Israel-basher
As you know I can be controversial on occasion, well this time it appears that I have gone too far, and am subject to a blog entitled "A response to an Israel-basher" by fellow blogger Mortart. My crime is to suggest, with some feeling that Israel has used disproportionate force, in the Lebanon and also to suggest that Israel is the dominant military force in the Middle-East.
Anyhow normally I would not give this another thought but since the authors profile states that he is a retired journalist/editor for several well-known publications I consider this note worthy. The fact that the author is in his Eighties, does not impinge on his writing so if you're interested please visit his blog, which is quality stuff.
The following is my reply to his blog:
Firstly I am not an Israel basher, neither am I a supporter of terrorist cowards, I just happen to be an ordinary bloke who gets a little disturbed and emotional when I see an unequal fight taking place this does not make me an extremist or even an enemy of the state of Israel.
Terrorists will always hide behind civilians, as has been the case in many conflicts and sadly you can bomb these people and more often their neighbours, morning noon and night forever and when you've finished they will still be there. Consider this more than 3500 people were murdered in Northern Ireland, then consider the conduct of United Kingdom, not once did British military forces find it necessary to invade the Irish Republic, or even contemplate such action for this rather simple reason, citizens of the Republic of Ireland are our neighbours, this conflict is now being resolved by political inclusion and economic factors and as with any dispute both sides have their faults.
To say that Israel is not the dominant military force in the Middle-East, ignores the facts, Israel is the largest recipient of American aid, some of which comes in the form of a cutting edge military hardware, also it happens to be a nuclear power.
Israel has or is in the process of bombing the Lebanon back into the Stone Age for what purpose I don't know, but unfortunately the effect of this will be to increase hostility to itself. Perhaps Israel should have learnt from Americas recent military adventures, there were few critics of their intervention in Afghanistan as this was the country that trained Al-Qaeda, then they moved on to Iraq and again they had popular support (mine included which they still have) but learning nothing from history in that gung-ho way stayed too long.
Apologies if my opinions have offended, and must admit, I don't know all the facts, what I do know is that I am no basher of Israel, a critic with a sense of proportion.
Sorry for the length of my response. Just one final point if you were driving a friend down the road, and that friend perceived your driving to be reckless and they happened to pass comment would that make them a Mortart-basher or a friend.
As you know I can be controversial on occasion, well this time it appears that I have gone too far, and am subject to a blog entitled "A response to an Israel-basher" by fellow blogger Mortart. My crime is to suggest, with some feeling that Israel has used disproportionate force, in the Lebanon and also to suggest that Israel is the dominant military force in the Middle-East.
Anyhow normally I would not give this another thought but since the authors profile states that he is a retired journalist/editor for several well-known publications I consider this note worthy. The fact that the author is in his Eighties, does not impinge on his writing so if you're interested please visit his blog, which is quality stuff.
The following is my reply to his blog:
Firstly I am not an Israel basher, neither am I a supporter of terrorist cowards, I just happen to be an ordinary bloke who gets a little disturbed and emotional when I see an unequal fight taking place this does not make me an extremist or even an enemy of the state of Israel.
Terrorists will always hide behind civilians, as has been the case in many conflicts and sadly you can bomb these people and more often their neighbours, morning noon and night forever and when you've finished they will still be there. Consider this more than 3500 people were murdered in Northern Ireland, then consider the conduct of United Kingdom, not once did British military forces find it necessary to invade the Irish Republic, or even contemplate such action for this rather simple reason, citizens of the Republic of Ireland are our neighbours, this conflict is now being resolved by political inclusion and economic factors and as with any dispute both sides have their faults.
To say that Israel is not the dominant military force in the Middle-East, ignores the facts, Israel is the largest recipient of American aid, some of which comes in the form of a cutting edge military hardware, also it happens to be a nuclear power.
Israel has or is in the process of bombing the Lebanon back into the Stone Age for what purpose I don't know, but unfortunately the effect of this will be to increase hostility to itself. Perhaps Israel should have learnt from Americas recent military adventures, there were few critics of their intervention in Afghanistan as this was the country that trained Al-Qaeda, then they moved on to Iraq and again they had popular support (mine included which they still have) but learning nothing from history in that gung-ho way stayed too long.
Apologies if my opinions have offended, and must admit, I don't know all the facts, what I do know is that I am no basher of Israel, a critic with a sense of proportion.
Sorry for the length of my response. Just one final point if you were driving a friend down the road, and that friend perceived your driving to be reckless and they happened to pass comment would that make them a Mortart-basher or a friend.
This particular blog is moderated so therefore my comment in reply has yet to show up at the time of writing.
To get the context of my correspondence please read the following posts Israel, Iran & Iraq: A crisis point in the war on terrorism / A message from an Israeli cousin
Link to Octogenarian blogsite
Link to Octogenarian blogsite
Although we disagree so vigorously, you sound like a very sensible "bloke" (a term I got to like while serving as a GI in British-ruled India during WWII) with whom one can debate controversial issues in a civilized manner. I appreciate your interest in my blog and the plug you gave it. But I do think your comparison of the UK vs Ireland situation with the Israel/Arab conflict is a bit exaggerated. I don't believe Ireland (my late father-in-law's birthplace)ever threatened the UK's very existence. If you dig down deeply into my blog you will find an essay explaining why this American Jew--like most other first-generation American Jews-- has such a deep emotional concern about Israeli security. And I don't consider non-Jews who disagree with me to be anti-Semitic.
ReplyDeleteI remember atrocities like Warrington, Birmingham, Guildford, all perpetrated by the IRA, who got a great deal of financial backing from Irish Americans. For most of the 70s, 80s, and part of the 90s, us Brits had to live with the knowledge that every time we went on a train, or a tube, or were in a pub or some other public place, we could be blown to smithereens by a kilo of Semtex bought with American money. I suppose those who gave money to the IRA were also deluded that they were supporting the cause of freedom and liberty. And now the US is supporting Israel's bombing and killing of innocent women and children, again citing 'democracy and freedom'. I agree that Israel has a right to defend itself in a measured way, as I would support any sovereign nation's right to do so. What I find outrageous and deeply hypocritical is the way that Americans will blindly support the killing of innocents, in any country, as long as it's done under the banner of 'freedom'. Do you think these people will thank you for bringing them your freedom as they bury their children? Have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteMortart- I hope I haven't offended, and when everything else is over, all any of us have, is the ability to share and swop ideas even nations. The Northern Ireland situation of course is radically different, but there always comes a point when enemies have to talk.
ReplyDeleteSaz - You know this is an emotive subject and one of those things right or wrong I feel compelled to comment on