I realize, my dear readers, that many have picked a side in this fight, which really isn’t theirs, but which they have made theirs to the extent it often seems this fight is more important to them than events at home. They have declared “My mother, drunk or sober”, and see everything through that loving lens, dismissing any criticism out of hand as false, suspicious, or malicious. This is human nature.
I very much agree Briggs. We must break out of the mindset that you can't be a friend to the Jews without supporting the government of Israel. We all understand that not all friends of American Patriots are rabid supporters of the Biden administration. That any friend of the Europeans must support Brussels will not be generally acknowledged. It would be like saying(~2700 years ago) that anyone who wished Israel well must support the Ahab and Jezebel government. We must allow ourselves to think the forbidden thought that the Israeli government might not be acting in the best interests of the Israeli people.
I don't want to be forced to choose a side either and I know full well that both sides contain bloodthirsty men. But let's be clear, the Iranians demonstrated 3 days ago that they can put missiles over the Knesset with impunity, that they can strike any target in Israel and they chose, not civilian targets, not population centers, but military runways. Think that through before you cast the characters in your morality play.
Can't thank you enough for posting this today. The freaking deluge of Subtack content on this topic that's been posted since I joined in February is reaching a level that's making the platform a really difficult place to be. Every day I am faced with unsubscribing or unfollowing Substack creators who I have admired and agreed with on almost everything -- EXCEPT for Middle East history and current events in that region. Now, does that exception to the rule not seem just a little odd? :) :) When that particular nerve is touched, so many, which ever "side" they are on, display hardly any knowledge of history and opinions born of media manipulation and distortion in favor of Israel. The predominance of voices equating Hamas with the Islamic faith in its entirety and all Muslims everywhere is nothing less than amazing. And as usual, forgotten gems like Glubb's writings and the like are not to be found amid all the inflamed and DANGEROUS ignorance. God bless!
As one who has indeed picked sides on the conflict I appreciate this article. My grandfather served as a soldier in the British Mandate far in advance of 1947 and he reported both sides shooting at British troops. Ambushes, terror attacks, with terrorist groups blending into the civilian population (cough cough).
The difference was that the Jews were strangely protected from reprisals. No matter what they did (blowing up hotels, booby trapping the bodies of dead British soldiers) there were never any of the usual punishments that would have accrued to Kenyan insurgents or others engaged in similar attacks on British assets.
It's a clear indication of who was running the British Empire by that point in time. There should have been reprisals but the lives of actual Britons mattered little to those who were carving a new ethno-state out of that region. As a person of European descent I know full well that both groups are traditional enemies, but I have a clear bias in terms of which group is the aggressor in this conflict and which represents the greatest threat to the rapidly decaying west.
I do think we should continue to support Israel, not because they're all good etcetera (they're not), not because it's the wisest political thing to do (it's not) but because Hamas is evil.
In this war:
Israel is doing everything it can to avoid killing civilians.
Hamas is doing everything it can to include the killing of civilians -because to Hamas any dead Jew is good. And not just in Israel but in Gaza, putting their own civilians in harms way-for media attention.
I feel the same way. How long did it take for the Catholics and Protestants to stop chopping one another up? And all these people say they believe in God?
The link to the video of John Mearsheimer on the Electronic Intifada program has been removed by YouTube. I assume, since you linked to it, that it was removed overnight. It's not the Palestinians who are clamping down on our First Amendment. That is why so many conservatives, while not supporting the Palestinians, no longer accept the pro-Israel propaganda, and view both sides with disdain.
Wow! Spot-on and clear as a bell--reality-based analysis. A true American point of view.
Isn't it amazing that average Americans are completely blind to the reality of the situation in the Middle East?
MIllenia-old ethnic antipathies are none of our business.
If you want to live in a neighborhood, you need to fit in. If you can't fit in, it ain't my problem. You steal land, start fights and pick on others in your neighborhood, you need to deal with the consequences.
