69 million page views

Frogs Luxuriating in a Large Pot of Warm Water, Over a High Flame.

Reader comment on item: Israel and Syria going to war?
in response to reader comment: Israeli leaders, weak or strong, inevitably make bad deals with the Arabs

Submitted by mariana (United States), Jun 9, 2007 at 11:51

Mr. Besig: Your devastating analysis is so "right on" that it makes my stomach ache! While I've come to terms with the indolence and stupidity of Americans [who've been habituated to peace at home excepting 9/11, which they've virtually obliterated from memory}], I find these tendencies in Israel suicidal in extremis; one would think a country at war since the second of it's birth would get the hang of it in 60 years, and figure out that a serious defeat of their enemies is long overdue. Perhaps they've already waited too long.

I believe generalized war in the area is inevitable and imminent . The problem is, the longer Israel denies, dithers and delays, the more "together" Syria, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia [and the rest of America's " Moderate Arab friends] have to finance, arm and organize with Hizbullah, Hamas and Fatah with great assistance of UN, EU, UNIFIL, and the Arabist permanent foreign policy establishment in America. Jordan, as always and regardless of their earnest protestations to the contrary in secret meetings, too feckless and stupid to understand it's own vested interests, will ultimately side with Israel's enemies, opening another front up to the walls of Jerusalem and beyond. Those Israelis betting on the natural fractiousness and disorganization of their opponents are betting the farm while operating under delusions of the "best case scenario." You are now dealing with West Point, Harvard, Yale and War College educated brains, covertly strategising and running your opponents' rabble gangs and armies.

The Makka conference S.Arabia held for "peace talks," I believe, was one huge strategy session where commitments were made to support a generalized war against Israel. SA, threatened by the "Shi'ia Crescent," has absolutely nothing to lose; by supplying $$ and operational plans covertly, they can continue to appear the valued friend and "honest broker;" if the Arab forces win, they get credit and so much the better; if they lose, SA will have eliminated a lot of dangerous enemies of their own, using Israel as their weapon and target simultaneously. One way or the other, the so-called "Moderate Arabs" win and Israel loses.

I can't help being reminded of Clemenza in Puzo's "The Godfather," who patiently explained that it was time "to go to the mattresses again," because every 10 years or so, a serious blood-letting was needed to clear up the detritus that had accumulated during the interregnum since the last all out war between the fractious families; and that without it, the always tenuous peace was unsustainable.

Kadima's competence and seriousness is so horrendously below the mean of Israel's governments, and all of their automatic responses are so farcically predictable, that I see real danger here. You're correct: the politicians are utterly self-interested and prolonging their tenuous hold on power, far outweighs national security or anything else for that matter. They believe they can just prattle along, playing diplomatic games, pretending to be "statesmen," and the status quo will abide. This same situation abides in America and I find this chronic, delusionary behaviour on the part of the "democratic" governments quite terrifying.

Democracies understand the benefits of and strive for peace, and have historically conjured up fantastical explanations and excuses to maintain even the fiction of "peace," long after this fiction had lost any credibility or value. From where I sit, Israel has effectively had no "peace" since Oslo; only a cruel game of "Escallatio;" as soon as the shoe starts to pinch, Hamas, Hizbullah, Fatah, Lebanon or whomever, sue for peace, whining until The World forces Israel to withdraw, and Israel withdraws. The analogy of the frog, gleefully swimming around in a pot of warm water over a high flame, seems inescapably apt to me. mariana

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

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (39) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
THE BACKSTABBING MIDDLE EAST ! [363 words]jack backermanSep 8, 2007 06:39108238
Zakir naik [51 words]Dirk PittmanSep 8, 2007 01:47108202
7 DEADLY SINS OF GEORGE W BUSH: [585 words]Ernesto RibeiroJul 14, 2007 13:44103669
You are right about clinton! [297 words]jackSep 22, 2007 21:16103669
Syria announced a July 15th deadline for Syrians to leave Lebanon... [761 words]James VesceJul 12, 2007 14:58103526
the root of war against terrorism is rich iranians in usa and other countries accross the globe! [346 words]zari namdarJul 6, 2007 10:18103107
2To... Zari Namdar [1699 words]Aria M.Jul 10, 2008 13:47103107
To Arya M,From: An XXX Iranian {now 100%American} [340 words]zari namdarJul 11, 2008 02:32103107
To Zahra Namdar, a.k.a Iranian Hater [1669 words]Aria M.Jul 13, 2008 18:05103107
1heheheh [31 words]kivancJan 19, 2009 08:33103107
1Let's work instead of beeing jealous [39 words]FredFeb 20, 2010 21:52103107
You are wrong [106 words]MaryJun 21, 2010 00:11103107
1bullshit [42 words]PersianAthiestDec 28, 2010 00:19103107
DIRECTOR [84 words]SASANJun 12, 2013 22:13103107
End Times War? [52 words]Clifford IshiiJun 20, 2007 17:4499719
Not only exciting... [2 words]JoshuaJun 21, 2007 22:1799719
Response to 'Endtime war?': [35 words]Matthew 24Jul 21, 2007 08:4899719
War with Israel, suicide for Damascus [545 words]Chris G.Jun 19, 2007 21:1699580
Re: A bad Idea for everyone [225 words]JoshuaJun 20, 2007 17:0999580
Iran's involvement with Syria [808 words]Chris G.Jun 22, 2007 11:2799580
No war on the Golan Border [201 words]yuval Brandstetter MDJun 11, 2007 06:0997637
Ahmadinejad [81 words]JoshuaJun 10, 2007 21:4597617
Next Year in Jerusalem? [141 words]Rebecca MouldsJun 8, 2007 20:3297001
2Israel The Only Real Superpower In Middle East, Iran, Syria, Wanabees [124 words]AnneMJun 23, 2007 08:3897001
Bashar-al-Assad [83 words]Len MarkowitzJun 7, 2007 19:5496652
Is Assad that stupid? [55 words]Oscar NavarroJun 7, 2007 19:2096647
The passage of time [119 words]David W. LincolnJun 7, 2007 19:1796645
The problem with war [65 words]freemanJun 7, 2007 17:5396636
Dr. Pipes is Right unfortunately.- Deterrence in action. [278 words]YnnatchkahJun 7, 2007 17:2096634
hezbollah a factor [63 words]LEON ZEITZERJun 7, 2007 15:1596619
Incompetence has a way of generating unpredictability [59 words]RandyJun 7, 2007 13:4396483
Negotiating strategy? [32 words]Bobbie WenickJun 7, 2007 12:1196478
Israel and Syria diplomacy [224 words]jJun 7, 2007 10:1496466
Diplomacy and Mid-East don't mix. [177 words]Oscar NavarroJun 7, 2007 19:4396466
Diplomacy is only as good as the Diplomats [762 words]Chris G.Jun 30, 2007 23:4496466
Israeli leaders, weak or strong, inevitably make bad deals with the Arabs [428 words]Kenneth S. BesigJun 7, 2007 10:0096465
Frogs Luxuriating in a Large Pot of Warm Water, Over a High Flame. [619 words]marianaJun 9, 2007 11:5196465
1War necessary for peace? [655 words]Chris G.Jun 26, 2007 18:5096465
For Money, The Koran does not comdemn to have business with Jews. Palestinian's Scandal. [400 words]Ynna (tchakh)May 19, 2007 17:0193648

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.)