How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
You know it’s true: If Israel handed over a fresh slice of territory, the jihadis would have no idea what to do next. They’d be reduced to holding long, rambling meetings, perhaps with Powerpoint presentations, trying to come up with a reason to keep fighting. Global warming? I don’t know, guys, it seems like we’re getting into a crowded field. Hard to stand out. Let’s break into smaller groups and talk about it some more.
Or so Bill Clinton suggests:
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Tuesday that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would take away much of the motivation for terrorism around the world.
He described the long-running conflict as the key problem in the region and said resolving it would have a knock on effect that could result in Syria ending its support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Iran turning back its controversial nuclear program
"It will take about half the impetus in the whole world — not just the region, the whole world — for terror away," he told an audience of Egyptian businessmen from the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. "It would have more impact by far than anything else that could be done."
And removing Israel entirely would take away the other half. For about a month. But the speech was about much, much more:
Clinton focused his talk largely on living in a more sustainable fashion to confront global issues of income disparity and climate change
You can imagine the Syrians’ frustration, having to fund Hezbollah when the money could be spent on wind turbines.
| > |
More from James Lileks:
Tie me off, Mom, it's lunchtime
Let's just give the state all our money and make it easy for them
- Comment (29)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Jul '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
"Weighing in on the controversy surrounding an Islamic Center being built in New York two blocks from the Sept. 11 attacks, Clinton suggested dedicating the proposed building to the 60 Muslim victims of the attacks.
"I think the decision to dedicate this center to the memory of those who lost their lives on that day would send a set of messages that would if not make this crisis go away, would dramatically reduce it," he said."
Still don't get it.
How about "Terror Undercuts Mideast Peace"
Jun '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Let's see, of the nineteen hijackers, 15 were Saudis (obviously deeply concerned about Palestine), two were from the UAE (ditto), one was Egyptian and one Lebanese (which at least have a border with Israel/Palestine). None were Palestinians.
Bottom line: 9/11 and most other terrorist attacks outside Israel are, at best, peripherally related to the Israel/Palestine issues. Yes, most of the terrorists hate Israel, but they hate the West even more.
Jul '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
tabula rasa: Let's see, of the nineteen hijackers, 15 were Saudis (obviously deeply concerned about Palestine), two were from the UAE (ditto), one was Egyptian and one Lebanese (which at least have a border with Israel/Palestine). None were Palestinians.
Bottom line: 9/11 and most other terrorist attacks outside Israel are, at best, peripherally related to the Israel/Palestine issues. Yes, most of the terrorists hate Israel, but they hate the West even more. · Oct 6 at 11:47am
I'm sorry but you seem to miss the most important points here.
1) To the left being wrong is foundational to being an expert.
2) To the left, sounding good is fare more important the correctly analyzing a situation.
3) To the left, there is no price to high to pay for peace
.
So while your analysis makes perfect sense and follows a logical train to a reasonable conclusion, it is to be dismissed out of hand.
Never forget, Bill Clinton advised Democrats that passing Health Care would prevent a Midterm Disaster.
Who are we to argue with someone of such insight?
Aug '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Ah yes, good to see Bill get wiser with age - just like Jimmy Carter has.
I'm not sure Clinton believes the claptrap he spouts but it keeps the hookers and money flowing so why stop now!
Aug '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
There's already a Jihad Against Global Warming group on facebook.
Jun '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Some of the largest and deadliest attacks by Islamic terrorists have happened in India, against Hindus, mostly over territory, and had absolutely nothing to do with Israel. And most of the Islamic terrorist's hatred of the West is over culture. They see American culture (Hollywood, etc.) as rotting garbage, dumped on their soil against their will. To them, that's invasion too. And they're certainly not bombing England or Spain because of England's or Spain's great support of Israel.
Jun '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Jaydee_007
Let's see, of the nineteen hijackers, 15 were Saudis (obviously deeply concerned about Palestine), two were from the UAE (ditto), one was Egyptian and one Lebanese (which at least have a border with Israel/Palestine). None were Palestinians.
