My historian husband says this is a much needed clear-minded summary of the human history that brings us to this point. I would add that by including your own evolving opinions you help to situate the current war in past American attitudes and policies. I think that is invaluable. Israel was never a small, heroic David standing alone. The U.S was the Goliath in the scenario, supporting and funding Israel's ambitions. The Daouds in the picture are the Palestinians. Why don't Arab nations take them in? There are 14 million Palestinians world wide; a little over 5 million live in the West Bank and Gaza; 2 million live in Israel; the rest live in various places, including Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
Thank you. i'm particularly grateful for a professional historian's approval, of course. This was one of the hardest posts I've written, not because there was so much to learn -- that part I enjoy -- but because so much is at stake, and among the people i care about, such profound disagreement. So, again, thanks.
Thank you for this background piece. I think what is often missing in contemporary discussions is historical context. I have found the piece by the BBC most helpful for my understanding https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54116567 As for Israel's response to the recent attack by Hamas...a response that some of my American friends have criticized/condemned, I really do not understand since as I recall when Al Qaeda attacked the US on 9/11, the US also responded militarily. Less than a month after the attack, the US President (Bush) announced that the United States had begun military action . And our the post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Pakistan took tremendous human toll. As of September 2021, an estimated 432,093 civilians in these countries have died violent deaths as a result .... more than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians are estimated to have died......far more than those killed in the 9/11 attacks. And also far more than those killed by Israel in their response to the recent Hamas attack. As for innocent Palestinians killed by Israel it seems to me that they are akin to the innocent Afgan people killed by the US in out response to a terrorist attack. Does this parallel tit-for-tat make it right? No, of course not. But I really find it hard to understand why so many Americans fail to recognize that we too, killed civilians....probably far more than those killed by Israel, in our response to a terrorist attack when we American criticize Israel's response /
Thanks for your appreciation of the post, and for your link to the BBC site.
As for your comments about American history: At the governmental level, America has supported Israel almost without qualification, until recently. At the level of the people -- many marched in the streets in 2003, protesting the government's military action. Many of those who protested America's government then, are protesting Israel's actions now.
And I would add that even in the immediate aftermath of Oct 7, Biden urged Israel not to make the same mistakes the US did, after 9/11. So even at the governmental level, we are not proud of all we did then.
My historian husband says this is a much needed clear-minded summary of the human history that brings us to this point. I would add that by including your own evolving opinions you help to situate the current war in past American attitudes and policies. I think that is invaluable. Israel was never a small, heroic David standing alone. The U.S was the Goliath in the scenario, supporting and funding Israel's ambitions. The Daouds in the picture are the Palestinians. Why don't Arab nations take them in? There are 14 million Palestinians world wide; a little over 5 million live in the West Bank and Gaza; 2 million live in Israel; the rest live in various places, including Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
Thank you. i'm particularly grateful for a professional historian's approval, of course. This was one of the hardest posts I've written, not because there was so much to learn -- that part I enjoy -- but because so much is at stake, and among the people i care about, such profound disagreement. So, again, thanks.
Thank you for this background piece. I think what is often missing in contemporary discussions is historical context. I have found the piece by the BBC most helpful for my understanding https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54116567 As for Israel's response to the recent attack by Hamas...a response that some of my American friends have criticized/condemned, I really do not understand since as I recall when Al Qaeda attacked the US on 9/11, the US also responded militarily. Less than a month after the attack, the US President (Bush) announced that the United States had begun military action . And our the post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Pakistan took tremendous human toll. As of September 2021, an estimated 432,093 civilians in these countries have died violent deaths as a result .... more than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians are estimated to have died......far more than those killed in the 9/11 attacks. And also far more than those killed by Israel in their response to the recent Hamas attack. As for innocent Palestinians killed by Israel it seems to me that they are akin to the innocent Afgan people killed by the US in out response to a terrorist attack. Does this parallel tit-for-tat make it right? No, of course not. But I really find it hard to understand why so many Americans fail to recognize that we too, killed civilians....probably far more than those killed by Israel, in our response to a terrorist attack when we American criticize Israel's response /
Thanks for your appreciation of the post, and for your link to the BBC site.
As for your comments about American history: At the governmental level, America has supported Israel almost without qualification, until recently. At the level of the people -- many marched in the streets in 2003, protesting the government's military action. Many of those who protested America's government then, are protesting Israel's actions now.
And I would add that even in the immediate aftermath of Oct 7, Biden urged Israel not to make the same mistakes the US did, after 9/11. So even at the governmental level, we are not proud of all we did then.