Comments on: EDITORIAL: The consequences of moral paralysis http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/ ... with attention to the unseen Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:49:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Paul Woodward http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3742 Paul Woodward Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:08:56 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3742 We had no choice... but to do something ineffective. The necessity of doing something that does not accomplish ones aim is a necessity driven by the desire for a cathartic release. In other words, it's about the liberating sensation of unleashing violence even when there is no evidence that the violence accomplishes any practical aims. Netanyahu is now trying to seduce voters with the promise that he will crush Hamas. How's he going to do this? Round up every member of the organization along with their families and friends and send them to an extermination camp? He knows, and every Israeli knows, this isn't an option. So his campaign promises are empty rhetoric. But just a minute -- he doesn't have to exterminate them; he just has to crush their will. Right! How long will it take for Israelis to learn that bulldozers can crush houses but at the very same time they are putting in place the rebars that steel the Palestinian will. The will-crushing enterprize has miserably failed. The question "what would you do?" is falsely framed. It arises from the notion that poor little Israel is backed into a corner that leaves it with no choices. Gaza has been under a blockade in order to drive Hamas out of power and prevent it from being armed. The policy didn't work. The war was meant to stop the rocket fire on southern Israel. It didn't work. If you do something that doesn't work, then -- unless you're a bonehead -- you try something different. We had no choice… but to do something ineffective.

The necessity of doing something that does not accomplish ones aim is a necessity driven by the desire for a cathartic release. In other words, it’s about the liberating sensation of unleashing violence even when there is no evidence that the violence accomplishes any practical aims.

Netanyahu is now trying to seduce voters with the promise that he will crush Hamas. How’s he going to do this? Round up every member of the organization along with their families and friends and send them to an extermination camp? He knows, and every Israeli knows, this isn’t an option. So his campaign promises are empty rhetoric.

But just a minute — he doesn’t have to exterminate them; he just has to crush their will. Right! How long will it take for Israelis to learn that bulldozers can crush houses but at the very same time they are putting in place the rebars that steel the Palestinian will. The will-crushing enterprize has miserably failed.

The question “what would you do?” is falsely framed. It arises from the notion that poor little Israel is backed into a corner that leaves it with no choices. Gaza has been under a blockade in order to drive Hamas out of power and prevent it from being armed. The policy didn’t work. The war was meant to stop the rocket fire on southern Israel. It didn’t work.

If you do something that doesn’t work, then — unless you’re a bonehead — you try something different.

]]> By: fred lapides http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3736 fred lapides Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:24:04 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3736 Rockets have continued to be sent into Israel--at least 3. Iranian ships trying to deliver arms. Lebanon sending arms to Gaza and caught by Israeli navy. Hamas says they have not agreed in Egypt) to any cease fire.Send rockets at your kids and what would you do? Rockets have continued to be sent into Israel–at least 3. Iranian ships trying to deliver arms. Lebanon sending arms to Gaza and caught by Israeli navy.
Hamas says they have not agreed in Egypt) to any cease fire.Send rockets at your kids and what would you do?

]]> By: Monte Asbury http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3732 Monte Asbury Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:29:48 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3732 Outstanding writing, information, and sentiment. Thank you very much! Outstanding writing, information, and sentiment. Thank you very much!

]]> By: Paul Woodward http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3446 Paul Woodward Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:44:25 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3446 JK writes: "Doesn't Hamas also say 'we have no choice'?" Well actually, no. Hamas is quite explicit in saying that they have chosen resistance. They see Palestinians as being faced with a very clear choice: between concessions and resistance. They say that through the Oslo agreement Fatah chose the path of concessions. Fatah made concessions to Israel yet got nothing in return. Hamas on the other hand chooses resistance but resistance doesn't preclude bargaining. In the summer they made a deal with Israel: a truce in exchange for lifting the siege. Hamas imposed the truce but Israel didn't lift the siege. Then in November Israel broke the truce. Since then, Hamas has persistently reiterated its offer: a truce in exchange for opening Gaza. Israel chose to go to war. JK writes: “Doesn’t Hamas also say ‘we have no choice’?”

Well actually, no. Hamas is quite explicit in saying that they have chosen resistance. They see Palestinians as being faced with a very clear choice: between concessions and resistance. They say that through the Oslo agreement Fatah chose the path of concessions. Fatah made concessions to Israel yet got nothing in return. Hamas on the other hand chooses resistance but resistance doesn’t preclude bargaining. In the summer they made a deal with Israel: a truce in exchange for lifting the siege. Hamas imposed the truce but Israel didn’t lift the siege. Then in November Israel broke the truce. Since then, Hamas has persistently reiterated its offer: a truce in exchange for opening Gaza. Israel chose to go to war.

]]> By: Peter H http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3440 Peter H Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:11:23 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3440 You do realize, Sam, that Hamas would have renewed the ceasefire if Israel had agreed to remove the blockade of Gaza, right? You do realize, Sam, that Hamas would have renewed the ceasefire if Israel had agreed to remove the blockade of Gaza, right?

]]> By: BedBug http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3439 BedBug Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:08:07 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3439 Well, Sam, you cant cure problems by treating them as nails and hitting them with hammers. Well, Sam, you cant cure problems by treating them as nails and hitting them with hammers.

