The Arms Dealers
Today, the Los Angeles Times once again has demonstrated its ignorance of the truth concerning events in the Israel-Lebanon War, ignorance which is at its most glaring through the op-eds of Joel Stein ("Not so fast, buddy, Beirut's my sister) and Zev Chafets ("I want Falwell in my foxhole"). Actually, Chafets' article wouldn't've been so bad had it not been for the fact that his op-ed serves as ammo to the Los Angeles Times' already expert ability to somehow associate fanatical right-wing Christianity (read: Pres. Bush) with Israel. That's where I, personally, draw the line.
Joel Stein, however, has lots and lots for which to answer. To summarize his article, he claims that Beirut is like Los Angeles' sister city (as is Eilat, Israel) and therefore we must defend her as best we can when she's in a right bad state, especially if we're talking about sibling rivalry and fighting (in this case, Israel v. Lebanon).
That personification is nowhere near the most accurate description of the conflict. There is a much better explanation: let us assume [again] that Lebanon and Israel are like fighting sisters [odd as that may be]. Now, associate Hezbollah with some deadly modern virus or disease such as SARS, HIV or avian flu. The SARS/HIV/avian flu has infected sister Lebanon and is trying to use sister Lebanon to infect sister Israel. Israel realizes that sister Lebanon is in a catatonic state, or perhaps controlled by this virus as a human is controlled by the Borg. Therefore, sister Israel realizes that saving Her sister Lebanon might cost Lebanon an arm and a leg. That is the sacrifice, but it is either that or the infection and subsequent destruction of sister Israel.
In his own CURRENT op-ed, Jonathan Chait surmises, as did Alan Dershowitz the previous day, that the concept of 'disproportionate force' - the criticism that many anti-Israel critics have thrown at the sovereign, always-at-stake state of Israel - is terribly lopsided as Hezbollah has almost complete control of Lebanon, in the same way that the Nazis gradually wrested control of Germany from the Weimar Republic in the early 1930s; Chait suggests, furthermore, that Israel would only truly be at fault if its stated goal - neutralizing Hezbollah in Lebanon as best it can with as little collateral damage as possible - is in fact verifiably achieved.
Meanwhile, I have my own solution: Let Lebanon Fall.
Yes, Israel blew it way back then when it had to protect itself from invaders stationed in Lebanon and in doing so exerted some military hold in Southern Lebanon, only to relinquish control back in 2000. But during that time span, Hezbollah turned itself from a fanatical organization of terror - much as many nutcases and orators unjustly perceive The Minutemen - into a legal political party, essentially deadening Lebanon to true progress and, indeed, truly making it a puppet of Damascus and Tehran. Lebanon was lost a long time ago. Let Israel put Her to rest!
Finally, in the meantime, I have one final qualm with Israel, believe it or not. The fact that it engaged in arms dealing with the U.S. I mean, we might as well've thumbed our nose at the rest of the world by explicitly aiding and abetting Israel's ability to counter Mideast terrorism. I am not saying we should have done this, only that this move decreases Israel's - and our - credibility.
- Sentientity
Joel Stein, however, has lots and lots for which to answer. To summarize his article, he claims that Beirut is like Los Angeles' sister city (as is Eilat, Israel) and therefore we must defend her as best we can when she's in a right bad state, especially if we're talking about sibling rivalry and fighting (in this case, Israel v. Lebanon).
That personification is nowhere near the most accurate description of the conflict. There is a much better explanation: let us assume [again] that Lebanon and Israel are like fighting sisters [odd as that may be]. Now, associate Hezbollah with some deadly modern virus or disease such as SARS, HIV or avian flu. The SARS/HIV/avian flu has infected sister Lebanon and is trying to use sister Lebanon to infect sister Israel. Israel realizes that sister Lebanon is in a catatonic state, or perhaps controlled by this virus as a human is controlled by the Borg. Therefore, sister Israel realizes that saving Her sister Lebanon might cost Lebanon an arm and a leg. That is the sacrifice, but it is either that or the infection and subsequent destruction of sister Israel.
In his own CURRENT op-ed, Jonathan Chait surmises, as did Alan Dershowitz the previous day, that the concept of 'disproportionate force' - the criticism that many anti-Israel critics have thrown at the sovereign, always-at-stake state of Israel - is terribly lopsided as Hezbollah has almost complete control of Lebanon, in the same way that the Nazis gradually wrested control of Germany from the Weimar Republic in the early 1930s; Chait suggests, furthermore, that Israel would only truly be at fault if its stated goal - neutralizing Hezbollah in Lebanon as best it can with as little collateral damage as possible - is in fact verifiably achieved.
Meanwhile, I have my own solution: Let Lebanon Fall.
Yes, Israel blew it way back then when it had to protect itself from invaders stationed in Lebanon and in doing so exerted some military hold in Southern Lebanon, only to relinquish control back in 2000. But during that time span, Hezbollah turned itself from a fanatical organization of terror - much as many nutcases and orators unjustly perceive The Minutemen - into a legal political party, essentially deadening Lebanon to true progress and, indeed, truly making it a puppet of Damascus and Tehran. Lebanon was lost a long time ago. Let Israel put Her to rest!
Finally, in the meantime, I have one final qualm with Israel, believe it or not. The fact that it engaged in arms dealing with the U.S. I mean, we might as well've thumbed our nose at the rest of the world by explicitly aiding and abetting Israel's ability to counter Mideast terrorism. I am not saying we should have done this, only that this move decreases Israel's - and our - credibility.
- Sentientity
posted by Geewhiz at 12:46 PM
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