When discussing Israel’s war with Hamas, it is important to consider geopolitical and strategic analysis. This war has implications for politics in the Gulf and may impact American aid to Ukraine, as well as potential exploitation by Russia. However, there is a crucial element of this conflict that goes beyond politics or purpose—it is about barbarism.
Throughout history, Americans, Ukrainians, and others have fought barbarians who revel in violence. These barbarians not only kill and maim, but they go out of their way to inflict pain, torture, rape, and humiliate their victims. They take pleasure in documenting their cruel acts through photographs and videos. Their actions are driven by a sadistic enjoyment of their enemies’ suffering, making them truly dangerous when they gain control over societies, as seen in present-day Russia, Germany in the 1930s, or the Gaza Strip under Hamas.
Barbarians are driven by grievance, holding resentment towards those they believe have wronged them and those who enjoy a better quality of life. They destroy homes, kidnap children, and commit acts of sexual violence in an attempt to spread fear and assert their dominance. They excel at building weapons and fortifications, but lack appreciation for beauty, contemplation, and human harmony. Their aspiration is an unattainable utopia where their nation reigns supreme, their religion wipes out all others, or their enemies beg for mercy they will never receive.
Barbarians are afraid of ideas and intellectual discourse, responding to them with rage due to their inherent weakness. They reject reason, compromise, forgiveness, and compassion. They lack appreciation for the intellectual traditions of Athens and Jerusalem.
Civilization relies on various forces—law, religion, habit, and philosophy—to flourish and withstand threats. These threats can manifest in mild forms like looting or hateful chants, or they can escalate to violent gangs driven by greed or ideology. Civilization can also be undermined by intellectual appeasement and whataboutism, which refuses to acknowledge evil or take a definitive stand against it. War, while destructive, can sometimes prevent even greater atrocities. For instance, the author’s cousins would not have survived if their mother had perished in Auschwitz.
There is a story of an old Jew being beaten by a Nazi storm trooper. When asked why he thanked God, the old Jew replied, “For not making me like you.” This story conveys a profound truth, but it is not enough in our current times.
While the old Jew could not fight back, the remaining civilized world can and must. We have the resources, armed forces, and talented individuals to combat barbarism in a more effective manner. It is crucial to recognize that attacks by barbarians are not isolated incidents, but a larger fight that impacts us all. Instead of fixating on the damage to the international order, we need to act with vigor and courage in the face of this threat.
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