Comments on: Wrong And Ineffective http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2009/01/14/wrong-and-ineffective/ n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:02:13 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: kent http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2009/01/14/wrong-and-ineffective/comment-page-1/#comment-29732 kent Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:51:55 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=8098#comment-29732 Terrific piece. Thanks for articulating what I've been wrestling with in various arguments with friends and family of late. Terrific piece. Thanks for articulating what I’ve been wrestling with in various arguments with friends and family of late.

]]> By: srv http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2009/01/14/wrong-and-ineffective/comment-page-1/#comment-29730 srv Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:08:20 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=8098#comment-29730 Tommy Franks obviously never met Tom Friedman. With experts like Friedman, Kristol and Ben Stein, the NYT has nowhere to go but down. Tommy Franks obviously never met Tom Friedman. With experts like Friedman, Kristol and Ben Stein, the NYT has nowhere to go but down.

]]> By: Charlie http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2009/01/14/wrong-and-ineffective/comment-page-1/#comment-29729 Charlie Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:56:23 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=8098#comment-29729 <i>The reality that this response is irrational and usually leads to bad outcomes is irrelevant–this is the way that people under attack react.... As a matter of mass psychology, rallying behind leaders, even leaders who are responsible for plunging you into your predicament, is instinctive.</i> This gets at the inherent absurdity of Friedman's position, which assumes that the "punished" population will look to their punishers for an explanation of what's happening. Just as Americans were in no mood for a lecture from bin Laden in the aftermath of Sept. 11, Gazans aren't going to listen to the Israeli government with renewed attentiveness in the aftermath of the current military campaign. When things get crazy people will naturally seek explanations from better-informed people that they trust more--their own politicians, their own media. That's not wholly rational, since governments and the media, even in free societies, aren't necessarily trustworthy. But it's certainly more rational than getting the shit kicked out of you and then asking your attacker for advice on how to change your behavior. Friedman, I suppose, might respond that this case is simple, since Israel's only intention is to let Gazans know that, if rockets fly from Gaza into Israel, then Israel will inflict massive pain on Gaza. But that's exactly the problem. Friedman has his own assumptions about how the conflict is "obviously" perceived, whereas the average Gazan would be baffled by his premise that Israel's current campaign is "retaliation" for wrongs inflicted on Israelis by the Palestinian leadership. The reality that this response is irrational and usually leads to bad outcomes is irrelevant–this is the way that people under attack react…. As a matter of mass psychology, rallying behind leaders, even leaders who are responsible for plunging you into your predicament, is instinctive.

This gets at the inherent absurdity of Friedman’s position, which assumes that the “punished” population will look to their punishers for an explanation of what’s happening. Just as Americans were in no mood for a lecture from bin Laden in the aftermath of Sept. 11, Gazans aren’t going to listen to the Israeli government with renewed attentiveness in the aftermath of the current military campaign.

When things get crazy people will naturally seek explanations from better-informed people that they trust more–their own politicians, their own media. That’s not wholly rational, since governments and the media, even in free societies, aren’t necessarily trustworthy. But it’s certainly more rational than getting the shit kicked out of you and then asking your attacker for advice on how to change your behavior.

Friedman, I suppose, might respond that this case is simple, since Israel’s only intention is to let Gazans know that, if rockets fly from Gaza into Israel, then Israel will inflict massive pain on Gaza. But that’s exactly the problem. Friedman has his own assumptions about how the conflict is “obviously” perceived, whereas the average Gazan would be baffled by his premise that Israel’s current campaign is “retaliation” for wrongs inflicted on Israelis by the Palestinian leadership.

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