The Impossible Peace
by Bruce Thornton, Victor Davis Hanson’s Private Papers
The New York Times editorial page published last Saturday a collection of short editorials on Israel ’s campaign to neutralize Hezbollah. With the exception of Richard Perle’s, most of the opinions represent the tired received wisdom that ignores the true cause of the conflict and relies on various silver bullets like “diplomacy.”
Perle, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense now with the American Enterprise Institute, understands that Hezbollah and Hamas must be defeated: “ Israel must now deal a blow of such magnitude to those who would destroy it as to leave no doubt that its earlier policy of acquiescence is over.” As for global whining about “disproportionate response,” Perle rightly recognizes that Israel is involved in an “existential struggle” that makes its response entirely appropriate.
Perle identifies the core issue: not the “occupation,” not “Palestinian national aspirations,” but the century-long violent assault against Jews and Israel on the part of Muslims whose religion justifies their attempt to destroy the “infidel” divinely destined to live under Islamic hegemony. All the other issues the world obsesses over are meaningless unless the survival of Israel is first guaranteed and Muslims prove that they are willing to coexist peacefully with Israel. But as the last six decades have shown, Israel ’s survival depends on its own willingness to show its enemies that it will use force to defend itself.
