Submitted by Dr. Arnold J. Wolf(United States), Feb 22, 2005 at 16:35
Dear Dr. Pipes,
Your article was enlightening but unfortunately has no historical president in all recorded time.
There has NEVER been an incident in the history of mankind in which any internal or external pressures have had one iota of influence on the primordial drive for power in mankind.
Example: Russia did not collapse because of world or internal pressures but simply because they were beating in spending race with the west. Hitler did not collapse because of any pressures placed upon his manical drive to conquer and rule mankind.
Syria and its mercurial leader will, in my opinion, come to an end but not because of those forces you outlined in your article. They will be defeated in a major war that will be brought on by themselves. The assumption that dictatorial drives can be changed by any type of pressure is simply a dream. Syria and its leaders will not willing give up Lebanon nor its dream to destroy Israel.
Civilization is not ready for a peaceful end to murder and agression against their own or those whom they perceive to take their power away. There will come a day when there will be peace on earth but it will come from sources not expected.
Even Sharon and his disengagment vote by force is not yet an accomplished fact. As Robert Burns is quoted as saying, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and leave us nothing but grief and pain instead of promised joy." So it shall be with Israel and its demented PM leader for history and the schemes of men rarely become reality.
Dr. Arnold J. Wolf
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