[net.politics] Might makes right in the Middle East

radford@calgary.UUCP (Radford Neal) (01/23/86)

> > Give the palestinians their homeland back, and the middle-east 
> > terrorist problem WILL go away.
> 
> It isn't their homeland anymore. We, the Jews, have fought for it
> (to regain control after 2000 years) and have won !!!! When the
> fact that we won is acknowledged and when the palestinians start
> looking somewhere else for a homeland, then, the problem will be
> solved.
>
> mark
> homxb!mr

If you believe in this "might makes right" philosophy, how can you
morally condemn the palistinians who employ terror? If the rest of
Isreal believes this too, why should we give a shit if you get pushed
into the sea?

     Radford Neal

mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) (01/26/86)

> > > Give the palestinians their homeland back, and the middle-east 
> > > terrorist problem WILL go away.
> > 
> > It isn't their homeland anymore. We, the Jews, have fought for it
> > (to regain control after 2000 years) and have won !!!! When the
> > fact that we won is acknowledged and when the palestinians start
> > looking somewhere else for a homeland, then, the problem will be
> > solved.
> >
> > mark
> > homxb!mr
> 
> If you believe in this "might makes right" philosophy, how can you
> morally condemn the palistinians who employ terror? If the rest of
> Isreal believes this too, why should we give a shit if you get pushed
> into the sea?
> 
>      Radford Neal

You seem to think that there is no difference between torrorism and war.

Let me explain the differences. Terrorism is aimed at (mostly) civilian
targets and are expected to be very bloody and in a very public place. There
also exists airspace terrorism so the terrorists can fly back to safety
and then kill everybody on board (hasn't been working very well, though).
Now war is different. War is when two or more countries assemble armies
and they fight with each other until the countries at war have either run
out of people to be killed or have decided to stop the war. (very simplified)

Now back to politics. During 1947 and 1948 the Jews decided it was high time
to get for themselves their homeland back, so they did. In 1948 the UN
proposed a plan to give everyone a homeland, it was refused unilaterally.
There was a lot of land available for the "palestinians."  But, the arabs
couldn't seem to leave Israel alone and attacked in 1956, and there was a war
and the Jews won and the arabs lost, but to prevent future conflicts the
Jews had to take some territory for safety margins. Then again in 1967 the
arabs attacked in full force and miraculously the Jews won again (against
great odds), but then the mighty USA stepped in and stopped the war.
More territory was absorbed. In 1973 on the most important day of the year
for Jews, the arabs attacked again and with great loss of life the Jews again
won the war and was able to protect its citizens. In 1982 the people in the
Northern sections of Israel were forced to live in bomb shelters, literally
( I was in Israel at the time, and believe me, it is true). So, Israel
defended its northern borders during the summer of 1982. OK.

Who were the instigators of each war ? And what were the stated reasons and
intentions ?

Back to what I originally said. The Jews spent very much in acquiring the
country. The loss of life was tremendous (percentagewise). Now we feel that
Israel has a right to exist as it did exist a few thousand years ago. Why
is it that everyone insists that Israel give back its land to a group of
non-unified people who can't even find a representative and which even
refuses to recognize that Israel exists.

As to why "you should care whether the Jews are driven into the sea". There
are those who believe that Israel is beneficial to the US in the middle east,
being its only strong ally in the region.

mark
homxb!mr

gsmith@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Gene Ward Smith) (01/30/86)

In article <1172@homxb.UUCP> mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) writes:
>> > > Give the palestinians their homeland back, and the middle-east 
>> > > terrorist problem WILL go away.
>> > 
>> > It isn't their homeland anymore. We, the Jews, have fought for it
>> > (to regain control after 2000 years) and have won !!!! When the
>> > fact that we won is acknowledged and when the palestinians start
>> > looking somewhere else for a homeland, then, the problem will be
>> > solved.
>> >
>> > mark
>> > homxb!mr
>> 
>> If you believe in this "might makes right" philosophy, how can you
>> morally condemn the palistinians who employ terror? If the rest of
>> Israel believes this too, why should we give a shit if you get pushed
>> into the sea?
>> 
>>      Radford Neal
>
>Now back to politics. During 1947 and 1948 the Jews decided it was high time
>to get for themselves their homeland back, so they did. In 1948 the UN

  Why "their homeland"? Because God gave it to them? Actually, God and
I are good buddies and He tells me He doesn't wan't to take sides.

>There was a lot of land available for the "palestinians."  But, the arabs
>couldn't seem to leave Israel alone and attacked in 1956, and there was a war

 Whups! I seem to recall it was Israel which attacked in 1956!

>Jews had to take some territory for safety margins. Then again in 1967 the
>arabs attacked in full force and miraculously the Jews won again (against

 Uh -- wasn't it Israel (not "the Jews", damn it) which attacked during
a period of rising tension for which Nasser was partly (but only partly)
to blame? Thats how I remember it, check your history books, why don't
you?

>More territory was absorbed. In 1973 on the most important day of the year
>for Jews, the arabs attacked again and with great loss of life the Jews again

 Finally got it right. I guess one out of three aint bad when you obviously
have an axe to grind and don't give a damn about objective truth.

>( I was in Israel at the time, and believe me, it is true). So, Israel
>defended its northern borders during the summer of 1982. OK.

 Went a little overboard for just a "defensive" war I would say.

