How Israel Can Win

Submitted by Rich (United States), Apr 4, 2006 at 15:47

I enjoy your column, but cannot agree with this article. The key dynamic is that oil rather than arms is fueling (yes it is a bad pun) militant Islam. The best that Israel can hope for is a standoff until the Arab oil runs out (give or take another 50 years?). I base my opinion on the Vietnam War substituting Russian and Chinese support to North Vietnam to support from Saudi Arabian, Iran, Syria, Egypt (yes them too), etc to the Palestinians. These supportive countries can kill Israelis till the last Palestinian without suffering any casualties (economic, social or humanitarian) to themselves. That was one of the main points of the Arab League segregating the Palestinians from Jordan after the 1967 War; thus not making any one Arab country responsible for Palestinian actions. In fact, the most benign Arab State, Jordan, can more closely identify with the Palestinians.

I think a more likely scenario over the next 50 years (move over Henry Kissinger) would be a continuing strong US-Israeli relationship. This is as natural as the US Anglo relationship because of the considerable religious, philisophical, economic and social similarities (good and bad) of the US and Israel. I also believe that there is going to be a growing metamorphisis of stronger Israeli relationships with Western Europe as the threat of aggressive Islam becomes even more apparent to the European population as a whole. I cannot believe that any European country would just roll over and submit to Islam as compared to their native Western culture.

Turkey which has a long history of bitter rivalry (Shia versus Sunni) with Iran dating back over the past 500 years and also having a strong Western style government would continue to have a positive relationship with Israel. It is interesting to note that Turkey and Israel's relationship have continued and grown even with a more Islamic leaning Turkish government. Could this be because of the recognition of both powers to the imperialistic designs of Iran?

---

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".