American ignorance of the reality of the Middle East is completely due to capture of the media and information sources. But they're not happy with that--they're working at the state-level--Florida, S. Dakota, other neocon-led states are making it illegal to criticize Israel.
It's hilarious to see the fake "conservatives" twisting themselves in knots, after screaming about censorship, DIE, and bias, now the neocon gang--Rufo, Shapiro, et al--screams "anti-semitism" and is all for censoring and criminal charges against those who speak the truth about their hostile foreign sponsor.
American interests should be the ONLY criteria for our foreign policy. Foreign powers have no place in our foreign policy decisions.
I want to make a few jests. Who says this is not a jestable topic? That's because you lack determination, folks!
I wish to see a war only with women and transsexuals. Obviously, Israelis have the upper-hand on that. The most important thing: keep men safe at home cooking BBQ as God intended.
No, seriously, why is it always men the ones who must kill one another for the obsessions of dumb people who believe uncritically the speech of the well known liars in power? Men should go on strike!
I could cite famous conservative activists like Pete Seeger when he sang Bach's cantata "Down by the river side", a famous pacifist song of the hardcore white nationalist right.
"I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
down by the river side!
Study war no more!"
Or let me remember the immortal words of Pastor John Lennon, a direct disciple of G. Sorel, with his well known poem 'Imagine':
"Imagine having the entire home for yourself,
while your wife is at the front,
no need to put down the toilet seat,
or to wear socks while drunk.
You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not using idle words:
this is our destiny
since the beginning of creamer"
----
The only limitation of this plan of mass survival is the liberals and their egalitarianism. Their philosophy requires that an equal number of women and men die in useless wars, as they keep lining their pockets selling stocks.
It's certainly admirable the investment talent the liberals showcase every time a war happens. They have such an accurate foresight to buy low and sell high that a suspicious mind may conclude the game is rigged. Not my mind, though. Clearly the core moral values of the liberals prevent them from any form of cheating, at anything. There is no evidence to the contrary, and they will make sure there will never be evidence.
To conclude. I'm surprised I have not yet listened a single leftist criticizing the intrinsic violence of capitalism as the underlying cause of war. One cannot rely on those people to follow the script. They always go for the plot twist. Maybe they end up supporting the questionable business practices of semiconductor companies in China. State capitalism is the answer they give for every problem. So, maybe, if China offers help in bombing the Middle East, the Western leftists decide to support that too.
I will not argue with you, but I will suggest that you are using a very incomplete and biased history to inform you views. I would suggest listening to this interview with Benny Morris the outstanding, but unbiased, historian of 1948 who clearly acknowledges the suffering and displacement on both sides,:
Thank you. Of course it's not just the fact that our government is picking a side, but that in today's society, for some reason each one of us is expected to.
One Jewish wrong as compared to so many from their enemies. It would be constructive for the followers of Islam to condemn their own terrorists with the same sincerity as Jews condemn their own extremists. Sadly, a large majority of Islamists support the attacks on Israel.
Sarge, there’s only one thing I would say: as an American Christian I fear jihadist Islam. I don’t fear religious Jews.
I very much agree Briggs. We must break out of the mindset that you can't be a friend to the Jews without supporting the government of Israel. We all understand that not all friends of American Patriots are rabid supporters of the Biden administration. That any friend of the Europeans must support Brussels will not be generally acknowledged. It would be like saying(~2700 years ago) that anyone who wished Israel well must support the Ahab and Jezebel government. We must allow ourselves to think the forbidden thought that the Israeli government might not be acting in the best interests of the Israeli people.
I don't want to be forced to choose a side either and I know full well that both sides contain bloodthirsty men. But let's be clear, the Iranians demonstrated 3 days ago that they can put missiles over the Knesset with impunity, that they can strike any target in Israel and they chose, not civilian targets, not population centers, but military runways. Think that through before you cast the characters in your morality play.
