Hiroshima on My Mind
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Photo Credit: Yori Yanover (based on "Dr. Strangelove")
The Spokesman for the IDF is constantly announcing that the Israeli Air Force is doing pinpoint bombing in order to protect innocent civilians. Prime Minister Netanyahu also says that Israel deserves praise for the care it is taking not to injure innocent civilians.
Apparently to them, these “civilians” are “innocent” even though they house grad rocket launchers in their homes, and it’s their fathers and brothers who are doing the firing. In the meantime, we are bombing evacuated warehouses and underground tunnels, and the Gazans keep firing away, not at all worried about being hit. In the 200 plus forays our fighter bombers have made over Gaza, maybe 20 people have been killed and a couple dozen wounded. Peanuts. So the innocent civilians keep shooting away.
Whose approval are we trying to win? Has America or the United Nations applauded us on our great sense of morality and fair play? Has France or Russia? You’ve got to be kidding. In their heart of hearts, they think that we’re jerks. No one fights a war this way.
Calculations of the death-toll from the Anglo-American bombing of Dresden in February 1945 have varied widely. Figures have ranged from 35,000 through 100,000 and more. The German city of Dresden had a population of three quarters of a million people, plus hordes of anonymous refugees from the Eastern Front. It was destroyed in one night by Allied aircraft armed with more than 4,500 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs. The devastated area amounted to around 13 square miles – not much different from the size of Gaza. The victims weren’t Nazi soldiers but innocent civilians. No one said a word.
Toward the end of World War 2, following a firebombing campaign that destroyed many Japanese cities, the Allies prepared for a costly invasion of Japan, knowing that thousands of American soldiers would be killed. To avoid this, American airmen dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, immediately killing 66,000 innocent civilians. Then they dropped the “Fat Man” bomb over Nagasaki on 9 August, killing 40,000. Six days later, the Japanese surrendered without the loss of one American soldier in Japan. Within the first two to four months of the bombings, the acute effects killed 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki. Once again, no one said a word.
If you ask me, it’s time we took a lesson from the goyim. Before even one of our soldiers steps foot in Gaza, instead of bombing vacant warehouses and tunnels, we should level a few eight-story buildings filled with “innocent civilians.” That will stops the rockets, believe me.
tell a friendAbout the Author: Tzvi Fishman was awarded the Israel Ministry of Education Prize for Creativity and Jewish Culture for his novel "Tevye in the Promised Land." For the past several years, he has written a popular and controversial blog at Arutz 7. A wide selection of his books are available at Amazon. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of The Jewish Press
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There was absolutely no military reason for the firebombing of Dresden. The author is advocating war crimes. Deliberately targeting civilians is what Hamas does, not Israel.
I am an american…my heart is now and always will be with Israel…anything and everything should be done to safe her…period.
I am an american…my heart is now and always will be with Israel…anything and everything should be done to safe her…period.
If this is tongue and cheek, then the tongue is all the way down your throat. You’ve created a paper tiger, in a wet paper sack. The demise of your premise is inevitable and incontrovertible. First and foremost, the proper term is “civilian non-combatants,” not “innocent civilians.” You alone, certainly aren’t innocent. Secondly, it is not true that the twisted sister bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were without outcry, any more than the interment of citizens of the United States of Japanese descent during WWII. There was no vocal or in-print response from people you knew, probably is what you meant. Thirdly, in regard to the bombing of Dresden, the only “benefit” from the bombing was help for the Soviets, and we already know that Stalin murdered more non-combatants, than Hitler, about 4 times as many. The German Air Force, bombed civilian populations, themselves, and the action could be viewed as retaliation couched in more digestible terminology. Lastly, go ahead, use Hitler and Stalin and Truman and Hamas as your role models. Maybe you are correct. We should all just bomb the hell out of each other until there is no Israel, or Palestinians, or Hamas left. I have to admit, I didn’t raise my voice during these incidents. I was only a twinkle in my father’s eye at that point in my life.
If this is tongue and cheek, then the tongue is all the way down your throat. You’ve created a paper tiger, in a wet paper sack. The demise of your premise is inevitable and incontrovertible. First and foremost, the proper term is “civilian non-combatants,” not “innocent civilians.” You alone, certainly aren’t innocent. Secondly, it is not true that the twisted sister bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were without outcry, any more than the interment of citizens of the United States of Japanese descent during WWII. There was no vocal or in-print response from people you knew, probably is what you meant. Thirdly, in regard to the bombing of Dresden, the only “benefit” from the bombing was help for the Soviets, and we already know that Stalin murdered more non-combatants, than Hitler, about 4 times as many. The German Air Force, bombed civilian populations, themselves, and the action could be viewed as retaliation couched in more digestible terminology. Lastly, go ahead, use Hitler and Stalin and Truman and Hamas as your role models. Maybe you are correct. We should all just bomb the hell out of each other until there is no Israel, or Palestinians, or Hamas left. I have to admit, I didn’t raise my voice during these incidents. I was only a twinkle in my father’s eye at that point in my life.
