Barry Rubin
The Rubin Report
12 November 09
The Aztecs of Mexico believed that if they didn't sacrifice human victims each day the sun wouldn't come up the next morning. This seems to be the principle governing how Western elites blame Israel for everything that goes on in the Middle East and propose as a remedy even more U.S. concessions.
A remarkable example is how the New York Times tries to explain what is in fact a very important development in the region in an article entitled, “Influence of Egypt and Saudi Arabia Fades.” Wow! I could have told you that back in 2000.
But why has it faded? Could it be because of such long-term problems as these regimes' corruption, incompetence, rejection of reform, and inability to break from radical stances? Could it be that the fact that these regimes keep feeding anti-Americanism, hatred of Israel, militant interpretations of Islam, and extremism generally rebound against them?
And might it be that radical forces—like Iran, Syria, Hamas, and Hizballah—have shown, with help from the United States and Europe, that hardline positions and violence pay?
Could it possibly be, in the shorter term, that the apologies, concessions, and refusal to confront the extremist Islamists have emboldened them and demoralized the relative moderates?
No. Guess who is blamed?
“With Israel having rebuffed American calls to freeze settlement-building, and with the prospects for substantive peace talks fading, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are increasingly viewed in the region as diminished actors whose influence is on the wane, political experts say.”
These experts have obviously not been following the news. Seems to me that Israel did agree to freeze building on settlements (the word “settlement-building” implies Israel is building more settlements and expanding existing ones which isn’t true). Remember that speech Secretary of State Hilary Clinton just made in Jerusalem praising this concession?
A remarkable example is how the New York Times tries to explain what is in fact a very important development in the region in an article entitled, “Influence of Egypt and Saudi Arabia Fades.” Wow! I could have told you that back in 2000.
But why has it faded? Could it be because of such long-term problems as these regimes' corruption, incompetence, rejection of reform, and inability to break from radical stances? Could it be that the fact that these regimes keep feeding anti-Americanism, hatred of Israel, militant interpretations of Islam, and extremism generally rebound against them?
And might it be that radical forces—like Iran, Syria, Hamas, and Hizballah—have shown, with help from the United States and Europe, that hardline positions and violence pay?
Could it possibly be, in the shorter term, that the apologies, concessions, and refusal to confront the extremist Islamists have emboldened them and demoralized the relative moderates?
No. Guess who is blamed?
“With Israel having rebuffed American calls to freeze settlement-building, and with the prospects for substantive peace talks fading, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are increasingly viewed in the region as diminished actors whose influence is on the wane, political experts say.”
These experts have obviously not been following the news. Seems to me that Israel did agree to freeze building on settlements (the word “settlement-building” implies Israel is building more settlements and expanding existing ones which isn’t true). Remember that speech Secretary of State Hilary Clinton just made in Jerusalem praising this concession?
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it is absolutely israel's fault,actually not israel,but the criminaly insane traitorous leftist piece of human garbage ehud olmert,yemach shemo vzichro'under his leadership israel went to war with two terrorist organizations hezbollah in 2006 and hammas last year,and this traitorous piece of crap made sure that israel lost both wars,and since then israel has lost all credibility and all respect,and the whole world started doubting the viability of israels continued existence
ReplyDeleteCHAIM
TY Chaim. I'm surprised to hear that you give Olmert such great personal responsibility for this disaster. Or that his time in office could be defined as the period under his leadership. It certainly makes it easier on the rest of us not to have to take any responsibility for what occurred or didn't.
ReplyDeleteYosef,don't you agree that ZAHAL if given the permision would have completely and utterly destroyed both hezbollah and hammas in 24 hours,and the only reason they did not is because this insane traitorous self hating leftist cowardly enemy colaborating dog tied their hands.
ReplyDeleteby the way i agree with you,that us so called frum jews sitting in this comfortable galuth and not living in israel,also have to share the blame
CHAIM
While I have no problem with there being an actual defeat and surrender by Hezbullah and Hamas, this has not been the objective in any war fought by Israel from 1948 and on. In general the objective at best has been a punishing blow, but surrender and demilitarization,no. Therefore I am not quite ready to place the failure to do as you suggest, for the last 61 years, on Olmert's shoulders. That we need to change our approach is a given. That it's a one person show to accomplish or not, I disagree.
ReplyDelete