June 9, 2013
"People fight to the end because they know that losers in such wars get killed or ‘ethnically cleansed.’"
Said Fareed Zakaria, quoted by Alan Dershowitz in "Syria crisis shows why Israel must remain strong."
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19 comments:
It's the stated goal of Israel's opponents.
Sort of like making the punishment for kidnapping and murder the same. Not much of an incentive there.
When people like that make the promise the Jews will be driven into the sea, history says you'd better believe them.
If you're lucky, they'll remember you with a monument:
memorial
I was thinking, why does Alan Dershowitz need Said Zakaria to explain that? Why is Dershowitz using Zakaria's mouth, is it more interesting coming from Zakaria?
Then I realized I keep getting Alan Dershowitz mixed up with David Horowitz. The witz part throws me off every time.
I had to look up David Horowitz, thinking he might be related to Vladimir Horowitz the legendary pianist.
Pay attention conservatives.
David said...
It's the stated goal of Israel's opponents.
One only has to look at the sack of Constantinople, to understand that universal truth. Though in those days, the winners were more frugal After the rapes, the women and children were sold into slavery...
The excesses which followed, druing the early hours of the Ottoman victory, are described in detail by eyewitnesses. They were, and unfortunately still are, a common practice, almost a ritual, among all armies capturing enemy strongholds and territory after a prolonged and violent struggle. Thus, bands of soldiers began now looting. Doors were broken, private homes were looted, their tenants were massacred. Shops in the city markets were looted. Monasteries and Convents were broken in. Their tenants were killed, nuns were raped, many, to avoid dishonor, killed themselves. Killing, raping, looting, burning, enslaving, went on and on according to tradition. The troops had to satisfy themselves. The great doors of Saint Sophia were forced open, and crowds of angry soldiers came in and fell upon the unfortunate worshippers. Pillaging and killing in the holy place went on for hours. Similar was the fate of worshippers in most churches in the city. Everything that could be taken from the splendid buildings was taken by the new masters of the Imperial capital. Icons were destroyed, precious manuscripts were lost forever. Thousands of civilians were enslaved, soldiers fought over young boys and young women. Death and enslavement did not distinguish among social classes. Nobles and peasants were treated with equal ruthlessness.
Yeah, unless you're an Arab losing a war against Israel. Instead, you'll get concessions.
@Dennis/
Yes, or lose against the US, in which case one gets foreign aid out the ying-yang. (c.f., the movie "The Mouse That Roared.")
@Dennis/
Yes, or lose against the US, in which case one gets foreign aid out the ying-yang. (c.f., the movie "The Mouse That Roared.")
The Drill Sergeant reminds us of the classic outcomes of being on the losing side. An additional point that might be considered is that chattel slavery was a innovation which improved outcomes for the losers. The good old way was to slaughter everyone.
So, we are past the emotional appeals, and well on the return path to reality. I doubt that's where we are headed. Without reading the article, I would guess this is more about selective interests that are without an interest in reconciliation.
Dividing and exploiting people on "racial" or ethnic lines has been politically, economically, and socially profitable.
Dividing people through exploitation of differentials and gradients, including: class, gender, etc., has been politically, economically, and socially profitable.
As for the problem throughout the Islamic empire in particular, it is imperialism. It has been nurtured through recent regime changes which have removed nationalist Muslims in favor of their Caliphate competitors. The occupation which will not be named is offered special consideration under the banners of human rights causes.
Anyway, good luck to the Alawites and others in Syria. Another retributive change cycle has been initiated. Another "Tutsi slaughter Hutu slaughter Tutsi" cycle has been initiated.
re: slaughter cycle
It is merely an abortion of a coherent clump of cells, right?
When does a human life acquire value?
And the beat goes on......
Between 1918-21 an estimated 250,000-750,000 Christian Assyrians were killed during the retreat of collapsing Ottoman empire.
My maternal grandparents and one paternal grandparent (grandfather presumably killed by the Turks) along with my parents and their siblings fled the Azerbaijan region.
For millennia diaspora Jews have been persecuted. They survive and thrive because they are tough, strong, resolute and smart.
I say make an offer for Israel to become the 58th state
Quote from the article: The first duty of every democracy is to protect its civilians against enemy attack.
I couldn't help wondering what is the second?
The hypocrisy of the left is most in evidence in their dealings with Israel. It's really rank. However, if Israel should lose a war, you can count on them organizing relief aid and ineffectual protests to the slaughter.....Some people are victors because they deserve to win, and some people are victims because they deserve to lose. Winning is not an immoral act.
This is the same problem with Democracy. And people don't understand because they don't think past "Democracy = Good" to realize that we don't have a Democracy for a reason. But that never stops anyone from trying to undo all the measures set in place to avoid simple majority rule... such as the Constitution or thinking that presidents should be elected by nationwide popular vote.
People fight to the end when they've got no choice but to win or be oppressed by the winner. It doesn't matter if it's a war or if it's a vote. It's still "majority rule" but without protections for the minority. Bitterly clinging to guns and religion might be weak sauce next to a sectarian war in the middle east, but "Democracy" isn't the answer if it means the winner gets to use government to secure their own well being and prosperity at the expense of yours.
The more powerful our government gets and the more we weaken the protections that the "majority" disagrees with, the more we move toward that place where it's necessary to fight to the end.
Synova:
Exactly. Neither a tyranny of the majority nor a minority is desirable. Democracy is not the goal. It cannot be if we respect individual dignity and a uniform principles.
What America is experiencing today is a quiet revolution waged by a coalition of minority interests. This is the same nonsense these so-called "minorities" purportedly escaped when they immigrated to America.
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