Saturday, November 18, 2006

Some Weird Thoughts

1. Ophir Paz-Pines has just resigned from the Israeli government and announced that he intended to run for the top job in the Labor party. Should he ever become prime minister or foreign minister, he will have to change his name. Pines is pronounced as “Peanes” in Hebrew. It assumes the same sound as the English word “Penis” (man’s sexual organ).
Now, try to imagine the announcement following the arrival of the honorable Israeli minister to the White House. “Please welcome Mr. Penis…” The man and his country will become the laughing stock of the whole Western world.
If you ever want to assume a top job, Mr. Pines, you had better change your name.
2. Why do gays want a parade? May be they feel that as a group they are being discriminated against, and they want to say: “we are fighting discrimination.” Or may be they just want to annoy the ultra orthodox - Haredim. These extremists deserve some “In your face” for the sake of scores settling. But wait. How about Ugly People Parade, or Hookers Parade, or just plain stupid people. Yes, how about the “Idiots Parade?” These groups I just mentioned must feel very discriminated, and unlike gays, they do not even have a closet.
3. Amir Peretz just gets under my skin every time he issues a threat. The latest one: “Israel will deal a painful and heavy blow to the terrorists" is merely a replica of many he issued in the past. Amir Peretz has grown to be the boy who cried “Wolves,” and we all know how that story ended. So, next time, Amir, if you want the terrorists to be caught unawares with their pants down, issue a very exhaustive threat, detailing the precise punishment they are about to soak up. And then – Act on it. It will turn out to be a true surprise, the most trouble-free military achievement of your career.
4. We all know that President Katsav is effectively a lame duck. I also noticed that his wife is always happy and smiling when they are together in front of the camera. You know; I fancy watching the hidden camera, which follows them into the privacy of their home. Does the wife believe him? No. I don’t think so. Does she forgive him? No. I don’t think so. Does she tolerate him? That depends on whether or not he includes her in his sexual fantasies. But, hey, she is probably not included, or better, the president has no such castles in the sky. Once he conquered these fortresses, once the fantasies became realities, he emptied the basket, and was no longer able to enjoy his lonely moments. His wife must be aware of that. Now you know why she is smiling.
5. Gaydamak’s undertaking regarding Eilat vacations for citizens of Sderot was the best protest against the government lack of will to take drastic action against the enemy. It exposed the government’s impotence by offering it a blue form of Viagra. Peretz’s negative reaction did not surprise me. How would any macho react when told that he has a small penis?

 

Friday, June 02, 2006 (Written Before the 2nd Lebanon War)

Enough with Retaliation

It happened without ado after September 11. Elected officials from opposite poles of the political spectrum were calling for Retaliation, and the more they chattered, the more irate I became. I found it hard to believe that mature and sophisticated people could opt for an emotionally satisfying act that under nearly all circumstances serves as grounds for a counter act that fuels a vicious revenge cycle.
Retaliation is analogous to inflicting a minor injury, a superficial gash, on an adversary, without causing a permanent disabling devastation that would put the bad guys out of business for good. As long as the enemy is able to stand up back on their feet and rebound, retaliation would only fire up their emotions, energize them, enhance their popularity among their peers, and transform their criminal acts to heroic martyrdom.
Now. Why did I bring this subject up? Why at this time? Is it because I am worried?
I have got the impression that the Israeli government has been, for some time, putting a policy of Retaliation into practice. The recent escalation on the Lebanese border and the Israeli response, although it received aggressive coverage in the media, still has not quite eliminated Hezbollah’s ability to rebuild and repeat their acts of violence. Evidently, their leaders are already talking revenge. Palestinian terrorist organizations continue to launch rockets and the Israeli government continues to retaliate. Hamas is claiming that their rocket technology has been improving, and they may be able to hit farther and more accurately. Is Israel going to wait for a terrorist big bang before eradicating this cancer, or treat it with aspirin to make the temporary pain go away?
It is evident that one day, one of those Qassam rockets would hit a sensitive target. This is only a matter of chance, and the odds against such an event are getting thinner. Time has come for abolishing Retaliation and trading it for Eradication. Israel must put a stop, once and for all, to the constant challenge that the Palestinian and the Lebanese terror organizations put through.
Settling on Eradication may yield a transitory resentment by those around the world who label themselves as ‘civilized’. They may complain that such actions are too harsh, that innocent lives get caught in the cross fire, and that this is not a measured response. But the outcome and its associated benefits would be more permanent, and would last long after the memory of the global fury has been faded away.
I do hope that the Israeli government does not wait for a disaster before ceasing the Retaliation policy and substituting it for a policy that affects Eradication. It must be a difficult decision for those who believe in measured responses. But if safety and security of Israeli citizens precedes the safety and security of its enemies, then the way for taking the vicious revenge cycle to an end is by opting for a policy that would make it happen.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Nuclear Iran

