69 million page views

Victory in Concerts, & European Contexts

Reader comment on item: Victory – An Obsolete Concept?

Submitted by Robert (United States), Nov 9, 2017 at 12:36

Dear Daniel Pipes,

As always, in your writing you map out crucial historical phenomena.
But limits of space here probably prohibit sufficient breadth of content.
The omissions I wish to outline somewhat involve a Trinity of sorts,
regarding the historical names of Metternich, Bismark, and Kissinger.

Partly as a consequence of the events leading to the Industrial Revolution,
involving, inter alia, the conversion of Chinese Firecrackers into British Gunpowder
and huge Iron Cannons, Guns, and Rifles, Europe emerged as the source
of military dominance beginning with Columbus's voyages to America.
By 1648, at the end of the Protestant Reformation and the 30 Years War,
Multi-Christian Europe (Catholic, Lutheran and Calvinist) succeeded the Roman Papacy
in arbitrating resolutions of conflicts after military victories.
The prior divisions of Western Europe into mostly the Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation)
and the Catholic Church of Rome, and Great Britain, France, and lesser diverse Principalities,
established the Forums, or Concerts, within which Soverign States vied with one another
to formalize the Settlements of the Victorious Powers by signing Contracts - Treaties
which resolved the differences determined by War.

As this is a mere outline, We move here immediately to Metternich's attempt
in 1815 in CONCERT to restore Europe to its Reactionary past
upon the defeat of Liberal Napoleon's Progressive Program.
However, although the Reaction lasted from 1815 to 1848,
beginning with the Emperor Napoleon imprisoned in his Island Empire
and ending in Metternich resignation as the reactionary arbiter in Concert.

In his place, it is Bismark who emerges in Prussia,
replacing Metternich's Austria-Hungary as the "German" power,
with the new Powers of Britain and Russia on the extremes (East and West)
in a balanced opposition by the forth Great Power of France.

These Concerts of Europe eventually get replaced after the Wold Wars
with the League of Nations and the United Nations
as a new Power Emerges, the United States of America.
But also, a second Power Emerges of of Russia,
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

And then there is the post-Soviet Collapse polarity
of Islam, Christians, and Jews,
and Arabs, Israelis, and Iranians,
and their respective "other" battlefields
not within their own countries or territories.
And the Geographic terrain of this struggle
is primarily West Asia and North, East, and Central Africa.
Of course, I'm omitting a great part of the rest of the World,
and its "Multi-Cultural" consequences,
particularly Hindu India, and Confucius & Communist China.

I have sketched all this out in order to show that Victory
does not occur in the context of the Waring Countries alone;
rather, it occurs in a Diplomatic environment
whereby Victorious, or Stalemate, Wars
are resolved "in Concert" through International Treaties.
Internationalism, however, isn't new.
It began in 1648, when Europe was not merely Roman Catholic
and the Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantium and Constantinople
no longer existed because they were replaced by Ottoman Turkey and Orthodox Russia.

In this context, Israel's defeat of the "Stateless" Palestinians,
is enormously dependent on the United Nations, the European Union,
Egypt, Jordan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, India, and China,
to name the most critical countries.
And there it appears, Netanyahu has taken the right steps;
he has withstood the impositions of African-American Harvard-Educated Obama
through his Massachusetts Brahman Yale's Skull & Bones John Kerry;
now, under Scottish-German-American Real Estate Trump,
and its Fundamentalist Christian Base, and Orthodox and Republican Jews
(as opposed to Reform, Leftist, Conservative [religiously] Jews.

In 1927-1928 Karl Mannheim scholarly study of Generations in History was published;
Demographics in space (land) must also be considered in historical time (generations).
The Palestinian Arabs who learned Arafat's "Revolutionary" notion of Victory
after a 10-year truce (according to Muhammad)
may be replaced by the new generation of Arabs in Saudi Arabia
in which Women will drive Cars,
and Diplomatic recognition is perhaps achieved with Israel (a Peace Treaty);
the mistake here I'm alluding to
involves the notion that Palestinians must recognize Israel.
It appears that the goal should be for the "other" Arab countries should do so,
ans perhaps Sunni Saudi-Arabia, upon its ongoing Reform,
will be the turning point to Victory;
and it is here where Trump may be focusing his skills
of "The Art of the Deal."

Submitting....

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".

