We already learned what happens when the international community waits too long to prevent an absurdly hostile regime from getting nuclear weapons. Just ask North Korea.
As I sit here in central Israel, enduring the occasional air raid siren, listening to the distance thump-boom of the Israeli air defenses shooting down Hezbollah rockets, and waiting for a flight home, I recall what some historians have said about the prelude to the European theater of WW2. If only someone had stopped Hitler when he remilitarized the Rheinland; if only someone had stopped Hitler when he took over the Sudetenland; if only someone had stopped him when he absorbed Austria; when he absorbed all of Czechoslovakia; if only, if only, if only. 85 million lives later, the world tabulated the bill for not confronting evil sooner. One would have thought that we had learned a lesson. Time makes one forget and peace makes one weak. In the U.S., we live in paradise, protected by two oceans, thinking that nothing will touch us (9/11 anyone?). Europe relaxes in government financed comfort oblivious to its increasing irrelevance and the danger it faces. Only one country has looked the new evil in the face, knows the score, and is settling that score once and for all. No more "death to Israel"; no more worthless U.N. resolutions; no more deference to the so-called international community. No "if only" with these folks. The time has come to act and Israel is acting. The skill and efficiency of their military is incredible. The stoic resilience of the people even more so. I am reminded of the story of the Brits during the London Blitz. And like with England so long ago, I am glad that the U.S. has joined in the effort. Hopefully one day we will have the sense of gratitude to thank them.
An excellent article, Joshua! You make a very important and timely point that all these non-interventionists on the left and right would do well to learn. The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars were mistakes, no question about it. But we can't use them as an excuse to do nothing when a nation or regime that is an imminent threat of millions of people needs to be taken out. Successful people don't quit after mistakes are made, they learn from them and recalibrate. Iran is a pariah state in the Middle East. They have a nuclear program and are looking to get their hands on the bomb, they have a ballistic missile program, are the number one funder of terrorism in the world, have a gender apartheid, brutally repress their own people, they have destroyed Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza, seek to wipe out Israel, commit genocide against the Kurds and blow up the world so the Mahdi can come back, and oppress the Balochi, Sunni Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha'i, Arabs, Azeris, Azerbaijanis, Afghans, black people, and LGBTQ+ people. North Korea is a great example of what happens when a rogue state is left to fester and grow. North Korea developed a robust nuclear program and shoots off rockets every week which they can use on South Korea. The United States and Israel had to act quickly both to destroy Iran's nuclear program and to do the subsequent limited strikes on Iran they are currently carrying out.
Absolutely. But the watermelon brigade is so ignorant, marching on slogans and mouthing them all the time, that they cannot think in any such terms because it requires thought, historical knowledge, an understanding how society works outside the victim mantra. Unfortunately the watermelon brigade now extends to the Democratic Party in the US and the leadership of western Europe and the Anglosphere countries, notably including my own Canada. Israel is light years ahead of Canada in sophistication, moral reckoning, and human understanding. And so it seems is President Trump who should think again about wishing to annex Canada. It would only eb an albatross around his neck.
Such a great article (again), Joshua. Unfortunately, the idiots who don't read or understand will refuse to read or believe this and continue blaming ISRAEL. They say Israel is the "most destabilizing" actor in the Mideast (and the world) and the biggest threat to peace in the region. Idiots.
The idiots in Europe and in the Democratic party have no sense whatsoever.To paraphrase what Churchill said of Stanley Baldwin on the latter's 80th birthday, "It would have better for their countries had they never lived."
So much to think about. Thanks for another enlightening essay. At the gym the other day I heard someone say how Israel got American involved in " their" war. I said some things in Israel’s defense, but I wish I had read this article first.
Joshua, your commentary is right on except there is one additional issue in the calculus. We here in the US are led by dementia and sycophantic ignorance. 75 million Americans would jump off a bridge if Trump told them to.
This is the one vital thing he somehow got right. Like Ukraine though, if he wakes up tomorrow with another of his ideas, then the Middle East will be past tense.
So we have neo progressives who are against this military action because they hate Trump and were closet antisemites (now openly), an increasing number of republicans who are finally balking at Trump, and the rest who are indifferent to anything international. This keeps me awake at night more than even the danger to myself and the rest of the Jewish population here in the US and in the rest of the world.
And in response to the first comment: we do not know who killed those children yet Is this like when the Hamas rocket did the same in Gaza with Israel as the fall guy. Trump trashed a deal that was worthless. The IAEA was not allowed to inspect; massive development of fissile material was being developed in deep underground facilities, and most importantly Iran has been the main source of terror throughout the region. And don’t forget what Iran has declared against Jews, Israel and western civilization.
