Regional Arms Control: Regional Stability Unbalanced by New Deal: It is said that it is always a nice when one get surprised becau

» Rafehh - It is said that it is always a nice when one get surprised becau

It is said that it is always a nice when one get surprised because it never happen often enough. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times.

(1) Michael Siegel wants us to believe that eight hundred Millions dollars upgrade of Syrian military spread over several years will threaten the balance in the Middle east, of course ignoring the far more substantial Israeli expenditures to the overwhelmingly superior forces it has, backed by one of the top nuclear arsenals in the World. One might think that it is Syria that occupies part of Israel but this would not surprise me in the world of Israeli proponents.

(2) We are told by Mr. Siegel that "Israel shouldn't give up [the Golan heights] because of the topographical nature and that Syria can easily launch a strike against Israel from the heights with little in the way to stop it." What a crock! Israel can not only stop the attack, they can smash the Syrian Army. The Golan heights are far more important to Syria than they are to Israel. Tel-Aviv is a good 80 miles from the heights (separated by mountainous and hilly terrain) while the Israeli Army sits perched a mere 40 miles from Damascus (flat land ideal country for Israel superior armored and air power). Israel, with its massive military superiority, can easily give back (not give up since it is not theirs to give up) the Golan heights. Those who support the chauvinist elements inside Israel that refuse to return conquered territory and that cling the "victim" mythology can only blame themselves for the continued wars in the Middle East. Moreover, the Golan heights are occupied territory, held by Israel by force of arm. Under international law (yes international law!!), they should be out of there.

(3) Mr. Siegel theory about the start of the 1967 war is interesting. At least it is a departure from the old discredited Israeli lines (1) they attacked first or (2) they were about to attack. We are told now that Israel pre-empted a theoretical attack. Of course Israel may, at will, buy military supplies, increase its military advantage over the Arabs. They, the Arab, should be happy to remain under the mercy of a powerful, ever more expansionist Israel, a country whose military capability are growing at a rapid rate. The Arab should act like the pliant natives that they are (or at least should be) and should they dare provide the means to defend themselves, they will be punished. Again, if "self-defense" is the reason then why land expropriation, settlement and annexations. The reasons are simple: Israel is a colonist expansionist state. They attacked because they found a golden chance to conquer and annex Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Israel attack was not pre-emptive as Siegel claim but premeditated and expansionary. According to eminent scholar Dr. Charles Smith, chairman of the near east studies department at Wayne State University: Russia supplied Egypt with "… weapons designed for defensive or limited offensive purposes, but not sufficient ‘to allow contemplation of a successful first strike or total victory’. In contrast the Israeli arsenal possessed significant offensive capabilities, including long-range attack bombers, and its personnel were capable of handling advanced weapons technology, a characteristic that the Arab military, especially the airforces, lacked in abundance. Once the possibility of war developed in May 1967, the Israeli military leadership had little doubt that they could demolish the Egyptians in the Sinai. The question was whether the Eshkol government would permit them to do so." (Palestine and the Arab Israeli conflict, 1988 by Dr. Chales Smith and from Arms for the Arabs: the Soviet Union and War in the Middle East, 1975, by Jon D. Glassman)

The Yom Kippur (1973) war was the direct result of Israel refusal to comply with mandatory UN security resolution to withdraw from occupied territory.

(4) It should be reiterated that those who think that Syria will sign a peace agreement with Israel that does not include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Golan are deluding themselves. There can be no peace without it!!! By stating that Israel should not withdraw from the Golan heights, Mr. Siegel proves himself to be against peace, international law and world opinion. I ask Mr. Siegel to reconsider his position as a responsible editor for what one would hope to be a fair and a balanced forum. In the second World War, Mr. Siegel might well have justified German continuous occupation of Northern France, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg as necessary for the protection of the third Reich. Mr. Siegel "concern" for "peaceful coexistence" rings hallow.

Facts:

In 1992 Israel defense budget was 6.5 billion dollars US while Syria defense budget was a whopping [sic] 2.2 billions.

Israel has a ready access to United States technology. In many cases they violated US law by re-exporting these technologies to countries such as South Africa (during the white rule) and China

Israel has a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons while Syria has none.

Israel enjoys supremacy in the air and sea and superiority on land.

Israel enjoys real time United States satellite information while the Syrians do not

Israel has advanced ballistic missiles. Syria does not.

Israel has spy satellites, Syria does not. Israel has the capability to launch satellites. Syria does not.

Israel Per-Capita-Income is approx. 15,000 dollars US while Syria’s is $5,000.

Both Israel and Syria occupy other people land. Israel expropriate the land and water resources, expel the original population and annex all or part of the conquered territory. Syria does not. Indeed Syria has been instrumental in the return of many Lebanese refugees back to their homes.

Both Israel and Syria torture prisoners

Israel is the subject of more UN resolution than any other country because of their massive violations of international law.

Syria is a dictatorship. Israel is an apartheid where Jews are treated as first class citizens, Arab has largely been expelled, the minority left are treated as second class citizens.

Regards,

Rafeh Hulays

-- posted by Rafehh