For liberals, its the principle not the consequence that matters

By Ted Belman

Liberals are generally of the mind that peace or democracy are good things so must be supported or sought after. They start with the assumption that they are both achievable and that what will be achieved, is better than the oppression that exists. After all, what better than rule by the people. Such assumption has no basis in reality, at least in the ME.

For them, there is no difference between Israel’s “oppression” of the Palestinians and Mubarak’s oppression of Egyptians.

Liberals believe the propaganda about Israel’s rule, namely, the “occupation” is intolerable and must end. And they add a rider that it must end on Arab terms. No regard is paid to the precarious situation that it would leave Israel in and whether or not it would lead to the destruction of Israel and to a second Holocaust. That’s a risk they are willing to take. What matters for them is that the “occupation” must end.

They also consider it axiomatic that the Palestinians will be better off ruling themselves than with the Palestinians ruling themselves with Israel’s protection and economic cooperation. It matters little if Hamas takes over and enforces shariah law. It also matters little if war ensues and tens of thousands of Palestinians are killed. What matters for them is the principle of the thing and not the consequence.

The same goes for the turmoil in Egypt. The liberals want to end the oppression without regard for whether what follows in its place is any better. In effect one tyrant, Mubarak, would be replaced by another tyrant, the Muslim Brotherhood. They argue that the MB would be a beneficent tyrant. But how can this be when it wants to abrogate the peace treaty with Israel and prepare for war. Especially when it’s military assistance is cut off by the US. How can this be better for the people?

They also ignore the fact that the struggle will not end in democracy, yet they justify their demands in the name of democracy.

Like I said, it’s the principle of the thing, not the consequence.

They also ignore a salient difference when it comes to Israel. Mubarak is favouring the ruling class over the people and thus oppresses them. Israel is favouring the safety and security of Israel and Israelis at the expense of its sworn enemy and that includes Fatah. But liberals deny Israel the right to defend itself or the right to national liberation, Zionism. At the same time they allow for Palestinian “resistance”, meaning armed struggle including terrorism, and for Palestinian national liberation.

Israelis understand that they have a vested interest in survival and that interest trumps the pious demands of the liberals.

Conservatives in the western world recognize that they too have a vested interest in the Islamists being defeated all over the world, particularly in Israel. So they standby Israel, Mubarak, Wilders and anyone else that is a bulwark to the advance of the Islamists.

Liberals don’t appreciate the danger to themselves. It’s the principle not the consequence.