In defence of Israel
I think my credentials for being anti-war are fairly solid. I was always against the Iraq war. I had problems with the Afghan war and the Kosovo-related Serbian war. I would have opposed the Vietnam war (like Ayn Rand) and I even have issues with the first and second world wars.
But I support the Israeli offensive against Hamas.
Unlike the American invasion of Iraq, the actions of Israel are clearly defensive. While Hamas (mostly) stuck with the truce, Israel also stuck with the truce. When Hamas ended the truce and began bombing Israel, then Israel responded. This approach is absolutely necessary to create the right incentives.
Some in the world (EU, UN) are calling for a ceasefire. But this call is hollow. These same talking heads are not concerned that Hamas started hostilities, and nor do they mind if Hamas continues their attacks. In effect, by their selective outrage and silence, they are endorsing a situation where Hamas can attack Israel but Israel should never respond.
I believe the anti-Israel attitude is based in part on a soft-hearted and soft-headed approach to war, where modern commentators judge the combatants by how many people they kill. If you kill more, then you are bad. And Israel is killing more, therefore Israel is bad and they should stop. But this makes no sense as it offers the simplistic (and obviously wrong) conclusion that the side with the best technology must be in the wrong.
The combatants in a war should be judged by (1) whether they started the war; and (2) whether they are offering a reasonable way out of the war.
This war was started by Hamas. And only Israel is offering a reasonable way out of the war. The peace terms offered by Israel is “stop trying to kill us”. The peace terms being offered by Hamas is “stop existing”. Clearly the international community should be encouraging (and pressuring) Hamas to accept the Israeli terms.
I want to be clear that I do not think Israel is always the “good guy”. There are many flaws in Israel and they deserve to be criticised about many things… including their unwillingness to discuss giving up East Jerusalem, their poor treatment of Arab-Israelis, the radical settlers of Hebron, the over-reactions of the past and their increasingly socialist government. But none of this justifies the actions of Hamas, and all countires (and people) need to defend themselves from direct attack.
And then there was that 1983 song by Bob Dylan (are the times really a'changing?);
Well, the neighborhood bully, he's just one man
His enemies say he's on their land
They got him outnumbered about a million to one
He got no place to escape to, no place to run
He's the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully he just lives to survive
He's criticized and condemned for being alive
He's not supposed to fight back, he's supposed to have thick skin
He's supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in
He's the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land
He's wandered the earth an exiled man
Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn
He's always on trial for just being born
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized
Old women condemned him, said he could apologize
Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad
The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, the chances are against it, and the odds are slim
That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him
'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back
And a licence to kill him is given out to every maniac
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he got no allies to really speak of
What he gets he must pay for, he don't get it out of love
He buys obsolete weapons and he won't be denied
But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he's surrounded by pacifists who all want peace
They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease
Now, they wouldn't hurt a fly. To hurt one they would weep
They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep
He's the neighborhood bully.
Every empire that's enslaved him is gone
Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon
He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand
In bed with nobody, under no one's command
He's the neighborhood bully.
Now his holiest books have been trampled upon
No contract that he signed was worth that what it was written on
He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth
Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health
He's the neighborhood bully.
What's anybody indebted to him for ?
Nothing, they say. He just likes to cause war
Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed
They wait for this bully like a dog waits to feed
He's the neighborhood bully.
What has he done to wear so many scars ?
Does he change the course of rivers ? Does he pollute the moon and stars ?
Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill
Running out the clock, time standing still
Neighborhood bully.