To do nothing is like what the US tried to coerce with Golda Meir before the 1967 war: this may have led to the end of the great experiment called the State of Israel.
I think you're elevating Trump and his supporters to heights that seem exaggerated and oversimplified, so it's hard for me to comment seriously on this comment.
John: I completely agree with you about the instability of Donald Trump who acts more like a cult leader than an executive managing a country of about 343 milion people. Living in the US means you get a daily dose of the chaos by the Trump Administration where his cabinet is comprised of inexperienced loyalists who feed his ego. We now have the most incompetent people running the Executive Branch with one exception, Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. In short, our President wants to be a King (admires Putin) and not follow the Constitution or laws or court orders. We worry about losing our democracy under Trump. However, I am thankful that we still have a military that is dedicated to keeping our country safe.
I am very pleased that CENTCOM is working closely with the IDF in the campaign to neutralize Iran's leaders and military as much as possible. I am very supportive of the US fighting Iran hard, fast, and now. Unfortunately, many US citizens are confused about why we are in the war, what the goals are, and why fight now. They are wary of foreign entanglements and do not like what they do not understand. Unfortunately, antisemitism and antizionism have exploded. I can understand why Israelis view Trump favorably because of his support for Israel. I really hope his support of Israel lasts long enough to permanently cripple the extremist Islamist leaders and IRGC.
Great essay as usual. It is amazing how our education system in the west has failed to educate our children for over 2 generations about the danger of appeasement to dictators, tyrants and religious fanatics. I often think how many lives would have been saved if the allies from WW1 had taken action against Hitler and his nascent National Socialists when they were weak and had not yet started to rearm. I truly believe that that Hitler and the Nazis, besides killing over 60 million people also led the ground for the long term destruction of the western democracies. The old adage is the best, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Iran had a deal not to create nukes. Trump trashed the deal. Even so, there was no immanent threat of Iran developing those weapons and even if there were, how would killing innocent girls fix things? I admit I didn’t read your article but if what I’m saying is not relevant, then you shouldn’t have picked that headline.
The above indicates that you are among the most ignorant people who have ever lived. The fact that you openly admit you didn't read the piece you are spewing your crap on simply makes it more clear.
As I sit here in central Israel, enduring the occasional air raid siren, listening to the distance thump-boom of the Israeli air defenses shooting down Hezbollah rockets, and waiting for a flight home, I recall what some historians have said about the prelude to the European theater of WW2. If only someone had stopped Hitler when he remilitarized the Rheinland; if only someone had stopped Hitler when he took over the Sudetenland; if only someone had stopped him when he absorbed Austria; when he absorbed all of Czechoslovakia; if only, if only, if only. 85 million lives later, the world tabulated the bill for not confronting evil sooner. One would have thought that we had learned a lesson. Time makes one forget and peace makes one weak. In the U.S., we live in paradise, protected by two oceans, thinking that nothing will touch us (9/11 anyone?). Europe relaxes in government financed comfort oblivious to its increasing irrelevance and the danger it faces. Only one country has looked the new evil in the face, knows the score, and is settling that score once and for all. No more "death to Israel"; no more worthless U.N. resolutions; no more deference to the so-called international community. No "if only" with these folks. The time has come to act and Israel is acting. The skill and efficiency of their military is incredible. The stoic resilience of the people even more so. I am reminded of the story of the Brits during the London Blitz. And like with England so long ago, I am glad that the U.S. has joined in the effort. Hopefully one day we will have the sense of gratitude to thank them.
An excellent article, Joshua! You make a very important and timely point that all these non-interventionists on the left and right would do well to learn. The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars were mistakes, no question about it. But we can't use them as an excuse to do nothing when a nation or regime that is an imminent threat of millions of people needs to be taken out. Successful people don't quit after mistakes are made, they learn from them and recalibrate. Iran is a pariah state in the Middle East. They have a nuclear program and are looking to get their hands on the bomb, they have a ballistic missile program, are the number one funder of terrorism in the world, have a gender apartheid, brutally repress their own people, they have destroyed Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza, seek to wipe out Israel, commit genocide against the Kurds and blow up the world so the Mahdi can come back, and oppress the Balochi, Sunni Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha'i, Arabs, Azeris, Azerbaijanis, Afghans, black people, and LGBTQ+ people. North Korea is a great example of what happens when a rogue state is left to fester and grow. North Korea developed a robust nuclear program and shoots off rockets every week which they can use on South Korea. The United States and Israel had to act quickly both to destroy Iran's nuclear program and to do the subsequent limited strikes on Iran they are currently carrying out.
