Originally posted by ThePieMaN
I don't understand the hold that government (Israel) has on foreign powers that they can get away with things like this.
Pie
It's called "Geo-politics".
Consider: Israel is, geographically, and ideologically, in the very midst of its arabic "enemies". It was established in this rather precarious
spot not so much by historic migration or even conquest (though both factors are to be considered), but but international fiat: the nation of Israel
was created by the United Nations edict in 1948, by member nations including the United States, Britain, Germany, and France.
Thusly "surrounded and out-numbered" by enemies, both real and imigined, Israel has over the decades been able to appeal to the world's powers on
the basis of guilt and guile, for vast and various military and political concessions; amoung which are the assumed development and retention of
nuclear weapons.
But is Western post-World War II guilt over the Shoah sufficient explaination for allowing Israel the regional right to possibly incincerate her Arab
neighbors on a whim? A right the West seems determined to restrict to Israel alone in the region. Or are other forces/concerns at work?
Israel, established as it is, provides "front door" sea access to a large portion of Arabia, an area vital to the European nations previously
mentioned for their supply of oil. Remember, at the time of Israel's formation, 1948, large-scale troop movements were largely conducted by sea, not
by air (at least in the initial stages of a conflict), as is the case today. Although European dependence on Arab oil was then nowhere near what it
has become, the location of Israel at such a site now seems almost prescient.
As Western dependence on Arab oil has deepened over the decades, Israel has, I believe, "played up" it's role, assigned perhaps by "gentleman's
agreement", to be the region's "supervisor", the "boss's son". Israel's presence in the region makes sure that the worker's (the region's
Arabs) have some one other than thier Western bosses upon which to focus thier anger and resentment, while fearing the wrath and, more importantly,
the influence, of the "Overseer" to strike back, en masse, against Israel.
As long as Israel's "lash" is enough to keep "peace and order" in the region, the oil will flow. As long as the oil continues to flow, the West
will accede to Isreal's justification's for acts and aquisitions normally denied other States.