Jeremy - serious question, when you say “And Israel’s preventive military strikes against Iran were not a response to direct military action by Tehran”, do you not consider the hundreds of ballistic missiles Iran shot at Israel prior to the most recent war a direct military action? What about the arming/funding of internationally recognized terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis that regularly attacked Israel? I’m legitimately confused at the discourse around this war. Iran has been attacking Israel, indirectly and directly, for many years and promising to annihilate it. Is there any country in the world that would tolerate this?
Prior to last week, Iran sponsored terrorist activities against Israel and Israel assassinated Iranian scientists and military figures. Iran did not, however, threaten a direct attack on Israel last week. Israel’s strikes were anticipating future attacks, perhaps after Iran developed a nuclear weapon. That is a preventive war. It is not immediate self-defense. The security of Israel as a state was not threatened by Iran last week.
I do not actually get it, but, I found your article very persuasive. And, your points are well-logical and were strikes down the middle of the plate!
However,
Bibi said, "We are doing the work so you don't have to." I wonder aloud whether any nation in history has been as militarized as Israel is in 2025. My understanding is that too much militarism increases theocracy and diminishes democratickness.
I am in such a free, luxurious, spoiled society and I cannot imagine what it is like not to be an American. We might be the only country in the world with good & positive historical memory and we might be the only country in the world who since the end of the Cold War, has "won" and is "winning" now. Our economic metrics are insanely better than the rest of the world according to an article I read in Foreign Affairs a few months ago!
What really gets me worried when it comes to Israel is Likud and the Jewish extremists behind it. People like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, with Benjamin Mileikowsky (Netanyahu) at the head, fully embrace extremely hateful books like the Talmud as the holiest book in Judaism.
"This is not the state Israel’s founders dreamed of. "
Is this some kind of joke? You're supposed to be a professor, and you don't know about the events of 1948?
Jeremy - serious question, when you say “And Israel’s preventive military strikes against Iran were not a response to direct military action by Tehran”, do you not consider the hundreds of ballistic missiles Iran shot at Israel prior to the most recent war a direct military action? What about the arming/funding of internationally recognized terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis that regularly attacked Israel? I’m legitimately confused at the discourse around this war. Iran has been attacking Israel, indirectly and directly, for many years and promising to annihilate it. Is there any country in the world that would tolerate this?
Prior to last week, Iran sponsored terrorist activities against Israel and Israel assassinated Iranian scientists and military figures. Iran did not, however, threaten a direct attack on Israel last week. Israel’s strikes were anticipating future attacks, perhaps after Iran developed a nuclear weapon. That is a preventive war. It is not immediate self-defense. The security of Israel as a state was not threatened by Iran last week.
This is like the most complex issue on the globe.
No one will agree 100% with another person.
I do not actually get it, but, I found your article very persuasive. And, your points are well-logical and were strikes down the middle of the plate!
However,
Bibi said, "We are doing the work so you don't have to." I wonder aloud whether any nation in history has been as militarized as Israel is in 2025. My understanding is that too much militarism increases theocracy and diminishes democratickness.
I am in such a free, luxurious, spoiled society and I cannot imagine what it is like not to be an American. We might be the only country in the world with good & positive historical memory and we might be the only country in the world who since the end of the Cold War, has "won" and is "winning" now. Our economic metrics are insanely better than the rest of the world according to an article I read in Foreign Affairs a few months ago!
What really gets me worried when it comes to Israel is Likud and the Jewish extremists behind it. People like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, with Benjamin Mileikowsky (Netanyahu) at the head, fully embrace extremely hateful books like the Talmud as the holiest book in Judaism.
https://youtu.be/_rGoWSJCZ5E?si=vbVDft198sB7G8AV
Very well written and informative.