LEADER TIMES WEEKEND RELIGION ARTICLE FOR
June 1, 2013 by William H. Scarle
The United States Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday, June 22, supporting a defensive preemptive strike by Israel on Iran’s nuclear program should they deem it necessary for the security of the nation. The resolution reads as follows.
“If the government of Israel is compelled to take military action in legitimate self-defense against Iran’s nuclear weapons program, the United States government should stand with Israel and provide, in accordance with United States law and the constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize the use of military force, diplomatic, military and economic support to the government of Israel in defense of its territory, people and existence.”
This is a moral and necessary move on the part of the United States, although it was unnecessarily slow in coming. The vote was 99 to 1 in favor, an overwhelming affirmation.
Iran has not been quiet about promising to utterly destroy Israel, pushing it into the sea and annihilating its population. Their president has promised to remove Israel from the map of the world, so there is no question that a move on Israel’s part would be just and necessary for survival should they deem a strike necessary. Israel has no designs on any nation’s territory, nor do they have any desire to kill people from any other nation.
The Moslem world has been about world conquest since the seventh century. From Mecca the armies of Islam annexed the entire Middle East, North Africa, and much of southern Europe only to be stopped at Vienna by European armies in 1683. The Crusades were an attempt to recapture Jerusalem and protect the sacred shrines of Christendom. They were primarily defensive wars that had only a temporary success. It is absurd to portray Islamic history as anything but aggressive and violently expansive.
Such a resolution by congress lays down the principal that Israel is a sovereign state with legitimate rights to defend itself. Why this should even be a question in our modern world is a mystery, but it seems to be so. Israeli civilians are attacked by thousands of rockets from neighboring Gaza and one hardly hears a word. One Gazan is killed and the world press is horrified.
If Israel sees the necessity of taking out the Iranian atomic facilities it is almost certain that civilians will be killed in the process. Israel is one of the few nations on earth that will try to minimize this possibility, but it will be practically impossible. This resolution from Congress is important because it lays out the legitimacy of such a strike previous to any action on Israel’s part. Iran has made clear that its government and military are committed to violence against Israel. The tragic other side is that this commitment is probably not the in the heart of the people of Iran.
We can all hope that something happens that will make this move on Israel’s part unnecessary. But, at least the United States of America has clearly stated the justice of such a move if it comes down to it.
(Bill Scarle can be contacted at ravscarle@verizon.net). END-WHS