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5763: Articles posted from September 2002-September 2003
Get the real situation in Israel every day.
March 16, 2003
I Am Afraid, So Lets Get Us a War
By Chanan Kubitsky
I realized long ago that the Jews, particularly Israelis, are governed by an underlying fear.
Fear has a biological origin, it is the basis of survival instinct. I fear cars that might hit me when I cross the street; and I fear Iraqi missiles that may land on my house.
Fear is anything but objective: the chances of being hit by a missile are infinitesimally smaller than being hit by a car. But people are now devoting much more thought to the missile threat.
Why? Because when you cross the street you think you know how to deal with the threat of cars, you have the illusion of control over the situation. Why illusion? People still get run over, don't they?
So people who think nothing of jay walking in mid-traffic are getting armed with sheets of plastic and duct tape to paste up their windows. Just to be active doing anything and to gain the illusion of control.
It is my observation that politics are dominated by fearful men. Arik Sharon, when in opposition, always talked about "grave situations" and "most serious dangers" for Israel. Since being elected prime minister he has stopped.
Why? He is now in position to act, he has the illusion of power over circumstances.
George W. Bush is made of the same mold. I view him as a fearful individual, looking for a good fight from day one in office. Before 9/11 fell in his lap he managed to wrestle the presidency from Al Gore, cancel the US commitment to the Kyoto accords, renege on support for the sunshine policy between the Koreas and probably many more testosterone-rich unilateral moves than I'm aware of.
Colin Powell did a lousy job of scaring me. Tony Blair was even more pathetic with his dossier. But these exaggerated or even imaginary threats are enough to scare the fearful.
We are a herd animal -- fear is contagious. Don't let it get to you!
Chanan
Kubitsky is a high tech professional living in Tel Aviv.
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