tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post49477043360993559..comments2024-01-01T01:47:59.449+02:00Comments on Yaacov Lozowick's Ruminations: Multilateral SovereigntyYaacovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12835192312242961481noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-614969719031600912009-11-23T08:23:01.581+02:002009-11-23T08:23:01.581+02:00It's ironic that there's a comment here ab...It's ironic that there's a comment here abusing Dr. Lozowick's spelling, because the Iraq War blog to which that commenter subtly linked in his comment has abysmal spelling throughout.<br /><br />I'm just letting everyone know this so you don't have to visit the site and give it more traffic.Bryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099017972456573744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-65357676779056910152009-11-22T16:59:18.178+02:002009-11-22T16:59:18.178+02:00I would translate "substantive democracy"...I would translate "substantive democracy".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-22119961458453455122009-11-22T13:21:14.781+02:002009-11-22T13:21:14.781+02:00Mark,
The folks you're talking about are a su...Mark,<br /><br />The folks you're talking about are a subset. They focus on Israel, claim that if it's a Jewish State it can't be democratic, hence it's not legitimate. I'm talking about a broader group, the ones who think nation states are bad and need to be relegated to the dustbin of history and replaced by the UN. (This is an oversimplification, of course). And note the comment of Anonymous, or at least the first part of it before he (?) goes on to other matters.<br /><br />Anonymous - <br />I wasn't blogging back in 2003, during the run-up to the Iraq war, so I didn't present a position on it at the time. Nor is it particularly central to my theme anyway. However,since you're so bothered by my dishonesty, I can assure you I was for the war at the time, not because of WMD but because Iraq had a genocidal regime with a proven record of aggression against many of its neighbors.<br /><br />Seen from 2009, I still think it may prove to have been a justified war, in terms of contributing to a better,safer world. True, the American occupation presided over an absolutely horrific shedding of blood by the locals, and perhaps this cold have been otherwise. But instead of the ghastly regime that used to be there, there's an early version of what could one day become a functioning democracy. That would be nice - and if it happens, Iraqis in future generations will regard George Bush as a positive figure in their history.<br /><br />My spelling, alas, is indeed not very good. Many years ago a professional editor who worked on my staff told me I could never do proofreading, as my eye sees what's supposed to be there, not what's really there. I hope this is true about spelling, not politics, but who knows.<br /><br />Yglesias - I don't read him regularly. When I do, he seems less impressive than you make him out to be. In matters of Israel, he mostly is simply uninformed - tho opinionated none-the-less.<br /><br />David -<br /><br />Well, the answer is given in the first paragraph of the Wikipedia article you linked to: the guards will need no guards because they're themselves perfect. If you've ever spoken with these folks, you can't but be impressed by the sincerity with which the believe in their infallibility. All the more reason not to give them power.Yaacovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12835192312242961481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-54930517912244796372009-11-22T12:08:45.676+02:002009-11-22T12:08:45.676+02:00I would translate "democratia mahutit" a...I would translate "democratia mahutit" as "actual democracy". <br /><br />The key question is: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quis_custodiet_ipsos_custodes%3F" rel="nofollow">Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?</a> - "Who will watch the watchers?" How would your friend answer that?David Boxenhornhttp://www.rishon-rishon.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-65725798645508560532009-11-22T09:32:54.033+02:002009-11-22T09:32:54.033+02:00Victor, no one will ever give you a good answer as...Victor, no one will ever give you a good answer as to what is wrong with Israel's democracy, because it is a baseless claim used by the "anti-Zionist" crowd to cast aspersions on Israel without needing proof. They'll usually back it up with objectively wrong statements like, "Arabs don't have the right to vote," or "Jews get special status."<br /><br />Right. And America is not a democracy because of affirmative action. Give me a break.Bryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099017972456573744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-84295269205822408522009-11-22T06:53:34.058+02:002009-11-22T06:53:34.058+02:00Hear, hear.Hear, hear.Joe in Australianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-55598290067956009992009-11-22T06:38:04.700+02:002009-11-22T06:38:04.700+02:00Anonymous,
Why won't you just get your own bl...Anonymous,<br /><br />Why won't you just get your own blog and do all those wonderful postings.<br /><br />Marekmareknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-14859121805132829592009-11-22T03:57:19.502+02:002009-11-22T03:57:19.502+02:00p.s I note Lozowick (rightfully) acknowledges that...p.s I note Lozowick (rightfully) acknowledges that Matthew Yglesias is intelligent. Yglesias (Yggie to his fans) hasn't been praised highly enough. His unique ability to write concise, elegant posts which demolish counter-arguments is second to none. A Yggiesque argument is fast becoming a synonym for an air-tight case, a checkmate maneuver. As a great fan of Yggie, the wunderkind, I can't help but take offense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-29995885068010776462009-11-22T03:48:15.914+02:002009-11-22T03:48:15.914+02:00Sovereignty is inextricably linked to nationalism,...Sovereignty is inextricably linked to nationalism, which promotes an "us vs. the other". It'd be better to blur and eventually erase such arbitrary borders.<br /><br />Don't you get this nagging feeling that Dr. Lozowick is offering us red herrings? He continually does his level best to avoid talking about the (neocon inspired, btw) Iraq war and to minimize its importance by distracting us (deliberately, I suspect) from its unique wrongness. This is an objective fact, mind you, as is proved in <a href="http://iraqwarwrong.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">iraqwarwrong.blogspot.com</a>.<br /><br />Dr. Lozowick seems to be sloppy with his spelling (its is not always it's, one says excited and not exited, discussed and not duscussed, lots and not lot's -> a brief foray into this blog reveals this and other errors), which makes one wonder if he doesn't play fast and loose with his facts too.<br /><br />Needless to say, the <a href="http://iraqwarwrong.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">iraqwarwrong.blogspot.com</a> blog offers proof that the iraq war was wrong (see sidebar on the bottom right for some of these (wrong place (and time)), wrong number of troops, not the optimal path, other bad men, the folly of going to war without france (sans france) and so on). <br /><br />Obviously, Dr. Lozowick will not try to refute any of these arguments, since his very purpose is to distract us from this issue. Another blogger in the service of the neocon machine.<br /><br />I have to confess here that at some point I was one of his unruly pupils, so my disagreeing with him ought to be a source of pride (for him).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-82813643539295769162009-11-22T02:53:23.092+02:002009-11-22T02:53:23.092+02:00What's the problem with Israel's democracy...What's the problem with Israel's democracy? I don't understand.Avigdorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05008730229882004376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4008006782907969381.post-86417825521571990442009-11-22T02:33:05.401+02:002009-11-22T02:33:05.401+02:00Yaacov, Here in the states, we're getting some...Yaacov, Here in the states, we're getting some of the same talk about Israel's form of democracy being unacceptable as a democracy as well. The new rhetoric is coming from academia. I call it academonology.<br /><br />According to a professor here, the only legitimate nation states are those based on democracy. If Israel is not really a democracy, it has no legitimacy. If Israel is illegitimate, the debate is not about establishing two states, but about how to move to a one-state solution.Marknoreply@blogger.com