Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Israel Leads While the West Fiddles
FrontPage Magazine ^ | May 8, 2013 | Ari Lieberman

Posted on 05/08/2013 5:41:26 AM PDT by SJackson

As the West flounders on whether to take action in Syria and dillydallies about nuclear proliferation amongst pariah nations, Israel once again provides the world with a dazzling demonstration in daring, technical capability and national fortitude. This past week, Israeli fighter jets twice swooped over enemy airspace to neutralize an imminent threat to world peace and prevent chemical weapons and their delivery mechanisms from falling into the hands of Iran’s proxies. Reports indicate that a quantity of Fateh 110 and Scud D surface-to-surface missiles bound for Hezbollah were destroyed. In January of this year, Israel reportedly destroyed state-of-the-art SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, which the Islamic Republic unsuccessfully tried to smuggle to Hezbollah via Syria.

For those familiar with Israel’s notable military history, the recent operations come as no surprise. Israel has proven time and again that it means what it says and follows through when red lines are crossed. In their brief 65-year history, the Israelis have been forced to cope with an assortment of conventional and unconventional threats emanating from two-bit dictators and non-state actors.

In May 1967, President Nasser of Egypt announced the closure of the Straits of Tiran, an international waterway, to international shipping and pledged to sink any vessel daring to challenge his country’s gross violation of international maritime law. The West, paralyzed with fear took no action and asked Israel to show “restraint,” a meaningless word that’s grown threadbare over time. Israel however, took matters into its own hands and launched an air, ground and naval assault that freed the Straits from Nasser’s dictatorial grip. The free world breathed a sigh of relief and applauded Israel’s actions in upholding international law.

Another crisis of international proportions emerged in July 1976 when a group of West German Baader-Meinhof and Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France commercial airliner bound for Paris. The gunmen flew their hostages to Entebbe, Uganda where they found safe haven and were abetted by the international pariah and rumored cannibal, the dictator Idi Amin. At the time, the West was plagued by skyjackings – principally conducted by Arabs disgruntled over some cause or another – and they appeared to be incapable and helpless in combating the skyjacking scourge. Israel while pretending to negotiate, launched a daring rescue, flew thousands of miles into the heart of Africa, freed the hostages, destroyed Amin’s airforce and liquidated the terrorists. The mission was applauded by the West, struck a decisive blow against international terrorism and precipitated the fall of what can arguably be described as one of Africa’s most maniacal rulers.

In June 1981 and then again in September 2007, Israeli military strikes prevented nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of Saddam Hussein and Bashar Asad, respectively. Had Israel not acted on both these occasions, the first and second Gulf wars would likely have taken more ominous trajectories and chemical weapons falling into the hands of rogue elements would be the least of our problems in today’s ongoing Syrian civil war.

Israel has by word and deed provided the free world with bold leadership so sorely lacking. As indecisiveness paralyzes Western decision makers, Israel, a frontline nation and bulwark against Islamic extremism is afforded no such luxury. History has taught the Jewish people that appeasement and indecisiveness inexorably lead to misery and death. Israel has acted resolutely and it is time for the free world to demonstrate the same fortitude.


TOPICS: Editorial; Israel; War on Terror
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 05/08/2013 5:41:26 AM PDT by SJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Not fiddling. The undocumented Obama Caliphate
supports al Qaeda who murdered thousands of Americans.


2 posted on 05/08/2013 5:46:04 AM PDT by Diogenesis (De Oppresso Liber)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

The threats are on Israel's borders, she can't ignore them. In regards to 1967, it's worth noting Eisenhower had assured Israel the US would guarantee access through the Straits of Tiran when pressuring Israel to return the Sinai in 1956. LBJ is said to have given some thought to organizing an international action, but was unwilling to act unilaterally. In the end, his inaction benefited the US by extending the Soviet supply lines to Vietnam.

3 posted on 05/08/2013 5:48:53 AM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

"...your view of the world is astonishingly stupid and I wouldn't trust YOUR judgement in a turtle race"

4 posted on 05/08/2013 5:49:21 AM PDT by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Israel is a nation that I love. But why all these idiot Jewish voters on the “progressive” train here?


5 posted on 05/08/2013 5:55:54 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk

Because their leftist ideology IS their religion.


6 posted on 05/08/2013 4:21:35 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson