It is generally true that most abstract or general principles are best illuminated by getting down to cases, the nitty-gritty, the nuts and bolts of the thing. Take the Dershowitz-Prager debate, for instance. Though the subject matter is ostensibly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, its import transcends this by now all too familiar and perhaps over-discussed topic; what is being said is far less interesting or important than what is being left out. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this exchange, let me recap.
Alan Dershowitz is an ardent and vociferous proponent of the Israelis' right to defend themselves against attacks from such entities as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the like. He has written a number of books and articles on the subject, and if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. His views haven’t changed one bit and he makes no bones about it. The article in question, “Double Standard Watch: Israel’s Actions are Lawful and Commendable” in The Jerusalem Post of January 4, 2009, is fairly representative of Mr. Dershowitz’s position; aside from being brief, it encapsulates it to a T.
Dershowitz’s argument turns on two major points: (a) Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which reserves to every nation the right to engage in self-defense against armed attacks; and (b) “the principle of proportionality,” which is the only limitation international law places on any nation-state or a democracy so attacked, namely, that the casualties (or the collateral damage) inflicted on the aggressor – civilian or otherwise, but mostly civilian – in the course of its act of self-defense, be proportional to the damage it itself suffers at the hands of the aggressor. Dershowitz argues, and I think convincingly, that Israel’s actions against Hamas satisfy the aforementioned principle; he cites example after example of Israeli restraint when it comes to bombing known Hamas targets which are believed to be protected by human shields. As to the first-mentioned item, Article 51 is part of the record. Insofar as Alan Dershowitz is concerned, it’s an open-and-shut case. How couldn’t it be?
In light of that, Mr. Dershowitz is rather dismayed by his apparent inability to sway the world to his view. He finds it perturbing. In an effort to get clear, he enumerates a number of divergent responses. One is the position held by Hamas itself and other parties directly or indirectly involved in or supporting the act of Hamas’s alleged aggression, such as Iran and other terrorist networks, which are intent on Israel’s destruction as a nation-state and a people. Quite rightly, he dismisses them for being irrelevant, self-serving and all that.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Cindy D
Roger,
Wow! I read it. It was pretty amazing. Now I'll have to think a lot.
Exciting ideas.
2 - Roger Nowosielski
Thank you, Cindy. It blew my mind to once I got into it. Never gave it much thought before. Things are way clearer now. Baronius and Dan Miller steered me in that direction, and I'm thankful.
Roger
3 - Dan(Miller)
Roger,
Good article! I don't agree with everything you say, but then I don't necessarily agree with everything I say.
I will withhold further comment until after Part II appears.
Dan(Miller)
4 - Roger Nowosielski
I am glad, Dan. In a sense, I was conflicted about breaking it up into two parts, but the alternative was equally unattractive. As it is, I don't want to reveal all my cards, although I fail to see how some of you astute individuals will fail to see where I'm going with this.
Roger
5 - Cindy D
Roger,
Did you come here as a child or adult?
6 - Cindy D
(i'm trying to figure out why flower power is distinguished from hippie)
7 - Cindy D
And I know I might sound picky. But,it's not. I can't really understand something if I don't attend to every word as carefully as I can.
8 - Roger Nowosielski
No distinction, Cindy, just alliteration.
Re: your other question, I had a delayed adolescence. But I ain't disclosing my age. Let's just say I was coming of age; and it was the best of times.
Roger
9 - Cindy D
lol
well i know we have the same birth day within days.
mine is Nov. 15
10 - Cindy D
age shmage. my husband is 67
11 - Roger Nowosielski
Well, so you're a Scorpio?
Let's just say I was in a PhD program in 1971 (NYU and the New School) and had a privilege to be exposed to the best minds of the latter 20th century - philosophy, sociology, mathematics, you name it.
12 - Roger Nowosielski
"People in power have been noticing your accomplishments for a while -- they approve."
That's the horoscope, by the way, if you believe in any such thing.
13 - Cindy D
wow new school cool.
you an astrologer?
SDS is active again, i'm sure you know, right?
14 - Cindy D
you should have attached the soundtrack to ohio to your article. (sorry, only i do things like that)
i had to go dig it up.
15 - Roger Nowosielski
New School was great, especially for its interdisciplinary seminars: Chomsky on linguistics and politics (he was young and handsome then), Leontieff, a Noble Prize Winner in economics, things like that. And so was NYU - it was a seat of learning then and great fun.
No I'm not an astrologer, just thought I might throw that in from Yahoo homepage.
Why O-hai-O? Are you there?
16 - Cindy D
NO WAY!!!! you took classes with Chomsky?
17 - Cindy D
He's still handsome now.
18 - Cindy D
lol :-)
19 - Cindy D
you know about looks...
they depend on the person. that's what i've found.
whoever i have ever loved was always the most beautiful.
sort of like a person is something then that makes them look wonderful.
20 - Roger Nowosielski
His hair was jet black, like a shoe polish; and he'd comb it back, like Tyrone Power!
No, just sat on a couple of seminars.
21 - Cindy D
haha nah, not an astrologer. i was a card carrying skeptic. now i am a skeptic without a card. michael shermer was very disappointing when he decided capitalism is some sort of expression of evolution.
and he only though he used to believe in the supernatural
22 - Cindy D
he teaches some classes for Zcom u know. there is this seminar thing. maybe i'll do it one day
chit..know what happene to me today? an amazing thing
23 - Roger Nowosielski
Re #19,
But I grew up with an image of movie starts when there were still heroes: Gable, Power, Robert Taylor, not to mention the leading ladies. Even Bogart had charisma.
Who is Michal Shermer? NG, by the way, was a Wicca. She dropped a curse at my feet. Read all about it in my novel. But I shouldn't be telling you what's ahead. In due time.
24 - Cindy D
I just bought a book. literally on wednesday. it's called wobblies & zapatistas
it is a dialogue, between a marxist and an anarchist. andrej grubacic is one of the authors (the anarchist). so i get in my e-mail from zmag/zcom/znet the next day--they have a interview with andrej grubacic about the book. okay that's cool.
i go to the site and i see, he has a page on the site. so i befriended him and he accepted. now i can ask him direct questions. how cool is that?
25 - Cindy D
NO! a wicca? how do you imagine i am like a person that could be a wicca? lol that is hilarious