Bottom line: 9/11 and most other terrorist attacks outside Israel are, at best, peripherally related to the Israel/Palestine issues. Yes, most of the terrorists hate Israel, but they hate the West even more. · Oct 6 at 11:47am
. . . you seem to miss the most important points here.
1) To the left being wrong is foundational to being an expert.
2) To the left, sounding good is far more important the correctly analyzing a situation.
3) To the left, there is no price to high to pay for peace
.
So while your analysis makes perfect sense and follows a logical train to a reasonable conclusion, it is to be dismissed out of hand.
Never forget, Bill Clinton advised Democrats that passing Health Care would prevent a Midterm Disaster.
Who are we to argue with someone of such insight? · Oct 6 at 11:59am
Thanks, Jaydee. I had a brain cramp and forgot the principles you outlined.
Jul '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Bill Clinton is a smart guy, so he cannot possibly truly believe that trash about Israel. So, why does he say that stuff? I would really really like to see a serious analysis of this problem. I kinda sorta believe that this has something to do with the Saudi money sluicing around in the upper reaches of the Western elites, but then I could be wrong.
I realized long ago that Euro folk were supporters of that toad Arafat because most of the money going to the PLO disappeared under the table, thus making those Euro supporters very rich...
Oct '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
"He described the long-running conflict as the key problem in the region and said resolving it would have a knock on effect that could result in Syria ending its support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Iran turning back its controversial nuclear program."
Unhinged. How anyone can see a link to Iran's nuclear ambitions is beyond me. And to think Syria cares about Global Climate Disturbance, to use the new vernacular! It is as if he lives in a tiny bubble, undisturbed by reality.
May '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Exactly. This has nothing to do with the West, let alone Israel. China and other Asian countries are also struggling to deal with Muslim terrorists domestically.
Jun '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Be very careful. Do not say anything that might disturb the moderate Muslims... or they might cut your head off. Oh wait, that's only those crazy Muslims. Never mind.
May '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
This from the guys who told us that when George Bush was no longer on office all the anger and conflict would go away.
Obama's bowing and scraping doesn't seem to have won us much love either.
Jul '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Exactly. I recall when Guiliani rejected $10M Saudi money for disaster relief.
Apparently $10M is a magic number.
Aug '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Wait, all it takes is capitulation? I thought we had to understand them first!
Shame on Bill Clinton, taking shortcuts like that. Ship him off to sensitivity training (again) until his empathy improves.
Sep '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Is there any problem in the world that someone somewhere hasn't tried to blame on "the Jews." Why blame Islamic terrorism on Islam when, obviously, it is caused by Judaism?
Anyway, didn't Israel offer a whole lot of land to the Palestinians back when Clinton was president? How did that work out?
Jul '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
"How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks"
Kill 50% of West-hating terrorists
Oct '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
My solution is to trade the populations of Cuba and Israel. The Israelis would turn Cuba into a fabulous, functioning paradise, and Castro would fit right in in the Middle East.
Sep '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
Bill Clinton is not a stupid man-- a vain man, a childish man, an immoral man, an unprincipled man, yes. But not stupid. He doesn't believe this any more than anybody does.
Jul '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
You know, I try to be fairly realistic about world affairs, but this just fries my bacon.
Israel is not a pefect country, but it has done just about everything short of self-annihalation to accomodate "palestine" (a fictional concept of a state). In return it has received impacable hatred. Those who posture about what it will take to achieve "peace" in the middle east are fools at best if they think anything will change the muslim mind about Israel.
On one side, a flawed but legitimately pluralistic democratic state. On the other, a white-hot hatred at the very notion of a democratic Jewish state. How any American can compromise on this is beyond my comprehension.
If we forget who are friends are, we will have no friends.
Aug '10
Re: How to stop 50% of West-hating terrorist attacks
I agree.
May I also suggest "frosts my cupcakes" and "boils my bagels"?
Though there's something poetic about hatred for Israel frying one's bacon, bacon being neither halal nor kosher.