Can we get a grip, please?
Many people think that the absence of war is the same thing as peace.
Many believe that if tanks aren’t rolling, rockets and bullets aren’t flying and planes aren't strafing, then things are good.
People and governments are often more interested in making a problem 'go away' than in rectifying the situation that caused the problem in the first place. Rather like an exasperated parent, they are more interested in 'quiet' than in 'justice'. But, ‘quiet’ is not ‘peace’. The establishment of ‘peace’ is not possible without ‘justice’.
Let us consider the instant case in the Middle East.
If Israel is forced to stop before Hezbollah is either destroyed or significantly degraded and things go back to the way they were before the current hostilities, who will claim that there is peace? "Well", some will say, "at least people aren’t dying". That news will come as a surprise to the victims of Hezbollah/Hamas killed in the past ten years.
By not addressing the underlying cause, by not ridding the world of Hezbollah, by not bringing "Justice” to those who have embarked on war, we encourage their behavior and only set the stage for another war later on. And wars have a nasty habit of getting worse with each iteration.
In this particular case, “Justice” can mean nothing other than this: Hezbollah is either destroyed or reduced to the point where they cannot injure or kill Israelis. Then, when “Justice” has been served, there will be a ‘quiet’ that will genuinely mean ‘peace’.
The ‘International Community’ won't help Israel. The U.N. is both unable and unwilling to enforce its own resolutions. Negotiations are impossible with terrorist gangs. Thus, Israel should be left alone to do what we all know is both necessary and long overdue.
To believe in any other possible resolution is to delude yourself.
Many believe that if tanks aren’t rolling, rockets and bullets aren’t flying and planes aren't strafing, then things are good.
People and governments are often more interested in making a problem 'go away' than in rectifying the situation that caused the problem in the first place. Rather like an exasperated parent, they are more interested in 'quiet' than in 'justice'. But, ‘quiet’ is not ‘peace’. The establishment of ‘peace’ is not possible without ‘justice’.
Let us consider the instant case in the Middle East.
If Israel is forced to stop before Hezbollah is either destroyed or significantly degraded and things go back to the way they were before the current hostilities, who will claim that there is peace? "Well", some will say, "at least people aren’t dying". That news will come as a surprise to the victims of Hezbollah/Hamas killed in the past ten years.
By not addressing the underlying cause, by not ridding the world of Hezbollah, by not bringing "Justice” to those who have embarked on war, we encourage their behavior and only set the stage for another war later on. And wars have a nasty habit of getting worse with each iteration.
In this particular case, “Justice” can mean nothing other than this: Hezbollah is either destroyed or reduced to the point where they cannot injure or kill Israelis. Then, when “Justice” has been served, there will be a ‘quiet’ that will genuinely mean ‘peace’.
The ‘International Community’ won't help Israel. The U.N. is both unable and unwilling to enforce its own resolutions. Negotiations are impossible with terrorist gangs. Thus, Israel should be left alone to do what we all know is both necessary and long overdue.
To believe in any other possible resolution is to delude yourself.
posted by Voolfie at 1:09 PM
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