]]> By: JK http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3438 JK Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:32:38 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3438 Doesn't Hamas also say "we have no choice"? So it's ok for them to say that "our actions are not the fruit of our intentions. We are now the instrument of the will of others. Israel made us do this."? Doesn’t Hamas also say “we have no choice”? So it’s ok for them to say that “our actions are not the fruit of our intentions. We are now the instrument of the will of others. Israel made us do this.”?

]]> By: Sam http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3436 Sam Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:44:22 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3436 Israel is between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, they are portrayed as the "Goliath." Nothing can be farther from the truth. However, thats what Israel NEEDS the world to believe. And that is the problem. If Israel were not as much stronger than its enemies...it would have been destroyed a LONG time ago. They are basically strong enough (read nuclear power), that destroying them isn't worth the collateral damage to the destroyer. But they aren't strong enough to stop their enemeis from hating them and trying to kill them. There is no solution for that. And after a year of rockets, they finally retaliate, and now they're called Goliath? What a farce. Israel is between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, they are portrayed as the “Goliath.” Nothing can be farther from the truth. However, thats what Israel NEEDS the world to believe. And that is the problem.

If Israel were not as much stronger than its enemies…it would have been destroyed a LONG time ago. They are basically strong enough (read nuclear power), that destroying them isn’t worth the collateral damage to the destroyer.

But they aren’t strong enough to stop their enemeis from hating them and trying to kill them. There is no solution for that. And after a year of rockets, they finally retaliate, and now they’re called Goliath?

What a farce.

]]> By: Arthur http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3434 Arthur Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:08:02 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3434 April 10, 2008 "All of the Palestinians must be killed; men, women, infants, and even their beasts." This was the religious opinion issued one week ago by Rabbi Yisrael Rosen, director of the Tsomet Institute, a long-established religious institute attended by students and soldiers in the Israeli settlements of the West Bank. If the Bible is not the LITERAL WORD OF GOD, then the Jewish "right" to Palestine is just a MYTH also. The President of the United States has just admitted that the Bible is probably NOT LITERAL. 09 Dec 2008 Mr Bush, who leaves office January 20, told ABC television, ... Asked whether the Bible was literally true, Mr Bush replied: "Probably not. No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it." April 10, 2008 “All of the Palestinians must be killed; men, women, infants, and even their beasts.” This was the religious opinion issued one week ago by Rabbi Yisrael Rosen, director of the Tsomet Institute, a long-established religious institute attended by students and soldiers in the Israeli settlements of the West Bank.

If the Bible is not the LITERAL WORD OF GOD, then the Jewish “right” to Palestine is just a MYTH also.
The President of the United States has just admitted that the Bible is probably NOT LITERAL.
09 Dec 2008 Mr Bush, who leaves office January 20, told ABC television, … Asked whether the Bible was literally true, Mr Bush replied: “Probably not. No, I’m not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it.”

]]> By: Carol Elkins http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3432 Carol Elkins Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:55:26 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3432 As usual, Jimmy Carter is the one voice who says they did have a choice. It is for his truth-telling over the years that history will celebrate him. Politically, of course he won, he was the President, but then and ever since he has lost. Obama, way back in the campaign, dismissed him as a viable thinker. Otherwise Obama would have lost. We all knew that, yet we supported Obama. We must not forget that we bought into that, just the way Hillary, et.al, bought into the war in Iraq. Even on this website, we blinked. As usual, Jimmy Carter is the one voice who says they did have a choice. It is for his truth-telling over the years that history will celebrate him. Politically, of course he won, he was the President, but then and ever since he has lost. Obama, way back in the campaign, dismissed him as a viable thinker. Otherwise Obama would have lost. We all knew that, yet we supported Obama.
We must not forget that we bought into that, just the way Hillary, et.al, bought into the war in Iraq. Even on this website, we blinked.

]]> By: Phillip Wilder http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3428 Phillip Wilder Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:08:56 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3428 Twilight zone indeed, although a very violent and ineffectual one. Twilight zone indeed, although a very violent and ineffectual one.

]]> By: William deB. Mills http://warincontext.org/2009/01/08/editorial-the-consequences-of-moral-paralysis/comment-page-1/#comment-3427 William deB. Mills Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:31:34 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=1403#comment-3427 Your almost lyrical post is tragic on the face of it but also for a broader reason. Given the mindless reaction of virtually every U.S. decision-maker except Dennis Kucinich, I am beginning to sense that the Israeli behavior in Gaza is not the last act of the dying neo-cons but the signal of how the American Empire intends to conduct itself henceforth. If you thought we might be emerging from the dark tunnel of horror and shame endured over the last seven years, Gaza and our utterly immoral attitude toward its suffering suggest that there will be no light at the end of this tunnel. Your almost lyrical post is tragic on the face of it but also for a broader reason. Given the mindless reaction of virtually every U.S. decision-maker except Dennis Kucinich, I am beginning to sense that the Israeli behavior in Gaza is not the last act of the dying neo-cons but the signal of how the American Empire intends to conduct itself henceforth. If you thought we might be emerging from the dark tunnel of horror and shame endured over the last seven years, Gaza and our utterly immoral attitude toward its suffering suggest that there will be no light at the end of this tunnel.

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