Proportional Responses

The Hedgehog Blog has a great post by a guest writer, Paul Kujawsky, on Israel's response to the Hezbollah attacks.

He argues that Israel's response is not "disproportionate," as all her critics contend. If "proportionate" means equal, he says, then the US should have only knocked down Afghanistan's two biggest buildings and called us even. Here's how Kujawsky defines "proportionate:"

First, "proportionate" does not mean "tit-for-tat." If you hit me without justification, my goal in hitting back is not to establish an equilibrium of ongoing violence. My goal is to hit you hard enough to make you stop. No more rockets in the Negev and the Galilee.

Second, a proportionate defense must include deterrence. Not only do I want you to stop hitting me; I want to make you never want to do it again. And I want to make those supporting you (Syria and Iran) nervous.

Third, in war, even a proportionate response can involve the suffering of innocents. Unfortunately, no one has yet devised a way of waging war without unintended civilian casualties. Here, note that while Israel drops leaflets warning Palestinian and Lebanese civilians to stay away from likely targets, Hamas and Hizbolla do their best to kill Israeli civilians. Note too the opinion polls showing that a solid majority of Palestinians favor the kidnaping of Israeli soldiers and the rocketing of Israeli cities. Hamas and Hizbolla have both won electoral victories, despite (or because of) their Islamist programs. Thus, the civilian populations in Palestine and Lebanon can be considered not entirely "innocent."

Israel's critics will find anything to criticize about Israel. Their goal is to characterize Israel as in the wrong. Always. If Hezbollah attacks Israel, it's Israel's fault. If Israel strikes back, it's Israel's fault. Instead of Bush Derangement Syndrome (HT: Michelle Malkin), it's Israel Derangement Syndrome. And IDS is a permanent condition, short of a miracle.

So Israel needs to ignore the critics, ignore the cries of disproportionality, and ignore America's approved timetable for bombing Hezbollah. They need to get the job done in truly proportional fashion.