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In response to the savage mayhem wrought by Hamas on Israeli citizens, Israel has called up 300,000 reserves and begun punitive operations in Gaza. Their mission is to make good on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s grim statement, “Every Hamas terrorist is a dead man,” and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s pledge “we will wipe them off the face of the Earth.”
Leftist activists in the U.S. and Europe, of course, have been trying to undermine the resolve of Israel and its allies. The functionally anti-Semitic UN has declared that Israel’s attempt to save Gazans’ lives by evacuating them is illegal under international law. Meanwhile Israel’s enemies deploy duplicitous clichés like “disproportionate response” and “war crimes,” and call for “restraint,” while displaying a concern for the aggressor’s civilian casualties and misery brought on by Hamas’ depredations—a concern seldom shown for the Israeli dead, except when making the equally despicable claims of moral equivalence between the victims with their murderers, thus ignoring the question of who is responsible for the conflict.
Expect these rhetorical attacks on Israel’s morale to become more frequent and strident as the operation continues and gets more violent. In this age of hypersensitive “snowflakes,” incontinent “virtue-signalers,” and “safe spaces,” such efforts can bear fruit that poisons resolve. That’s why the West needs to stiffen its realist spine, and accept the tragic “awful arithmetic” necessary in war.
This phrase is attributed to Abraham Lincoln in 1862 during a string of victories by smaller Confederate forces. Lincoln believed that Union generals were too protective of their men and too risk-averse. He needed a general who understood the “awful arithmetic”: given the North’s big advantage in manpower, it could lose a third more men than the Confederates and still prevail over a passionate enemy that would not surrender easily. Lincoln found that general in Ulysses S. Grant, who in 1864 relentlessly marched to Richmond and victory, all the way fighting grisly and costly battles like Cold Harbor, which cost 1844 Union dead to the South’s 83.
In World War II, the “awful arithmetic” was even more tragic, as it included whole cities filled with women and children who were killed in the area bombings of Germany and Japan––between 700,000 and 1.2 million. Today many historians argue that such slaughter was unnecessary, just as no doubt many Northerners believed was the waste of their sons’, husbands’, and fathers’ lives by the “butcher” Grant.
We’ll never know if the fanatical, murderous regimes in Germany and Japan could have been neutralized any other way, or if the Allied soldiers and citizens who had to fight the sadistic racist enemy would have been willing to sacrifice many more thousands of their own people’s lives in order to spare the enemies’ non-combatants. What we do know is that Germany and Japan were utterly defeated, and have been good, peaceful global citizens for the last 75 years.
No one should be cavaliere about such decisions and such gruesome losses. But war seldom gives us easy questions with morally simple answers. The point is not whether people will live or die, or which decision is good, and which is bad. In war the choice is always between the bad and the worse, between some people dying now so more people don’t die later. Leaders in the past have to be able to accept this “awful arithmetic,” and communicate to their citizens why the sacrifice is necessary.
But in the last twenty years much of our leadership and half the citizenry have become besotted with a specious “citizen-of-the world globalism” and its “new world order” of dangerous delusions, fashionable anti-patriotism and oikophobia, and the juvenile pacifism of John Lennon’s “Imagine”––luxuries that only rich hedonists can afford, at least for a while.
The Cold War realism that managed the containment of Soviet communism, and the Mutually Assured Destruction that backed it, relied on the civilizational confidence expressed by Ronald Reagan’s “evil empire” and “we win, they lose,” sentiments derided by our foreign policy clerks.
And the risks were historically unprecedented. But the “awful arithmetic” told us the alternative was gulags, secret police, summary executions, constant surveillance of private life, the death of civil society, censorship, and the extinction of the freedom that makes us human in the first place, reducing all of us to slaves of a monstrous tyranny.
But our foreign policy seriously misread the new world that arose after the Cold War. As Wall Street Journal columnist Walter Russell Mead put it, “The post-Cold War trance of the West, reaping peace dividends, celebrating flower power, and generally living as if utopia had already arrived, has left us mentally and morally disarmed.” The orthodox narrative boasted that the “rules-based international order” with its globalist transnational institutions and international diplomacy, had won the Cold War. In fact, atomic Mutually Assured Destruction, the bloody proxy duels like Korea and Vietnam with over 90,000 dead, hundreds of thousands of American forward-deployed troops in Europe, and trillions in defense spending defeated Soviet communism.
Even after the carnage of 9/11 reminded us that the West’s oldest and most lethal historical enemy had not disappeared from history, we entertained dubious Wilsonian policies like democracy promotion and nation-building. It didn’t take long after that crisis for the West to return to binging on the “peace dividend” and the reductions of military spending that arose in the Nineties.
