Germany worried about Israel’s moral standards again
Germans are predictably disenchanted with Israel’s response to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks against it. This is of course no surprise to anybody who has spent any time living here and has “broken the German code.” Germany is always disenchanted with any and every violent response to terrorist acts everywhere. And “everywhere” here means anywhere else but here, you see. And that’s the crux of the biscuit, or Brötchen, if you prefer.
Though long now a de facto atheist state, German Pope or not, Germany, primarily due to its relatively recent barbaric past, still clings on to its Christian value system. Das ist gut so (this is good thing, of course). But it does so in a very selective way. “An eye for an eye” is out, for instance. “Turn the other cheek” is in. Provided, of course, it’s never your own cheek that has to do any turning.
Israel gets whacked daily by hundreds of rockets and responds accordingly and Chancellor Merkel has nothing better to do than to warn Israel not to “destabilize” Lebanon. Nobody here, other than me, I suppose, sees the humor in that. How could they? Over three quarters of Germans think the same way she does. And nobody here, other than me, I suppose, gets goose bumps when they hear statistics like that. Correct me if I’m wrong, but whenever three quarters (or more) of Germans have ever agreed about anything in the past, all it’s ever led to is heartache and perdition.
Germans, it seems, would react differently to rocket attacks. A hundred plus rockets a day flying in from say, Denmark (don’t laugh, this is a serious and moral issue) would presumably be met with sit-ins. After burying their dead, the concerned survivors would light candles and sing “We Shall Overcome” while holding hands along the Danish border. They would hold open and guilt-ridden discussions with their Danish neighbors as to just why it is that they would like to continue existing if you don’t mind. In other words, Germany would do it better – as usual.
But alas, we don’t live in a perfect world and Hezbollah isn’t firing rockets at Germany right now. Who knows? Maybe someday they might, but not now. So until then, all those concerned and nervous Germans “up here” as in above, will just have to settle for lecturing others below about what is or what is not an inappropriate military offensive and/or exaggerated response.
And this is no exaggeration. I kid you not.
Comments
What is your plan, smartass?
Bulette; August 7, 2006 7:40 AM
I'm sure the Danes would sue Germany in court before throwing bombs at Hamburg. ; )
It might be more apporpriate to look to the Balkans, Belorus, or possibly the Ukraine as the nearest places to Germany where people's lives are already so difficult that violent organizations could spring up and then threaten a place like Germany.
But Germany and its neighbors are in a much different situation than Israel. Germany and its neighbors, I've noticed, have funneled large amounts of money into neighboring lands (esp. to the east) and have devoted resources to supporting peace in nearby trouble spots in the last decade. That kind of diplomacy hasn't been possible for the Israelis.
I wonder what Christy has to say about all this.
V; August 7, 2006 8:49 AM
Germans, like the rest of the planet (except for Washington) are horrified at the slaughter of Lebanese civilians (more than 500 at this writing). Are you condoning this atrocity?
David; August 8, 2006 1:33 AM
Clarsonimus is right with his critic here. There actually is some kind of double moral in the public statements of our foreign policy. Our politicians are so afraid of saying anything controverse concerning military activities, always singing the "peace song" even when clear political statements are asked. Again a heritage of WWII, I think, but it really sucks.
The same oppinion is shown in the comment of David: ignoring the fact that around 100 mean little rockets are thrown into isrealian houses every day by Hisbollah, from a position within a residential area just 500m behind the border to Israel. What would you prefer Isreal to do instead, David, watch them flying?
For me it's no question who sacrifies the own civilians, not as long as the Hisbollah settles their positions preferentially near hospitals, schools and residential areas.
norbert; August 8, 2006 2:23 PM
Israelis feign civility to win favor around the globe, while Hezbollah hides troops among civilians. I can't think of two nations who are closer bound to each other by hate and, as someone who would live in the unassailable paradise of East Kreuzberg for the rest of his life, I'd rather debate abortion.
Christy; August 9, 2006 12:14 AM
Sometimes I have grave doubts about some Germans. Are they not concerned with terrorists shooting off lots of missles and rockets to kill random civilians? Jewish civilians?
Apparently not, at least in some cases.
Don S; August 19, 2006 3:31 AM