Double standard, that is.
In the aftermath of Osama Bin Laden's death, the West in the form of European leaders and the United Nations have gone out of their way to congratulate America on this triumph over terror.
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The hypocrisy of the West is shocking, but unsurprising. The very fact of his death, in a targeted killing, has brought what can only be described as joy to millions. Whilst watching scenes of jubilation across the United States, I have to admit that I understood that joy, but felt a little uncomfortable with how much these scenes of celebration reminded me of the celebrations held in Gaza and other parts of the Arab world after September 11th 2001, and more recently after the massacre of the Fogel family in Itamar. Having said that, I'm not comparing the events. In the latter cases people were celebrating evil and the murder of innocents, whilst in New York and Washington they were celebrating the demise of one of the purveyors of that evil.
His death, as the news has been slowly revealed over the last few days, came about in a combat action, despite the fact that he was unarmed and reportedly ill at the time. The comparisons with Sheikh Yassin, the Hamas leader killed in 2004, are inevitable. Yet the United Nations along with several Western leaders have lauded the death of Bin Laden as a strike at the heart of terrorism.
When Israel killed Sheikh Yassin, who was also supposedly ill and unarmed, it was accused of war crimes, of illegal executions and wrongful assassinations. His death was even described as tragic by the now, thankfully, defunct UN Commission on Human Rights. This was a man who was directly responsible for ongoing terrorism against the people of Israel, and multiple lethal attacks prior to his death. Israel's actions were said to "...not do anything to help the search for a peaceful solution." (Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General at the time.)
You can't have it both ways. Either the death of a terrorist is a good thing, or it is a bad thing.
Either the extra-judicial killing of an arch-terrorist is a move towards peace or a step away from it.
If the USofA was right in its actions, then so was Israel.
The West, its leaders and its people, owe themselves as well as Israel, a little honesty. It shouldn't be that difficult, but seeing the inevitable hypocrisy rear its ugly head, it could drive a man to drink.
Just make mine a double.
4 comments:
No need to be surprised. Already back in biblical times the prophet Balaam (a non-Jew himself) prophesied about the Jewish people, "It is a nation that will dwell alone, and will not be reckoned among the nations" (Numbers 23:9).
Enjoy the drink. I understand that milk and honey go well together.
PBM
what's the reaction to Obama's killing been like in London?
Wasn't Miraim back in the time of Moses punished for singing about the Death of the Egyptians. Celebrating the death of another human life in my opinion is never good whoever or whatever that human has done. However I totally agree with all your comments re hypocrisy and it reminded me to of too many celebrations seen in Gaza.
There is a big difference between the two - America has been at open war for 10 years trying to get him and Israel just had to put a little op on for it - the crime is that US or anyone else would never be as good so they have to critisize..
TFS
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