Submitted by Jay(United States), Jan 5, 2009 at 20:20
Aaron Heller and Matti Friedman are right about the perils of ceding land and expecting peace. Israel can better expect to cede land and recieve war.And the Egyptian and Jordanian models are not good models to refect back to.
In the case of Egypt,the Sinai provides a 120 mile wide buffer. In the case of Jordan,they have a nice guy king of lineage,a river separating itself from Israel,and fear of the Palestinians more than the Jewish state.The models to remember is southern Lebanon and Gaza.The models to remember are models of people who hate you "and" can hurt you fast .
But even if Israel would be foolish enough to take the often coined "risk for peace",they have a second problem that frankly,no other country in the world has. Between the pressure of the Arab and Muslim countries,the casualty sensitive media, spineless Europeans, a rigged UN,and simple anti semitism with a small world body of Jewry, Israel is not allowed to win a war,even in defence. Israel is not allowed to fight and win a war because too many people,in too many places,for too many reasons will obstruct,and deter any valid and sustained Israeli victory. Perhaps that too is an observation Aaron Heller and Matti Friedman can write on in their next article. Just in time for israel's next bout of its chronic amnesia.They can call the article, Israel that special country that can only defend itself if it doesnt win.
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