I had the pleasure of meeting Jerusalem Post writer Caroline Glick at a recent Santa Barbara retreat that was part of a weekend set up by David Horowitz. Like many who have been through the Israeli Army, she is a kind person with a steel interior. She is deeply concerned about Israel and its survival. Unlike many, she actually understands the problems, and has sensible solutions. Her columns are often on the front page at RealClearPolitics.com.
She was part of a panel on understanding and combatting Islamofacism.
With that, I offer the remarks of Caroline Glick.
“I was in the Israeli Army for 6 years.”
“We are teating Iraq as a war, rather than as a campaign in a larger war.”
“Israel has Iranian proxies on its borders. According to the head of Mossad, Iran will have nuclear weapons by next year.”
“Israel lost its power of deterrence in 2006 due to the Lebanon war.”
“The Israeli government is doing nothing. The diplomatic situation is awful. College professors in America want to recognize Hamas. Israel is becoming a pariah state.”
“The European Union has never recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.”
“The propaganda is so bad. Israel is part of the terror, yet Israel does not exist.”
“We are not even allowed to label terrorists as terrorists. What should we do, fight a war against meanies or a war against people with bad table manners since terror affects Muslims and hurts their feelings?”
“Those targeting Israel are part of a larger Jihad. This means we must acknowledge Jihad, and develop a plan to fight it. We deny it because we do not wish to fight it.”
“Genocidal ideologies have nothing to do with Palestinian statehood.”
“We must wise up before Iran nukes Tel Aviv.”
A questioner asked Ms. Glick why Israel insists on aiding its enemies, such as providing Palestinians with food, water, electricity and medical care. Her response was as truthful as it was unsettling.
“Israel aids its enemies because it wants to be liked by the United States State Department and be treated well at the Davos World Economic Forum.” Israelis are taught to be nice to foreigners calling on the telephone. One has to descend to second or third grade schoolyard behavior to grasp this logic.”
“We are weak. There has been an erosion in the belief in the justice of our cause, which has been ground down by a global refusal to accept Israel as an equal.”
“The elites in Israel gave up fighting.”
(It seems weak, groveling, and sniveling elites is a universal and global problem in itself, whether it be 1940s France, or Israel and America today.)
“We have a largely corrupt and ideologically dead Israeli leadership in its last throes.”
“Condoleeza Rice smiling is not a strategic victory for the Jews.”
“The United States will not admit that they and Israel are the same.”
I will say it again, in less eloquent terms than Ms. Glick. Dialogue works when both sides truly want peace. The United Sates having dialogue with the U.S.S.R. made sense. It was also helpful that the dialogue occurred with Ronald Reagan having unclear weapons pointed at the U.S.S.R., along with a promise to outspend them into bankruptcy.
Dialogue with genocidal lunatics who see armageddon as the end itself, and not the means, cannot be reasoned with.
Caroline Glick is a very pleasant person, and I appreciate her warmth, as well as her stone cold common sense.
I will speak for myself and not her, and say that if the Israeli people truly get it, they will immediately fire Ehud Ohlmert and bring back Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu. Bibi was elected as a hardliner, and then turned into a pragmatist. I hope and pray that he has learned form this mistake, and that his current hardline saber rattling as a candidate will be how he is upon once again becoming Prime Minister of Israel.
The survival of Israel itself depends on this.
eric
“Israel lost its power of deterrence in 2006 due to the Lebanon war.”
That’s an awfully broad assertion. It’s not like they lost their nuclear arsenal for goodness sake! It was certainly disconcerting. I wrote about it at the time, “Could it be that the once most skilled soldier on Earth (yes, folks, sorry, but the Israeli army, per soldier unit, was for quite a while there the best fighting unit on Earth) is no longer?” They may not have “lost” the power of deterence, but they certainly didn’t add to it.
“We must wise up before Iran nukes Tel Aviv.”
Why would Iran nuke Tel Aviv? That makes no sense. First of all, Israel is one of the two great uniting political factors in the Muslim World (we, unfortunately, were dumb enough to make ourselves the other) . If Israel was ever wiped off the map, what would be left for the despots to demagogue? It would be like if the GOP ever did purge the America of secularism, abortion, and gun regulations – their wouldn’t be anything left to run on! Secondly, the Iranian regime is not suicidal. They know that if they bombed Israel (and Iran hasn’t attacked another couintry in over 200 years) Israel and America would wipe them off the map. To think that Iran would nuke Tel Aviv is just plain paranoid – and rather insipid.
