Sowell: Cease the Cease-Fires

Jewish World Review ^ | July 29, 2014 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

JewishWorldReview.com | Many years ago, on my first trip around the world, I was struck by how the children in the Middle East -- Arab and Israeli alike -- were among the nicest looking little children I had seen anywhere.

It was painful to think that they were going to grow up killing each other. But that is exactly what happened.

It is understandable that today many people in many lands just want the fighting between the Israelis and the Palestinians to stop. Calls for a cease-fire are ringing out from the United Nations and from Washington, as well as from ordinary people in many places around the world.

According to the New York Times, Secretary of State John Kerry is hoping for a cease-fire to "open the door to Israeli and Palestinian negotiations for a long-term solution." President Obama has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to have an "immediate, unconditional humanitarian cease-fire" -- again, with the idea of pursuing some long-lasting agreement.

If this was the first outbreak of violence between the Palestinians and the Israelis, such hopes might make sense. But where have the U.N., Kerry and Obama been during all these decades of endlessly repeated Middle East carnage?

The Middle East must lead the world in cease-fires. If cease-fires were the road to peace, the Middle East would easily be the most peaceful place on the planet.

"Cease-fire" and "negotiations" are magic words to "the international community." But just what do cease-fires actually accomplish?

In the short run, they save some lives. But in the long run they cost far more lives, by lowering the cost of aggression.

At one time, launching a military attack on another nation risked not only retaliation but annihilation. When Carthage attacked Rome, that was the end of Carthage.

[jazusamo]

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[rawcatslyentist]

There is no cease fire in islam!

They are COMMANDED by their state/religion/law, to commit genocide against the Jews, and the rest of mankind.

Why does the civilized world accept genocidal mohammetans?

[bill1952]

But where have the U.N., Kerry and Obama been during all these decades of endlessly repeated Middle East carnage

Life magazine June 1970

[Track9]

Little john kerry should have been spanked instead of told to sit in the corner. He would have been less of a craven little punk.

[nascarnation]

Wow that looks like little Baraq in the front row.
He would have been 9 yrs old.....

[bandleader]

Dr. Sowell is RIGHT!When you call”The Orkin Man”to fumigate your house,do you tell him to stop before he’s done the job?Of course NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jazusamo]

Wow that looks like little Baraq in the front row

It sure does.

[jazusamo]

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[The Duke]

I have long thought that the Israeli's should name every action taken by the Palestenians 'Provocation1', 'Provocation2' ..., and every resulting military response should be named 'Response1', 'Response2' ...

That way everything is crystal clear as to cause and effect.

[aquila48]

Brilliant essay by Sowell.

This is the key sentence...

“In the short run, they save some lives. But in the long run they cost far more lives, by lowering the cost of aggression.”

He should have titled the piece: “The Economics of Cease Fires”.

[jazusamo]

Excellent idea...I couldn’t agree more and publish it in large headline above the fold.

[jazusamo]

Bump “The Economics of Cease Fires”.

[oldbrowser]

I remember reading a book entitled, O Jerusalem!, in the early 1970’s that lays out the problem very well. Jerusalem is a holy site of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

As I recall, the book predicts that the feuding which has gone on for hundreds of years will never be solved.

[GOPJ]

If you want to minimize civilian casualties, then minimize the dangers of war, by no longer coming to the rescue of those who start wars.

I stand in awe of this man...

[jazusamo]

You bet, he’s dead on the mark with this.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Sowell nails it again.

[Elsie]

At one time, launching a military attack on another nation risked not only retaliation but annihilation.

[SJackson]

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[SJackson]

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