Delegitimizing self-defense

Submitted by Edwad Cline (United States), Jun 1, 2010 at 08:26

Mr. Pipes makes a crucial observation vis-à-vis the rules of warfare being turned upside-down, that "in particular strength is weakness and public opinion has supreme importance," otherwise called the "delegitimization" of Israel. He makes reference at the end of his commentary to Rachel Corrie, the American "peace" activist who in 2003 was killed during a confrontation between a Palestinian front organization and Israeli forces trying to clear a section of Gaza from which Palestinians were launching attacks on Israelis. She was allegedly killed by a bulldozer; actually she slipped, fell, and was killed by falling debris. (See here: http://rachelcorriefacts.org/default.aspx.) Her death, however, was a public relations coup for the Palestinians, and the truth of the matter became irrelevant. It remains irrelevant. Rachel Corrie became a "martyr" and Israel has implicitly accepted guilt over her demise.

Mr. Pipes makes this observation, as well, concerning Israel's efforts to defend itself against Hamas and other carnivores who wish to extinguish Israel: "The new rules require an agile sense of public relations, which means that a powerful state never physically harms, even inadvertently, its rag-tag political adversaries." So, in the "Gaza flotilla" incident, it sent its commandos into battle with paintball guns, against armed, blood-thirsty activists. One can't satirize that.

The "delegitimization" tactic can also be applied to the United States. When it acts with commensurate, retaliatory force against its enemies, it reaps a whirlwind of hostile "public opinion" (as reported by the mainstream media and its cherry-picked or rigged public polls) and condemnatory statements by allies and enemies alike. So, for the last few decades, the U.S. has acted only with public opinion in mind. Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qada, the Taliban, Iran all play the "victim" combating a powerful nation. Couple that with the policies of the current administration, which by itself is campaigning to "delegitimize" the U.S., and one has a frightening formula for the destruction of Western civilization. The U.S. is beset by three hostile forces: Islamic jihad (the "stealth" and violent kinds); La Raza-type conquest by mass numbers of Mexicans whose allegiance is to the country they fled and not to the country they fled to; and by the Obama White House.

Israel stands to lose no matter what it does in its defense. If it compromises, it is accused of not compromising itself into literal extinction; if it uses its might to deal its enemies a fatal blow, it is called "Nazi," or "genocidal" or whatever other slur is handy. So, it may as well defend itself with all the resources at its command to ensure its continued existence. And never ever apologize for it or for the casualties it inflicts on "useful idiots" such as the "aid" activists on the Turkish vessel. It should never accept unearned guilt.

Waste no tears for the dead Gaza flotilla activists. They, like Rachel Corrie, were mere pawns in a deadly "public relations" campaign to defeat Israel. They were "useful idiots."

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