In the case of Israel and its enemies, the pressure to negotiate the defunct “two-state solution” intensified, given the democracy-promotion policies pursued by the Bush administration in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the burst of optimism over the “Arab Spring” that started in 2010. More than ever, the “two-states living side-by-side in peace” solution put more pressure on Israel to cede land in their traditional homeland of Judea and Samaria, a.k.a. the West Bank, to the Palestinian Arabs.
Now Israel is facing the difficult task of neutralizing Hamas to ensure such carnage like 10/7 never happens again. The Biden administration has made the right sounds with its rhetoric of support, the president’s visit to Israel, and the deployment of two Carrier Strike Groups to the region. But mere deterrence is not going to solve the biggest problem: Iran and its genocidal regime that for 44 years has attacked this country and stained its hands with American blood, as well as financing and training Israel’s terrorist enemies.
Now is the time to defeat this enemy, before it starts producing nuclear weapons and raises the stakes exponentially. The U.S. certainly has the means to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. The two Carrier Strike Groups now in the region are the most powerful non-nuclear weapons in the world. Tom Sharpe in the Daily Telegraph has detailed the awesome firepower of a CSGs:
“The ship itself is the largest aircraft carrier ever built and she carries an air group more powerful than many national air forces. Add to this a Ticonderoga class cruiser and three Arleigh Burke destroyers, all four ships loaded for bear with Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and the Aegis missile shield capable of knocking down any threat from sea-skimming ship killers to satellites in low orbit. Then there are special forces, US Marines, logistics support and a couple of force elements that don’t appear in the photos. The firepower is remarkable even before you factor in other USN assets not directly associated with the CSG.”
Deploy these lethal assets to the Persian Gulf, and supplement them with GBU-72 “bunker-buster” bombs, and there’s more than enough destructive power to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities, or at the very least set the program back for multiple decades. As for Israel, we should support her not just with words but with whatever action and materiel will help her to prevail.
All we need is the will, and the confidence that our cause is just enough to accept the “awful arithmetic” necessary in a fallen world.
The will to destroy Iran? Ain’t gona happen as long as Obama and Valerie Jarett through their puppet Joe Biden are in charge.
Don’t be surprised if Puppet Joe drops out of the race and Michelle runs for president. Unless there’s an overwhelming landslide victory for President Trump, the biggest landslide in American history, Obama and his gangsters will steal the 2024 election as they did the 2020 election.
I’m convinced that Obama is convinced that he can become America’s first dictator. I don’t think he will but the destruction he will reap in attempting to do so will be devastating to America and Israel. And could even lead to WW3.
If Bareback actually tried to take control of America he would be assassinated and I would laugh.
He isn’t in control of anything. He’s an incompetent weakling and always has been. That’s his middle name: :Hasbeen.
He wasn’t even in control of his own 8 year administration. He’s a sissy boy who couldn’t mastermind a wet fart much less the Beijing Biden administration. Dementia Joe’s mysterious handlers mismanage that. Even Alzheimer Joe can shit his adult diapers effectively but Bareback couldn’t even manage that without Big Mike yanking his tiny crank..
Oh, and there’s a REAL insurrection in the Capitol building this morning by fake Jews who hate Israel and Jews but love the Hamas terrorists.
It’s way past time real Americans started kicking seditionist asses.
The fact that jug-eared Barry never bothered to attend PDBs buttresses your point.
The little bitch claimed to read them in the evening. He didn’t. Especially, if he had a fundraiser in the morning . . . such as when he shrugged off Benghazi to get rested for his Vegas fundraiser.
Nice thought, but you overlook the fact that the Left is organized, armed, and with the full support of the Federal bureaucracy, the DOJ and at least half of the military, any determined attempt to restore our freedom or “eliminate” those who threaten it will be met with a massive, overwhelming response. We are very, very deep in the proverbial manure. It is positively terrifying to think about the place we are in, which used to be called a free country.
I don’t think the authorities would follow through on orders from the D-Bags to kill Americans. Most of them are our neighbors.
Whoever down voted me is an incel who wants to go on a shooting spree with a tiny murder boner.
Three inches, right?
Predictions are like A-holes. Everybody’s got one. Your silly predictions are just coming from a bigger A-hole.
Whoever down voted that comment juggles turds with their lips.
And licks assholes clean.
“ the alternative was gulags, secret police, summary executions, constant surveillance of private life, the death of civil society, censorship, and the extinction of the freedom ”
The alternative is today’s western world.
