Monday, August 11, 2008

Aggression, International Law, and Hypocrisy

A while back our in-house anti-Zionist, faux-Ibrahim, claimed that Israelis and their supporters determine their political positions by the single criteria of affinity to Israel: if the holders of a position support Israel, all their positions will be perceived to be correct; if a position is stated by people who otherwise don't like Israel, the position in question must be wrong. He even wrote a small algorithm to demonstrate how this works.

At first glance this is hardly more serious than most statements made by faux-Ibrahim, but it has stuck with me, and I've been thinking about it and it seems that he may be on to something, though as usual he's got the dynamic all wrong.

If you assume that Weltanschauungen are made of clusters of positions and beliefs - and that's certainly a reasonable, perhaps unassailable assumption - then it's not unreasonable that people who feel strongly about Israel, one way or the other, may carry this over into other fields, too. Why shouldn't unthinking animosity to Israel, impervious to any rational analysis, not express itself elsewhere, also, as unthinking animosities to other things? I mean, once you've got the habit, why limit it to a single subject? Indeed, once one has the propensity for wrongheadedness, why limit its application?

As I've shown from time to time, the world really does work this way, and the foolishness of idea expounders such as Juan Cole and the Guardian expresses itself in many areas. I must say, however, that the present outburst at the Guardian has caught me just a wee bit by surprise. I'm referring to that nasty little war that erupted this week in Georgia.

No matter which narrative you choose to follow, Georgia didn't attack Russia, and the entire drama is taking place within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia. You would think, therefore, that the reportage of the violence would make use of the usual, well-worn vocabulary of International Law, Naked Aggression, Brutal Killings of Innocent Bystanders, and so on and on. You've heard it all before, after all, ad nauseum.

Well, I've just spent some time at the Guardian's website. To their credit, at least they are in an uproar, unlike, say, when millions of Africans in the Congo get murdered. But so far as I could tell, not a single one of the relevant terms has been used, not even once. No-one at the Guardian has made any use of the vocabulary they so routinely use against Israel. At least this opinion piece, by a guest writer, has the essentials right. But look at James Poulus' piece:
Treating the Georgia we see on the map as if it were as sovereign and whole as the state of Israel, or Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, sets us down a path of danger and confusion. But the pro-democracy ideologues confusing big hearts for big brains make this mistake by design.
And then, if you're really into understanding the depravity of the Guardian as expressed by one of their top columnists, go read Jonathan Steele on the matter: It's America's fault.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is only a minor element in a much larger strategic equation: an attempt, sponsored largely by the United States but eagerly subscribed to by several of its new ex-Soviet allies, to reduce every aspect of Russian influence throughout the region, whether it be economic, political, diplomatic or military.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

FROM CAROL HERMAN

Putin won. And, Peres is in China, genufleting in front of Putin's feet. (And, you think Katsav raped someone?)

Israel is now about to go into "one more election too many."

You've been told that somehow campaign funds "spoiled" Olmert. When everybody and his "uncle Moishe" make oodles from just carrying the cash around. And, if not in politics, then in other sorts of fund raising. Just in case you thought charities were on the up and up. Nope. They're just a business. Just like a whore house.

Watching what Israel is going through now, makes me very sad. To be a member you have to be a Jew? That's it? That's the reason for this country's existence? Is this the club Groucho Marx said "that because it would have him, he would never join?"

Do you know the troubles you're in?

Too bad you don't listen to your critics. Because every free nation in the world can point to the spectrum of critics that pipe in.

And, where Israel cannot get fixed? A creep like Livni; as Olmert called her "a back stabber. And, a liar." Gets a pass.

And, you think the religious can demand that the IDF (with draftees coming from secular homes), go out and "fight for the greater real estate." Why is that? Why can Shas demand taxpayers pay for the kids their families have? It makes more sense to me, if you're stupid enough to have kids you can't afford, in our day and age, you could figure out what happens when WELFARE STOPS!

Wanna talk resentments to welfare recipients? It's not as if America didn't "go generous in the '60's. And, then in the 80's found herself building more prisons.

Meanwhile, in AMerica, the democrapic party went as extreme left as it could go.