“The United States will not admit that they and Israel are the same.”
I don’t even know what that remark is supposed to mean… what the …? Since when are we a Jewish homeland state???
And Netanyahu??? After the unmitigated failure and unprecendented disasterous debacle of neoconservatism throughout this first decade of the 21st century, you think a neocon is what Israel needs now??? I thought you loved Israel! What happened???
What Israel needs is a smart, pragmatic, honest leader – another Yitzhak Rabin. Not another screwball ideologue.
JMJ
Irans leadership think like terrorist Jersey, not like American politicians who need issues to run platforms on.
Please.
And yes, they are suicidal. Its part of the ideoligy.
The war with Iraq should be the perfect example.
In 1982 the Iranians were being slaughterd by Iraq amd yet kept coming in waves that were unarmed and being used as mine detectors to clear the way for more unarmed soldiers. ( those are the ones Saddam gassed)
They have clearly stated that they worship death while Americans fear it.
Netanyahu has cajones.
Micky, you have a comic-bookish perception of the politcal world around you.
JMJ
Hmmm…
I havent seen any comic books carry anything about the Iraq/Iran war.
Once again.
I give a clear and accurate picture of what I am talking about with historical fact to back it up and all you can come back with is some an opinion of my views.
What you think is irrelevant unless you have something substantial to bolster those thoughts to a level that appers intelligent and insightful.
The “Iranian regime” supports more than one organization whos greatest weapon of choice is that of suicide.
Your perceptions with all due respect are naive and ignorant.
And if I had such a comic book it woulod have pictures of Allah scattered across every page in some of the most unflattering circumstances imaginable.
Preferably involving camels and step ladders.
No offense to Allah.
But rather to offend the the hypersensative Islamic zealots out there that want to impose there lifestyles upon everyone and at the same time protest at the sight of anything with regards to Jews or Christians.
Why would Iran nuke Tel Aviv? Are you serious?
Ahmahitlerjad would see himself as an eternal religous hero.
I cannot recall who it was, but somone bandied about the idea that we need a new American doctrine regarding the use of a nuke against Isreal or on U.S. soil … if it happens and it is an Islamic group, even a non-state terrorist organization, Mecca is glass and the oil is ours. If the Chinese want to stop us, then we may have a fight on our hands, but other than that their isn’t anyone else that can stand in our way.
Again, more comic book worldviews.
Timbud, Ahmadinijad is not the Supreme Leader of Iran. He has NOT the power to launch a war or an attack on anyone. Even the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (the actual Supreme Leader) hasn’t that power. Now, I know in the comic book universe of conservatives there must be Evil Villians and Superheros, but the Real World is more complicated than that. The Iranian government (try reading about it) is a complex amalgam of parliamentary republicanism and theocratic councils. It’s not some tilted hideout where Batman fights with the Penguin.
And if you think China (and Russsia) are going to just sit back and let American imperialists run amok forever, you’ve got another thing coming. The days of disbalnce among the world powers are thankfully coming to an end.
JMJ
“Timbud, Ahmadinijad is not the Supreme Leader of Iran. He has NOT the power to launch a war or an attack on anyone.”
Thats beside the point.
He would still see himself as a religious hero.
“The Iranian government (try reading about it) is a complex amalgam of parliamentary republicanism and theocratic councils.”
Yea jersey, you may be refering to those old history books that explain the origins and structures of the Persians and how it came to be the Iranain parliament that it is today.
But the real up to date reality is that the government you are trying to convince everyone that is not all that powerful or benign is actully putting nuclear weapons together and sponsors the largest terrorist organizations in the middle east.
The Iranian government is also a dictatorship ship which means if the Ayatollahs and Amadingdong so decide so, they can nuke Israel if they want and all the other ornamental dignitaries in that government wont have a thibng to say about it.
Also, just hours ago Israel has mentioned that it is considering taking action against Iran by means of an air strike against its nuke facilities.
With that in mind let me ask you this.
Up above and before you have said that Israel has one of the best militraries around. And no doubt one the best intelligence operations on our planet.
Are the Israelis also in a comic book universe ?
I’ll bet both my gonads that they know a hell of a lot more about what Iran is up to than you will ever know buddy !!!
So please,. back up, take a deep breath . Your own BS is clouding sound reason and fact.
