Friday, July 21, 2006
The Middle East, a place I lived for over 5 years, just keeps rolling on in its insanity. While the people there treated me well, and being fond of many as individuals from the area, as a large group, I've grown sick and tired of the Arab culture and politics. Victor Davis Hanson's thoughts generally sum up my views on the matter much better than I can. It's odd to me how feelings about an individual can run so contradictory to feelings about a group of those very same individuals, something I've never experienced it before.
My support for the Isreal as a nation really hinges on a single element: Israel is democratic and the Arab nations around it are not. Out of essentially the same land and opportunnities, the Israelis produce things of value to the world by their effort and skill. The Arab nations really don't in any meaningful way, except for oil that they themselves can't get out of the ground without outside help. The difference between the two is stark in this regard, and oddly enough, is not talked about very much. I think it is actually the key difference between the two.
Here's an interesting take on the Middle East situation from John Derbyshire.
My support for the Isreal as a nation really hinges on a single element: Israel is democratic and the Arab nations around it are not. Out of essentially the same land and opportunnities, the Israelis produce things of value to the world by their effort and skill. The Arab nations really don't in any meaningful way, except for oil that they themselves can't get out of the ground without outside help. The difference between the two is stark in this regard, and oddly enough, is not talked about very much. I think it is actually the key difference between the two.
Here's an interesting take on the Middle East situation from John Derbyshire.
# posted by goldpython @ 9:03 AM 
