Comments on: The Middle East as a game of “Risk” http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/the-middle-east-as-a-game-of-risk/ Explore the best in free web learning. Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:07:15 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Anne is a Man http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/the-middle-east-as-a-game-of-risk/#comment-546 Anne is a Man Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:24:01 +0000 http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/?p=1915#comment-546 I think your pointing at the moral questions are in a way kin to the element I was thinking of. In my own words it is that of emotion or perception. But certainly a strong emotion at play is that of morality (which eventually is more than an emotion, but certainly is emotionally charged). Another emotionally charged element is that of national pride and sense of identity. Even though the moderate Arabs realistically have more interests in common with Israel, they couldn't possibly ally with them against their fundamentalist brethren - their own perception of identity and sense of connectedness prevents that. (or at least makes it extremely problematic) The nearly unconditional support by the US for Israel, no matter what, is similarly charged with emotion and so much less with interest - this we can learn from the Maersheimer book, even if you disagree with its conclusions or research methods. Israelis themselves also are heavily led by emotions. In fact the hole issue of lost faith in the peace as described by Dennis Ross (here: http://anneisaman.blogspot.com/2008/12/whither-middle-east-dennis-ross-on.html) relies on the emotional perception Israelis have of Palestinians. Similarly, I witness the identity politics at play here in Israel everyday. I think your pointing at the moral questions are in a way kin to the element I was thinking of. In my own words it is that of emotion or perception. But certainly a strong emotion at play is that of morality (which eventually is more than an emotion, but certainly is emotionally charged). Another emotionally charged element is that of national pride and sense of identity. Even though the moderate Arabs realistically have more interests in common with Israel, they couldn’t possibly ally with them against their fundamentalist brethren – their own perception of identity and sense of connectedness prevents that. (or at least makes it extremely problematic)
The nearly unconditional support by the US for Israel, no matter what, is similarly charged with emotion and so much less with interest – this we can learn from the Maersheimer book, even if you disagree with its conclusions or research methods.
Israelis themselves also are heavily led by emotions. In fact the hole issue of lost faith in the peace as described by Dennis Ross (here: http://anneisaman.blogspot.com/2008/12/whither-middle-east-dennis-ross-on.html) relies on the emotional perception Israelis have of Palestinians. Similarly, I witness the identity politics at play here in Israel everyday.

]]> By: Dara http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/the-middle-east-as-a-game-of-risk/#comment-528 Dara Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:45:22 +0000 http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/?p=1915#comment-528 Hi Anne, Thanks for the reference to your review. I must have missed it back in March. I found Susser's talk illuminating because he tries to be dispassionate and non-ideological and seems to succeed most of the time. In particular I found eye-opening his assertion that Egypt and Syria are no longer heavyweight regional players and that in fact Egypt does not even have full sovereignty in its own territory (e.g. lack of control over the smuggling tunnels into Gaza). You make some good points in your review, particularly your question that if moderate Arab regimes would like to see Hamas and Iran humbled, isn't it better that the Arabs do it themselves? Susser did not address that directly, except in the way he portrayed Egypt and Jordan as being weak and timid vis-à-vis Iran. Also, Israel has higher stakes in the game. To the extent that Israel feels an existential threat from Iran, it needs to establish its deterrent credentials more clearly. Could this have been achieved through diplomacy? Again Susser didn't address that, but he seemed to think the war might succeed in strengthening Egypt's hand, and ability to stop the arms trafficking. What is missing in this kind of "realist" analysis? I guess moral questions can too easily fall by the wayside. If we lacked idealism in the world, we'd still have the African slave trade supplying the American south with laborers. Hi Anne,

Thanks for the reference to your review. I must have missed it back in March.

I found Susser’s talk illuminating because he tries to be dispassionate and non-ideological and seems to succeed most of the time. In particular I found eye-opening his assertion that Egypt and Syria are no longer heavyweight regional players and that in fact Egypt does not even have full sovereignty in its own territory (e.g. lack of control over the smuggling tunnels into Gaza).

You make some good points in your review, particularly your question that if moderate Arab regimes would like to see Hamas and Iran humbled, isn’t it better that the Arabs do it themselves?

Susser did not address that directly, except in the way he portrayed Egypt and Jordan as being weak and timid vis-à-vis Iran. Also, Israel has higher stakes in the game. To the extent that Israel feels an existential threat from Iran, it needs to establish its deterrent credentials more clearly. Could this have been achieved through diplomacy? Again Susser didn’t address that, but he seemed to think the war might succeed in strengthening Egypt’s hand, and ability to stop the arms trafficking.

What is missing in this kind of “realist” analysis? I guess moral questions can too easily fall by the wayside. If we lacked idealism in the world, we’d still have the African slave trade supplying the American south with laborers.

]]> By: Anne is a Man http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/the-middle-east-as-a-game-of-risk/#comment-526 Anne is a Man Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:52:22 +0000 http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/?p=1915#comment-526 Hi Dara, It seems you have mixed feelings about this lecture by Susser. I must say, I have mixed feelings about them and expressed them as well in my own review of this podcast episode: http://anneisaman.blogspot.com/2009/03/asher-susser-ucla-israel-studies.html Many of these strategic talks seem to miss an elementary point that is also very decisively at play in the geopolitics of the Middle East - or anywhere else in the world for that matter. It is worth a discussion what that might be. Anne Hi Dara,

It seems you have mixed feelings about this lecture by Susser. I must say, I have mixed feelings about them and expressed them as well in my own review of this podcast episode: http://anneisaman.blogspot.com/2009/03/asher-susser-ucla-israel-studies.html

Many of these strategic talks seem to miss an elementary point that is also very decisively at play in the geopolitics of the Middle East – or anywhere else in the world for that matter. It is worth a discussion what that might be.
Anne

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