Could Israel conquer the Arab states? Yes, but only with penetrating mobile strikes, not protracted “humane” warfare. The extent of victory made all the difference between the first and the second world wars. After the first war, the Entente did not enter the German capital, devastate the country, or change the government and its constitution. The enemy was humiliated but left to rearm. It did rearm and struck back with vengeance in twenty years. The French and the British occupied Egypt with easily, established a local administration, and ruled the country with little opposition. Egypt is unlike Germany in that its people lack a culture of moderation (other Arabs are still wilder), but we also have the example of a Japan that turned its educational system around after the war, taught its children international coexistence, and opened itself to the world. Israel needs to control the occupied Arab states for a decade or so. That will suffice to bring about lasting reforms in education and mentality. An occupation wouldn’t be so hard: Machiavelli taught that totalitarian states are easy to rule because their people are used to unfreedom.
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Sadly, Israel lacks the will to shrug off media and world opinion and just get on with it. 58 years of playing victim is surely enough. England with 7 million people living on a postage stamp sized land built a world empire with sailing ships. Israel with 7 million people living on a postage stamp could do the same, even more easliy, with state of the art technology. Is it more noble to watch your kids get blown up and your soldiers sent on ridiculous policing missions?Wake up and smell the roses. And Shoher, whatever your name is, if you truly were/are in politics, where have you been in this? Why have you not been spreading the word forcefully? Of all of you in Israeli politics, it appears only Bibi has been outspoken, and even then in a very muted sense, ostracised and alone.It's your choice Israel. Fight like tigers, or cave in and die like rats in a sewer of your own making.
Not only Israel, but the US too lacks such will. We don't deserve to survive. Faced with equivalent provocation, any other world superpower in history would have responded, to paraphrase the Aussie PM, in a manner that was 'not particularly focused, but leth*l'. The US, in concert with Israel, and perhaps with UK and the Aussies, should simply announce to every nation whose population danced in the street after 9/11 (i.e. every majority Muslim nation from Algeria to Indonesia, including our 'buddies' the Saudis and the Paks) that we will be taking over. They must submit to the administrators we will be sending to manage their pitiful excuses for nations. If not, we fry their capitol, and every other population center if necessary. In the long run this approach would save many more lives and prevent much unnecessary suffering.
Excellent idea, how about we just annex those nations and basically say you are now part of the USA, effective immediately! I do believe the population of those nations would be greatly relieved to be American citizens as opposed to ash.
I would like to call you pompous and self righteous, but where would that get us? Dancing for death is not something I condone, but have you ever actually considered why some people were so happy to see America take such a hit? Let's get over this "we're better than you, we are the super power of the world, you better do what we say" bull shit already and start working on a non-violent end to the escalating violence. Like it or not, people are very similar in that no one wants to be ruled over or made to feel less than another. When people are not respected, they tend to lash out — sometimes violently. If you bully and suppress someone long enough, they are going to want to get revenge. Stop being a bully.
SRS - who is bullying who? It seems to me that the muslims are doing the bullying, 'choose submission or death'. Rioting, demanding, calling anyone a racist who disagrees with them, bombing embassies and blowing themselves up at weddings and gathering places.Peace, love and understanding are what we all want. But when someone is determined to kill you, pacifism only assist them in doing so.
Does this sound like total warI have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath — those who rejoice in my triumph. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens — the LORD and the weapons of his wrath — to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of the LORD is coming — a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger — to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless… Isaiah 13:3