This article clearly delineates the “clash of civilizations” – the chasm between the American and European world view. Reading it, one also understands the vast difference in approach between America and Europe to Israel. And no, it has nothing to do with anti-semitism. Americans are no less xenophobic about Jews and others than there European counterpart. I would say, that they are probably more so in point of fact.
“Americans, after all, have become good at fighting terrorists but not at fighting terrorism. As one German political scientist put it: ‘You think we are nave for resisting the use of force. We think you are nave for failing to understand how to dry up the sources of terror.’”
One of the things that drove me insane when I lived in Israel was the constant refrain: “You are so naive.” In the late ’80s, when Arik Sharon was handing out huge subsidies to encourage Israelis to move to the West Bank, a friend asked why we wouldn’t move there. I responded that I believed that someday we would half to give it back. He laughed in response, and said: “You are so naive. We control all of Gaza with one small division of the army.”
Well today, not even Generallisimo Sharon is eager to permanently re-conquer all of Gaza.