Sam Harris, i believe it was in his riveting book, End of Faith, used a rhetorical device to illustrate the difference between Islam and other groups. Paraphrasing from memory, and with apologies for any distortion I may make in advance to Mr. Harris, he wrote something like:
‘Imagine the perfect weapon. One which would do as much or as little damage as you want, precisely in the way you want it to, and with exactly as much or little collateral damage as you need it to’.
Yesterday, Israel carried out an attack on Hamas targets in retaliation for the kidnapping and murder of three Amer-Israeli teens in Judea/Samaria some weeks ago, their bodies having been discovered only yesterday afternoon, june 30 2014.
According to news sources, Israel managed to hit over 30 targets associated with Hamas, and shooting one man who threw a grenade at Israelis conducting an arrest of someone thought to be associated with the murders. Zero collateral damage appears to have happened in the attacks and no non-targetted deaths of unrelated individuals as well. This shows not only awesome restraint, but awesome power. It means that in a very real sense, Israel is Sam Harris’ ‘perfect weapon.’
This does beg the question for critics of Israel, many of whom can be read on the National Post article on the discovery of the bodies yesterday:
‘What would Israel’s enemies do if they had that kind of power’? The same question Sam Harris asks in his book.
This should, with all honest people, settle the issue of the moral high ground definitively.
Eeyore for Vlad.
All this dainty dancing looks nice to an international public. But many are calling for more substantive hurt to rain down on the enemies of Israel. And I say ‘Israel’ in the fullness of its meaning.
So totally worn down, watching Bibi turn craven in what seems to be his premature dotage. He’s much more popular in the US than at home. Swallowing all that Temple Mt. abuse. (Disclosure: I’m very fond of him personally. But as PM he’s gotta shape-up fast. He can always become ambassador to the USA.)
There’s a fifth column that would challenge Samson to tear down. The left-wing controls the media (courtesy of George Soros). The chief negotiator, Tzipi Livni, prefers to chat with Abbas and Kerry and the monolithic Jew-haters in Brussels than advocate for her own people.
If the coalition collapses beware. There are Arab Jews in the Knesset waiting in the wings. They do things differently. They’ve been held in check by the old guard – for which I’m eternally grateful – and diluted to some extent by the Russian immigrants. But to every thing there is a season and this may just be theirs.
Israel as weapon? Et tu, Eeyore?
* * *
Grandma Golda in heaven sent a message to her children – bereaved yet again – the people of Israel.
Follow Golda’s lead
“This time, anyone who shows understanding toward our enemy — the enemy that wants to annihilate us — will feel our wrath. We will not forgive, and they can spare us their chastising remarks. We cannot be appeased — we are furious over the loss of three precious children, whose only sin was being Jewish.
“Following the news, the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet convened in the exact same place where it met 41 years ago, headed by then-Prime Minister Golda Meir. It was the day that conflicting reports about a possible terror attack at the Munich Olympics started pouring in. At the end of that day, the murder of 11 Israelis by Palestinian terrorists was confirmed. The elderly, heavy footed woman turned to the generals around her and declared that the murderers and their accomplices must not be allowed to live. She spoke plainly, and the world knew that the Palestinian murderers were dead men walking, with targets on their foreheads just waiting for an Israeli bullet.
The full execution of Meir’s instructions stretched out over 20 years. In 1992, the last of the terrorists who took part in the Olympic massacre was killed. To their dying day, they were frightened and on the run.”
http://vladtepesblog.com/2014/07/01/is-israel-the-perfect-weapon/
I don’t get the point. Did you read the article?
Yeah, last night. And “moral high ground” sounded really good, genuine admiration. Factual, too. Great.
Then I went to a mourning service, mostly medical professionals, many in tears. Sadness is human and so is anger. Anger is hot, you want to tear everything apart. Nobody I know is baying for blood, but some come close. If Israel is held to measure-by-measure reprisals, the place could explode.
Tonight I read the title again, “Israel as weapon”, and it felt wrong. These aren’t cold, de-humanized precision killers. “Surgical strike” implies detachment that just isn’t there right now.
Sorry I lashed out at you. I’m human and you were there. Forgive me?
_____
*Imagine what Bibi is taking right now, or read the comments to articles from that demographic.
Eeyore,
I’m still sorry. Are we ok?