Intellectuals on the left side of the Western Democracies are crying foul. They seem puzzled by what they refer to as the American and European hypocritical position concerning Iran’s nuclear ambitions. They point to the US relations with Nuclear India, the administration tolerance of the Pakistani bomb, and the world absentmindedness concerning Israel’s refusal to admit its undeniable status. Why is Iran different? They question. Why can’t Iran try to seek what others already possess?
Is there really no distinction, or are these intellectuals blinded by superficial generalities?
It is a fact that among the official and unofficial nuclear club members none is controlled by an Islamic religious fanatic leader, whereas Iran is.
It is a fact that Islamic religious fanatics have no regard for innocent lives. They believe that Allah wants them to kill anyone who stands on the way to their version of world order. 9/11 proved that point.
It is a fact that Islamic religious fanatics take their orders directly from Allah’s earthly self appointed representatives and follow it blindly without a question.
It is a fact that Iran’s leader has already announced his intent to wipe Israel off the map. He clearly implied that he would use a nuclear bomb for the task had he had one.
There is a strong suspicion that Iran’s leaders view Israel as a requisite bus stop on the way to other Middle-Eastern countries, Europe, and beyond, in their Jihadic mission to cleanse the world from its infidels.
There is a strong suspicion that Iran may actually bring its nuclear bomb into play, or let its Islamic comrades experiment with it on real human beings. There is no analogous anxiety when it comes to other members of the nuclear club.
But what about Israel? Why does the Western World beg off pressuring the Jewish state to open its nuclear facilities to international inspections? Why is Israel given a preferential treatment on the issue?
Apparently, the West, and the US specifically, understand that Israel would not use its nuclear arsenal in battle unless it is attacked or about to be attacked with WMD first. They understand that the Israeli capability is defensive, while the Iranian aspirations are offensive. They understand that Israel is the only country in the world whose citizens rather than their government are targeted for elimination by its religious fanatic enemies. Israel is the only country in the world whose citizens are subject to a massive genocide by those aspiring to nuke it.
The North Korean government does not want to kill all of its Southern neighbor citizens. It wants to control them. India and Pakistan do not want to kill all of their enemy civilians. Their dispute is confined to territorial control. All recent wars among nuclear members and other nations amounted to wars, cold or hot, between governments over territorial or political jurisdiction. These objectives are in contradiction to the utilization of WMD.
Iran’s “wipe them off the map” call is clearly a departure from the norm. If these neurotic desperados place their hands on this WMD button, the world may actually witness mushroom clouds for the first time since Nagasaki. And that is why Iran should never be allowed to exercise the nuclear potential.

