Your advocacy of "total victory" is misguided.
Reader comment on article: Does Israel Need a Plan?

Submitted by Luke Takeuchi (United Kingdom), Feb 8, 2003 at 04:59

Israel's total victory in the Six-day War in '67 resulted in nothing but stalemate. Sadat's gambit in October 73 was designed to break that impass. He waged war for peace; he knew that unless the Arab world regained a measure of self-respect, they would never be psychologically prepared for peace. In fact, his gambit worked: though they lost the war, the Arabs faired well...Israel incurred unprecedented casualties, and both sides were psychologically conditioned for compromise. Mr. Pipes, if you believe that Israel can destroy the aspirations of 1.2 billion Muslims through an overwhelming military victory, you're sorely mistaken. What is needed is carrot and stick: terrorism should be confronted with sufficient violence that its price becomes too high; on the other hand, peace overtures should be reciprocated. We've got to find a solution to this problem...and it entails territorial compromise (on Israel's part), and formal and irrevocable abandonment of the 'right of return' on the Palestinian side. But the prerequisite for any of this is and end to the terror attacks. Once rationality and calm has been returned to the region, the parties - with the help of international mediators - can get down to the business of reaching a final settlement.

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