When does a fight end?

Submitted by Alex Revai (Canada), Sep 27, 2009 at 13:37

Your article, the "Peace Process or War Process" is a rare gem of analysis. In my entire life I dreaded fighting. The reason: I always felt that when two parties fight, it can only end when one of the parties is beaten so badly that he utterly and genuinely gives up...or is BEATEN to DEATH. The latter is a most frightening outcome. Especially, if you are fighting in self-defence and you are a peace seeker. I believe, that's exactly Israel's predicament.

Philosophers. military thinkers and history proves your point (and mine): There is no other choice than total victory. Unfortunately, the Arab world, intutitively (or otherwise) knows this. Regrettably, they have no qualms about killing. We, Jews, on the other hand, detest killing. We love peace. We love peace with the motto: live and let live. The Arab/Muslim world has a problem with the latter.

That being the case Israel's dilemma is: how to achieve an absolute, convincing victory, short of killing all those who don't give up fighting her to the bitter end? Your article didn't answer this question. I'm afraid the answer is not for peace-loving people to contemplate. My fear is that one day we will be forced to consider the unthinkable.

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