"The Führer felt obliged to strike back only after Polish troops had crossed the German border at several places. The German fight is a defensive fight. We fight because we were forced to fight by the insults and demands against us, because of the brutal suppression of ethnic Germans in Poland, and because of the open announcements that they would do everything in their power to strangle National Socialist Germany through military or economic means." Die Wehrmacht (1939, Nr.19, p.2) |
Let Sleeping Giants Lie
Written by Mickey Z
The "root cause" of the current Middle East reality show, we’re told, was the "unprovoked" kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. Historical context be damned, when it comes to waging war, my friends: pretext rules the day. All a belligerent government needs is a good international incident to inflame them…and if no such incident should occur, well, don’t look now but here comes the U.S.S. Maine steaming down the Tonkin Gulf.
It’s an excuse we all learn in childhood: "He started it" or "She hit me first." From this rudimentary alibi grows the convenient myth of the "sleeping giant." By portraying oneself as the unwitting target of an unwarranted sneak attack; all the bases are covered. Not only are you claiming innocence and the role of victim, you might even be excused for reacting angrily…maybe even with a little too much force.
This week marks 16 years since one such "overreaction."
The start of the first Gulf war in 1990 offered a fine illustration of the sleeping giant concept. On July 25, 1990, now-deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein entertained a special guest at the presidential palace in Baghdad: U.S. Ambassador to Iraq April Glaspie. At their meeting (also attended by Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz), Glaspie told the Iraqi ruler, "I have direct instructions from President Bush to improve our relations with Iraq. We have considerable sympathy for your quest for higher oil prices, the immediate cause of your confrontation with Kuwait," before asking Saddam, point blank: "Why are your troops massed so very close to Kuwait’s borders?"
"As you know, for years now I have made every effort to reach a settlement on our dispute with Kuwait," replied Hussein, deploying his own rendition of wartime spin. "There is to be a meeting in two days; I am prepared to give negotiations only this one more brief chance."
When asked what solutions would be acceptable, Hussein was forthright: "If we could keep the whole of the Shatt al Arab—our strategic goal in our war with Iran—we will make concessions. But, if we are forced to choose between keeping half of the Shatt and the whole of Iraq [Hussein views Kuwait as part of Iraq] then we will give up all of the Shatt to defend our claims on Kuwait to keep the whole of Iraq in the shape we wish it to be. What is the United States’ opinion on this?"
Then, Glaspie dropped the bombshell: "We have no opinion on your Arab-Arab conflicts, such as your dispute with Kuwait," she answered. "Secretary [of State James] Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960’s that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America." One can only imagine the gleam in Saddam Hussein’s eyes.
Eight days later, on August 2, 1990, Iraq launched a full scale invasion of Kuwait and, in the process, provided President George H.W. Bush with the perfect excuse to unleash the dogs of war.
Until we begin to recognize these patterns and until we stop falling for the hype and myth, sales of yellow ribbons will remain brisk.
The Six Day War
CIA Analysis Of The 1967 Arab-Israeli War
Israeli Civilian Deaths Hit 6-Year Low
Lebanese POWs - Israel's Dirty Little Secret
Look Who's Been Kidnapped!
Israel Kidnaps Two Brothers
War Is War, And Captured Soldiers Are Captured Soldiers
Who Started?
Howard: Israel Didn't Start It
Beckett Points Finger At Hizbullah
Don't Let Them Fool You - Israel Started It
Israel's Provocations: The Method In The Madness
Russia Blames Israel For Middle East Conflict Escalation
Operation 'Change of Location'? How Reports Of The July 12th Capture Of IDF Soldiers Soon Shifted From Lebanon To Israel
Was Hezbollah A Legitimate Target?