>
>Who were the instigators of each war ? And what were the stated reasons and
>intentions ?

 I would say the 1948 war was a tie (both sides attacked each other). We
just went through the rest of it. Score: Israel 2.5, Arab states 1.5.

>Back to what I originally said. The Jews spent very much in acquiring the
>country. The loss of life was tremendous (percentagewise). Now we feel that
>Israel has a right to exist as it did exist a few thousand years ago. Why
>is it that everyone insists that Israel give back its land to a group of
>non-unified people who can't even find a representative and which even
>refuses to recognize that Israel exists.

  Personally, I would just like to see a negociated settlement. It would
be nice for starters for "friends" of Israel (no, I don't think you are
doing a bit of good for Israel in the long run) to recognize that neither
side is all wonderful and pure. What do YOU think ought to be done about
those crummy disorganized people on the West Bank and Gaza? Wanna give 
them the vote? Why not -- isn't Israel a democracy? I guess I'll just
wait and see before answering that one myself.
>As to why "you should care whether the Jews are driven into the sea". There
>are those who believe that Israel is beneficial to the US in the middle east,
>being its only strong ally in the region.

  With friends like this, who need enemies?
>
>mark
>homxb!mr

  Gene "not Arab not Jewish I think Arabs and Jews and Israel and Egypt
and the Paleatinians etc. etc. are ALL wonderful" Smith

mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) (02/03/86)

> In article <1172@homxb.UUCP> mr@homxb.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) writes:
> >> > > Give the palestinians their homeland back, and the middle-east 
> >> > > terrorist problem WILL go away.
> >> > 
> >> > It isn't their homeland anymore. We, the Jews, have fought for it
> >> > . . . .
> >> > mark
> >> > homxb!mr
> >> 
> >> If you believe in this "might makes right" philosophy, how can you
> >> . . . .
> >> into the sea?
> >> 
> >>      Radford Neal
> >
> >Now back to politics. During 1947 and 1948 the Jews decided it was high time
> >to get for themselves their homeland back, so they did. In 1948 the UN
> 
>   Why "their homeland"? Because God gave it to them? Actually, God and
> I are good buddies and He tells me He doesn't wan't to take sides.

We can go round and round on this forever. Who lived in the area called
"palestine" before the arabs did ? Or before that ? ....

> >There was a lot of land available for the "palestinians."  But, the arabs
> >couldn't seem to leave Israel alone and attacked in 1956, and there was a war
> 
>  Whups! I seem to recall it was Israel which attacked in 1956!

Excuse me, What do you consider an attack ??

> >Jews had to take some territory for safety margins. Then again in 1967 the
> >arabs attacked in full force and miraculously the Jews won again (against
> 
>  Uh -- wasn't it Israel (not "the Jews", damn it) which attacked during
> a period of rising tension for which Nasser was partly (but only partly)
> to blame? Thats how I remember it, check your history books, why don't
> you?

Again, What do you consider an attack ? What about intelligence reports ?

> >More territory was absorbed. In 1973 on the most important day of the year
> >for Jews, the arabs attacked again and with great loss of life the Jews again
> 
>  Finally got it right. I guess one out of three aint bad when you obviously
> have an axe to grind and don't give a damn about objective truth.

Okay, so what is the objective truth ?

> >( I was in Israel at the time, and believe me, it is true). So, Israel
> >defended its northern borders during the summer of 1982. OK.
> 
>  Went a little overboard for just a "defensive" war I would say.

I don't know about this. Maybe they didn't go far enough, Bombs have fallen
on the Northern parts of Israel lately. This is what was being prevented in
1982.

> >Who were the instigators of each war ? And what were the stated reasons and
> >intentions ?
> 
>  I would say the 1948 war was a tie (both sides attacked each other).

Both sides attacked each other ? , This sounds like the definition of war.

> >Back to what I originally said. The Jews spent very much in acquiring the
> >country. The loss of life was tremendous (percentagewise). Now we feel that
> >Israel has a right to exist as it did exist a few thousand years ago. Why
> >is it that everyone insists that Israel give back its land to a group of
> >non-unified people who can't even find a representative and which even
> >refuses to recognize that Israel exists.
> 
>   Personally, I would just like to see a negociated settlement. It would
> be nice for starters for "friends" of Israel (no, I don't think you are
> doing a bit of good for Israel in the long run) to recognize that neither
> side is all wonderful and pure. What do YOU think ought to be done about

I do recognize that, of course.

> those crummy disorganized people on the West Bank and Gaza? Wanna give 
> them the vote? Why not -- isn't Israel a democracy? I guess I'll just
> wait and see before answering that one myself.

I don't know what should be done with them. I want to see what happens after
the next Israeli election. But, I do think that the arabs living in Israel
should be required to pay taxes just like everyone else and should also be
required to serve three years (in some capacity) for the country, just as all
other Israelies do.

> >As to why "you should care whether the Jews are driven into the sea". There
> >are those who believe that Israel is beneficial to the US in the middle east,
> >being its only strong ally in the region.
> 
>   With friends like this, who need enemies?

And what does this mean ?? Elaborate .

> >mark
> >homxb!mr
> 
>   Gene "not Arab not Jewish I think Arabs and Jews and Israel and Egypt
> and the Paleatinians etc. etc. are ALL wonderful" Smith
> 
Mark
homxb!mr