Is Israel Doomed?

8 thoughts on “Is Israel Doomed?”

1. Steve,

   There are 2 things which seem quite clear to me about your post. The first one is:

   US + THEM ? WE.

   “The day must come in which the peoples of the region will witness the disappearance of the Zionist regime. The timing depends on the actions of the Islamic nations and Muslim peoples…” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

   An “Us vs. Them” point of view is a fear based mentality which, as history as shown, will never lead to conflict resolution.

   But the Iranian leadership also takes this kind of fear based stance against its own people:

   “When it comes to suppressing the enemy, divine compassion and leniency have no meaning,” he said. “God ordered the prophet Muhammad to brutally slay hypocrites and ill-intentioned people who stuck to their convictions.”
   Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, head of the Guardian Council

   The above quote (given in a preaching on the 29th) has been interpreted by many as a warning to those who might protest on Feb 11th, the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution.

   While I respectfully disagree with the Iranian leadership’s POV, I have to say, the message is consistent. Most people when feeling pressured, threatened or ‘backed into a corner’ will come out swinging; fighting for their lives. It’s clear the Iranian leadership feels its existence is threatened by Israel, America, the Western world and even the dissidents within Iran’s own borders. Motivation affects perception. If a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are pockets.

   Is Israel doomed? I hope not. Is Iran doomed? I hope not. But no matter which side tries to eliminate the other, if they succeed we will all suffer; that’s for sure. The Earth supports all life and we need to do the same.

   The second thing that’s clear to me is that your commentary at the end of your audio post above actually offers a solution…

   “…we can all think about each other’s views and maybe we come to new conclusions, maybe not, but we can at least consider other people’s views. I believe this is what operating at a high level of consciousness really is. When you’ve got a point of view; you’ve got the guts to say what it is but you also have the guts to consider other peoples’ opinions and views and thoughts on things that you might have locked in, in your mind as solid beliefs. But maybe their thoughts, their angle, their way of looking at the world challenges that a little bit and you say, “Hey, you know what? I’ll keep an open mind, I’ll keep my ego out of it and I’ll consider it.”

   The objective reality here is: Until WE ALL get to a place like you described above Steve, the whole world is doomed… to chasing its tail… endlessly.

   With Love and respect to all,

   Be Well,

   Jaroslav

2. Is israel is not doomed. Israel has little to fear of the Iranian theocratic junta. There is a remote chance that this delusional theocratic junta will hurt Israel.
   However, most of all – the Iranian junta – hurts the Iranian people.

   The Israelis get up in the morning and go to work and school. If the per-capita Gross National Product is any measure then according to the IMF in 2009, the Israelis ranked 31 with $28,271 per-capita, while the Iranians ranked behind in 71 place with $11,202. Politics aside – what do the Iranian do (productively) all day? Manufacture enriched uranium. Another example – nine Nobel prizes were awarded to Israelis and a single one to an Iranian human rights activist – Shirin Ebadi.

   The Iranian theocracy and Ahmadinejad confiscated Ms Ebadi’s bank account and the Nobel Prize medal. The Iranian theocratic junta is running scared of Ms. Ebadi. The Iranian authorities are unhappy with a report produced by Ms. Ebadi that was cited recently by the United Nations’ secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, when the General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution condemning Iran’s human rights record. They are clearly hoping to intimidate Ms. Ebadi and all other independent voices in Iran. Ms Ebadi’s sister was arrested recently.
   Three Americans are now jailed in Iran for over six months. Even hiring an attorney in Iran has brought their families no information. The attorney hasn’t gotten access to them. The Americans are accused of illegally crossing into that country. Their families say it was an accident. Even if the three were “spies” the Iranian theocracy has exhausted by now their interrogation value. Their only value that remains is – humiliating the U.S.

3. Often we can say on analysis of a topic that no side is completely right and no side is completely wrong.

   Mental toughness from my experience works very well on an individual level and sometimes on a team level, too. Most people I know do not exemplify mental toughness.

   Is mental toughness relevant in this Iran debate?

   The problem as I see it is mainly reasoning. I work with many Muslims and when it comes to discussing human rights issues (women, beliefs, Jews, Americans, same sex unions, stoning, sex etc) their reasoning is askew. Most cannot see past their religious and cultural ideologies.

   Many born-again Christians and Muslims I encounter fully believe that tsunamis and cyclones are God’s way of punishing evil people. Many believe that Satan is also responsible.

   Is this not mental weakness?

   But it’s not politically correct to isolate religions or cultures for their destructive habits.

   At least, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens have had the courage to do so.

   Until we can identify the real issues with some diplomacy and that means critiquing our own ideological values (Judaism, Christianity etc) and be courageous enough to assess those criticisms without reacting to and judging oppositional/unfamiliar views unreasonably, we will never see any improvement.

   Yes, mental toughness is vital. So is reasoning.

   Until we all learn to reason effectively, we cannot expect to create a better world. And right now, this is urgent.

4. If Israel ever noted that Iran’s destruction was up and coming, the terrorist media in the US would be all over it. But the Hitler of Iran can say anything he wants and they just don’t report it.

5. I had been a big fan of your worldclass thinking until I read this post. There are a lot of other events happening in the world and I’d rather focus on something that inspires me. Historically, politics and religion have always been a source of conflict. This will continue in years to come, yet what happened in Haiti united the world in compassion beyond politics and religion.

6. You are right. Things are coming to a head this spring or summer at the latest. Will our leadership in this country be up to the task when Israel brings down the hammer. It would be better to get on with the blockade now, than wait for Israel to bomb them. Either way oil is a lot higher and stocks are lower.

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