Mixed feelings on this article

Submitted by Robert Stein (United States), Jul 4, 2020 at 09:25

I have great respect for Mr. Pipes and I do agree that Israel is often too defensive in their thinking. However, modern democracies have an amazingly short tolerance for prolonged military action. The tendency to think in the immediate future seems based on political exigency. Especially a parliamentary democracy in which a vote of no-confidence ends the government. The military serves at the pleasure of the politicians.

But Israel's current relative security, compared to past years, when terrorism was a regular phenomena, has also resulted in complacency. I understand Gaza rocket fire is fairly regular, though the casualty toll is low. Democracies have always been late to respond to threats. I am reminded of Winston Churchill's final volume of his WWII series, "How the Great Democracies Triumphed and So Were Able to Resume The Follies Which Had So Nearly Cost Them Their Life". Affluence and comfort reduce the desire to take risks. The Iranian threat is real, but not clearly imminent.

I am also reminded of the increasingly pro-Palestinian nature of the international press. Muscular Israeli use of military power is always criticized. One wonders the extent to which this erodes the will of the general staff and the extent to which they are influenced by this propaganda.

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