Zugzwang is a chess term for the situation when any move a player makes puts her at a disadvantage. Israel is in zugzwang. First a bit of perspective.
When my dad flew as a navigator/bombardier on a B-29 that participated in the firebombing of Tokyo (a subject he would never speak of), more civilians died than at Hiroshima. That’s what history tells us happens when a nation permits a government to rule that commits a sneak attack on a country that ultimately prevails. Civilians die.
kAm(96? E96 A6@A=6 @7 v6C>2?J 6=64E65 2 8@G6C?>6?E E92E ?2>65 p5@=A9 w:E=6C r92?46==@C :? `hbb[ E96J AC@323=J H6C6?’E 6IA64E:?8 E96:C ?2E:@? H@F=5 36 :? 2D96D `a J62CD =2E6C @C E92E sC6D56? H@F=5 36 7:C63@>365 ?62C E96 6?5 @7 E96 H2C 2?5 ?62C=J 2== E96 ad[___ 562E9D H@F=5 36 4:G:=:2?D]k^Am
kAm(96? v2K2 6=64E65 w2>2D E@ CF=6 :? a__e WH9:=6 E96 (6DE q2?< 6=64E65 E96 !2=6DE:?:2? pFE9@C:EJX[ E96 A6@A=6 @7 v2K2 AC@323=J 5:5?’E 6IA64E E96J H@F=5 36 D6?5:?8 E96:C >:=:E2CJ :?E@ xDC26= E@ >FC56C 4:G:=:2?D[ 4@>>:E C2A6D[ 2?5 <:5?2A >@C6 E92? a__ >@DE=J 4:G:=:2?D] p?5 E96J AC@323=J 5:5?’E 6IA64E E96:C >:=:E2CJ E@ =:E6C2==J 9:56 369:?5 2?5 36=@H E96 D<:CED 2?5 5:2A6CD @7 E96 4:G:=:2? A@AF=2E:@?] v2K2 :D AC6EEJ F?:BF6 :? 9:DE@CJ 7@C :?:E:2E:?8 2 H2C 2?5 E96? 92G:?8 :ED >:=:E2CJ CF? 9@>6[ 9:56 2>@?8 4:G:=:2?D 2?5 4@F?E @? H@C=5 @A:?:@? E@ <66A E96> 7C@> 36:?8 96=5 E@ 244@F?E] xE’D 6G:=[ :E’D 4@H2C5=J[ :E 92D =65 E@ 2== E96 4:G:=:2? 9@CC@C H6 D66 @? %' 6249 ?:89E — 3FE :E H@C<65]k^Am
kAm%96 H@C=5 92D =2C86=J 96=5 xDC26= C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E96 4:G:=:2? 562E9 E@==[ ?@E E96 v2K2?D E96>D6=G6D @C E96 =6256CD9:A E96J 6=64E65] %9@D6 5@4E@CD H6 H2E49 564CJ 2EE24<D @? E96:C 9@DA:E2=D H6C6 2=D@ E96C6 2D EF??6=D H6C6 3F:=E F?56C?62E9 E96>[ 2D H62A@?D H6C6 DE@C65H:E9:? E96>[ 2?5 2D 2C>65 >6? 6?E6C65 2?5 6I:E65] v2K2 =2F?4965 2 h^`` D42=6 E6CC@C:DE 2EE24< 2?5 5@6D ?@E H2?E E@ 36 96=5 244@F?E23=6]k^Am
kAmqFE 3@J 92D xDC26= A=2J65 2 5625=J 82>6 2?5 A=2J65 :E 325=J] %96 xDC26=: 8@G6C?>6?E W=2C86=J }6E2?J29FX 2DDF>65 E96 v2K2? =6256CD H6C6 2D 4@CCFAE 2D E96 !2=6DE:?:2? pFE9@C:EJ] xDC26= 2==@H65 3:==:@?D E@ 7=@H E@ E96 EH@ !2=6DE:?:2? 8@G6C?>6?ED 2?5 7@C E96 =6256CD9:A E@ D<:> @77 2 3:8 49F?< 7@C E96>D6=G6D] %92E H@F=5 36 DF49 2 DH66E 562= 7@C E96 3@DD6D[ E96J H@F=5?’E DE:C FA E@@ >F49 EC@F3=6] xE 92D H@C<65 :? E96 (6DE q2?< 3FE 72:=65 DA64E24F=2C=J :? v2K2]k^Am
kAm}@H xDC26= :D ECJ:?8 E@ 56762E E96 v2K2? 2C>J 3J <:==:?8 E96 4:G:=:2?D H9@ DE2?5 :? E96 H2J] %96 H@C=5[ :? 2 >FD9C@@> 4=@F5 @7 9JA@4C:DJ[ :D D2J:?8 J@F 42?’E 5@ E92E] $FC6[ H6’G6 366? 5@:?8 6I24E=J E92E 7@C >:==6??:2[ 3FE J@F 42?’E] pE E9:D HC:E:?8[ ?68@E:2E:@?D 2C6 8@:?8 ?@H96C6 3642FD6 E96 w2>2D 8@G6C?>6?E 5@6D?’E 42C6 23@FE E96 4:G:=:2? DF776C:?8[ t8JAE 2?5 E96 DFCC@F?5:?8 pC23 ?2E:@?D H2?E ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 E96 !2=6DE:?:2?D[ 2?5 xDC26= 92D ?@ 4=F6 23@FE 9@H E@ 86E 2E E96 >FC56C6CD[ C2A:DED 2?5 <:5?2AA6CD H:E9@FE 36:?8 6G6? >@C6 5:A=@>2E:42==J 6I:=65]k^Am
