Of Scud Row, Nerve Gas and True Friends
There are those who try to belittle the fortitude of
the Israelis by speaking of the German blitz of London during world war
two. The courage and pluck of the Londoners then is undeniable,
but one should not compare the two situations. A
significant element in the anxiety of Israelis today - and of
Jews worldwide - is the actual threat to the annihilation of the
country as a whole, to the wholesale slaughter of its people. This
threat did not exist for England.
Germany did not view England as an enemy, and hoped
at first to keep it out of the war. England was in a war for its honor,
its liberty perhaps, and for the liberty of its allies in occupied
Europe. That is noble. But England did not face annihilation, noone
intended to wipe out its people.
Saddam Hussein, on the other hand, would like "to burn Israel".
A further difference is that now the threat is of a
non-conventional strike - of being gassed, of being killed or
debilitated by horrible nerve gas. Death is death, but the
psychological horror of this type of weapon is felt by all
peoples across the world. The civilian population of England was not
subjected to this horror.
And, finally, there is the helpless feeling of
huddling in a sealed room with a gas mask , simply waiting for a rocket
to hit. If Israel could strike back as England did to Germany, the
psychological feeling of impotence would be somewhat allayed. This is
not to suggest that it would necessarily be wise in the present
circumstances to strike, just that the feeling of terror is heightened
by the frustration of having to "turn the other cheek".
Syria sits back and reaps reward after reward.
Without changing its behaviour, it has been transformed by the US from
"a terrorist state" to an "ally". It has received financial aid.
In reward for agreeing to the liberation of Kuwait it has finally been
allowed to take over Lebanon - which it considers as part of "Greater
Syria" much as Iraq considers Kuwait as part of "Greater Iraq".
Syria's greatest enemy in terms of real threat -
Iraq - is being pounded by the mightiest forces in the world.
Meanwhile, this enemy (of Syria, ie Iraq) is pounding its other hated -
though imaginary - enemy, Israel, with missiles. And, it is preventing
Israel from reacting via arrangements with the allies. All this
virtually with no investment at all.
The Palestinians cheer on every rocket, and plead
for Saddam to fulfil his promise to burn Israel. Saddam send his
missiles in their name. They actually dance on the rooftops when the
missiles hit. The Palestinian leadership is openly pro-Iraqi, and has
called on the Palestinians to help Saddam. We will be called to make
concessions to them as a reward for their support of Iraq, and in
return for their losing yet another war of attempted annihilation of
Israel.
Iraq demanded an "international conference" on the
Middle East. America refused. But its allies Egypt and Syria have
stated clearly that it is next on the agenda, after the liberation of
Kuwait.
France was ready to sell Israel down the river, and then expresses
surprise at the reluctance of Israel to be bound to the decisions of an
international conference of which France is a major component. France
which sold Iraq its nuclear reactor. Which thank God Israel destroyed
in time. Imagine an Iraq with nuclear weapons. Remember its threats
back then to 'burn Israel'.
An international 'peace-conference' is a major
war aim of an enemy devoted to destroying Israel, and the French think
it's a good idea.
Saddam Hussein would like "to burn Israel" and the
other Arab countries - some of them America's allies - might rush
to help him achieve this if Israel dares to defend itself from Saddam's
annihilation plans.
Israel invited all Arab states to meet with her
anywhere anytime to discuss peace. Direct talks. And a Palestinian
representative democratically elected from the Palestinians within
Israel. But Israel's enemies want only an international conference.
With Saddam's ally Arafat. And the Europeans - at least until now -
insisted.
The Germans sent nerve gas to Iraq and helped extend
the range of the Scud missiles. Germany then calls on Israel not to
respond to these attacks. Then the tax money the German
government earned from weapon and nerve gas sales to Iraq goes to
pay Israel (via donation of gas masks) for not responding to Scud
attacks. Weapons are sold to Jew haters to kill Jews and the money goes
to pay the Jews not to respond.
Mass demonstrations in Germany 'against war'. That
is, for Saddam Hussein's right to Kuwait. And they call on Israel not
to defend itself against the German gas and missile technology.
