The Politics of Fear, The U.N. and Israel.

George W. Bush's legacy (for better or worse) will be that he chose to fight terrorism and the Islamic Tide. He felt that the only way to stop Jihad was to take the fight to them. Sen John McCain also held this view that the Free World needed to stay on the offensive against Global Terrorism. Most Americans, however lost their stomach for war and backed the candidate that favored appeasment and a more European approach to terrorism, which is to basically learn to live with it and try to understand why the Islamists are so angry.

Obama and the Left kept saying that the Bush Policies played on the fears of Americans in order to maintain support for the war. This is not entirley inaccurate but not entirely true either. You see, Americans have traditionally reacted to fear by meeting it head on, facing it, and conquering it. Fear has always been a strong motivator whether it be fear of starvation, fear of unemployment, fear of personal attack or home invasion, and/or fear of national security and fear for our brothers safety. We don't need fear to do the right thing, but it is a good motivator...when it is real.

We as a people, though frightened by the same terrors that befall other nations, have always acted with courage and resolve. Sadly I cannot say the same for most of the other nations and leaders (Great Britain being an exception, untill recently). HIstorically (and recently) most European and Asiatic nations have reacted to the fears of terrorism by listening to the grievances of radicals and ultimately giving in to their demands.

What is it that they truly fear though? Is it death, beheadings and ultimate annihilation? These may be the obvious surface tensions that create fear, but no one really believes that the Jihadist's have the military might and power to win a traditional war. The Islamists would be the one's annihilated...and they know it.

That is why they have adopted a different tactic. Although car, train and plane bombings continue, that is not the real threat. The real danger is Economic. The most recent spikes in the price of a barrel of oil led to near economic ruin in most smaller countries and also contributed greatly to the troubles in larger economies as well. The fears of high gas and food prices, expensive luxuries and limited vacation destinations evoke a more visceral response from folks than does the bombing of an Embassy.

Most of the nations who rely on imported oil fear economic ruin more so than a Fundamentalist Islamic takeover. This is why they turned against America in the War On Terror. It is safe to say that our war-time consumption helped drive the costs so high along with an Arab Alliance to force world opinion against participating in any war in the Middle East.

This is where it all ties in to Israel. The U.N. has come down harshly on Israel for in effect, doing nothing more than trying to protect their own borders (and citizens) from rocket fire. Most of the "United" Nations fear both terrorist attack and economic ruin from the oil producing nations, including Russia but also fear China who's own dependence on the same oil creates tension in trade markets as well as Stock Markets (since it seems only the Chinese have money to invest and/or lend).

Israel is like America (was). They will react to terrorism, invasion, rocket attacks or even thrown stones with swift defense and meet it with deadly force, if neccessary. They would rather die fighting than give in to terrorism, economic turmoil and/or world opinion. Unfortunately, this puts them on the "wrong side" in Euro-Asian thinking as their philosophy seems to be "Survive at all Cost" rather than "Live Free or Die".

Maybe it is wrong of me to see the rest of the world as France c.1940, just weeping as Nazi Troops marched in to take over, but it sure looks that way to me. I just hope our "New FDR" and all the "Lindburg Isolationists" in power now, don't wait for another major attack on American Soil before joining in Israel's Defense...and Right to Exist.