Disproportionate = Incoherent, Moral Relativism
August 19, 2006, 9:28 pm |
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By Andrew L. Jaffee
The dialog in an old IBM professional services TV ad went something like this:
Consultants: Have you reviewed our proposal?
Customer: Yes. I like it. Do it.
Consultants: Er, ah, we just propose things, we don’t actually do the work…
Want to talk disproportionate? Let’s talk disproportionate. We’ll talk about Lebanon’s hypocritical anger, which should be leveled at Hezbollah, and should be channeled into taking responsibility for Lebanese sovereignty. We’ll talk about France’s hypocrisy, i.e., “We don’t enforce resolutions; we just write them.”
Israel is trying to enforce U.N. Resolution 1701, which demands that, “there will be no weapons without the consent of the government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the government of Lebanon.” The Jewish state sent a special commando unit into Lebanon this morning to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. In other words, Israel is adhering to Res. 1701, because no one else will face up to Hezbollah. In fact, the French co-authored 1701, but refused to send troops to enforce the resolution. So the only party left to disarm Hezbollah is Israel, whose very existence is threatened by the terror groups’ missiles. Sounds pretty sensible.
France refuses to disarm Hezbollah. Lebanon refuses to disarm Hezbollah. Both nations have signed their names to 1701 which requires the disarming of Hezbollah.
Ergo, France’s and Hezbollah’s signatures on U.N. documents have no meaning. As there is evidence that Iran is rearming Hezbollah, then it follows that Hezbollah has broken the terms of 1701’s ceasefire agreement. Based on recent history, Hezbollah will likely fire missiles at Israeli civilians without provocation again.
Ergo, it is up to Israel to protect herself — and has every right to. But Israel is being singled out for the blame for its commando raid. Hezbollah’s rearming seems to be nothing more than a footnote to the U.N. and Lebanon. Both have blamed Israel for breaking the ceasefire — neither mention Hezbollah’s rearming:
“The secretary general is deeply concerned about a violation by the Israeli side of the cessation of hostilities,” a spokesman for Mr Annan said on the UN website.
Such violations “endanger the fragile calm”, the statement said. …
Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, called the raid a “naked violation” of the six-day-old UN truce.
His Defence Minister, Elias al-Murr, said that if the UN failed to give “clear answers” in response to the raid he “might be forced to ask the cabinet early next week to halt the army deployment in the south”.
Oh, the hypocrisy of it all. If Murr doesn’t want Israeli aircraft bombing Lebanon into rubble, maybe he should get his “army” together and deploy to the south, disarming Hezbollah. And Kofi Annan should just shut up.
But I’m being too realistic. The only blame Israel deserves is for not pounding Hezbollah out of existence on its first try. Hezbollah will be back in less than 6 months, shooting rockets into Israel, and the whole thing will start over again.
Related: Israel, Iran, Europe, Lebanon, Terrorist Groups, United Nations (UN)
August 19th, 2006 at 10:08 pm
[…] By Andrew L. Jaffee, netwmd.com […]
August 20th, 2006 at 2:18 am
To the French, every act of force is disproportionate. As in, attempting to invade Nazi Germany while much of the German Army was invading Poland in 1939 was apparently disproportionate. On the other hand, cowering behind the Maginot Line while drinking wine, eating cheese, and waiting for the Germans to finish the Poles and change fronts to invade France was entirely proportionate, as was collaborating with the Nazis afterward.
While the U.S. has never officially been at war with France, the French (Vichy) fired at American troops and warships during the invasion of North Africa. This at least gave the battleship “Massachusetts” a reason to blast the French battleship “Jean Bart” into scrap metal.
At the Battle of Flamborough Head during the War of Independence, the French ship “Alliance” pumped as many cannon balls into the “Bonhomme Richard” as she did into HMS “Serapis,” if not more. I wonder if “Alliance” is French for “friendly fire” or “typically lousy French marksmanship.”
Important French words to know if you are a German (or Briton during the Napoleonic Wars)
“Je me rends!” Mon-Sewer wishes to cease fighting and become your prisoner. He hopes you have wine, cheese, and frog legs with garlic.
“Sauve qui peut!” = “Let those who can, save themselves!” Usually screamed in terror after dropping rifles or muskets and then running like rabbits.
August 20th, 2006 at 5:41 am
Israel/ The territories/Lebanon is not a remote Carribean Island. Its location is such that whatever happens here effects the world economy and international stability. Given that recent actions can potentially trigger a third world war, a solution is vitally necessary. 65 years is much too long for the parties to make a settlement, I think that the time has come for the major powers to seriously consider a binding imposed solution.
August 20th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Your “binding imposed solution,” as the world now stands, would most certainly be one-sided against Israel, and would back the Jewish state into an indefensible corner.
“potentially trigger a third world war” - This is essence of political correctness: Fear of the terrorists.
“If we could just get rid of Israel, then the terrorists would leave us alone,” just as Neville Chamberlain exclaimed, “Peace in our time.”
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:06 am
[…] When Israel was defending herself from a rain of rockets fired by Lebanese-based Hezbollah terrorists, the Jewish state was accused of using “disproportionate” force. Hmmm… Let’s talk disproportionate and hypocrisy. When Lebanese security forces tried to arrest Palestinian bank robbers hiding in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, Fatah al-Islam terrorists, “an Al-Qaeda inspired group,” “attacked army posts at the entrances to the camp. A large force of Lebanese troops hit back, bombarding the camp and storming a building on the outskirts of Tripoli.” Proportionate? On Tuesday, “A UN aid convoy which entered the Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon has been forced to leave after shells exploded near its vehicles. … There are reports of injuries…” Disproportionate? Today, thousands of refugees are fleeing the fighting in and around the Nahr al-Bared camp. “At least 50 soldiers and militants have died. The civilian toll is unknown.” Proportionate? […]