There have been planes blown out of the sky, athletes murdered at Olympic games, children slaughtered in schools, shoppers splattered where they were buying vegetables, and the Twin Towers crashed to the ground in a thick cloud of dust containing glass, steel and bits of pulverized humanity.
And for what?
Have the Palestinians and Islamists gained anything at all from the tens of thousands of Israelis and others who were murdered and/or left physically and emotionally shattered by their terrorist attacks since the 1960s?
Have the terrorists gained land or recognition? Are their people finally living outside of the so-called “refugee camps”? Do their people enjoy the trappings of modernity?
Are the Israelis any closer today to acquiescing to terrorist demands because of the outrages?
Then why? After all the blood, pain and emotional scarring; where are the Palestinians and Islamists any further ahead? In fact; not only are they no further ahead, they have indeed squandered most of what they had already gained.
President Bill Clinton twisted the arm of the Israelis to make huge concessions to the Palestinians. And not just in the International theatre.
Clinton’s influence, and the thirst for peace from the average Israeli was so great, that it helped get the well meaning and highly decorated former Israeli general turned dove, Ehud Barak, elected Prime Minster on a platform of peace.
This was possible, only because at the time, in 1993, terrorist activities were down to an “acceptable” level. Had the Palestinians been engaged in open terrorist warfare against the people of Israel as they have been since the failed peace talks, Barak would never have been elected, and there would have been no peace negotiations at Camp David between Clinton, Arafat and Barak. AND there would have been far less Israeli Jews murdered at the whim of Arafat’s thugs.
BUT ARAFAT BLEW IT! Once again, the old terrorist snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. He resorted back to terrorism to push for more concessions from an already overly generous Israeli government, and what he got instead was a steel resolve from the Israelis to defend themselves at all costs, and to end his distorted and violent “pretend” peace initiative.
And just as relative peace brought Barak to the Knesset as Prime Minister, terrorist warfare against Israel brought in Ariel Sharon, a no nonsense hawk who best understands the sick mind-set of those who would destroy Israel and kill Jews through terror.
Not only did the Arafat policy of terrorism blow a great peace deal for the Palestinians with Israel, it also destroyed whatever credibility the Palestinians managed to muster with the international media and the United Nations.
As the Palestinian terrorist attacks multiplied with ever greater carnage; try as hard as they could, even the anti-Israeli media found it harder and harder to condone accelerated Palestinian super-violence, so much so, that the media were beginning to look ridiculous.
And then the MOTHER of all modern day terror: 9/11 was the beginning of the end for “acceptable” terrorist groups world-wide.
Virtually every country is, or has been cursed by some form of terrorist activity. Europe had the Baeder-Meinhof Gang and the Red Brigades. The USA had the SLA. Canada dealt with the FLQ. The British the IRA. Virtually every country dealt with one form of terrorism or another.
What have any of these deadly groups achieved? Did they win anything? Did they change society?
In short, these terrorists cost lives and temporarily harmed the psyche of their national victims. But in the long run, their activities were a horrible waste upon humanity which changed nothing of any significance.
Terrorism only benefits the leaders who rally the ignorant and downtrodden. It is the leaders who live well, while skimming off the top. But it is not them who are blowing themselves up. Nor are their children. It is the children of others.
The reason why terrorism has survived and prospered has more to do with the romantic concept of urban or jungle guerillas taking on the establishment, while fighting for the rights of the underdog and proletariat, than it does with any successes, or lack thereof.
Terrorism, through Guerilla warfare is also a great way for one nation or culture to wage war against another without getting their own hands dirty. It also causes a measure of economic instability. Even companies will support terrorist groups in the hopes of damaging competitors.
But after all is said and done, now that the world no longer countenances terrorism, it will mostly come to an end. At least for a while.
The 9/11 attack on America was the final straw. Israel took the blows from the Palestinians and their Islamic supporters, and accepted not to respond in real force on the behalf of the American government’s requests. But that was yesterday.
After 9/11, how could the Americans, or anyone else for that matter tell the Israelis to take it lying down, while the Americans are waging all out war against the terrorists who attacked them, as well as their benefactors? Especially with the full approval of the world.
It was breathtaking to listen, read and watch the pundits as they drew contrasts as to why someone who murders an American is a terrorist. Yet, someone who murders an Israeli Jew is not. Canada’s Foreign Minister at that time, John Manley looked and sounded like the fool he is, as he drew differences between the spilling of Jewish Israeli blood and the blood of Americans.
The Israelis finally had enough, they turfed out Barak, brought in Sharon, and went to war. The cries from the rest of the world and the international media was that the Israelis will only invite greater acts of terrorism upon themselves. And nothing is settled by violence. And the Israelis should have a parallel program of negotiations and fighting even during the height of terrorist attacks. And on and on it went until even the media got tired of it.
I couldn’t watch a televison news program without seeing and hearing the disgusting Hannan Ashrawi, Saeb Erekat and any of the other “poor beleaguered” Palestinians who all read from the same script: OCCUPATION, HUMILITY, SUFFERING, MASSACRES, REFUGEE CAMPS; etcetera, etcetera ad nauseam.
Israel hit back, and hit back hard. And even though there is still Palestinian terrorist attacks, they are far fewer compared to what Israel endured when they turned the other cheek.
Today, it is hard to find any news networks or news broadcasts that interview Palestinians, or carry anything more than the briefest report of Israeli activities against the Palestinians, even when large numbers are killed, and the homes of terrorists or terrorist supporters are destroyed.
Mostly, everyone is finally fed up with terrorism. And since acquiescence and appeasement have proven to be motivators for greater terrorist activities, rather than towards peace, Israel and the USA are finally on the right path.
Even the Egyptians are all of a sudden interested in speaking with Israel. Mubarak, who once claimed that he would NEVER speak or meet with Ariel Sharon, has all of a sudden issued an invitation to Sharon to come to Egypt for discussions. Sharon was quick to accept.
Moderation in the Middle East is always taken as a sign of weakness. Neither the USA nor Israel will any longer appear to be weak.
Before 9/11, President Clinton was a moderate. Since 9/11, Bush is not. EVERYONE warned the USA not to answer the threat and attacks of terrorism with an aggressive military response. That would only invite more and greater terrorist attacks was the popular belief amongst “moderates”.
Guess what? Since 9/11, the USA has been kicking the crap out of the terrorists, and have their terrorist supporters groveling; and there has not been one terrorist attack against the USA on American soil since. And the once “invincible” Islamic terrorist army is quivering under the slime and rocks that hide them.
Anyone who suggests that the answer to Islamism, terrorism and threats from rogue countries should be moderation is a fool. History proves there is only one answer to international threats from thugs. Unfortunately however, far too many people are devoid of historic references, and/or have no stomach for what has to be done.
The UN is a basket case where special interests are protected, and NO-WORLD countries get a chance to pretend to have a measure significance. But after all will be said and done, responsible democracies will act appropriately, and the world will be a safer place for it. Even against the howls of those who shed the crocodile tears.
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One Comment
Congratulations to you and Ann! I used to consider 41 MONTHS a long-term marriage LOL but that’s MY history LOL but now I’m 7 years into my LAST marriage and hope to live to see 41 years with John!
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