The Great Game

Submitted by Jon, a Brit from Euroland (France), Dec 10, 2010 at 10:01

Mr. Pipes's argument is of course coherent, but comes over as if in regret for an age past when victory was an option and collateral damage was a small footnote. In today's world I would suggest that playing the smaller game of minimising the maximum risk is appropriate despite being theoretically less satisfying than grand gestures be that from podiums, or from bomb bay doors.

As Mr. Pipes pointed out, the strategy of Syria, (and probably that of Lebanon and Iran, as well as Turkey) is not a minimax strategy at all, in that there is far more to be gained (for these countries, and their populations) from a settled peace rather than from an environment of incitement and military and paramilitary investment. Of course the leaders of these lands would be vulnerable to peace, and they are perhaps pursuing another curve of the game theoretical map, and possibly an optimum one, based on their relatively short term outlook (how long can they survive ?)

Israel's approach seems quite canny today : flexible enough to take on the loss of Turkey, and the messianic visions of a plainly narcissistic President Obama, as well as the quisling European left leaders, intent of building a constituency in a future Eurabia. This is a difficult sea to sail on, but at each tack Israel has proven that it has the right storm jib: Sharon, then Netanyahu's crew with Liberman and Barak (Ehud). I think they are not doing too badly…

We can hope (and expect) that Europe and the US will continue to fund the PA and Hamas, allowing their leaders to grow their personal wealth, and thus their influence and their vulnerability. Of course this is not particularly in Israel's interests, about which Europe cares little, but it keeps the lid on the pan as the Great Game with Iran is played out, in which Israel and the Saudis (and perhaps Iraq) will end up on the same side.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".