I am happy to see everyone getting on the wall bandwagon though. Maybe the powers that be have been reading my posts for the last year. What do you think? :)

[Long Cut]

It points up how sad it is, that even in America, some people are stupid enough to actively support Arafart and his PLO cronies. After all, they have been allied with those who viciously attacked us on 9/11, have attacked Americans themselves, and have been allied with our enemies in two previous wars(WWII, and the Cold War). Mr. Jacoby did not mention these facts, and many others, I'm sure, because he did not have the room in his column. Listing all the PLO faults and atrocities of the last 30 years, and their connection to the wider Islamic Terror Network, would fill a sizeable volumn.

The neo-Nazis who support these animals are obvious: they are mostly ignorant skinheads in need of someone to blame for their failures in life, and they have chosen the Jews. Sad, however, that they go so far as to betray their own country to salve their inadequacies.

The Arab terr supporters are obvious as well. They hate the fact that anyone can produce a prosperous, free state.

Beyond the usual suspects, however, it is puzzling why so many otherwise educated, intelligent people do not realize that they are supporting murderers and psychopaths who would kill them happily, regardless of their support.

Sadly, many of the above-listed useful idiots have invaded FR. It has been disheartening, to say the least, to watch them trot out the same, tired, and debunked-a-thousand times arguments again and again. On some topics, no further debate is necessary once the truth is known. Thus, all they do is repeat PLO and al-Queerda talking points, fantasy though they are, just to get them read.

What absolute suckers. Watch, if this thread gets long enough, they'll invade it as well.

[Lent]

Sadly, many of the above-listed useful idiots have invaded FR. It has been disheartening, to say the least, to watch them trot out the same, tired, and debunked-a-thousand times arguments again and again

Yes. They don't have enough of the "LibertyForum" to spount their garbage and pat each other on the back they have to come to FR and squeel like stuck pigs.

[Lent]

spount=spout

[dennisw]

The real tension is this:
Arafat and other PLO big shots want a West Bank and Gaza that are free enough from Isreal to arm themselves for the next stage of the war on the Jews of Isreal. Sharon and Isreal will support a Pallie State that cannot arm itself and war against Isreal..

You have to remember that Arafat runs a 3rd world country and all 3rd world dictators want weapons and plenty of them.

[Torie]

Yes, the ideal wall would be an oblong shape, with no beginning, and no end, if you get my drift. Barak's plan however makes a lot of sense. He's my man.

[nofriendofbills]

A first rate commentary, thanks.

[RamsNo1]

Wow, the Boston Globe? Is Jeff Jacoby a good guy?

[Scott from the Left Coast]

One side repeatedly gave up land for peace. The other side took the land and made war.

Just like with Germany in the 1930's. And we're making the same mistakes again.

It is nice to see the many articles appearing that are beginning to speak reason. Jacoby has always been on the mark (or at least close to it).

Unfortunately, none of this clear thought appears to be infiltrating the White House.

"You had the choice between war and dishonor, you chose dishonor and you shall get war."...Winston Churchill

[dennisw]

I posted Baraks plan just today... was an op-ed in the NY TIMES.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/665847/posts

 

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Yes.

Jacoby is routinely excellent.

[dennisw]

Wow, the Boston Globe? Is Jeff Jacoby a good guy?

I have met him. He is Jewish good guy...and conservative.

[Torie]

Yes, you post was where I read it. Thank you for finding it. Carrots and sticks. That is the only way to affect the behavior of these folks. And the word should go out, again and again, that at this juncture, whatever Arafat signs is toilet paper. In fact, it is worth even less than that, since toilet paper serves a useful function. I wish Bush would send me on a peace mission over there, so that I could tell Arafat that to his face.

[Surrounded in Calif!]

Arafat is a mass-murderer!

Official Israeli Defense Force Website, Highly Informative click here