Israel Responded To An Unprovoked Attack By Hizbullah, Right? Wrong
Hezbollah Not To Blame For War, Reports Show
Hezbollah Not To Blame For The War: Bush And Blair Knew In Advance Of The Israeli Plans To Invade Lebanon
Bush 'Helped Israeli Attack On Lebanon'
Bush 'Viewed War In Lebanon As A Curtain-Raiser For Attack On Iran'
Israeli Leaders Fault Bush On War
Bush Links Hezbollah And 'Plot'
No Hezbollah Activists In Village Of Qana, Israel Bombing Civilian Buildings And Vehicles
No Hezbollah Rockets Fired From Qana
Hizbullah Rockets Cannot Be Fired From Buildings (ie The One Bombed In Qana)
Israel Admits That No Hezbollah Rockets Were Fired From Near Destroyed Building In Qana
Did The Palestinians Really Dig A Tunnel Under The Noses Of The Israelis?
Was There Really An Attack On Israeli Soldiers?
10,000 Eyes For An Eye: Cain And Abel Reloaded For The Xth Time
'Lost' Soldiers: Those Who Repeat History Are Doomed To Fake It...
The Spin Of Blaming Provocations On The Wrong People
The Problem-Reaction-Solution Paradigm
It Seems Israel Planned Deliberate Provocation Of Hamas And Hizbollah
Hizbullah's Attacks Stem From Israeli Incursions Into Lebanon
Israel, Not Hizbullah, Is Putting Civilians In Danger On Both Sides Of The Border
Israel's Attack Against Gaza Pre-Planned
Israel Planned For Lebanon War Months In Advance
Israel Planned Capture Of Palestinian Government Long Before Alleged Kidnapping
Israel Set War Plan More Than A Year Ago - Strategy Was Put In Motion As Hezbollah Began Increasing Its Military Strength
Israeli Spy Network In Lebanon On Alert Four Days Before Bombing Began
A 'Pretext' War In Lebanon
Israel Fakes A Provocation
Israel Acts According To A Ready Script
Looking For An Excuse
Aggression Under False Pretenses
It's War By Any Other Name
Blair: "No Coincidence" That The Action Had Escalated From The Initial Kidnap Of Israeli Soldiers
Captured Troops May Be Dead Admit Israelis
The Israeli Offensive Began Ater Hezbollah Captured Two Israeli Soldiers In A Cross-Border Raid On 12th July 2006
Kidnapped In Israel Or Captured In Lebanon?
The Two Israeli Soldiers Were Captured In Lebanon
Confirmation 1: Israeli Soldiers Were Inside Lebanon When Captured
Confirmation 2: Israeli Soldiers Were Inside Lebanon When Captured
Confirmation 3: Israeli Soldiers Were Inside Lebanon When Captured
Confirmation 4: Israeli Soldiers Were Inside Lebanon When Captured
Israel's Return To Gaza: Multiple Motives
Frank Rich And Why The US And Israel Are Attacking Lebanon
The REAL Reason Israel Is Going Full-Frontal On Hezbollah
Today's War In Lebanon: The Latest Chapter Of The Original 1948 Conflict
One Giant Gaza Strip
Empire Comes To Lebanon
Israel Plans To Reoccupy Part Of Lebanon
It's About Annexation Stupid!
The Israeli Lebanon Water Wars
Smoke Signals From The Battle Of Bint Jbeil Send A Warning To Israel
The Day Israel Realised That This Was A Real War
The Iron Grip Of Hezbollah
No Friend Or Ally Is Left
Justice Is Dead If You’re Born An Arab
The Weapon Of Last Resort
When Retribution Comes Don't Cry For Israel
Shattering The Myth Of Zionist Invincibility
Hizbullah Leader Claims Victory
Israel's Verdict: We Lost The War
Israel Defeated Round One: Lebanon 1 – Israel 0
Hezbollah 2 - Israel 0
Hezbollah 3 - Israel 0
Hizbullah Has Achieved What Arab States Only Dreamed Of
Hezbollah Leads Work To Rebuild, Gaining Stature
Syria Hails 'A New Middle East'
Desert Of Trapped Corpses Testifies To Israel's Failure
Humbling Of The Supertroops Shatters Israeli Army Morale
Finally - Israel Admits Hezbollah's Victory In Lebanon
CIA Gets The Go-Ahead To Take On Hizbollah
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