Can't thank you enough for posting this today. The freaking deluge of Subtack content on this topic that's been posted since I joined in February is reaching a level that's making the platform a really difficult place to be. Every day I am faced with unsubscribing or unfollowing Substack creators who I have admired and agreed with on almost everything -- EXCEPT for Middle East history and current events in that region. Now, does that exception to the rule not seem just a little odd? :) :) When that particular nerve is touched, so many, which ever "side" they are on, display hardly any knowledge of history and opinions born of media manipulation and distortion in favor of Israel. The predominance of voices equating Hamas with the Islamic faith in its entirety and all Muslims everywhere is nothing less than amazing. And as usual, forgotten gems like Glubb's writings and the like are not to be found amid all the inflamed and DANGEROUS ignorance. God bless!
As one who has indeed picked sides on the conflict I appreciate this article. My grandfather served as a soldier in the British Mandate far in advance of 1947 and he reported both sides shooting at British troops. Ambushes, terror attacks, with terrorist groups blending into the civilian population (cough cough).
The difference was that the Jews were strangely protected from reprisals. No matter what they did (blowing up hotels, booby trapping the bodies of dead British soldiers) there were never any of the usual punishments that would have accrued to Kenyan insurgents or others engaged in similar attacks on British assets.
It's a clear indication of who was running the British Empire by that point in time. There should have been reprisals but the lives of actual Britons mattered little to those who were carving a new ethno-state out of that region. As a person of European descent I know full well that both groups are traditional enemies, but I have a clear bias in terms of which group is the aggressor in this conflict and which represents the greatest threat to the rapidly decaying west.
Sir John Glubb is a great author/historian !
I do think we should continue to support Israel, not because they're all good etcetera (they're not), not because it's the wisest political thing to do (it's not) but because Hamas is evil.
In this war:
Israel is doing everything it can to avoid killing civilians.
Hamas is doing everything it can to include the killing of civilians -because to Hamas any dead Jew is good. And not just in Israel but in Gaza, putting their own civilians in harms way-for media attention.
This war is also winnable. (Ukraine is not.)
Thank you for this article. We need more stuff like this.
I feel the same way. How long did it take for the Catholics and Protestants to stop chopping one another up? And all these people say they believe in God?
The link to the video of John Mearsheimer on the Electronic Intifada program has been removed by YouTube. I assume, since you linked to it, that it was removed overnight. It's not the Palestinians who are clamping down on our First Amendment. That is why so many conservatives, while not supporting the Palestinians, no longer accept the pro-Israel propaganda, and view both sides with disdain.
I am in no way advicating for violence, but nuking the cube and wailing wall would solve a lot of problems. . .
Wow! Spot-on and clear as a bell--reality-based analysis. A true American point of view.
Isn't it amazing that average Americans are completely blind to the reality of the situation in the Middle East?
MIllenia-old ethnic antipathies are none of our business.
If you want to live in a neighborhood, you need to fit in. If you can't fit in, it ain't my problem. You steal land, start fights and pick on others in your neighborhood, you need to deal with the consequences.
American ignorance of the reality of the Middle East is completely due to capture of the media and information sources. But they're not happy with that--they're working at the state-level--Florida, S. Dakota, other neocon-led states are making it illegal to criticize Israel.
It's hilarious to see the fake "conservatives" twisting themselves in knots, after screaming about censorship, DIE, and bias, now the neocon gang--Rufo, Shapiro, et al--screams "anti-semitism" and is all for censoring and criminal charges against those who speak the truth about their hostile foreign sponsor.
American interests should be the ONLY criteria for our foreign policy. Foreign powers have no place in our foreign policy decisions.
It's MAGA. Not MIGA.
Great post, Professor Briggs. I agree.
I want to make a few jests. Who says this is not a jestable topic? That's because you lack determination, folks!
I wish to see a war only with women and transsexuals. Obviously, Israelis have the upper-hand on that. The most important thing: keep men safe at home cooking BBQ as God intended.
