Truth Massacred

Washington Post ^ | Tuesday, August 6, 2002; Page A15 | Richard Cohen

[Terriergal]

Truth Massacred

By Richard Cohen

In 1962 Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser used poison gas in a now-obscure war in Yemen. Twenty years later, President Hafez Assad of Syria crushed a rebellion by bulldozing much of the city of Hama and killing anyone who got in the way. That same decade, Saddam Hussein of Iraq used poison gas against his enemies. The Middle East is a tough neighborhood.

It goes without saying that had Israel fought its Arab foes the way they themselves do, the world would scream bloody murder and bureaucrats at the United Nations would get carpal tunnel syndrome banging out condemnations. What's more, tasteless references would be made to the Holocaust and how -- such irony -- the victims had turned oppressor and were using the methods of their one-time enemy.

The fact is, though, that Israel has largely eschewed such methods. It fights hard and sometimes ruthlessly -- assassinations, for instance -- but it has generally adhered to Western standards of warfare. It has the only army in the Middle East in which reservists have refused to serve for reasons of conscience -- an option I wouldn't recommend to any soldier in any Arab army. Israel, it can be argued, has the "most humane army in the world."...

[Terriergal]

Go to URL to read entire article.

Too many people believe that Israel has turned into the New Nazi Germany. If anyone resembles Nazi Germany it's those that are still harassing Israel.

[Terriergal]

PING

[1bigdictator]

There is no rational parallel between Israel's treatment of her Arabs (both Palistinian and Israeli since they are culturally, racially and religously indistinguishable); any party who attempts to draw one is motivated by an antisemetic agenda. Hitler did not remove any Jews from the consentration camps to live freely, own businesses, vote and serve in the Nazi party, and yet this is exactly how Israel treats her Arabs-- they have every right and obligation of any other Israeli citizen. 15% of the Kenesset is Arab.

[Terriergal]

Bingo. Thank you.

[Thoro]

Good article read bump.

This article emphasizes a gripe I(and I think most Freepers) have against the media. They'll report these incidents but never include the historical context and current/past comparisons to others' actions in similar predicaments for the viewer to reach a rational conclusion about the information presented.

For example, Fox this morning had on a Palestinian attorney. She wasn't giving any straight answers about the need for Palestinian reforms, but she had an ample amount of opinion and answers for the need for Israeli policy/leadership changes. This of course, is no suprise, and par for the course. What irked me, as is the case in most of these interviews, was her repeated use of the word "occupation". It's an apt description of the situation. Israel is occupying land, and their presence is unwelcome. Fair enough, you think. The word evokes emotions, and you can sympathize with this percieved injustice.

However, when the Palestinian/Israeli situation is viewed with the benefit of historical context, most, if not all, of the sympathy for the Palestinian plight evaportates. It's not occupation as much as it is common sense on the part of the Israelis.

[smoking camels]

A Bump for Truth!

[knighthawk]

BUMP for agreement.

[F.J. Mitchell]

BTTT!!!!

[Stultis]

Good one for the Compost.

[Terriergal]

Apparently Stultis (post #9) doesn't share your sentiment.

[Terriergal]

I didn't know you could compost articles posted on FR... you must have some secret forumla.

But seriously,what part do you take issue with?

[Terriergal]

She wasn't giving any straight answers about the need for Palestinian reforms, but she had an ample amount of opinion and answers for the need for Israeli policy/leadership changes.

Kinda sounds like Democrap tactics huh? (not equating the two in degree of "evilness"... at least, not at this point in time yet...)

[Terriergal]

However, when the Palestinian/Israeli situation is viewed with the benefit of historical context, most, if not all, of the sympathy for the Palestinian plight evaportates. It's not occupation as much as it is common sense on the part of the Israelis.

Exactly.

But apparently there are those who think the Israelis should just lay their heads on the chopping block which the Arabs are more than willing to put to its designated use.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Too bad,but then Stultis seems out of sync with most of the responses.