JMJ;
“The days of disbalnce among the world powers are thankfully coming to an end.”
I dont see what the Chinese and the Russians have to do with Israel defending itself.
But of course already the Russians are warning Israel not to take action against Iran.
Who else will they sell all that unaccounted for uranium and tecnology to ?
May God save us all if the balance goes the way of the Russians and the Chinese.
But of course there are clowns in our country who think that would be just wonderful so we can finally start dividing up all of everyones everything.
The Chinese and the Russians are not going to sit back and allow global American hegemony forever. And do you know who the main import/export partners of Iran are? Mostly European states. Do you think the Iranians want to upset them? Their economy would collapse the next day if those partners were upset enough.
You don’t have a clue about the Iranian government. Just more comic book nonsense.
JMJ
Man you are one lucky cat! Getting to meet Capt Caroline is really cool. Very jealous! Congrats on an exceptional coup and a great essay.
You obviously haven’t read a comic book in quite a while Jersey.
I do get a kick out of how you try to belittle those opposed to you thorugh thinly veiled insults, as it shows how juvenile you are acting.
Now, as for the Russians and Chinese, neither are in a viable position to really do much about what the US does. Russia is so frctured ATM, and so busy dealing with its former client-state “republics,” that it can barely handle a gas deal with the EU, let alone take on the US in any way. Yes, China can wield some powerful economic weapons. But they can’t do anyone any permanent harm outside of mainland Asia. Their ability to project power is so limited, they can barely threaten Taiwan. Even the Vietnamese were able to stymie them, and that was after fighting a 20 year war and an invasion of Cambodia. China can only really act through her proxies, mainly in Africa, which aren’t able to do much to threaten the USA.
As for Iran, yes Khameni isn’t all that interested in suicide, but if he gets “that old time religion,” don’t think he won’t authorize Ahmadenijad to push the button. The Grand Council of Ayatollahs has manipulated the electoral process in Iran to ensure that the “radicals” hold on to power. They forced Khatemi out, and have acted to keep Ahmadenijad in power. Ahmadenijad and Khameni both also remember the assistance that Israel and Mossad gave to the Shah and SAVAK. They want revenge, and have stated as such.
The proposition that “Iran hasn’t attacked anyone for 200 years” is on the surface true, but says nothing as to why. The why is rather simple. Iran was surrounded by superior empires for those 200 years. The Russians to the North, the British to the East, the Ottomans, and later the British to the West. It was for lack of want that they didn’t attack, it was that they faced annihilation if they did so. Iran also didn’t start to modernize untill 1910, leaving them 50-100 years behind their neighbors. So to try and say that Iran is somehow “peaceful” and “nonbeligerent,” is disingenuous.
As for Iran and the EU, well, that’s a two edged sword. Iran is more capable of recovering from the loss of business with the Eu than the Eu is capable of recovering from the loss of Iranian oil. Iran can sell to China and India. Where will the EU get its oil from? The EU is literally “over a barrel” when it comes to Iran, and Ahmadenijad and Khameni know this. Should Iran attack Israel, the EU will only act in a half hearted manner. They have enough problems as is, with out adding in an additional oil crisis. As such, they won’t be willing to “go the distance” should that event come to pass. Just look at how Europe reacted to the last oil crisis.
It has nothing to do with them not allowing hegemony.
And still, you have not and cannot address the fact that Israels intelligence is far greater than yours.
Putin has returned to the old policies in which America’s friends are Russia’s enemies and vice versa. Iran has become Russia’s close friend. Also you can expect little help from China on this issue. Its dependence on Iran for energy is total and was greatly increased by its growth in the last decade. A few years ago, the two signed an agreement where China will pay Iran $75 billion to supply it with natural gas over the next 30 years. The largest such contract in history.
So as you can see, maybe not, it has more to do with those comic books you are reading and not the real facts.
The Europeans were upset about us going into Iraq for similar reasons.
Did they stop having trade with America ? And did we give a flying crap if they did care ?
They dont care about people, just their trade agreements.
So I hardly think Europe would stop selling anything to anyone if Iran came after Israel.
For someone who is supposed to know so much about the Iranian government you are a huge disappointment.
So far you cannot controvert a thing I have said in regards to Israeli intelligence knowing more than you.
That Iranians are definitly suicidal. As proven in history and by hezzbola and hamas.
The fact that very few people actually run the Itanian government as opposed to the great diverse and delegated parliament you say they have.