They're even willing to pay us - with gas masks - to
crouch in fear away from shatterable windows in a sealed room, - four
million Jews jumping out of bed to run and hide wondering if this time
it's gas. Again. To the Germans I turn my other two cheeks.
The Germans want to let us know that we can rely on
them in time of trouble. They want to be able to help force us to
accept a "peace conference" final solution to the Arab-Israeli problem.
We won't be able to claim that it is dangerous for Israel, and that we
can rely only on ourselves. After all, the Germans will defend us .
Like they did in World War II. And like they allowed American
planes to refuel in Germany during the emergency airlift that first
week of the Yom Kippur War, when Israel was losing. No European country
allowed it. Not France and not Germany, not England or Holland even. By
a miracle (perhaps literally) a short-lived rightist government arose
in Portugal and was willing.
An international peace conference on Kuwait would
probably have convicted Kuwait for "threatening Iraq", to quote Saddam
and his foreign minister Azziz. Would likely have supported the PLO
which claims that it is all Israel's fault somehow.
Maybe Israel should agree to an international
conference if Iraq withdraws from Kuwait. Then after they withdraw
Israel can conquer Kuwait and agree to withdraw if the conference is
cancelled.
And
who knows what was promised to Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia for
allowing the allies to liberate of Kuwait and protect Saudi Arabia.
Everyone loves us now. Praises our restraint. Such good friends we have.
A good friend would proclaim its support for any
action Israel took or didn't take against Iraq. Would reject all groups
and organizations calling for Iraq to unprovokedly attack Israel.
Especially the PLO inside and outside Israel.
The allies could have had a valuable ally at their
side. Israel. But its Arab friends will not allow that. And will the
West, particularly the allies remeber Jordan's support for Saddam
Hussein when Saddam wanted to "burn Israel". A 'moderate' Arab state.
Where Jews are not permitted to live. Where it is a capital offense to
sell land to a Jew. Like great friend Saudi Arabia which doesn't permit
Jewish tourists in its land, and won't permit the American soldiers
defending it to pray openly, or do anything unmoslem.
Saddam Hussein says he will turn every town in
Kuwait into a Beirut. Kuwaities and other civilians in the buildings
shielding his fanatical soldiers. Their goal is not to defend this or
that city or installation. They need only kill and maim as many
Americans as they can, to cause US public opinion to press for a
withdrawal of American forces. If the Americans withdraw, Iraq seizes
Saudi Arabia and the other gulf states, and owning these and Kuwait,
becomes the richest country in the world. A year later all will be
rebuilt. Including the nuclear reactor.
Twenty thousand American dead will do it. Iraq
can afford to expend fifteen men to kill one American soldier. It
shouldn't be too difficult for three hundred thousand suicide fighters
to kill twenty thousand Americans, if that is their only objective.
They need not defend Iraq or Kuwait. Every house in Kuwait will have to
be liberated in order for Kuwait to be liberated - and every
house will be a terrorist base. Iraq can be conquered, but every house
will be a terrorist cell.
Starving them won't work unless one is willing to
starve the civilians as well. Same for bombing them. The Iraqi
army has had a few months to dig in to every house in Kuwait, to set
traps and mines and to plan how to murder the marines trying to retake
every house. To ensure supplies of food and civilian hostages. And a
supply of CNN cameras to bring the civilian suffering to the livingroom
of every American household.
Maybe instead of liberating Kuwait the allies should
take and hold the large undefended and non-heavily populated areas of
Iraq and give that to the Kuwaities, or hold it in ransom. It is
difficult to defeat an enemy who is willing to be more vicious than you
are, and who would hold his own civilian population hostage. And to
defeat a people which will cynically allow itself to be taken
'hostage'. The Iraqis threatened to keep Kuwait unless Israel
surrendered. Again Arabs kill Arabs and Israel is to blame.By the same
logic maybe they will ensure great civilian losses of their own
in order to prevent the US from winning. As the PLO did in Lebanon by
fighting from hospitals, schools and homes.
I wish the United States armed forces and their
leaders wisdom, courage and some ruthlessness. God bless America.
Back to International Politics homepage
Back to Home Page: Physics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Science, Biblical Studies