As for Obamas Arab spring it turned into an Islamic domination and if we don’t nuke Iran then the same conversation will happen again in another 5 to 10 years.
It would be great to have the Islamic Republic of Iran taken out
because if Iran gets the nuclear bomb, the first one she’ll target
is Israel. And the second one is the east coast of the United
States. The mullahs are religious fanatics and won’t hesitate to
do it. As for the “awful arithmetic” – if war became our only
recourse – it’s us or them.
But! Iran’s very close buddy, Communist China, might object to
our targeting her and might come to her assistance. China now
has the biggest navy on Earth and that could be to our detriment.
We need a strong leader who could seriously harm Iran without
war, like President Trump did, while simultaneously keeping China
in a more deferential position towards the U.S. Right now, demented
corruptocrat Biden – China’s BFF – is not that leader.
I think China’s Navy is a joke. It'[s never been in a battle and Chinese training methods just have to be weak ass. And they’re midgets with tiny rice kernal dicks.
Once again, we have people underestimating the enemy. Israel underestimated Hamas, and now they’ve got 1,400 dead to show for their naïveté. Read Gertz’ ‘Deceiving the Sky’ for a potential Chinese battle plan, or Pillsbury’s ‘The Hundred Year Marathon’ to appreciate China’s strategic planning and its historic use of unanticipated weaponry.
By the way, a few years ago the US lead a multinational war game in the Pacific. In the middle of one exercise, a Chinese sub popped up. Navy officials had to admit it didn’t know the sub was there.
Good luck for the Ching Chongs invading America. We have more guns than people here and unlike them, we know how to use them.
I’d love to sight down on you, bitch. See you soon, I hope.
Whoever down voted me sucks tiny Chink dicks. Does it taste like rice or soy sauce when they squirt?
It tastes like piss, doesn’t it? You like that, don’t you?
Whoever thinks the CCP Navy is formidable sucks syphilitic donkey dicks. It’s a joke. Having boats isn’t the same as having competence and Marines ready to kill
The CCP is an overblown menace. They’re pussies. I’ve been there, unlike every cunt who down voted me.
Their dicks are so small they look like rodent dicks.
Tiny dicks. They win the Olympic Gold every time for miniscule weenies.
“Ching Chong la.”
If elections have consequences, extrapolate that out to stolen elections. Iran was absolutely on the ropes in January of 2020 after Soelimani was taken out by PDT.
What’s done is done. Considering the situation on the Risk board right now, engaging in a first-strike on Iran would result in touching off Armageddon. We don’t even have the munitions thanks to the madness in propping up Ukraine, to say nothing of the morale and preparedness of the troops thanks to the insane “woke” agenda of the DOD.
Iran can be neutralized much more strategically and covertly. Given the internal strife, the regime can still crumble from within with just a little covert help and international pressure.
A US military strike on Iran right now is folly to the point of madness.
You are totally deluded ; only decisive action can solve the crisis of nuclear Iran
We don’t need anymore hand wringing hamlets like you.. you sound like a petty minded woman on the verge of hysteria
That was pretty harsh, even by my standard!
Go to war with Iran. Now? War-war or the kind of bloody prolonged meat grinder that was Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan? And with a military more concerned with mythical white supremacists here at home as well as promoting trannies as admirals and generals? And with our munitions sent off to Ukraine? With a commander in chief and Foggy Bottom that wants Iran to be the dominant power in the ME and has had a hate on for Jews and Israel going back to FDR?
Now tell me who’s the one that’s delusional.
You’re mostly correct. We’re in no position to fight Iran toe-to-toe a la Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan. However, most of its nuclear infrastructure can be destroyed in a brief air campaign–even by tranny pilots. Otherwise, while decapitating the regime would be good for everyone–especially Iranians, it’s not truly a strategic American necessity.
As far as Armageddon? No way. The Iranians can launch terror attacks and skirmish with the USN, but Armageddon is beyond their capability.
Iran can be easily bombed off the map with no muss or fuss.
Ground invasion, my ass.
Whoever down voted me is probably a member of the insurrection brigade who invaded the Capitol building with the queer ass black T shirts on.
I bet you suck dicks for breakfast.
A “war” with wimpy Iran would be Arial. That shit hole would be bombarded to, well, shit.
There’s no reason to send our Marines in to wipe them out.
Traitor Joe is giving $100 million of our tax dollars to hamas. Wasn’t giving away the store in Afghanistan enough!?
No wonder infirm 75 year old, Navy vet, Craig Robertson mused about wacking that grifting retard.
So what?
Snoop Dog said he wanted to assassinate Trump.
Now, which one did the FBI shoot during a 6:am raid? (No body cam footage released. It’s more secret than a child murdering, trans’s manifesto.)