Any fool knows its a dictatorship
Or the fact that Israel is recieving permission from many surrounding neighbors as we speak to launch a strike on Iran.
(Watch the news)
And that Iran is a state sponsor of two of the largest terrorist organizations that exist mostly to destroy Israel. And are trying to do so as we speak.
(Fact)
Simply put. Iran is and has been attacking Israel for decades now.
(Fact)
And in your fantasy world you think its going to stop.
When anyone with the most limited of senses can see that it has never subsided, has only gotten worse and by all indications will get worse.
So, I guess your next response will be some emotional rant instead of facts that will controvert what I say.
You will tell me I dont know what I’m talking about and expect me to believe all that you say is fact.
All you have are clues.
I have real facts and history to back up my claims.
All you do is insist and insist.
Good luck with that in the real world.
Re: “The Israeli government is doing nothing. The diplomatic situation is awful. College professors in America want to recognize Hamas. Israel is becoming a pariah state.”
“The European Union has never recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.”
“The propaganda is so bad. Israel is part of the terror, yet Israel does not exist.”
This and a whole lot more is all part of the New World Order. The politic elite run the world and the current Israel elite are part and parcel in their quest for oneness; as in ONE WORLD. There will never be peace in Israel until the New World Order cartel is broken up…rather slayed like a dragon but I didn’t want to be accused of wanting to kill the SOB’s (because I can name names).
EUROPE permitted the borns of Israel in ’48 for the famouse reasons of guilt-feelings to it: Before 1945 , when all the world see what nazi made, the ‘olocaust’, all european was racists versus jewish. That is only the truth. Others words are more in front of terrible reality. German and Italian people didn’t all crazies. It was an old politics that becomes from centuries of politicals, economicals battles that becomes religiuos only for others interests. One of more Racists Country versus jewish was Russia. That thing in mass-media don’t write it, there isn’t ONU documents about it, or i don’t know its. I know the most part of Russian’s and est-european’s Jewish when still possible escaped from his countries and goes or in Israel or to Usa: the only two Countries in the world that ebraism’s racisms didn’t exist . When we knos exatly these things, we can saids that European’s Goverments makes the same thing with Palestina: They made another genocide. They didn’t want to do it, but they did it. Now they can’t go versus Palestinian peloples. The european citizen know exatly theresposnabilities of theirs goverment in Palestinese case. Now european goverment are with Israel. Italy, for example, only few weeks ago sign a military tract thet permit to Israel the use of new italian satellite called “Skymed”, the same techology discoverd the water on Mars!! The That technologies is all italian and, with italian army only Spain, Us and Istrael army can use it: that is only an exaple to understand to you that as Italy, all european’s Govrment must makes a ‘strange’ politics with israel and with palestinin. Excuse me for my bad english but I’ italian, of course….
Deacon, I neevr said that China or Russia would pose some immediate military threat if they chose. But both countries are on the rise, are very powerful, and each in their own way can check our power in the not-so-far future. As a student of history, I can say without hesitation that disbalance of global powers rarely lasts for long. We have been in disbalance since the collapse of the Soviet Union (and many would say that even then there was a disbalance created by having only two significant “superpowers”). With no one to check our power, we militarily ran amok in the Middle East, and economically ran amok in Latin America and much of the rest of the Third World. Our trade deals like NAFTA and CAFTA and the WalMart hegemon, our imposition of American laizzez faire economic colonialism through the WTO and World Bank, and our military imperialism in the Middle East have left a bitter taste in the mouths of the world’s people – if they’re now lucky enough to taste anything. New powers will rise. Nature abhors a vacuum, as I’m sure you know – especially a vacuum as gluttonous, ambivilent and cruel as ours can often be.
As for Iran attacking Israel, there is no historical precedent, no national interest beyond just the political baiting, and in pretty much every way you look at it Iran would be taking a completely unacceptable and inane risk attacking Israel. To anyone educated about the world around them, Iran attacking Israel makes no sense whatsoever. It’s just plain paranoid and yes, stupid, no offense intended. Yes, Iran would like to be the Big Boy on the Midel Eastern Block, and that may or may not be a good thing (in life, it’s usually a combination), but on the other hand Iran has a very young population, the Iranians people are educated and becoming more and more progressive and secular, and positive change in the future may well be on the way – unless of course dummy imperialists screw it all up like they did in 1953.
