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Heaven On Earth
Selected Readings February 13, 2011
HT:oao
I’ll be trying, with oao’s help to put up a list of good links daily. Anyone who wants to send me links to include, by all means. (And if you want to add a paragraph of introduction, I’d appreciate it.)
Niall Ferguson: Wanted: A Grand Strategy for America (MUST READ)
Spengler: Chinese weather on Tahrir Square (MUST READ)
Yoram Ettinger: Impact of Mideast Turmoil on Israel’s Security Requirements
Little Green Footballs: Egyptian Protestors Hate on Israel
“CrossTalk”: The Great and Small Satan
Roya Hakakian: Egypt Through the Lens of Iran’s 1979 Revolution
The Telegraph: Arab Revolutions and European Future
John Rosenthal, Mubarak and Anti-Semitism: A Boomerang Effect?
American pundits say that the deposed Egyptian president fomented anti-Semitism in Egyptian society. But on closer examination, the charges again reveal that it was the anti-Semitism of the opposition that toppled him.
Some comments on the links:
1. Niall Ferguson argues that the US lacks strategic thinking, something which is pretty obvious if one follows its foreing policy and those who conduct it. It so happens that the branch of social science that covers strategy is game theory, which has considerable explanatory/predictive power (part. for the arab-israeli conflict). I would be very surprised if any top policy maker has any familiarity with it.
2. Spengler argues that the main source of arab revolts is economic — a rise in prices part. of food — which are external to the arab world and induced by China’s droughts.
Given Egypt’s circumstances, any new govt won’t be able to address the public’s needs and is likely to increase state’s intervention in the economy, turning Egypt into a failed state (which it has partially been for quite a while). What he does not mention is the arab tendency to blame the jews for any and all their problems, which suggests that anti-semitism/anti-zionism is likely to increase from both the public and the govt.
3. One of the news stories in the Telegraph is that in 5 days Italy received 5000 Tunisian boaters and declared a state of emergency. This gives a glimpse into what can happen if all of North Africa catches the spirit of Tunis and Egypt.
Well, a few Tunisians got hope and change. They should be hailed, no?
BTW, my conclusion from Spengler’s argument is consistent with Rosenthal’s argument that to the extent that it is the arab population that is anti-semitic and the govt only allows it, or exploits it, but does not initiate or promote it.
Thus, arab democracy –> anti-semitic policies.
Here’s my modest contribution:
Go figure Tom Friedman
Sherman is not accurate: Friedman has spouted nonsense, contradictions and hypocrisy on other subjects too, not just Israel, and often in screwed up language. Just Google Matt Taibbi and Friedman and literally have fun.
Friedman is the agent of the ignorant US and foreign elites and a name-dropper. He is clueless about reality in foreign countries, his columns are soundbites culled from dropping in and out of luxury hotels and repeating what various interested parties want to convey.
Reading him is a waste of time except for research on US ignorance.
Roger and out complements “Mr. Innocence” (that’s what Tom means in Hebrew).
I barely mentioned it when reality validates it:
Jordan Minister Urges Freedom for Murderer; Israel Livid
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/142328
Expect all arab regimes to use the jews in trying to save their ass.
That’s the “light classics” programme, isn’t it?