And, we have a legitimate election coming up. (Scheduled by our US Constitution. President's gotta be chosen every 4 years. If we're at war. Or not.)

What have you got coming up? A "central committee" trying to see who can keep Olmert's election victory running the longest, while Olmert get piled on by the police?

Cute headlines. The Police say Olmert hasn't convinced them, yet.

I say that's not a trial by jury.

And, for some reason it seems Jews just can't get a handle on running their own country well.

One election too many. Tossing out Olmert will have ramifications that you won't believe. How so? Well, I think you've shredded your good will. And, I think you unlocked the door, so that Israel's youth are better off LEAVING HOME. And, living in other countries.

And, I think you're looking at a BRAIN DRAIN the size of which hit Ireland when they had a potato famine. And, they've only just begun to recover from this. More than a hundred years later. Why?

Well, look what technology has done for China, too, while you're at it.

And, ya know what? I don't think more people are belonging to temples in AMerica. I think the numbers just swoon when you look. It's a disasater where no one talks. They just point out that there are people who hate Israel.

Well, it's not their faults.

Anonymous said...

ONE FURTHER OBSERVATION

FROM CAROL HERMAN:

Putin wins because Europe won't intervene.

The only possibility ahead will be to watch and see what the Pole's do. They don't want to be collapsed like an accordion, by the Bear.

And, before the Ukrainian "orange revolution" that's gone nowhere; the Poles had been to Israel. To study the WALL.

Given that the whole area from russia, through its neighbors, are nothing but a conglomeration of mafia "families" ... and black-marketeers; what I had read years ago, was the Poland would build a WALL. Similar to the barracades going up in Israel. That will prevent the movement, in Israel, of terrorists; but in Poland, the trash that flows out of communism. As one means of stopping traffic of the worst sort; from using Poland "like a roadway."

Meanwhile, Israelis get the view of Shimon Peres bowing and scraping in front of putin.

As to the military support the IDF was selling to the Georgians, half that stuff ended up being sold to gaza. Now, don't tell me you were suprised.

Isn't it possible Israel needs something else besides "security" to sell abroad?

Meanwhile, the Japanese sell cars. And, they are a wonder at being in top form in computer technology. Including creativity; where they can whallop even Disney at creating "characters."

Two countries started out of the gate the same. As well.

Oh, you think the UN will tell putin to "move back?" I doubt it. But let aggression force the IDF to move; then the UN, putin included, will tell the Israelis to go the hell back home. And, you will.

At least you've got to "respect" putin's timing. He figured he could go ahead, while being entertained in China. At the olympics.

Oh, if you need a "reason" ... other than "putin can do it" ... then you'd realize the pipeline is his. And, he's not about to share his wealth. Instead, he's about to control Europe's appetite for oil and gas.

My money's on the Poles building a WALL. Everybody's entitled to bet once in a while.

Anonymous said...

Carol - your first comment (unfortunately) rings true, with respect to Israel. While no fan of Olmert, the system has been so abused that many Israelis whilst 'loving their home' - are 'making new homes' elsewhere...I agree, a few sexy tech. companies, does not build a country

Anonymous said...

FROM CAROL HERMAN

Well, we're days after "pooty" moved against Georgia. And, boy, do I have things on my mind!

Thanks, anonymous (above), for your support. Because I know the t'zuris is there. And, I also know I'm not alone in noticing this, either.

Meanwhile, back to the map.

Can you see that "pooty" can still get it up his tuchis?

For some reason, and I'll mention DEBKA. Whom nobody trusts; as having just now written a column about BUSH telling POOTY that he is to allow IN all aid ships and planes.

So far? Also according to DEBKA, the russians have shot down two drones sent up by Georgia.

So, what does this tell you?

Okay. Some say "not much."

But I remember that Israel said to russia that it has the technology to SILENCE THE SOUNDWAVES of the S-300 ... the supposedly snappy russian technology that can pepper the sky with anti-aircraft fire.

Me? I'd like to see the next step. Because Bush is a man of ACTION. Not of words. And, if we have the technology to "knock out" russia's visibility ... the russian gains may not be so spectacular, after all?

We just have to wait and see, no?

So far, I don't see POOTY saying "check mate." (Which you can only do when you know your oponent can't save his king.)