Doc's Talk

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Our Proxy War-A Test for the West
GS Don Morris, Ph.D.

“Death to America, death to America-the great Satan”.

“This American administration is an enemy. Our motto, which we are not afraid to repeat year after year, is: 'Death to America.'

So speaks Hassan Nasrallah, Leader of Hizzbollah!(1)

“Israel should be ‘wiped off the map” followed by “Very soon, this stain of disgrace [i.e. Israel] will be purged from the center of the Islamic world – and this is attainable.” Also shouted by Ahmadinejad, Iran’s commander (2).

So Mr.’s Nasrallah and Ahmadinejad are equal opportunity haters of both Israel and the United States. Now these are not new comments to those of us living in the Middle East-we have been hearing this rhetoric and much more for quite some time now. The fact is that this kind of vitriolic speech has also been directed at most other Western countries.

It seems that the relationship between these two men goes back many years and it is playing out on the world stage these last 20 days. Hizzbollah is a terrorist organization that cleverly portrays itself as a social and political advocate for the sovereign state of Lebanon. However, it produces nothing but terror, relies totally upon outside sources for its funding and has declared on multiple occasions that its primary goal is to eradicate another sovereign state-Israel. Furthermore, it has also directed its desire for America to be eliminated as well. Hizzbollah has developed a well-trained militia, funded and supplied by Iran and Syria. It has spent the last 6 years arming itself with rockets, munitions, guns of all types, thermal suits to be worn to disable Israel’s body heat seeking signals and posseses anti-tank RPGs to list but a few of its military assets. An intricate series of underground bunkers together with a sophisticated communication system has been readied for this moment in time. A notable omission is the lack of building any safety rooms or underground safe bunkers for the people of Lebanon.

Iran has declared its hatred for Israel as wells as America. Ahmadinejad minces no words when he indicates his real intentions-a Muslim world with the infidels eliminated. Some individuals dismiss him as unstable-he is an intelligent, wily and cunning man who believes in what he speaks. He is creating a following of people inside his country and beyond who do not fear death, they worship it and are preparing for the day they can execute the plan. Iran has used the West’s petrol dollars to fund an enormous army, develop a powerful military infrastructure, he is close to having THE bomb, and he is so clever he realizes his goals require the use of others. He has spent untold number of dollars developing an army outside his own army-Hizzbollah. It is estimated that Iran funds Hizzbollah to the tune of $100 million a year. Syria has been and is currently used as the management depot and transportation agent on behalf of Iran for Hizzbollah. All three of the aforementioned states and/or groups are literally “connected at the hip.”

Ahmadinejad realized some time ago that he could accomplish several goals by simply funding Hizzbollah. As a military extension or proxy of Iran, Hizzbollah could be used to agitate Israel and goad it into the development of policies that would benefit Iran. Iran could use its proxy to create a significant regional disturbance at a time and choosing of its choice-this has happened some three weeks ago. Some experts suggest that the timing was consistent with the world discussion, G8 meeting, that would have placed the world’s attention on Iran’s nuclear plans. The purpose of the disturbance was to divert the international attention way from this issue-it worked! However, I suggest another possibility for this emerging war.

Iran has international intentions and they fall under the umbrella of terror, control and domination. Ahmadinejad is a clever man, he studies the war as it unfolds. He risks none of his soldiers, his material and personnel investment is his cost; the benefit is the knowledge he is gathering from this war. The prosecution of this war provides valuable military information as he is learning how Israel responds to the emerging Hizzbollah strategies. He would gain incredible information if his staff was also directing some of the battle field actions to see exactly how Israel responds and to see how it adjusts to field experience. He is learning what works and what does not produce the desired results.

I further suggest that as important is his stated dream of Islamic domination he is studying how the Western countries are responding to the events on the ground as well as how other Islamic countries are responding. He is also watching carefully the media, again on both sides of this war. He is learning what PR to present; basically he is learning how to creatively manipulate the media in his favor. He knows that the media is a major tool in controlling world opinion and then world policy.

It is this last concept that we need to attend to immediately. I am not convinced that the West truly “gets it” yet. If we do understand what is unfolding in front of us, then I am not sure we still have the courage or fortitude to do what is necessary. I am encouraged by Tony Blair’s recent assessment of world events (3):

“The crisis in the Lebanon has not changed its thesis. It has brought it into sharp relief. The purpose of the provocation that began the conflict was clear. It was to create chaos, division and bloodshed, to provoke retaliation by Israel that would lead to Arab and Muslim opinion being inflamed, not against those who started the aggression but against those who responded to it… There is an arc of extremism now stretching across the Middle East and touching, with increasing definition, countries far outside that region. To defeat it will need an alliance of moderation, that paints a different future in which Muslim, Jew and Christian; Arab and Western; wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony with each other. My argument to you today is this: we will not win the battle against this global extremism unless we win it at the level of values…”

I have also watched Mr. Blair’s critics in England and around the world attack him for these and other comments he has made recently. It is useful to observe how politically certain Western countries are responding to his comments as well as to events in the Israeli-Lebanese war. It is instructive to witness these and other countries “rush to judgment” by calling for an immediate ceasefire. It is also useful to observe which countries have decided to condemn Israel, the very country who was attacked by a terrorist group called Hizzbollah. It is my contention that Ahmadinejad not only is watching all of this, he is learning and will use this data when he decides to launch his major attack. He will develop new strategies.

The use of his Hizzbollah proxy is a test for the West. We have THE opportunity now to stop the march of fascist Islam. Imagine, joining together as one voice and declaring “no more”. Imagine calling Hizzbollah’s actions and behavior for what they are. We can deal a major blow to what appears to be inevitable. We should stand now and draw the proverbial “line in the sand.” Declaring that the following is no longer going to be tolerated or accepted and holding them accountable for such inhumane behavior as: abusing civilians, surrounding your unidentified army with civilians, holding civilians at gun point and threatening death if they leave. The Western world must take this unique opportunity to stand up against the tyranny of our enemy. This is a test-the worst is yet to come- -it is for us to pass or fail. We can take back control!

End Notes

Editorial, New York Sun, March 11,2005
2. Steve Schippert, “Ahmadinejad Predicts End of Israel: Soon,” Threats Watch, April 14, 2006
3. Tony Blair, Speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, August 1, 2006.

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The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

Bedouins:

Bedouins are nomadic Muslims who were in Israel when modern borders were set in place and are now considered Israeli citizens. They are not required to draft but a growing number choose to enlist. In 2012, there were over 1,400 Bedouin Muslim soldiers doing regular IDF service and almost 1,500 in the reserves.

Read more:http://www.idfblog.com/2014/02/27/truth-idf-numbers-pictures/#more-34027

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.
More...

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’
-- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.
Clare M. Lopez

Who is being discriminated-facts tell the truth

Religious bias

Hate crimes motivated by religious bias accounted for 1,409 offenses reported by law enforcement. A breakdown of the bias motivation of religious-bias offenses showed:

65.4 percent were anti-Jewish.
13.2 percent were anti-Islamic.
9.5 percent were anti-other religion, i.e., those not specified.
4.3 percent were anti-Catholic.
3.8 percent were anti-multiple religions, group.
3.3 percent were anti-Protestant.
0.5 percent were anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/narratives/hate-crime-2010-incidents-and-offenses.

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror Yemini
In 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").
Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state.
Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."
Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.