If this were the U.S. army…[fill in the blank]
March 22, 2009, 9:18 am
Posted by Margaret O'Brien Steinfels
“The publication late last week of eyewitness accounts by Israeli soldiers alleging acute mistreatment of Palestinian civilians in the recent Gaza fighting highlights a debate here about the rules of war. But it also exposes something else: the clash between secular liberals and religious nationalists for control over the army and society.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/weekinreview/22BRONNER.html?_r=1&hp
The influence of religion can be dangerous, especially when it’s not moderated by countervailing forces that stress secular but universal truths. The “orthodox” get so caught up in their religiously informed outlook that they can easily justify killing or maiming in God’s holy name. It’s a matter of “them versus us.” History shows that this dangerous and sinful tendency of organized religion would eventually move from Old Testament to New, from Jew to Christian.
Thank God for the secular whether it’s atheism, agnosticism, or whatever! Thank God for truth whether found in religion or the wisdom of human experience!
I suspect that God would not want the “religiously orthodox” tripping all over themselves in failed attempts to be “righteous.”
Good post, Ms. Steinfels. Saw this last week and it is very disconcerting. Not sure how much of this investigation will be made public….Israel and the IDF have a history of tight control. On the other hand, it appears that there are some cracks in this public front…..the IDF took a hit for its conduct against Hezbollah in Lebanon e.g. use of cluster bombs, indiscriminate attackes on civilians/UN positions, etc.
But, this is the first time that I remember Israel allowing a story to surface that shows a division in the IDF between troops whose orthodoxy beliefs may have resulted in war crimes and the typical IDF soldier…….wonder if this is a reflection of more than 15 years of fighting intifadas, West Bank policies, etc. that have essentially corrupted the mission and history of the IDF.
There are a number of breakthoughs here. This info originally appeared on Ha’aretz, which I think started the debate in Israel. What seems new is that Ethan Bronner went and got the story for the NYTimes. There are probably class issues here as well as religious ones. If this turns out to be a widespread phenomenon, or a growing one, how exactly is this to be distinguished from the jihadis?
I would guess that promptings like this would be quickly squashed in the U.S. military when in battle. Anyone there have other thoughts–not in the Journal of the Japanese Missions, please!
The appalling and “disproportionate” Israeli military tactics against their “perceived enemies” is cause for concern. Too little concern has been expressed about the effect of the acceptance of such a mind-set and rationale upon the young IDF conscripts. They are not able to evaluate the theology, they do not question the morality and they are in prime position for self- destruction, in the sense of destroying their own humanity.
That is also an abuse of power.