[lbo-talk] the new official IDF line

[shag carpet bomb]

At 11:46 AM 6/5/2010, Eric Beck wrote:
>On 6/4/10, Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
> > So we still have my question.
> >
> > Wild, lunatic actions can reflect either arrogance grounded in
> > confidence of one's strenght, OR in the desperation of weakness.
> >
> > Which rules in Israel? It would be comforting to think that the Israelis
> > feel their position to be weak; it would be even better to know that it
> > was in fact weak. But...?
>
>Is it the right question? It seems to me that the question beneath
>your question is trying to divine intent: is Israel acting crazy
>because it is crazy, or is it just pretending to be crazy? But Israel
>is acting crazy. Whether it's just playing a role and whether its
>weakness is real or "merely" perceived are secondary questions at
>best. What's important is effect, not motivation.

i don't know. when i first read carrol's two choices i thought, "since when 
is this an either/or?" IOW, whenever anyone is arrogant, it is never an 
arrogance based on confidence. it's always arrogance based on a lack of 
self-confidence, low self-esteem, depression, whatever. the nationalizing 
myth Israel appears to tell itself, constantly, is that it is victimized 
and weak and so it is. It may appear to us that it isn't victimized and 
weak at all. but that hardly matters.

shag

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