Standing with Israel's right to defend itself

by Dan Grubbs

After reading the transcript of Ambassador Bolton’s interview on “Hannity & Colmes,” and reading Secretary of State Rice’s remarks about Israel, I have finally succumbed to the harsh realization that our two nations are effectively alone on one side of the geo-political world stage. Yes, we have friends in Great Britain, Poland and Canada, but they really are inconsequential in the matters of the Middle East.

I’ve never really subscribed to notion there is overwhelming lingering anti-Semitism in Europe. So, the change in the sentiment of Europeans is based on something else. I’m of the opinion that change is fueled by something identifiable.

As the volume of Muslim immigration into Western Europe continues to grow, the incoming ideology becomes a solute in the old solvent of Europe that gives us a new social solution that is the new European soup. I believe France’s Sarkozy does not have the fortitude to do the right thing due to the swelling Muslim population in his country. Instead, it motivates him to little more than a public relations stunt by visiting the region in the name of peace.

There is no social or political will in Europe or Asia to stand with a free Israel that simply demands its right to exist without threat of attack.

Where is the outrage that missiles are landing on Israeli soil, killing Israeli citizens? Where is the international pressure to stop missiles from terrorizing hundreds of square miles populated by human beings? I don’t hear Europe’s outcry against these attacks when they kill. I don’t see news broadcasts focusing on the dead Israelis and the mourning families and the destruction caused by Hamas missiles. Yet, I do see protests all around the world when, in its own defense, Israel launches reprisals. I see news broadcasts telling biased stories and showing scenes specifically designed to raise ire against Israel’s fighting to remove the threat against it in Gaza.

Blogger Joel Griffith in the blog The Seven Sola discusses how Europe carps against Israel for strongly defending itself and frustratingly writes, “In my more irritated moments, I sometimes wish someone would lob a few mortars into a Western European city, and see who calls for being “proportionate” then.

No, Griffith is not literally wishing for mortar fire, but uses the expression to illustrate the hypocritical nature of the vocal opposition to Israel defending itself from attack. I agree with Ambassador Bolton who denies there is such a thing as a disproportionate reaction and attributes that idea to the rhetoric of academia and the impotent whimsy that is the United Nations.

Imagine that someone is shooting a rifle at your child and fires twice. Also imagine that you have a rifle with a magazine of six rounds loaded in it and you have the sniper across the room from you. Does the number of times the sniper fired at your child matter to you? No, you’ll use all the force you have to stop the sniper up to and including firing all six rounds of the rifle in your hands to protect your child. The notion of proportionate reaction is ludicrous. Israel has the right and is warranted to launch retaliatory attacks and to initiate military action to remove any threat to its people and its stability.

The United States and other free nations should make it clear that Israel is justified in its actions. The diplomatic cry to Israel for cease fire is misdirected. I guarantee you that if there would have been no missiles being fired into Israel, there would be no retaliation. The UN and France should be applying pressure on Hamas to end their attacks, not applying pressure on Israel.

I have no idea where President-elect Obama’s administration will stand (actions, not rhetoric) on Israel’s right to eliminate the threat of violence to its people. I hope that he makes an international statement by standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel, strongly rebuke both Hamas and Hezbollah, and support all actions to stop Iran from gaining nuclear arms.

But, my loss of hope for international solidarity with Israel cautions me not expect the new administration to rally the world together to support our friends along the Jordan.