June 27, 2007 - 10:13am
Torricelli on the Middle East
By Robert TorricelliThe most interesting thing about history is how it turns on events that are little noticed at the time. That's exactly what happened in the Middle East last week.
There are now two Palestinian states. Hamas staged a successful rebellion and has occupied the entire Gaza Strip. The result is that forty years of Israeli defense policy is beginning to unwind.
The defense of
Israel has always been based on pushing the front lines of Arab nationalism and then radical Islam over the horizon. The goal has been to have more moderate regimes on Israel's borders. The Christian Government of Lebanon played this role. After the 1967 Six Day War, King Hussein put Jordan in this position and Egypt became relatively neutralized after President Carter brokered the Camp David peace accord.It's now all in jeopardy. A series of events threatens to move the front lines of radical Islam to
Israel’s front door. The failed invasion of Lebanon was the first contributor. Israel will no longer be able to intimidate adversaries north of her border with impunity. The deterioration of events in Iraq is the second factor. There's inevitability to Iran exercising dominion over much of Iraq when the United States departs. The next target of Iran's influence will be the Hashemite Kingdom in Jordan and it will never withstand the pressure. Now we are confronted with a Hamas government in Gaza. Israel will be surrounded and that fact will dominate US policy in the region for the next twenty years.A failed war in Iraq, a misguided Israeli invasion in Lebanon, a corrupt Palestinian leadership, a detached American Administration and an incompetent group of Israeli leaders have inadvertently conspired to give Israel's worst enemies an opportunity. The
United States has the option of removing our troops. Israel has no such option.It's quite a situation and it dominated the news for less time than Paris Hilton's jail sentence.
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iarael
excellent essay. very insightful.it really is a lot about israel.too much maybe.incredibly large sacrifices are being made for such a small country(religeous state?)please tell me---is it worth it---who is right?i deploe the sacrifice of young american lives without credible answers!
January 2009
Whoever the new Pennsylvania Avenue tenant is - let's see if they have the smarts to recognize that the lowest-hanging presidential legacy fruit in the orchard is a land-for-peace deal on Israel's northern border with Syria (and Lebanon by extension) - the one that Clinton failed to deliver, which is not to suggest that W's regional policies have been anything but atrocious.
HW being deprived of a 2nd term to finish Madrid will go down in history as a major turning point for the worse - http://www.ajjan.com/2007/03/swiss-cheese-and-fudge.html
George Ajjan
http://www.georgeajjan.com
Hey Torch any arab bribe money?
Were any of the many bribes you took from arabs?
When in doubt
BLOG about foreign policy, this should keep the Torricelli attacks to a minimum. Why is he still doing this to himself?
Live together or die together ...
Those are the stakes ... nothing less.
Another reason to "thank" Bush
Bush has made such a mess of Mid-East it will take decades to recover. Hey BillConservative, why not look at your own bonehead disaster of a "compassionate conservative" president instead of making up crap about the Torch?
Hard case, bad precedent
The post-911 fallout has been tough on everyone, but diplomatic restraint seems to have been the biggest casualty. Bush is to be faulted for his disregard of United Nations resolutions with the Iraq incursion, though I will spare him such criticism on Afghanistan. A military engagement that should have been finished in a year is now in its fifth. We have earned the enmity of many nations in the mid-East and others elsewhere aligned with them. It took two world wars in the early 20th century to build consensus for the United Nations in the first place. I think all subscriber nations should consider it their second remedy (after initiatives by embassy personnel fail) with military action a distant third.
Bush at least is honest if stupid
The Torch can not say that!
Torch do you think this will stop with Israel?
Torch: You accurately describe the existential threats currently confronting Israel, but your comment conveys a sense that radical Islam is mainly Israel's problem. You must realize that after Israel's demise, the global Jihad will march on against Thailand, India via Kashmir, the dhimmi submission of Eurabia will be complete and America will stand alone against a nuclear armed caliphate. Who will the cowering and beleagured west have to blame for the Islamic onslaught once Israel is gone? Unfortunately most Americans don't have the stomach to confront the Jihadist threat and will retreat into denial until America too falls under the yoke of the global Jihad, in due time. Torch, do you get it?
More stupidity
Torch was obviously busily soliciting bribes during the last Lebanese war when it became obvious that borders and distances were no longer a factor in an age of Hezbollah's Iranian-made zelzal missiles with 130 mile ranges. tel Aviv could be hit from Saudi Arabia or the Suez Canal
news
at least his comment about news coverage was right... its pathetic when crap like that is more important than real news
hey yellowdawgdem who says he is "my" president?
the only reason he got elected was he ran twice against crazed riff raff
Making up crap?
Maybe if it was made up he would be the US Senator right now. His opinion should never be consulted on any matter because he betrayed the public trust, and is a discrace and a criminal
The words of a criminal!
Once again Bobby has the exactly wrong idea, but what do you expect from a former senator who should be in Levinworth right now. The first thing the Israel's should do the next time they have to fight in Lebanon is shoot all of the damn news reporters. Then the american army should do the same in Iraq, and make plans to meet the IDF in Syria. Of course this will never happen, and the next battleground of this Islam crap will be in Paterson. Of course, Bobby will never tell you that!
babaganush
Taking interest in the Friday night bellydancer at a local Mediterranean Restaurant does not make one an expert on Middle Eastern Affairs. Stick to antiques, watches and fine italian suits.
Little noticed?
Torricelli wrote: "The most interesting thing about history is how it turns on events that are little noticed at the time." BLT wants to know: Like when Clinton took Cuban American campaign cash (and you, remember? You both were anti-embargo, you took the money, and you both switched sides) then sold out any possibility of rapprochement w/Cuba, bequeathing History with another couple decades of a cold war that amazes the whole world save a couple of Miami counties?
(And another thing, Bob, you didn't notice the Israeli occupation? The breakdown of civil society in Gaza? Are you stupid?)