To ask what an American–Israeli victory over Iran would “look like” is to assume that there exists a final state that can be identified, fixed, and preserved. There is no such state.
Good piece, Mr Kaplan. Just to say also, geography and the adjacency of Western Europe to the Middle East, puts us here within DIRECT range of Iranian firepower. THUS it is ABSOLUTELY true to say if Israel wins then Europe wins, and only if Israel wins.
The press, in general, are apoplectic ONLY because Trump is exhibiting strength and showing courage. This has been coming for decades, and the willful blindness of the wider world, NO, the cowardice of their leaders is staggering. I hope I live long enough to read some good books about the great lions, Trump and Netanyahu.
Thank you Kaplan. A very important way to think about conflict and history. To me it is innovative and eye opening. It may be a flawed western mindset to insist on finality and conclusion to understand history that is itself continuous. Sitting in America, an ocean away from everything, it is easier to conjure the myth of beginning and ending. I appreciate your thoughts.
It would be nice to get regime change, but given the mass slaughter of protesters by the regime, it was not likely.
However, the problem with not having regime change is that in a few years, this will happen again. And with an openly anti-Semitic Democrat Party in power, Israel will be helpless to do anything.
"The modern Western mind is addicted to the language of resolution." History isn't so clean and ordered. WWI or the Great War was the "War to End All Wars" and WWII was the result as many historians think. Since the end of WWII there have been a series of wars despite the demise of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan from Korea, Vietnam between the French and Americans, to all the wars that Israel has fought since 1948 among many, many others. When I was a '70's Army Infantryman I thought that the predominant view of history was that it was either periods of peace punctuated with war or war punctuated by periods of peace. Regardless, history marches on.
Good piece, Mr Kaplan. Just to say also, geography and the adjacency of Western Europe to the Middle East, puts us here within DIRECT range of Iranian firepower. THUS it is ABSOLUTELY true to say if Israel wins then Europe wins, and only if Israel wins.
Very good analysis. Us Americans tend to be very impatient and that's a problem.
The press, in general, are apoplectic ONLY because Trump is exhibiting strength and showing courage. This has been coming for decades, and the willful blindness of the wider world, NO, the cowardice of their leaders is staggering. I hope I live long enough to read some good books about the great lions, Trump and Netanyahu.
Thank you Kaplan. A very important way to think about conflict and history. To me it is innovative and eye opening. It may be a flawed western mindset to insist on finality and conclusion to understand history that is itself continuous. Sitting in America, an ocean away from everything, it is easier to conjure the myth of beginning and ending. I appreciate your thoughts.
It would be nice to get regime change, but given the mass slaughter of protesters by the regime, it was not likely.
However, the problem with not having regime change is that in a few years, this will happen again. And with an openly anti-Semitic Democrat Party in power, Israel will be helpless to do anything.
"The modern Western mind is addicted to the language of resolution." History isn't so clean and ordered. WWI or the Great War was the "War to End All Wars" and WWII was the result as many historians think. Since the end of WWII there have been a series of wars despite the demise of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan from Korea, Vietnam between the French and Americans, to all the wars that Israel has fought since 1948 among many, many others. When I was a '70's Army Infantryman I thought that the predominant view of history was that it was either periods of peace punctuated with war or war punctuated by periods of peace. Regardless, history marches on.
Cannot disagree with any of that.
Well written.
Also interesting to specialty where Saudi / UAE / Kuwaiti / Bahraini & even Qatari focus may turn next.