Responses to Lebanon and the Middle East Conflict – Publication by young scientists
The conflict in the Lebanon during the summer of 2006 shocked the world – nobody realised how quick such conflicts could evolve into regional and global crises. Now it seems that the conflict is completely deleted from the news – only once in a while newspapers cover that the soldiers are bored or that Israeli airplanes mistakenly shot at the German navy.
During my trip to the USA this summer, I had a lot of opportunities to discuss the Middle East conflict with Americans who are out of personal and academic reasons very interested in the Middle East conflict. During a discussion with Antony Smith from Seton Hall University, the idea came up to create a book that collects new and provocative articles on the Middle East conflict – especially with regard to the Lebanon conflict. Our idea is to step off the trodden path and generate new ideas on how to solve the conflict – but ensure that our research has a high academic quality.
We are currently collaborating how to get the project started – my idea would be to have the list of authors ready by mid November and the draft of the book ready by mid January. So far, a few friends of mine have already signalled interest, so the list of authors with possible topics looks like this:
- Lars Olofson (Bates College, Maine)
- Jaleh Taheria (Bates College, Maine)
- Jessica Ashooh (Oxford University, UK)
- Anthony Smith (Seton Hall) – The Mission of the UN to the Lebanon
- Karsten Wenzlaff – The case of state-terrorism in Lebanon – a game theoretical analysis (based on another paper that I wrote earlier)
If you are interested or have comments or feedback, please contact me.
April 6th, 2007 at 04:34
Well, at first I don´t believe, that Israeli airplanes shot mistakenly at the German navy. Even from a distance one can say this was on purpose, because there were at least 3 incidents. 3 mistakes in line? But this is nothing special, but common behavior. Remember the USS Liberty and how the Israelis treated the Americans.
Second point, I´m very, very, very proud of German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and German Foreign Minister Franz Walter Steinmeier. When the Israelis had killed about 6000 Lebanese civillians (70 percent of them were children) in the Lebanon war in August 2006 and when almost the whole world called for an instant cease fire, then Merkel and Steinmeier said:
“There must be no cease fire.”
(In German language: “Es darf keinen Waffenstillstand geben.”) This is crown of creation! And I am so proud of it, because in this context `there must be no cease fire´ is just another expression for `the killing must go on, innocent people shall die”! This is kind of Darwinism: surviving of the fittest. This is law of djungle: who is the meanest killer, is on the right side. But what, when anyone else is better in killing? Is he right, then? No!!!! Then we use our Western double standards and tell him he is “axis of evil”. To be sure, this way we will succeed in reaching Armageddon just in time.
Third) In Western media it was hardly mentioned, that the Hezbollah had eliminated 163 Israeli Merkawa tanks. It then was clear, what the Israelis had really planned: the total occupation of whole Lebanon! This way it makes sense, what the Israelis said before: This war will be quick and cheap! And the Americans should take this war as an example how they should wage war against Iran! Now the lesson is different.
Finally, some days ago I learned some footage about the Israeli military in an article written by Uri Averny. “We are prepared for the next war”, they say. But against whom? For what reason? This is all the same for the soldiers. Of no interest, it seems to be quite natural for them, that a next war will come.
In such a `social context´ it is a good idea – as mentioned on this website – to develop new concepts of dealing with war and conflicts. I think, the solution will come from the common people, not from politicians.