Doodad
We all remember the story of the little boy who put his finger in the dike and saved his village from sure destruction. As an idiom, the story translates to taking an emergency measure to avert disaster. I've recently wondered if it is Israel which performs that major function in the world today. For example, if Israel disappeared tomorrow, what would happen?
Rational thinkers realize that peace would not immediately break out in the middle east because most of the turmoil there is unrelated to Israel. Certainly the "Arab Spring," and all that harbingers has nothing to do with Israel and everything to do with the various competing and opposing forces within the middle east today. Dictators, economies, Islamists, Sunni/Shia, etc. There is enough strife and animosity to keep that part of the world busy for a long time without any need to mention Israel.
But mention Israel happens now all the time. Actually, as we see in the news and on blogs everywhere, Israel somehow gets blamed for it all eventually. Oh yes, sometimes the Big Satan and the West in general gets a lambasting; but, for the most part, Israel is the fall guy. One of the reasons we sane people give is that it helps the despots keep the mobs distracted by giving them an enemy so that they can't think about their real oppressors. I agree with this; but, there is another thing as well.
So, let's say Israel disappears, the dike breaks; then what? It won't be water that rushes in but the harsh reality of the actual middle east. With no Israel to focus on what will the world see? Islamic governance and hegemony. With no Israel to hate, human rights activists will be forced to deal with that world. Extrapolate that and we end up with a real clash of civilizations to an extent no one wants. Even Bush went to extremes to claim, "This is not a War against Islam." Obama has said, "As Americans we are not - and never will be - at war with Islam." Yes, no one wants to face that. Thanks goodness Israel can be the scapegoat.
Consider the recent three stooges effect of Panetta, Hilary and Gutman. Basically it's another chapter in the Obama administration blaming Israel for the coming deluge promised by the Arab Spring they backed. For Panetta and Hilary it was more couched in anti-Bibi language but the ultimate effect was blame Israel....look over there, Israel sucks....ignore the rest, nothing to see, now move on. It's bad enough when Arab despots do it; it's worse when Obama et al do it.
As moral human beings, we need to make sure that dike never breaks; but, for G-d's sake we need to to save that little boy. He should not be sacrificed for the cause.
Interesting premise, Doodad.
ReplyDeleteIf Israel were to disappear tomorrow the Arab governments, not to mention progressive-left activists, would no longer have their favorite scapegoat.
Instead of perpetually harping on the Jewish state, perhaps those governments and activists should be thanking Israel, because if Israel were not around then who could they blame for Middle East poverty and misery and lack of success in the modern world?