kAm%96 4FCC6?E xDC26=: 8@G6C?>6?E :D =2C86=J 5@>:?2E65 3J E96 56D:C6D @7 :ED F=EC2\C6=:8:@FD >:?@C:EJ] !2=6DE:?:2? 3692G:@C :D[ :? EFC?[ 5C:G6? 3J :ED >@DE C25:42= >:?@C:EJ] }68@E:2E:?8 28C66>6?ED[ 3@E9 D9@CE\E6C> 2?5 =@?8\E6C> :D :>A@DD:3=6 H96? 6249 D:56 :D 36:?8 E@=5 3J v@5 E92E E96J 2C6 C:89E] x7 v@5 :D E6==:?8 J@F E9:D =2?5 :D J@FCD — H6==[ :E ;FDE :D] *@F 5@?’E 4@>AC@>:D6 @? J@FC s6G:?6 x?DECF4E:@?D]k^Am
kAmxDC26=’D KF8KH2?8 >:89E 36 >:E:82E65 :? 2 76H H2JD] $E@A 2==@H:?8 (6DE q2?< D6EE=6>6?ED] %96 !2=6DE:?:2? A@AF=2E:@? ?665D 2?5 56D6CG6D E96 =2?5] t?7@C46 E96 =2H :? E96 (6DE q2?<] p==@H:?8 y6H:D9 D6EE=6CD E@ 2DD2F=E 2?5 <:== !2=6DE:?:2?D H:E9@FE 244@F?E23:=:EJ :D E6CC@C:D>] $9@H E96 H@C=5 E92E xDC26= 42? 36 2 C6DA@?D:3=6 ?6:893@C E@ @?6 @7 E96 !2=6DE:?:2? 5:G:D:@?D]k^Am
kAm(:E9@FE <?@H:?8 E96 E24E:42= D:EF2E:@? :? v2K2[ DF886DE:@?D E96C6 2C6 8F6DD6D] !6C92AD 28C66 E@ 2 462D67:C6 :7 E96 9@DE286D 2C6 C6EFC?65] !F3=:D9 2 =:DE WH:E9 A:4EFC6DX @7 E96 v2K2?^w2>2D =6256CD9:A 2?5 E9@D6 H9@ 24E:G6=J A2CE:4:A2E65 :? E96 >FC56CD 2?5 C2A6D] s6>2?5 E96 H@C=5 ;@:? :? EC62E:?8 E96> 2D 4C:>:?2=D] %96J H@F=5 36 8:G6? E96 492?46 E@ DFCC6?56C] x7 E96J 5@?’E[ xDC26= H@F=5 G:6H E96> 2D H6 G:6H65 q:? {256?]k^Am
kAmxD E96C6 2?J =@?8\E6C> D@=FE:@?n !C@323=J ?@E] w2G:?8 xDC26= A9JD:42==J 36EH66? v2K2 2?5 E96 (6DE q2?< 2?5 H:E9@FE 92G:?8 t8JAE @C y@C52? H:==:?8 E@ 5@?2E6 E6CC:E@CJ[ E96C6 5@6D?’E D66> E@ 36 2?J >2A E@ 5C2H] x7 E96 !2=6DE:?:2?D H2?E 2 D6A2C2E6 DE2E6[ E96J ?665 E@ 7@C> 2 F?:E65 8@G6C?>6?E[ 2446AE E96 6I:DE6?46 @7 xDC26=[ DE@A E6CC@C:DE 24ED[ 3=29[ 3=29 3=29] %96 D2>6 DEF77 E96J 4@F=5 92G6 5@?6 2?J E:>6 :? E96 A2DE fd J62CD] xE :D F?=:<6=J E@ 92AA6?] %96 r2>A s2G:5 p44@C5D E92E 3C@F89E A6246 36EH66? t8JAE 2?5 xDC26= C6DF=E65 7C@> E96 A@=:E:42= 4@FC286 @7 |6?2496> q68:? 2?5 p?H2C $252E] p?5 $252E 8@E 2DD2DD:?2E65 7@C 9:D EC@F3=6D]k^Am
kAm%9:D :D ?@E p>6C:42’D AC@3=6> E@ D@=G6] #62= =6256CD9:A :D ?66565 :? xDC26= 2?5 2>@?8 E96 !2=6DE:?:2?D] %96C6 :D 2 562CE9 @7 DF49 =6256CD9:A H@C=5H:56]k^Am
kAmk6>mv6@C86 tADE6:? =:G6D :? |25:D@?]k^6>mk^Am
(1) comment
Bravo George, for highlighting the hypocrisy of people that want Israel to act unlike any other country that's ever suffered a surprise attack, and for pointing out the stupidity of people that blame Israel for the situation, as well as how they're playing into the hands of the extremists in Gaza.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.