From: CurtAdams@aol.com
Date: Sun Aug 18 2002 - 13:44:46 MDT
steve@multisell.com writes:
>This whole nightmare scenario can still be avoided if America puts heavy
>pressure on Israel to step into line with the various UN requirements,
>withdraw from occupied territory, dismantle its illegal settlements &c.
>All of the Islamic extremists cite the US support for Israeli excesses
>as the reason justifying jihad &c.
I'm all for pressuring Israel to behave better. However, the "excess"
most Arabs object to is that it exists at all. In all the nearby Arab
countries strong majorities oppose Israel's existence. There was
an article in the Atlantic Monthly last month by a traveller in Egypt
who was boggled by the utter obsession of Egyptians with Israel.
Most religious fanatics want the entire world to be under the dictates
of their religion. Muslims issue death warrants for British novelists
writing obscure prose that might somehow imply Muhammed wasn't
perfect in every way if you can make sense of it. It's not just Israel.
>Iraq may, but probably does not, have nuclear weapons ..... wheras Israel
>(another rogue state who continually overstep international law) certifiable
do.
>So why no talk of invading Israel to bring about regime change????
Because they already have them. A successful invasion of Israel could
easily result in the deaths of tens of millions, depending on whether they
decide to fling the nukes or not. No matter what the Israelis do, the
world is forced to tolerate it. So far they *have* been responsible, anyway.
Do you want to face a similar dilemma with an entity vastly more immoral?
What if Saddam Hussein, facing a coup, nukes Tel Aviv to build up
domestic support? He did his best before when facing invasion.
Do you think the Israelis will just say "OK"? And how do you think
the Muslims will view us if Isreal nukes Bagdad or Damascus or,
well, Mecca, in retaliation?
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