Absolutely. But the watermelon brigade is so ignorant, marching on slogans and mouthing them all the time, that they cannot think in any such terms because it requires thought, historical knowledge, an understanding how society works outside the victim mantra. Unfortunately the watermelon brigade now extends to the Democratic Party in the US and the leadership of western Europe and the Anglosphere countries, notably including my own Canada. Israel is light years ahead of Canada in sophistication, moral reckoning, and human understanding. And so it seems is President Trump who should think again about wishing to annex Canada. It would only eb an albatross around his neck.
Such a great article (again), Joshua. Unfortunately, the idiots who don't read or understand will refuse to read or believe this and continue blaming ISRAEL. They say Israel is the "most destabilizing" actor in the Mideast (and the world) and the biggest threat to peace in the region. Idiots.
The idiots in Europe and in the Democratic party have no sense whatsoever.To paraphrase what Churchill said of Stanley Baldwin on the latter's 80th birthday, "It would have better for their countries had they never lived."
So much to think about. Thanks for another enlightening essay. At the gym the other day I heard someone say how Israel got American involved in " their" war. I said some things in Israel’s defense, but I wish I had read this article first.
Joshua, your commentary is right on except there is one additional issue in the calculus. We here in the US are led by dementia and sycophantic ignorance. 75 million Americans would jump off a bridge if Trump told them to.
This is the one vital thing he somehow got right. Like Ukraine though, if he wakes up tomorrow with another of his ideas, then the Middle East will be past tense.
So we have neo progressives who are against this military action because they hate Trump and were closet antisemites (now openly), an increasing number of republicans who are finally balking at Trump, and the rest who are indifferent to anything international. This keeps me awake at night more than even the danger to myself and the rest of the Jewish population here in the US and in the rest of the world.
And in response to the first comment: we do not know who killed those children yet Is this like when the Hamas rocket did the same in Gaza with Israel as the fall guy. Trump trashed a deal that was worthless. The IAEA was not allowed to inspect; massive development of fissile material was being developed in deep underground facilities, and most importantly Iran has been the main source of terror throughout the region. And don’t forget what Iran has declared against Jews, Israel and western civilization.
To do nothing is like what the US tried to coerce with Golda Meir before the 1967 war: this may have led to the end of the great experiment called the State of Israel.
I think you're elevating Trump and his supporters to heights that seem exaggerated and oversimplified, so it's hard for me to comment seriously on this comment.
John: I completely agree with you about the instability of Donald Trump who acts more like a cult leader than an executive managing a country of about 343 milion people. Living in the US means you get a daily dose of the chaos by the Trump Administration where his cabinet is comprised of inexperienced loyalists who feed his ego. We now have the most incompetent people running the Executive Branch with one exception, Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. In short, our President wants to be a King (admires Putin) and not follow the Constitution or laws or court orders. We worry about losing our democracy under Trump. However, I am thankful that we still have a military that is dedicated to keeping our country safe.
I am very pleased that CENTCOM is working closely with the IDF in the campaign to neutralize Iran's leaders and military as much as possible. I am very supportive of the US fighting Iran hard, fast, and now. Unfortunately, many US citizens are confused about why we are in the war, what the goals are, and why fight now. They are wary of foreign entanglements and do not like what they do not understand. Unfortunately, antisemitism and antizionism have exploded. I can understand why Israelis view Trump favorably because of his support for Israel. I really hope his support of Israel lasts long enough to permanently cripple the extremist Islamist leaders and IRGC.
I think you misunderstood my response Joshua. I was merely saying Trump cannot be trusted from day to day.
I really don’t see how that is an honest conclusion from this reporting.
Great essay as usual. It is amazing how our education system in the west has failed to educate our children for over 2 generations about the danger of appeasement to dictators, tyrants and religious fanatics. I often think how many lives would have been saved if the allies from WW1 had taken action against Hitler and his nascent National Socialists when they were weak and had not yet started to rearm. I truly believe that that Hitler and the Nazis, besides killing over 60 million people also led the ground for the long term destruction of the western democracies. The old adage is the best, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
So letting Saddam get nukes would have been okay?
Iran had a deal not to create nukes. Trump trashed the deal. Even so, there was no immanent threat of Iran developing those weapons and even if there were, how would killing innocent girls fix things? I admit I didn’t read your article but if what I’m saying is not relevant, then you shouldn’t have picked that headline.
Rule number one: Don't comment on an essay unless you've read it.
There is apparently no way to delete a comment, or I would have done it.
The above indicates that you are among the most ignorant people who have ever lived. The fact that you openly admit you didn't read the piece you are spewing your crap on simply makes it more clear.
Come on Eric . Do better . Read , think , and then comment . Debate is healthy , what you did isn’t debate .
You don’t know me and you have no right to call me by my first name.