The lessons of Gaza By Andrew J. Bacevich

[PerfectSage]

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/01/08/the_lessons_of_gaza/

Given the events related to Israel's birth, which involved the displacement of Palestinians and left Israel surrounded by adversaries vowing to destroy it, one can understand this conviction. Perhaps even today in Gaza, given the intransigence of Hamas, Israelis have no choice - or at least none promising any escape from the predicament in which they find themselves. So they fight on, despite the growing sense that the entire Zionist enterprise is inexorably headed toward some tragic denouement.

For the United States, engaged in a struggle against radical Islamists that mirrors Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, the implications of this story are several. Israeli troubles in the West Bank and Gaza over the past 40 years suggest the following:

First, getting in may be easy; getting out is the hard part. Once embraced, a tar baby becomes impossible to release. For this reason, the notion that intervention offers a handy problem solver is an illusion.

Second, occupation by outsiders produces alienation, resistance, and radicalization, nowhere more so than in the Islamic world. The longer the stay, the more severe the reaction.

Third, as instruments of pacification, conventional armies possess modest utility. Rather than facilitating political solutions, coercion only exacerbates the underlying problem.

This approach hasn't worked for Israel and won't work for the United States. Yet this approach describes US policy in the global war on terror, which has been based on expectations of intervention, occupation, and superior military power enabling the United States to dictate the conditions in which Muslims in places as remote as Iraq and Afghanistan should live.

[GoesTo11]

1. It's a little early to be talking about lessons

It will be worthwhile to reflect on it after the fact and draw lessons. This article makes predictions about the future and then says that the lesson is that what has been done leads to what the author predicts about the future. At this point, we can draw lessons about what led to the conflict, but we can't draw lessons about how it will turn out (other than the fact that there will be casualties and rhetoric, which is hardly a surprise).

[PerfectSage]

2. After decades you still don't think there are lessons to be learned?

Like when to end a hot/cold war that's lasted for over 50 years?

By any simple ends, ways means analysis the war should have ended 30 years ago.
My guess is it will end when America is bankrupt and America learns a lesson on what the difference between a bad ally and good ally is.

[Blue Meany]

4. Not just in Israel, but around the world what had worked

to end terrorism is political engagement with those who are seeking to effect change with it. Put simply, what Chomsky call "retail terrorism" is weapon of the weak, and is usually only resorted to when there are not other viable methods to bring about change. Although Islamist rhetoric may be used as an overlay to explain a conflict, the militancy disappears when grievances are addressed and other political avenues for change are offered.

Bombing your opponent into submission is going to lead to a reduction of terrorism in the long run, which is why I suspect this is not the real goal of Israel. The ongoing cycle of violence serves the ends of those Israelis who want to drive all Arabs out of "greater Israel" and maintain it as a Jewish state. Peace agreements, especially those that trade land for peace, serve a different end, one which probably most of both sides of the conflict would prefer.

[PerfectSage]

7. The Tao of Great Power politics is that those who most value the idea of Greater Israel

will be responsible for the death of that idea.

[GoesTo11]

5. I was referring to the editorial, not to the history of the world

As for ways/means/ends analysis, it's still true that the war should end. Good luck Barack.

[laststeamtrain]

3. Post this in the Editorials & other Articles Forum so it will have wider circulation.

:thumbsup:

[PerfectSage]

6. Thanks for the heads up. Posted in E&A