Notes On The Current Crisis in Israel

The media, both old and new, mainstream and alternative, have been flooded with stories of the current violence in the Middle East, particularly in Israel.

First, though many claim that Israel somehow "stole" the disputed territories, no such country of "Palestine" was ever recognized.

Second, in 1967, Israel was attacked. They fought back, hard. Much of the "disputed land" was won by them in that war, a war they did not provoke.

Third, at one time, the countries we know today as Syria and Jordan were once part of the country of Israel. If one wants to play historian about aggression towards the Hebrew people, the nomadic Philistines (or Palestinians, if you prefer) invaded and attacked the Hebrew people many times throughout history. It was during one such invasion that a young Shepherd named David made his name, eventually succeeding the then King Saul of Israel to become King himself. David later passed his throne to his son, Solomon.

During the Roman Empire, and the days of Yeshua ben Yousef of Nazareth, Syria and Jordan were also under the principality of Israel and Jerusalem. The emperor even recognized Herod as King of those lands, though many Hebrews did not.

Historically, all of it is Israel.

Today is what matters. Today, Gaza and the West Bank are part of Israel, though given a certain level of autonomy. Jordan and Syria are their own countries. Syria is in turmoil under a tyrannic despot.

The Philistines (Palestinians) have religious freedom and a level of political freedom. In fact, under the Israeli political system, they have more political freedom than Hamas, the terrorist organization currently in control of their political system, would allow them if they were their own country. Hamas would most likely be more tyrannic and despotic than the Taliban.

The truth is that they do not want more freedom. They want to be enslaved, to submit, to their tyrannic, terrorist despots. Then they want all Jews subjected to genocide or enslaved to them. Then they want to dominate the globe, putting all under their thumb. They do not want religious freedom or tolerance. They want domination. They want to take away what others have worked so hard to create and build.

In late 2003, after my first tour to Iraq, I spent over a month in Jordan. I was there to share tactics and training for counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. The Jordanian Army was to teach us their culture, the culture of Iraq, and how to best employ what they called "the soft power" to win "hearts and minds".

In our dealings, they told us that we surpassed them at door-kicking and use of force. However, they said we didn't know how to "fight the peace". They were correct. It wasn't that we didn't know how to employ a rule of law. It wasn't that we didn't know how to be compassionate and help people. No. In their perspective, we were too nice when we had to "lock down" an area. We didn't use enough threats of force. To them, in their culture, you have to show strength. You have to demonstrate the propensity to use force. You have to intimidate. You have to show that you are willing and capable of doing violence void of any compassion before you turn and employ compassion. From the cultural perspectives in that area, you are only compassionate when you can be mean, violent, and destructive and choose not to. You have to show the people that they owe you for doing the right thing. After all, you have that force because "Inshallah". It is all by the will of allah. So, then, it is the will of allah when you have it, can use it, are known that you could use it, and are compassionate instead.

Basically, you have to step on their throats with just enough force that they know their lives are in your hands before you an let them be free.

It's their culture. That was what the Jordanians taught us. That is what they mean by "soft power".

"Look, jackass, I have the ability to wipe you off the map. Now that you understand that you cannot possibly win if you fight me, let's negotiate."

Yes, the Jordanians pretty much told us that you have to put a gun to their heads before they will be willing to discuss a mutually beneficial agreement. If you can't crush them, why should they bother?

They asked the US to be more compassionate and empathic to the plights of the Philistines. Consider how their culture prefers compassion be implemented. Then consider how the Philistines conduct terror-attacks while using women and children as human shields. Compassion... .

The only way Hamas or the Philistines would come to a bargaining table to discuss diplomatic options is if they perceive they are losing and they could somehow turn it into more than just a mere Pyrrhic victory.

During that month, we had to listen to the diatribes of a Jordanian general. Of course, we received a daily dose of why the US needs to do something about Israel and all of the Philistine refugees that are stinking up Jordan. No, the Jordanians didn't seem too keen on having Goliath's descendants within their borders either.