 

Friday, March 10, 2006

Racial Profiling – It has finally reached American shores

September 11, 2001 brought about a turning point in American attitude toward security. The task of protecting American citizens from Islamic terror became most animated, beating at full volume in and around American airports. Still, it was baffling to watch the subsequent, though random, screening process carried out by the worn-out security agents, who picked on Swedish looking old ladies at a frequency greater than Arab looking young unshaved males.
What a farce. Why not using common sense, save time, save on labor and focus on the usual suspects? Why not learn from Israel? My little country has perfected the early warning system, the preventive maintenance, the unearthing of the ticking bomb, by resorting to racial profiling, thus shortening the list to a manageable inventory. It does make sense.
Oh. America could not do this. “Racial profiling” has been and still is, against the law. “Racial profiling” comprises two dirty words on the streets of the former slave owners. Sorry. Can’t be done. America would rather be extremely redundant and exceedingly inefficient rather than resorting to despised practices.
But wait… Here comes Dubai Ports. They have almost taken over management of five key ports in the US. They have bought the privilege from a British company, just as foreign as the UAE owned entity.
Well, there is a need for a slight fine-tuning, a minor embellishment. Foreign or not, but unlike the UAE, “British” is European. “British” has the sounding of an ally. Except, the UAE is an ally of the US. It has been established, or so they say. The kingdom’s government provides a great deal of assistance to the US on its war on terror.
Notwithstanding the official friendship between the governments, the deal frightens the citizens of the New World. They have not admitted to it, but they have been stereotyping.
Americans may not want to see an Arab government in charge of Air Force 1, the Secret Service, or even Continental Airlines. The American public may not want to experiment with letting Dubai Ports manage the New York City port either. Is that surprising? Some of us still remember the Egypt Air disaster over Long Island, where the Egyptian pilot crashed his passenger-loaded plane into the waters while shrieking “Allah Aqbar.” The Egyptian government and the airline officials have never accepted the only sad though documented conclusion. They were clearly in denial. And so is the Dubai Ports management and all those who support the take over deal.
It is true that not all Muslims are crazy fanatics, but nonetheless, all of Al Queda members and admirers are Muslims. These believers have been brainwashed to the point of hopelessness. They have infiltrated civilized organizations, and have silently contaminated them while establishing dormant cells ready for action when the opportunity arises. Dubai Ports may have been contaminated, albeit its top management is unaware or in denial.
And this is where “Racial Profiling” makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, innocent people will become suspects as a result. They will be denied opportunities that are afforded to others who are just as qualified. But when the price of misjudgment reaches a zenith, the side effects associated with the Racial Profiling sin is a price worth paying… Even in America.

 

Tuesday, November 15, 2005  

Harmonizing Intelligent Design and Evolution

The idea that Intelligent Design is in contradiction to Evolution is rooted in the belief that God created the world in six days as described in the Bible. The Bible also tells us that the creation of the sun succeeded that of Light, and that Earth was there even before the Chaos. In the Sun’s absence, it is difficult to understand what the source of light was on the first few creative days, or what constituted a day in the first place, since the notion of day and night hinges on the sun being there.
The idea that Intelligent Design is in contradiction to Evolution is rooted in a strict religious belief that the Bible provides an accurate depiction of God’s work.
Throughout the many years that passed since Jesus was crucified, the church has given in (although reluctantly) to the realities that the world is round, that it revolves around the sun rather than the contrary, and that Earth is not the center of the universe. These revolutionary and daring thoughts fought their way to ultimate victory over stringent religious beliefs, so that today, even those who view the Bible as God’s exclusive dictation admit to its legitimacy.
The world is very complex. Life and its origin are still a mystery. And the Laws of Nature or Physics that make it all work the way they do are and have been determined by something or someone that various people identify as Mother Nature, God, or Allah. There is no contradiction between Physics and the belief in a supreme force, call it whatever you wish.
For the same reason, there is no contradiction between having a supreme force, a designing mind, and Darwin’s Evolution, as long as we accept the fact that Mother Nature, or God, opted for the Evolutionary process as their design choice.
The only contradiction is the one that is confined to bridging the creation story in the Bible with Darwin’s theory. It is easily bridged if the belief in God, the belief in a supreme designing force, is divorced from the belief that the Bible was written by it. If we accept the fact that humans authored the Bible after they became literate, then Intelligent Design and Evolution can walk together, get married, and live in peace and harmony with each other. It is that simple.