Submit a comment on this item

Reader comments (47) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Updates on Victory (Israel) [347 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
RobertSep 26, 2022 18:55286872
1"Difference" [241 words]RobertSep 27, 2022 16:16286872
1Robert has a point here [131 words]PrashantSep 28, 2022 11:17286872
1Russia is not the enemy, Putin is [174 words]PrashantSep 17, 2022 23:01286539
1Is Russia or Putin the Enemy? [125 words]RobertSep 26, 2022 09:39286539
Victory needs to be righteous [105 words]PrashantSep 17, 2022 22:37286538
Some benefits of Ukrainian victory [245 words]DaveSep 12, 2022 21:58286314
Ukrainian victory would not include Crimea [39 words]mythSep 17, 2022 15:51286314
Crimean War Revisted - Ukrainian History Requires Detailed View of How Russia Does Not Come Out Well - Even Nuclear Wise [324 words]M ToveySep 18, 2022 14:23286314
Investigating Sociopathic Tendencies When Faced with Unsearchable Schemes of Ambitions That Do Not End Well If Not Satiated [108 words]M ToveySep 26, 2022 23:11286314
Mankind's Propensity to War Does Not Bode Well to Sustain Periods of Peace - World War Three Pending with No Victory in Sight [180 words]M ToveySep 12, 2022 18:58286303
Ukrainian Saga Nowhere Near Resolution Yet - Russian Losses Do Not Reflect Any Approach to Peace - Let Alone Victory [236 words]M ToveySep 13, 2022 14:52286303
Speculations - Religious or Secularist - Russian's Greater Fear of NATO Entrapment Will Force Issue of Expanding Russian Influences Into Deeper Conflict [180 words]M ToveySep 14, 2022 11:23286303
Regrouping in the Kriim - What Do the Prognosticators Think the Kremlin will Respond to When Backed Up with Nowhere to Go [196 words]M ToveySep 14, 2022 13:47286303
Victory, If Not Ultimate, Does Not Tend to Peace - Even in Nuclear Terms [145 words]M ToveyMay 30, 2022 11:30282144
Biden slouches toward the Powell Doctrine [65 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DaveMay 29, 2022 15:35282089
Your site resource for learning [68 words]PrashantMay 30, 2022 13:22282089
I take it back [123 words]DaveMay 30, 2022 13:52282089
American Foreign Policy Being Dictated by Foreign Interests - Implicitly or Explicitly [425 words]M ToveyMay 30, 2022 17:44282089
Victory in Concerts, & European Contexts [702 words]RobertNov 9, 2017 12:36241266
Rebuttal [39 words]anosmianAcrimonyNov 17, 2012 04:52200724
Obama and the facts [16 words]Richard GayAug 16, 2009 11:33160257
Half fought wars end being lost wars [95 words]cornsyrupAug 11, 2009 00:18160029
The Jig is up for Obama- response to Svet [121 words]Anne- USAAug 10, 2009 09:31159979
There is no other way to win a war, but through Victory [92 words]DeborahAug 10, 2009 09:22159977
The purpose of war is victory [34 words]Larry StarkAug 6, 2009 23:52159774
Spot on, once again Mr. Pipes. [137 words]Noel BeardAug 6, 2009 07:47159737
True Victory [144 words]Josh GarrettAug 3, 2009 17:57159596
Is winning a virtue? [711 words]Scott TalkingtonJul 31, 2009 04:43159467
A three State Solution to Victory [168 words]David J. JonahJul 28, 2009 18:18159390
Bad Option [98 words]Joe KaffirAug 2, 2009 12:28159390
1A Few Points to Note, Dr. Pipes [188 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Aymenn JawadJul 27, 2009 07:01159339
I concur [42 words]SloganeerJul 29, 2009 19:19159339
Recognizing and Identifying the Victor and the Defeated. [50 words]Lily BrullJul 27, 2009 03:47159334
Pipes' Poignant and Correct. [76 words]Mark HarrisJul 26, 2009 21:47159325
Surrendering to Iran [226 words]Stephen HughesJul 26, 2009 16:54159315
Victory [47 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Martin KesslerJul 26, 2009 12:19159308
What is Victory? [147 words]vigilant101Jul 26, 2009 11:01159303
Since when does race = policy? [59 words]Angie JacksonJul 26, 2009 22:06159303
Forein Aid as Substitute to Victory [92 words]s. shalitJul 26, 2009 10:52159302
Jiziya [304 words]sheik yer'mamiAug 2, 2009 10:24159302
Bosnia [113 words]the Grand Infidel of KafiristanAug 8, 2009 05:59159302
The lack of personal courage at the very top [65 words]SeafarerJul 26, 2009 10:40159300
Victory at what cost? [141 words]Angie JacksonJul 26, 2009 10:28159299
What do you mean by Victory over the Palestinians? [270 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDJul 26, 2009 05:11159290
Israel is too PC to impose a victory and lasting peace [118 words]Joe KaffirAug 2, 2009 12:10159290
Hussein Obama understands Radical Islam as Al Qaida only [135 words]SvetJul 26, 2009 02:30159285

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)