Big Miscalculation
I can say one thing for certain about this mess: The Arabs (and Iran) miscalculated big time.
They thought that Israel’s unilateral withdrawals from the security strip in South Lebanon in 2000 and from Gaza last summer were signs of Israeli weakness.
They were wrong.
Maybe they thought that Israel’s popular election of a center-left government headed by Ehud Olmert with leftist Laborite Amir Peretz as minister of defense also proved Israel was weak.
Wrong.
In fact, because the current government is left of center, it can expect far more public support in Israel for military action than a rightwing or right of center government would have. Whereas the Left in Israel would have turned on a Likudnick like Netanyahu or (former Likudnick) Sharon in a heartbeat for being too militant, the Israeli right will always back the Israeli left when it comes to national security and defense. Israel’s enemies didn’t take the internal dynamics of Israeli politics into account. As a result, they seriously miscalculated.
Had they paid attention to history, however, they would have noticed that when faced with a serious threat, left wing Israeli governments tend to hit back just as hard, if not harder, than right wing Israelis governments do.
What fanatical dolts. I guess it’s time for them to hide behind women and children because the IDF is taking the gloves off.
They thought that Israel’s unilateral withdrawals from the security strip in South Lebanon in 2000 and from Gaza last summer were signs of Israeli weakness.
They were wrong.
Maybe they thought that Israel’s popular election of a center-left government headed by Ehud Olmert with leftist Laborite Amir Peretz as minister of defense also proved Israel was weak.
Wrong.
In fact, because the current government is left of center, it can expect far more public support in Israel for military action than a rightwing or right of center government would have. Whereas the Left in Israel would have turned on a Likudnick like Netanyahu or (former Likudnick) Sharon in a heartbeat for being too militant, the Israeli right will always back the Israeli left when it comes to national security and defense. Israel’s enemies didn’t take the internal dynamics of Israeli politics into account. As a result, they seriously miscalculated.
Had they paid attention to history, however, they would have noticed that when faced with a serious threat, left wing Israeli governments tend to hit back just as hard, if not harder, than right wing Israelis governments do.
What fanatical dolts. I guess it’s time for them to hide behind women and children because the IDF is taking the gloves off.
posted by semite1973 at 6:24 PM
2 Comments:
You are absolutely right in this. Hubby and I have been talking about that since before the current (crisis is just too bland a word, I'd say "newest war")...whatever it is.
It's in the same vein that only Nixon could visit China.
I really wish so much that I could bring myself to care about a future peace without rancor and without requiring a bitch-slap defeat; but I've so had enough of the whining, claims of vicitmization, and refusal to move forward (while espousing violence against innocents and lying about it) that I just want it over - whatever it takes.
With this attitude I would make a terrible Israeli Jew - they seem to have far more patience than I.
But Israel's territorial concessions INVITED the current crop of attacks. They were perceived as signs of weakness, and in order to rectify this perception Israel has pretty much had to re-invade. Olmert's plan for withdrawal from the West Bank now looks even more ridiculously absurd.
Ryan
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