Why Israel?

As a student of history, I know that the Zionist Movement, combined with a powerful dosage of guilt over the scourge and utterly deplorable genocide known as the Holocaust, combined to posit the state of Israel directly in the middle of sworn enemies.

Israel could have been placed any number of other places: the Island of Madagascar, for example, but a small, but vocal minority insisted that Israel be placed where it was Biblically said to exist. I, despite being a Christian, do not believe 100% of what the Bible says and I fully recognize that parts of the Holy Text were crafted to suit the whims of Kings, Emperors, and other powerful people as a means of control.

Everyone knows, as the time-honored joke goes, that the real Jewish homeland is in Brooklyn.

Yet, the state of Israel was placed in an area of the world that is largely an arid desert and has yet to discover a single vein of crude oil. If the attempt of the Western world was merely to assuage guilt, then that is one thing. I find it a horrible mistake, but I think the real reason the country was placed where it was is largely for strategic purposes. The West wanted a base of operation and some degree of control over the world's oil supply. We all know, especially in these days of $3 per gallon gas how the world's economy runs on oil.

I find much wrong with the utterly selfish decision to displace Palestinians from Israel. I find much wrong with deliberately placing a country in the middle of sworn enemies. Had this been a matter of war, it would have been a foolish mistake. It violates every precept of modern warfare. Why utterly surround oneself with unfriendly enemies without any sort of exit strategy? Doesn't that seem illogical?

The mere fact that Israel exists where it does has proven to be the cause of almost ceaseless conflict, loss of civilian life, and utter atrocities that rival the worst excesses of all of humanity. It has been a thorn in the side of all of its neighbors, all of whom have taken great offense to its very existence. Some cling to a begrudging truce with Israel and some countries continue their offensive against what they perceive are the Zionist oppressors.

I have no money. I have no power. I have not the strength to move mountains nor shape public opinion, but I think that one of the most asinine decisions the human race has ever made has been to put Israel in the middle of a hornet's nest. That nuclear combat or worse has yet to break out is itself a miracle and a half. If I had the power, I would relocate Israel to some place much less fraught with tension and surrounded by allies, rather than sworn enemies.

It almost seems as though certain people want Armageddon. If they can't have it by mere course of nature, then they want to ascribe to some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I do not ascribe to any philosophy resembling Eschatology. These are not the end days, nor do I want to have anyone see them through out of selfish desires and misguided religious zealotry.

I think that the reason we invaded Iraq was for much the same reason. We wanted a base of operation, from which to better control the world's oil supply. The mission failed based on a combination of arrogance and incompetence. I wish we would merely wash our hands of the Middle East and go on about our way. We clearly have more to do than to simply wash our hands---we must also mend fences with our allies, whom we have alienated and angered by our unilateral actions.

Soon, China, Russia, India, and the developing countries of the world will demand more and more crude oil as a means to power their rapidly industrializing economies. I think it not irresponsible for us to allow the Middle East to be their problem. I believe we ought to pass this burden along to them. I believe we ought to develop alternative sources of fuel as quickly as possible and remove ourselves from the threat of terrorism.

I hope my saying this doesn't sound irresponsible. There are certain battles that cannot be won and accomplishing any semblance of peace in the Middle East seems to be an impossible task. Some will argue that we ourselves created the problem, and I acknowledge their viewpoint. Irregardless of whomever created the monster, there comes a point in time where we must step back and pass the torch.

I do not let my country off easily. Many mistakes have been made by this country out of sheer greed and lust for power. And in saying this, my intent is not to sound Un-American, though some may accuse me of it. I love this country and if I didn't, I wouldn't care. Clearly, however, it is time to transition ourselves as far as we can from the Middle East. I don't mean to sound callous, but the countries of the Middle East seem quite content to fight amongst themselves whether we are present or not. It is the nature of humanity to quarrel, and I for one am sick and tired of seeing a perpetually chaotic Middle East. It may be chaotic whether we are there or not, but at least Iran, Syria, and its allies will have one less enemy to rail against. The only thing that unifies them together is their hatred of we Americans. If we were removed from the picture, I daresay they'd begin to fight each other.

There are some battles that cannot be won, no matter how much humanitarian aid or diplomatic envoys we send to the region.