The “faraway country” in the following quote from Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s September 28, 1938, radio broadcast was democratic Czechoslovakia.
- How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches . . . here because of a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing!
Chamberlain’s denial that Czechoslovakia’s enemy was also Britain’s enemy was perhaps the most costly denial in history.
Today, it is democratic Israel that is the “faraway country” and there are those who deny that Israel’s enemies—Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Syria—are also our enemies. For instance, here’s Glenn Greenwald’s reaction:
- . . . one can believe that Israel is within its rights to defend itself against Hezbollah without also believing that the U.S. should become involved in this extraordinarily flammable conflict. But these neoconservatives don’t recognize that distinction. As they are now expressly arguing, Israel’s enemies are America’s enemies, and this war being waged by Israel ought to become America’s war—and the sooner the better.
It’s not clear whether Greenwald (1) denies that Israel’s enemies are also ours, or (2) agrees that we have common enemies, but, even so, thinks we should not be involved. Either way, there’s more than a faint echo of Neville Chamberlain in his words.
Yes, absolutely, a substantially telling and highly probative historical analogy. Although, for additionaly emphasis, our contemporary situation has, certainly potentially, even more dire near term and more distant term consequences.
The revanchist and other, more contemporary, offensive interests which command the concerted attention of Arab/Muslim states, nations and potentates and their proxies are together receiving a wide variety of camouflage and cover, in the West, from the soft to hard Left. This camouflage and cover takes the form of both conscious and unconscious denials, deflections, dissimulations and obfuscations, tout court dismissiveness, often enough born with contempt, etc., etc. All this detritus from the Left very much detracts from the clear-headed analysis and single-minded resolve which, presently, needs to be effected with commanding presence. High-minded words, but true nonetheless.
Imagine how this crisis would be playing out if Saddam was still in power. Good lord, what a nightmare scenario!
The timidity of the West is sickening, then and now.
tom p- I imagine Saddam would say something quite similar to what the Iraq PM said today. He denounced Israel for the Lebanon and gaza incursions.
I’ll be thinking of you Lester when I cast my vote for the Republicans in November.
my guess is most of them won’t have Bush’s face on their website. Also, the empowered shia in iraq are probably on their way to lebanon to back up hezbollah. al sadr has hinted at it. you certianly wouldn’t have seen THAT under saddam
Why don’t folks like Greenwald recognize that we are confronting blind hatred, including self hate, that is looking for a scapegoat. No one is safe from this pathological thinking. It is encouraging that the Arab countries you mentioned in the previous post may be catching on, but clear thinkers in these countries are being undermined by our own excusers and understanders and root causers.
It’s a really bad investment for the USA to be a proxy for Israel to fight its wars. Let Israel fight Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia on its own. As an American, we gain nothing helping Israel. if they like to kill “evil” muslim civilians, go for it. but dont bring my country into it. Israel has no real plan, other than piss off all the muslim countries – and then what? they think this is going to bring peace? i think they love killing and love war. may their religious war end them up closer to God sooner than later, so we can move onto more important things, like having a Good life.
Regarding the latest Israel vs. all muslim war, help me understand something:
How does Hisbolla taking hostage of 2 -3 Israeli soldiers, justify Israeli’s action to blow up billions of dollars of infrastructure and killing of hundreds of civilians of Lebanon? Most reports have indicated Lebanon does not even control the Hesbolla, so I am not sure what Israel is gaining by attacking innocent people in Beirut?
How come there is not a single politican that is looking at the situation and sees both parties (Muslims and Jews) should come to the table and discuss peace? Not one US single politician has complained that maybe Israel is using excessive force and is causing a severe situation on its own and they need to show restraint? President Bush is telling Hesbolla should lay down its arms, while Israel is using excessive force in destroying Lebanon and Gaza strip areas. Do our politicians can’t see the obvious – you don’t get peace, by telling only one side to chill out. Do they just lack any spine and are so concerned about the Jewish vote and influence? Or do our politicians really think that you negotiate peace by forcing one side (Muslims) to bend over and let the other guy (Israel) have his way?
What is Israel’s strategy for peace? Attack all muslim countries, stir the hatred pot really well, make it a USA/Israel vs. Muslim war (Christians/Jews vs. Muslims), and then expect the USA to bail them out w/ re-enforcement, and more weapons/aid?
Does the neocons have enough influence to convince the American public that Israel’s war is USA’s war also? Could the politicans convince the American people that we should send more troops there and kill even more of our sons? We have been at war in Iraq longer than our involvement in WWII and have killed more than 3000 of our own kids, exceeding the original cause of the 3000 people dead from 9-11. With USA’s current situation in Iraq/Afganistan, and what a disaster those places have become, and what a horrible ROI (Return on Investment) those places are, do we think adding Syria/Iran/Lebanon/Saudi Arabia to the mix will make it better?
I’d like to hear how the warhawks plan to bring peace to the Middle East? If that is even a goal. Or is it to just go there, kill as many Muslims/detain them in Cuba, etc.
John- thank you
John—I’ll respond to your comment tomorrow. For now, I’ll just say that I’m not advocating that we send our troops into Lebanon, nor do I believe that the Bush administration has any intention of doing so. We have never sent our soldiers into battle during any previous Arab-Israeli war; we won’t do so now.
My response to your comment will probably be in the form of a new post.
how about sending our troops into Israel to defend our ally lebanon?
[...] This post is a reply to John of Arab News, who added a comment to my “Echoes of Neville Chamberlain” post. ________________ As promised, here’s my reply to your comment. I begin with some facts: [...]
I was interested to see how John (above) has misunderstood what’s going on between Israel and Hezbollah. This is not primarily over two abducted Israeli soldiers, it is a war in which hundreds of rockets are being fired daily against the cities and towns of Israel by an opponent. Israel is attempting to counter these attacks by hitting Hezbollah positions. However, because Hezbollah moves its missile launchers around all the time, and fires them from residential areas, there are plenty of casualties. CNN had an excellent shot of the rockets being fired from Tyre yesterday. Seconds later the same location was targeted by Israel. So that’s the issue. War, plain and simple.