An open response to Andrew Sullivan et al.

“There are times when the truth needs to be shouted from the rooftops; when we need to declare that this is not a two-sided argument.”

That is the most ludicrous and disheartening gibberish that I’ve ever seen in my entire life.  There are always at least two sides in every disagreement, and often there are far more than that.  To pretend Israel has no responsibility in the current conflict, let alone in the historic sense of the Middle East fiasco, is to be as blind and ignorant as Hezb’Allah and Hamas, not to mention the conservative Christian movement in America with its culture war against — well, against everyone who’s not a Christian.

Neither side in this conflict is without blemish or blame.  It’s a horrid reminder of small minds and their blind support of Israel to see so many like you and others treading only on one side of the debate.  Your hang-up with the “left’s silence” on the conflict, something it seems only the right can hear, is indicative of this: you’re waiting for liberals to say what I’m about to say so you can accuse them of siding with terrorism.  You’ll have to misconstrue my words and intentions to make that argument, but this Israel-is-always-right mentality will undoubtedly allow you to do that without one bit of guilt.

How many Lebanese civilians must die before Israel’s actions are questioned?  How much of the Lebanese infrastructure must be destroyed before the response becomes disproportionate?  Is toppling the fledgling democratic government in that country the point at which we say perhaps Israel has gone too far?  How long do the Palestinians remain subjugated before we admit that Israel may actually have some responsibility in the area?

And do not misunderstand me.  I am not siding with Hezb’Allah or attempting to justify its actions.  It just seems Iraq is a perfect example of how easy it is to respond improperly in the heat of the moment.  Or has that now become a right and just event?  Only if it has can you say Israel is completely right in this instance.

Again, the seemingly blind support of Israel at the expense of Arabs is counterproductive and terribly short sighted, not to mention bigoted (by definition and not as an insult).

Do we not wonder why so much of the Arab world dislikes us?  Could it be this shameless tendency to turn away from Israel’s wrongdoings while vehemently pointing out those of Arabs?  Is it that we really do ignore their concerns as long as Israel has competing interests?

I do so wish someone could provide a sensible answer as to why Israel always gets a blank check and full support, yet we tighten our blinders to the suffering they bring on their Arab neighbors.  In fact, we essentially declare their concerns can’t possibly be valid if they conflict with those of Israel.

I’m sorry you and others are so adamant in denying they have any responsibility whatsoever.  Sadly, you’re wrong, as are all sides in the current conflict, but America’s unending defense of all things Israeli while proffering the opposite for all things Arab is why we are public enemy number 1.  For you and those like you who are obviously unable to see the entire situation in the light of objectivity, I thank you for putting my life in danger from future terrorism.

I can only hope the situation changes before it’s too late, that more Americans will realize the Mideast disaster has more than just a pro-Israeli side, and that there are legitimate concerns and problems with all participants and not just the Arab populations.

Oh, and let us just remember for a brief moment that Israel was founded through terrorism against the Palestinians and British (am I the only one who knows about the King David Hotel bombing?).  This is more than ironic, especially in light of the Israeli outcries against the practice, their constant playing of the victim card, and America’s seeming inability to understand the hypocrisy in blind support.  It does remind me a bit of our own country’s new torture policies, as in “do as I say and not as I do”.

In the current conflict, both sides have blood on their hands; likewise, both sides have legitimate complaints.  Unfortunately, too many on this side of the pond just don’t see it when they look at the Israelis.  How very distressing.

A question via Gay Orbit: “For those who believe Israel is wrong to do what they’re doing, and that they should stop with the bombardment of Lebanon, what would you suggest?”

I don’t have all of the answers.  I wish I did, although I have a few suggestions.  But I wonder what has been accomplished to save two military personnel.  More than 20 Israeli soldiers killed?  To save two?  And hundreds of Lebanese civilians killed?  To save two?  And hundreds of thousands displaced?  To save two?  Countless millions — perhaps billions — in infrastructure destroyed?  To save two?  We all need to be honest enough to admit it has absolutely nothing to do with those two soldiers.

Both sides are woefully wrong in many respects (although, equally, both sides have legitimate complaints, none of which excuses their actions).  The Middle East crisis is that Israel exists.  From the “enemy’s” perspective anyway.  That’s not something we’re willing to address (it requires we dismantle a sovereign state, and that’s not an option).  Much of the hate runs so deeply now that even if Israel were somehow destroyed (as a nation, not as a people), it would not be sufficient to resolve the conflict.  Look at Iraq for proof.  They would just be forced to aim the hate at different targets (Jews in general, their Arab brothers, the U.S., shall I go on?).  Oh, but look.  The hate has already festered so long that it isn’t just targeted at Israel.  Oops.  My bad.

It’s a mess — a cluster fuck, if you will — and there are no easy answers.  What I do know is that Israel’s answer is wrong, Hezb’Allah’s answer is wrong, America’s answer is wrong (again, look at Iraq), and finding an answer is far more complicated than this “little” spat between neighbors.  It takes people smarter than me to know how to address such bitter hatred for everyone and everything, and that’s the real problem over there — with everyone involved.  Even America.  It’s all so very sad.

All I know is that I can’t personally tow the official state line in this regard.  Israel’s no more right in their actions than those they wish to punish.  Sincerely address the Palestinian issue.  Reach out to Syria and Iran despite the engendered hate.  Stop the kind of silly overreaction that kills hundreds of civilians and causes significant collateral damage.  Britain didn’t bomb London to root out the terrorists there.  America didn’t bomb those flight facilities that trained the 9/11 terrorists.  There’s a level of common sense that’s expected in this kind of conflict.  Israel is demonstrating no common sense whatsoever.

Again, this does not excuse Hezb’Allah, but — and you know how much I absolutely hate clichés — two wrongs don’t make a right, and that’s true even if our preznit thinks otherwise.  Terrorism is terrorism, and targeting civilians is terrorism.  Wrongfully destroying whatever power a fledgling democratic government might have is wrong.  The presence of terrorists does not mean everyone is a terrorist and everything exists to support terrorism.  Killing children is always bad.  Destroying shipments of medicine is evil.  Dropping bombs on international aid workers is normally a terrible idea.  Displacing hundreds of thousands of innocents is a humanitarian crisis.  Devastating the infrastructure of a sovereign nation in order to flex your muscle in front of a minority who are terrorists is immature and disgusting, not to mention rather spiteful and unbecoming a state.  Israel, like America, has become what the civilized world should oppose.

Calvin: Know what I pray for?
Hobbes: What?
Calvin: The strength to change what I can, the inability to accept what I can’t, and the incapacity to tell the difference.

— Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes