Meanwhile, back at Armageddon...
According to the CIA World Factbook, the Gaza Strip of Palestine is "slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C."
By comparison, Israel is "slightly smaller than New Jersey."
Besides Gaza, Israel also surrounds the Palestinian West Bank ("slightly smaller than Delaware").
Israel is itself surrounded by Egypt ("slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico"), Jordan ("slightly smaller than Indiana"), Lebanon ("about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut") and Syria ("slightly larger than North Dakota").
Absurdly, considering its size and relative unimportance in the postmodern world1, Israel has nuclear weapons, making it an "undeclared nuclear power."
Should even one of these ghostly, limbo-locked, "undeclared" nukes, whose non-existence is only evident in that Magical Land of Let's Pretend called Twentieth Century Diplomacy, ever suddenly materialize into emphatic being, Israel would within minutes become a sea of molten glass "slightly larger than New Jersey plus Delaware plus a couple of Washingtons, DC." A somewhat quixotic waste of talent, brains and GDP.
Aside from a certain horrific fascination with the prospect of Armageddon starting on Israeli turf, what worldly good is Israel to anyone? During the Cold War, sure, Israel was better than a fleet of aircraft carriers. But now, these days... What does Israel offer that could not come just as easily from a peaceful non-political Palestine? Just asking.
Economy, hell. We have two wars to end, a stalag in Guantanamo to raze, isolation to cultivate and a conscience to cleanse. Let's get on with it.
1Compared to other small countries surrounded by enemies, say. Switzerland? Banks, no nukes. Liechtenstein? Stamps, no nukes. The Vatican? Pope, no nukes and no divisions. Tibet? Sand mandalas. Impermanence on a cosmic scale, but no nukes. England? Well, uhhhh, *coff*... Yeah, the Brits've got nukes they can't use, along with a few lingering delusions of Empire. They make up for it with years and years of dwarves in rubber monster suits on Dr. Who, right? Ireland? Leprechauns and small arms, but no nukes. The brilliants list goes on and on.
By comparison, Israel is "slightly smaller than New Jersey."
Besides Gaza, Israel also surrounds the Palestinian West Bank ("slightly smaller than Delaware").
Israel is itself surrounded by Egypt ("slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico"), Jordan ("slightly smaller than Indiana"), Lebanon ("about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut") and Syria ("slightly larger than North Dakota").
Absurdly, considering its size and relative unimportance in the postmodern world1, Israel has nuclear weapons, making it an "undeclared nuclear power."
Should even one of these ghostly, limbo-locked, "undeclared" nukes, whose non-existence is only evident in that Magical Land of Let's Pretend called Twentieth Century Diplomacy, ever suddenly materialize into emphatic being, Israel would within minutes become a sea of molten glass "slightly larger than New Jersey plus Delaware plus a couple of Washingtons, DC." A somewhat quixotic waste of talent, brains and GDP.
Aside from a certain horrific fascination with the prospect of Armageddon starting on Israeli turf, what worldly good is Israel to anyone? During the Cold War, sure, Israel was better than a fleet of aircraft carriers. But now, these days... What does Israel offer that could not come just as easily from a peaceful non-political Palestine? Just asking.
Economy, hell. We have two wars to end, a stalag in Guantanamo to raze, isolation to cultivate and a conscience to cleanse. Let's get on with it.
1Compared to other small countries surrounded by enemies, say. Switzerland? Banks, no nukes. Liechtenstein? Stamps, no nukes. The Vatican? Pope, no nukes and no divisions. Tibet? Sand mandalas. Impermanence on a cosmic scale, but no nukes. England? Well, uhhhh, *coff*... Yeah, the Brits've got nukes they can't use, along with a few lingering delusions of Empire. They make up for it with years and years of dwarves in rubber monster suits on Dr. Who, right? Ireland? Leprechauns and small arms, but no nukes. The brilliants list goes on and on.
Labels: Geopolitics
posted by Grikdog at
9:43 AM
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