The United States should know better
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Because it will give the idiots, the zelots, and the extremists another piece of ammunition to use against both the United States and Israel.
What do you think is going to happen when the first Golan armoured vehicle rolls over a civilian? Or busts through the wall of a civilian house? The extremists are not gonna give [much of a] rats ass who was driving it or what flag was painted on the side of it are they?
Why give them more propaganda tools?
This is one rare occassion when I’m shlemazl on this one. Israel is a high-tech nation with the capability to deliver high-tech products. The Golan fits the bill, sounds like a good quality piece of machinery (though I know next to nothing about military vehicles) and is easily deliverable to the theatre of conflict.
This is not justification for the war in Iraq, but from a purely logisitic and pragmatic point of view, I don’t think it makes much difference. And, I don’t think the extremists need any more propaganda tools - they have plenty enough already to the job. One more won’t make any difference.
If logic and pragmatism played any part in politics we’d be living in a far different world, and whether or not the extremists actually need any more propaganda tools or not is completely irrelevant - do you think they’ll turn down any new ones left at their door step?
The Iraq war has been a balls up since day one, pouring any amount of fuel on any of the fires that are burning there is both stupid and short sighted.
I agree with you that the whole Iraq war anything is a complete farce that would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic. As well, the American effort, involves a whole bunch of hands that not only don’t know what the others are doing, arguably they don’t know the others exist. Methinks this is an example of a(n assumed) sound supply chain decision that does not at all take into account any geopolitical considerations outside of (potentially) quality, price, and deliverability.
Iraq is a right royal fuck-up. To expect that at this point, the Americans would start to look at problems or decisions from anything more than one side is, at best, wishful thinking. That’s what got them, and unfortunately the Iraqi people, into
this mess. Don’t expect sound judgement at this point in the game.
If logic and pragmatism played any part in politics we’d be living in a far different world, and whether or not the extremists actually need any more propaganda tools or not is completely irrelevant - do you think they’ll turn down any new ones left at their door step?
… I agree with your sentiment but not with the conclusion.
There is no way to anticipate what illogical approaches can be used by the enemy for propaganda purposes. If we are going to let our enemies affect our decisions, then we might as well let Al-Qaeda handle our procurement of military equipment.
Balls. What would be short sighted would be buying ineffective equipment. We need to provide our troops with the best equipment we can, and get them out of there as soon as possible. The Iraqis aren’t going to like us no matter who we buy equipment from.
It would be just as irrational to say we shouldn’t buy the safety exit equipment (link below) for use in NYC buildings, because Moslems might be offended. It also might be Moslems that are saved by it. If they’re offended, they can stay in the burning building and take their chances. I’ll bet every Moslem in a burning building would suddenly forget that Israel was the manufacturer and jump on this baby.
Shlemazl
“If we are going to let our enemies affect our decisions…”
Our enemies should damn well affect our military decisions. You cannot win war without knowledge of your enemies, and a very powerful propaganda machine. While I don’t agree with SL that equipment-procurement Israel is a big deal, I do agree that propaganda at home and abroad plays a huge role in selling and winning any war.
America is in an unwinnable war (yet again) because they failed to properly understand their enemy and failed to let knowledge of the enemy influence their decisions.
If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.
- Sun Tzu
Jon,
I agree, I did not express myself well.
I meant that it is impossible to anticipate what unreasonable propaganda tool crazies like Al-Qaeda will choose, so it is pointless “self-censuring” yourself. You’ll be risking doing what Al-Qaeda wants you to do at all times, but they will still think of something and you might as well just make the right decision based on other factors. Of course it’s good to know your enemy and decisions should be based on that knowledge.
The war against Saddam’s Iraq was won a long time ago.
Now the US found itself in the middle of a civil war, which is nothing like the original conflict. Was the civil war unavoidable? I don’t know. Everyone is a stategist watching battle from the distance and after the fact.
You may be right that the US isn’t able to stop the bloodshed and should pull out. The trouble is that a) the bloodshed will intenstify and b) Iran and Syria may move in.


Most American weapons will have at least some Israeli components. Your Intel chip has been designed in Israel.
And the reason you are making a big deal out of this is…?