I give it an hour or two at best
Bookworm on Jun 17 2008 at 11:44 am | Filed under: Arabs, Hamas, Israel
Hamas never enters into truces with an eye to peace. It enters into truces with an eye to getting its troops rested and rearmed before the next offensive. Israel, equipped with knowledge of both core Islamic doctrine (hudna) and Hamas’ own past behavior, nevertheless keeps giving its opponent a breather, rather than keeping the pressure on when Hamas is on the ropes.
When I was growing up in the 1970s, common currency in the Jewish community was the joke about how much smarter Jews were than their Arab opponents. The one I remember best from the 1973 Yom Kippur War (although it’s certainly not the best joke) went this way:
Shocked by their losses, the Arabs regrouped and began studying their Israeli enemy. They realized that one out of every three Israeli soldiers was named David. They therefore came up with a new strategy. When they were within shouting distance of the Israelis, the Arab soldiers would holler out “Hey, David,” confident that the David’s would rise up, ready to be shot down by snipers. It didn’t work quite as planned. When the Arabs yelled out “Hey, David,” the Israelis would holler back, “Is that you, Mohammed?” Half the Arab soldiers would then rise up and get shot down by snipers.
Bad joke, but you get the point. These jokes have no currency now. Israel has been strategically out-thought at every turn. All she has left is brute force.
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7 Responses to “I give it an hour or two at best”
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The Israelis are not being out-thought strategically by their enemies. They are doing out-thinking themselves. Instead of “playing to win” they’re playing to win adulation.
Hello Bookworm,
Here are a couple quotes:
Either Communism adopted Islam’s definition of peace or the other way around. I don’t think there will be peace with these ideologies. Just a cessation of conflict…
The Israelis may have been said to be out tought by their domestic insurgency. Meaning the Left, socialists, and people like Olmert.
Israelis on an individual basis have much iniitiative because their military holds to the Western tradition of individuality rather than the Soviet tradition of central authority and cannon fodder.
But with Olmert, a Leftist, in control, you have an Israel with a central authority and anti-initiative command structure giving the orders.
I won’t count the Israelis out yet. It may take a bit of waking up, but I’m sure Israelis will come to their senses.
Although, some national repentence might help. A bit of the ol’ sackcloth and ashes did wonders for Israel back in the day. Think King Josiah. Nothing specific, really, just, you know, if you’re really gonna be under the Mosaic Covenant, it would help if you actually *tried* to follow its precepts. Not to mention names and such, but there are such things as atheist Jews running around.
I mean, think about it. Have the nation Israel really go all out with an ad campaign to celebrate Passover next year; relevant Tanakh passages, the Exodus accounts being read on TV, subsidies for unleavened bread and lambs, blood on doorposts, Jewish family reunions, everybody and everything. I think that would be awesome. I’d book my flights out for something like that.
Personally, though, my favourite joke is the “It’s a trap! It’s a trap! There’re TWO of them!” one. I can’t remember the exact wording, but it was something along the lines of an Israeli soldier taunting an Arab force that he alone was worth half their numbers. Then he went behind a berm and the Arab CO was so cheesed off he ordered almost the whole force to attack. Which, after 5 minutes or so, a badly bashed up soldier staggers back shouting the line above.
I’m sorry, but that line never fails to crack me up. It’s almost as bad as the one that says Israel won the 6 Day War with two old grandmothers armed with brooms. To which I say; do not underestimate a woman’s fury - especially when wielding cleaning equipment.
Given that Israel has traded 500-1000 live Palestinians for 2 dead Israelis or a single life one, it is very true that one Israeli life is worth an entire regiment of Arab infantry.
Scratch regiment, make that battalion.
Which is all the more reason why Israel needs the philosophy that says “whatever damage you do to me, we will return a thousand fold unto you”.
Until Israel adopts that policy, until Jews stop voting Democrat because it is the cool thing to do, and start voting their survival interests, then Israel will always remain the best and greatest target of opportunity for criminals and mass murderers.
Criminals and mass murderers do not target killers and those skilled in extreme violence. It just doesn’t pay, you see.