As for the EU and Iran, remember that the EU is roughly as dependent on foreign oil as we are, but have much a better global relations outlook for the future, and have many more suppliers than we do. On top of that, Iran makes for a tiny percentage of imported oil there (http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/nte21871.htm). Heck, WE export more oil to the EU than does Iran. Iran DOES NOT have the EU over a barrel – or a drum for that matter.
Micky, I’m sorry but everything you’re saying sounds comic-bookish and ridiculous. I have addressed you’re points. Please make some new ones.
Blogmasterpg said it right (Hello my Italian friend! My grandfathers family immigrated from Naples!) – the relationship between Europe and Israel is complex and ambiguous. The belief that Europe somehow has it out for Israel is again comic-bookish and silly.
Ciao, JMJ
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1213794292053&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Check this out…
JMJ
You’re a joke Jersey.
Where did you address anything with anything more than your opinion ?
I put a list of points up above that you have not been able to deal with yet and like some disengenuous clown you think by saying that you have addressed it all that will work ?
No you havent, and you cant.
The concerns relating to Irans nuke potential has reached everywhere from the IAEA last week as they mentioned with deep concern at the UN to Israels intelligenceto our own American intelligence.
All the intelligence points to one thing.
And you actually think that anyone is going to believe you over them ?
Get a grip bro.
And then theres the actions Iran is perfoming in Iraq against our soldiers and the weapons they are providing to the insurgency.
They are funding Hamas and Hezzbola so that they may terrorise Israel.
And you think they wont attack Israel when THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IT DAILY FOR YEARS NOW !!!!!
You are so wrapped up in your mission to discount anything that the right say it has impared whatever ability you have left to think straight.
This conversation is over if you are not going to be honest and adress the issues I listed
Micky, are you actually John McCain? Iran is funding the insurgency??? LOL!!! You’ve got to be kidding. You really don’t have a clue, do you? And when it comes to funding Hamas and Hezbollah, just how many Middle Eastern nations would you like to bomb anyway? Get real.
JMJ
Look, stop your BS taking things completely out of context.
I said that Iran was providing weapons to the insurgency.
I did not say they were “funding” the insurgency.
What does Iran funding Hamas and Hezzbolla have to do with me wanting to bomb anyone anywhere ?
And while I’m at El Baradei can blow it out his rump.
He knows as well as anyone that Israel will never allow Iran to attack them with nukes.
Which really makes you whole arguement mute and useless.
Anyone with any common sense that is informed is well aware of the threat Iran poses. And so that threat is being dealt with.
get over it.
Oh yea.
Have some cajones and try to answer to some of the points I made instead of just coming back with some other subject as a means to dodge the issue here.
You cant, you lost your butt on this one because common knowledge, facts abd history are against you as pointed out by Timbudd, Deaconblue,Norm and myself.
All you have is a personal viewpoint dictated by hatred for anything right or connected to Bush.
Please, you’re arguement is so weak and naive its almost got me concerned for you.
I would agree that the “power poles” have been in flux since the end of the USSR. The whole “super power” notion was always over stated, having been a multipolar structure with poles of varying degrees of power. Even at the height of the Cold War, you still had powers in France, Britain, China, and the re-emergence of Japan. Today, we have the USA as the strongest pole, with a whole slew of nations just below us. Only the EU, if it can ever gets its act together, has the potential to become equivalent to us, or surpass us. RUssia is decades away from being power house again, and China’s recent quake shows how fragile they are.
As for Iran, you are right Jersey about the general population. That said, they have to have a voice to exercise change. They don’t have it at the moment. The Grand Council moved to prevent that voice from being heard, and insuring Ahmadenijad’s power remained. You must also remember that the current members of the Grand Council are old. Their successors are younger, more militant, and more fundamentalist. There isn’t an “immediate threat,” but there is one that is looming on the near horizon, say 4-5 years from now.
Another thing here, you, Jersey, are applying a “coventional wisdom/logic” to a religiously run state. The current Iranian leadership are not students of Real Politik. They haven’t read Von Clausewitz or Sun Tzu. They act not from enlightened self interest, but from religious fundamentalism. This by definition means that do not follow the “standard rules” of states.
As for Iran not attacking Israel, well, I would say that is true in a conventional military sense. But as has been pointed out, Iran has been acting through front organizations, such as Hezb’allah, since the early 80’s. Hez is primarily funded by Iran, and trained by the IRG/Kutz Force. This has been known, widely, since the mid-80’s.