If the only choices offered to Israel by the Palestinians and neighboring Arab nations are slow death carried out through a combination of endless negotiation and terror, or total war with the PA and any neighboring nations that choose to become militarily involved, Israel will eventually have to take the second option if it wishes to survive. If the right of return remains a sticking point for the Palestinians, for instance, what choice could there be besides war? Negotiation is fine and dandy, but it must involve give and take, something neither side is particularly interested in at this point.Thank God for some reasoned thought around here. Exactly. And this is exactly the situation Bush is constructing. Unlike his predecessor Bush has a fall-back position. Clintoon demanded an all-or nothing political solution; Bush looks to create one. Clintoon demanded an outcome; Bush looks to guide one. The difference between the two is crucial to the success. Bush does not, has not ruled out failure. Clinton walked circles around it, which allowed Arafat his exit. Bush stands with the door open, smiling, daring Arafat to take it. Since its an option Arafat can't do it. It's truly marvelous, and so simple.
The "nuke-em now" crowd fail to appreciate that war is politics by other means. Sound familiar? It should, especially to those of the "total victory" persuasion. Politics must fail, first. Here it is: Bush's politics have not yet failed. The Isreali position demonstrates this. Isreal is so far unwilling to go to war.
I remind Limbaugh that Hiroshima followed the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. On behalf of my grandfather who sailed into Tokyo harbor with MacArthur, I take deep offense at the comparison.
On behalf of Ronald Reagan and all the Americans who sacrificed lives and careers and tax dollars in pursuit of peace and the defeat of the USSR, I take offense that the doctrine of "total war" is totally a military war. In the Cold War the USA waged a war of politics, economics, and isolated warfare for forty-six years to win that one. We won big.
And on behalf of Nicollo's more correctly spelled namesake, I take supreme offense at the assertion that only a total Isreali military victory brings peace in the Middle East. Niccolo Machiavelli would be ashamed to think that Isreali mercenaries could bring about an American victory. Or does Limbaugh think that's one and the same?
Limbaugh is in love with a theory.