No, seriously, why is it always men the ones who must kill one another for the obsessions of dumb people who believe uncritically the speech of the well known liars in power? Men should go on strike!
I could cite famous conservative activists like Pete Seeger when he sang Bach's cantata "Down by the river side", a famous pacifist song of the hardcore white nationalist right.
"I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
down by the river side!
Study war no more!"
Or let me remember the immortal words of Pastor John Lennon, a direct disciple of G. Sorel, with his well known poem 'Imagine':
"Imagine having the entire home for yourself,
while your wife is at the front,
no need to put down the toilet seat,
or to wear socks while drunk.
You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not using idle words:
this is our destiny
since the beginning of creamer"
----
The only limitation of this plan of mass survival is the liberals and their egalitarianism. Their philosophy requires that an equal number of women and men die in useless wars, as they keep lining their pockets selling stocks.
It's certainly admirable the investment talent the liberals showcase every time a war happens. They have such an accurate foresight to buy low and sell high that a suspicious mind may conclude the game is rigged. Not my mind, though. Clearly the core moral values of the liberals prevent them from any form of cheating, at anything. There is no evidence to the contrary, and they will make sure there will never be evidence.
To conclude. I'm surprised I have not yet listened a single leftist criticizing the intrinsic violence of capitalism as the underlying cause of war. One cannot rely on those people to follow the script. They always go for the plot twist. Maybe they end up supporting the questionable business practices of semiconductor companies in China. State capitalism is the answer they give for every problem. So, maybe, if China offers help in bombing the Middle East, the Western leftists decide to support that too.
So you picked a side. Which is ok. Everybody does.
Some people choose a side because they bear the full consequences of their choice.
Other people simply have the urge to belong to a side.
I don't count you to the latter ( I generally greatly enjoy your display of erudition)
But you cherry-picked and formed an opinion on the writings of Glubb.
It is the consideration of the Arab population of Palestine as "natives" that requires a closer look.
From 1900 till 1948 the Arab population grew from around 300.000 to 1.250.000.
A considerable part of this came from immigration.
It was driven by the Economic disparities between Palestine and the surrounding lands.
The economic growth in Palestine was mainly attributable to the Jewish immigrants.
The wages, standard of living, and life expectations were the drivers, not the forceful expulsion of the Arabs from their homelands.
These Arabs had no historical or geographical binding with Palestine.
On the other hand, it was not the European Jews that created the biggest Jewish population increase, especially after 1948.
With the Pan-Arabic expulsion of 900.000 Jews in Muslim countries between 1920 and 1970, 600.000 had no other place to go than Israel.
The Arabs must have apprehended this. As if by design.
Their miscalculation was the spectacular success of the Jewish state.
Add to this the following contemplations:
The Palestinian refugees are the only refugees in the world that keep their status ad infinitum.
Who benefited from this?
The Palestinians arguably received more financial aid than any people in history.
Who benefited from this?
My arguments may seem anecdotal. I have others if you want.
I lived in Israel for 30 years. I work with Arabs. I have Arab friends and colleagues.
I know that history is written from different viewpoints.
Victory or defeat is a very fluid concept, especially in the Middle East.
But especially the Jews have no choice.
The moment they let down their shield it will be the end of them.
I will not argue with you, but I will suggest that you are using a very incomplete and biased history to inform you views. I would suggest listening to this interview with Benny Morris the outstanding, but unbiased, historian of 1948 who clearly acknowledges the suffering and displacement on both sides,:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1948-with-benny-morris-part-1/id1539292794
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1948-with-benny-morris-part-2/id1539292794
Thank you. Of course it's not just the fact that our government is picking a side, but that in today's society, for some reason each one of us is expected to.
One Jewish wrong as compared to so many from their enemies. It would be constructive for the followers of Islam to condemn their own terrorists with the same sincerity as Jews condemn their own extremists. Sadly, a large majority of Islamists support the attacks on Israel.