Israel vs.

[sen_no_ongaku]

This doesn't really constitute any sort of considered position, but here are some thoughts about the Israel/Lebanon war.

I guess the first question I have is, why does the US have so much invested in Israel, financially? We soak tons of money into Israel's military (and general infrastructure), far more such aid than we give anybody else, I believe. Obviously, Israel can function as a surrogate for U.S. policy in the Middle East...but I imagine only to a limited extent, as Israel seems pretty assertive about supporting its own interests as well, regardless of what their biggest patron might prefer. Also, presumably, Israel would serve as a well-fortified forward military base should a really serious U.S. presence be deemed necessary. But, as the recipient of so much aid, Israel and the U.S. are probably more or less synonymous to the Middle East, and whatever they do is likely seen as directed -- or at least sanctioned -- by the U.S.

What's odd to me is how many Americans have so much invested in Israel personally. As for me, whenever I hear about shit that Israel's pulling, I basically think, "Goddamit, there those assholes go again." Maybe they've had little choice but to be the Middle East's own personal Harlan Ellison, given the circumstances of their inception, but I think they've pretty much established that they're not going away anytime soon. While their belligerence has certainly been instrumental to their survival, I think they've reached the point of diminishing returns; their stance is now galvanizing rather than intimidating their neighbors, and maybe it's time for an approach more nuanced than, "Fuck shit up wholesale."

A la Archduke Ferdinand, I get the impression that the kidnapped soldier was more a pretext than a cause. Israel's basically looking for any excuse to put the smack down on somebody out there, and Hezbollah gave Lebanon the shaft. It's like they're playing Civilization: war isn't a tragedy -- it's an opportunity for expansion!

By attacking civilian targets and Lebanon's infrastructure, I figure Israel has done exactly what Hezbollah wants. What with 1) Israel's willingness to kill the innocent along with the guilty pissing everybody off, 2) a young population that -- seeing as how Lebanon's infrastructure is being levelled -- will now grow up with no path to agency other than learning the tools of violence, and 3) Hezbollah having established itself as the Microsoft of Lebanese anti-Israel sentiment, H. will have recruits lining up around the block for generations.

The solution? I don't know. Israel already denied itself the best possible solution by responding with prejudice to Hezbollah's provocation, and it's now a lesser-evil situation. Israel's already lost face and ensured decades more of hatred and antagonism for decades; prolonging this action will just deepen the hole they dug with the shovel Hezbollah handed them.

EDIT: Well, maybe this is sort of a position. I see Israel as a country whose first solution to any problem is violence -- maybe even a country who sees any problem as an opportunity for violence. While that doesn't make them worse than any other sovereign nation in the Middle East, it certainly ensures that they're no better. Yes, Hezbollah's a bunch of bloodthirsty freaks without whom the world would be a better place. That doesn't mean that any and all means of getting rid of them are acceptable. If I had my way, Israel would be on their own on this.

Comments

[balsamicdragon.livejournal.com]

I have major problems with Israel. If it were any other country, I would be happy to say, "what a bunch of idiots, they deserve whatever they get." However, being Jewish, I feel more like one might about that one relative who keeps getting thrown into jail. Yes, he deserves it, but there is still a lot of family pressure to keep bailing him out.

Yes, the majority of Israeli people, like the majority of Lebonese people, don't want war and don't want to kill civilians. The difference is that the Israelis have a lot more resources available to put a stop to their terrorists, since they work for the government.

The sad thing is that for every step that Israel takes towards peace, it is goaded into taking two steps backwards. All of its neighbors hate Israel and want it eradicated. That's a hard situation to live in and normalize. I can understand the kind of mentality that would build up over time.

But the fact is that I have basically disowned Israel. It's not my country, America is. When America kills civilians with impunity, I can work to stop them and that's my responsibility. All I can do with respect to Israel is to tell my country to forcefully condemn the same actions.

[laobscuridad.livejournal.com]

All of its neighbors hate Israel and want it eradicated. That's a hard situation to live in and normalize. I can understand the kind of mentality that would build up over time.

Precisely what I was thinking.   While I don't actively practice my Judaism, I was brought up Jewish, and I have trouble reconciling what I was taught with the violence I see Israel perpetuating.   Then I remember that a fair portion of the Middle East has hated it and wanted to wipe it off the map more or less since its founding, and it starts to make more sense. Not that it's a good thing, but I think it's a mentality that is a little hard for us to understand.

[sen-no-ongaku.livejournal.com]

I think, though, the difficulty of their situation doesn't mean that we don't have the right to criticize them. Understanding why they react the way they do is not the same as forgiving what they do.