Terrific essay. The barbaric enemy that aims—for starters— to destroy Israel and drive the US from the ME in order to dominate the region—must be utterly defeated. The enemy should have been swiftly and mercilessly destroyed by any and all necessary means immediately after 9/11. This could be the last chance. There is no alternative.
All those Muslims in power in that “mullah regime” of Iran with hates the Jewish people as well as the State of Israel and wants her to be destroyed and use their stooge jihad organization ,Hamas to attempt to weaken and then eliminated the Jewish State ,once and for all are in reality delusional.
Those ayatollahs and mullahs and others in control of that hostile Israel hating tyranny of Iran have no idea, at all, that they are fated to totally fated to fail in their Islamic quest to destroy Israel.
The reason that this is so is because God is for Israel and will not let her be destroyed no matter how hard those malice-filled Israel despising imams and other Muslims clerics and their President Raisi will strive against Israel , they are all greatly overruled by God.
For example, the Bible in Psalm 135:4 reads “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.” [N.K.J.V.]
Let’s not be disingenuous. If given the chance the Palestinians would wipe out Israeli Jews, who now comprise 50% of the world’s Jews. It would exceed death toll from the Holocaust. And all the “progressives” who demand “restraint” from Israel and reflexively blame it for tragedies like a stray Palestinian rocket aimed at Israeli civilians hitting a hospital in Gaza wouldn’t be the least bit fazed by the “awful arithmetic” of a second Holocaust. The Jew hating Left is worse than the Nazis in one important way: the Nazis (who admittedly were inveterate liars as well as mass murderers) never bothered with any line as fatuous as “We’re not antisemitic, we’re “anti-Zionist’!”
Bruce, our fiend Blinken has handcuffed the IDF by requiring the opening up of a safe corridor to Gaza for “humanitarian purposes.” This means the resupplying of Hammas with weapons and ammunition. Unless we do this, no bunker busting bombs. Whose side is the Socialist administration on? Our administration also told Israel not to preemptively strike Hezbollah in Lebanon with their 150,000 missile fleet aimed at Israel. Again, which side is our Socialist administration on?
I do notice that the White House is flush with Muslim aides and other Islamic advisers. Our country is traveling down the road to perdition.
whirlwinder says – Good comment. You are correct and up-to-date
in what you post.
I’d like to add that Biden is praising the Palestinian Authority and
pressuring Israel to allow it to be in charge of Gaza and for a
Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza – with Jerusalem as
its capital. I obtained this information from a column by Caroline
Glick yesterday in the Jewish News Syndicate at jns.org.
Glick pointed out the statement by the PA secondary to Biden’s
Israeli visit that 1) Palestinians will never surrender until Israel is
wiped out and they have their own state and 2) followed by the
Islam Hadith which says stones and trees will cry out to Muslims
that a Jew is hiding behind them and to come and slay him.
An official anti-Jewish, anti-Israel statement right out there for all
the world to see. While the most corrupt and treasonous President
in U.S. history acts like the PA is Israel’s friend.
Civilized nations must not be deterred by barbarians who will put innocent lives in the
line of fire.
The deaths will be on the heads of the SAVAGES.
In the long run wiping out the barbarians will save lives far into the future.
Otherwise innocents will be slaughtered to eternity.
Chant, “Israel did not bomb a hospital!” The media has lied over and over about whose fault this was except for Fox, Newsmax, Breitbart, and FPM. Blame the real offenders Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
It seems unbelievable that this author is promoting the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities, and the supposed threat of Iranian nuclear weapons, particularly when one considers what the Israelis have stated in their ‘Samson option’. Israel, said to have nuclear weapons, has apparently within its target all of the European capitals, and even the USA. If Israel goes down, then they (the powers that be) have threatened to take the whole world with them. Yet, Iran is supposed to be this big threat?
Its worse than most of the media admit to. Iran barred a third of UN Inspectors from its nuclear sites. Iran has no inhibitions when it comes to wiping Israel or America off the map, much of their activities has been hidden., Netanyahu has been totally correct about Iran and their programs. There are Fools think that they can negotiate with the Mullahs who have no respect for life. Look how many politicians have supported Iran and helped their programs.
It does seem as though some destruction in wars could be avoided. I think Albert Speer said that destroying ball bearing factories would have been a good way to cut the war short. And perhaps destroying cultural treasures like Dresden may not have helped end the war. They seem in retrospect more like wasteful or vengeful destruction. But it is a bit hard to see how a war can be won without destroying some things that the enemy holds sacred. That might be why the US never wins wars anymore.