okie wrote:Cycloptichorn wrote:No, that's fine, but once again we come back to the point of Tactics versus Strategy.
What is Israel's Strategy for defeating terrorism and securing their country? Noone seems to know, including them. We know what their tactics are, but does Israel really believe what they are doing is going to add to their long-term stability in any way?
Cycloptichorn
I'm not sure what you mean by tactics or strategy? If my neighbor sits on his front porch and lobs grenades into my yard and my house and at me, what am I supposed to do? I don't know whether you call it tactics or stategy, but whatever you call it, I probably would go over and take his hand grenades away, and if he tries to land a punch in the process, I might land one back. Is that strategy or tactics?
cicerone imposter wrote:
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No, it's only the "degree" to which Israel has responded to this conflict. Firepower doesn't necessarily mean they use it wisely.
Most countries in this world including most people would have preferred to have seen some involvement by other countries to intervene before bombing the shet out of Lebanon. People makes peace, not bombs.
What if my neighbors don't care, and they say, stay off the man's property. Meanwhile he continues to sit on his porch and lob grenades at me. I would say their firepower is being used wisely by going in and taking out the launch pad sites and the places where Hezbollah is launching their operations. Yes, people make peace, not bombs, how about the neighbor, in this case, Hezbollah making peace? I don't see it happening. Get real, cicerone. This all comes under the heading, "SELF DEFENSE."
Yeah, here you go again comparing an entirely complicated problem to a simple problem and then determining that the initial problem is just as simple. It is not, and your insistance that it is only belies your lack of understanding of the situation.
The difference between Tactics and Strategy, in terms of your misplaced analogy, is thus: Strategy is answering the question, 'What will be the best way to keep my home safe?' Tactics are the methods you use to carry out that strategy. In this case, if someone is threatening your house, what is the best way to keep it safe? Violence, reason, appeal to authority, negotiation, compromise? It isn't just a matter of the best 'short-term' solution, either; one must consider the long-term effects of one's actions, and then accordingly choose a tactical manuever.
In this case, your analogy is terrible, because Israel was never in any real danger as a nation. Their response is the equivalent of you killing or maiming someone who threw a pebble at your front door. Sure, it'll stop their actions, but will it make you safer in the long run?
Cycloptichorn
