TNR on Israel

The New Republic online has two important articles on Israel. In the first, Michael Oren argues that the air campaign has been a mistake and that Israel instead needs to bring in the ground troops and re-occupy southern Lebanon. This makes sense inasmuch as air strikes tend to be a forward action to lead the way for something else, and that on their own they are not only ineffectual, but run the risk of massive civilian casualties without a precise sense of accomplishing a mission. Israel seems to believe that the image of troops on the ground is a worse one than attacking from the air, but by now the Israelis should know that their enemies are going to depict them as the aggressors in any case, so they had best simply be as effective as they can be.

John Judis, meanwhile, condemns President Bush's "failed Israel strategy" and places it within the context of the various approaches American presidents have taken toward Israel. I agree with Judis, while still maintaining that by the standards of this presidency, Bush's Israel policies have been a strength. That is, his Israel policies have been a lesser failure, which makes them a success in the Through the Looking Glass world we inhabit in these United States.