More of the same…..
More of the same…..
As an American, I’m sorry that our President doesn’t have Israel’s back. You do have my support and prayers just the same.
As an American, I’m sorry that our President doesn’t have Israel’s back. You do have my support and prayers just the same.
The photomontage is SHAMEFUL and fruit of FOREIGN, LEFTIST and NON JEWISH IDEAS.
Tzvi is anything BUT a Dr. Strangelove!
I don’t find it humorous while there are THOUSANDS of media attacking Israel and we are in war!
Just learn what King David did to the Philistines in Gaza after the kidnapping of ONE Jewish woman…
THAT IS THE EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW!
It’s MOSES’ example: he knew he would have died after ELIMINATING the Amaleqite Medianites, yet he did not wait or hesitate.
WE MUST DO WHAT OUR ENEMIES ARE REAY TO DO TO US, that’s why King David used to go around in war with the cut-off foreskins of the Philistines he killed, even though mutilating is forbidden by the Torah but WAR IS THE EXCEPTION!
Learn some REAL TORAH, not just Torat HaGalut. Start with some RaMba”M…and the Laws of War…
The photomontage is SHAMEFUL and fruit of FOREIGN, LEFTIST and NON JEWISH IDEAS.
Tzvi is anything BUT a Dr. Strangelove!
I don’t find it humorous while there are THOUSANDS of media attacking Israel and we are in war!
Just learn what King David did to the Philistines in Gaza after the kidnapping of ONE Jewish woman…
THAT IS THE EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW!
It’s MOSES’ example: he knew he would have died after ELIMINATING the Amaleqite Medianites, yet he did not wait or hesitate.
WE MUST DO WHAT OUR ENEMIES ARE REAY TO DO TO US, that’s why King David used to go around in war with the cut-off foreskins of the Philistines he killed, even though mutilating is forbidden by the Torah but WAR IS THE EXCEPTION!
Learn some REAL TORAH, not just Torat HaGalut. Start with some RaMba”M…and the Laws of War…
BTW: international law, that is the IV Geneva Convention, ALLOWS responding even with artillery fire toward the point of origin of an attack on a Sovereign State. The War Crime is shooting FROM civilian areas, NOT RESPONDING to the shooting!
BTW: international law, that is the IV Geneva Convention, ALLOWS responding even with artillery fire toward the point of origin of an attack on a Sovereign State. The War Crime is shooting FROM civilian areas, NOT RESPONDING to the shooting!
ציפורן של אחד מילדינו יקרה יותר מאלף סיעני חבלה.
העולם כבר מאשים אותנו וזה לא ישתנה אם נשלח את חילינו לעבוד בפינצתות, לההרג ולהפצע כדי למצא חן בעיני הגויים והאו”ם שמום.
אין טוב למות במלחמה כדי לחסוך בחיי האויב!
ולמי שדואג מתגובת הגויים. טוב להזכר מדברי בן גוריון:
“לא חשוב מה יגידו הגויים, חשוב מה יעשו היהודים” אמר דוד בן גוריון, 29 מרץ 1955, למשה שרת שחשש מפני תגובת ה-או”ם-שמום לפעולות תגמול של צה”ל ברצועת עזה.
ציפורן של אחד מילדינו יקרה יותר מאלף סיעני חבלה.
העולם כבר מאשים אותנו וזה לא ישתנה אם נשלח את חילינו לעבוד בפינצתות, לההרג ולהפצע כדי למצא חן בעיני הגויים והאו”ם שמום.
אין טוב למות במלחמה כדי לחסוך בחיי האויב!
ולמי שדואג מתגובת הגויים. טוב להזכר מדברי בן גוריון:
“לא חשוב מה יגידו הגויים, חשוב מה יעשו היהודים” אמר דוד בן גוריון, 29 מרץ 1955, למשה שרת שחשש מפני תגובת ה-או”ם-שמום לפעולות תגמול של צה”ל ברצועת עזה.
Right On!
Right On!
If I had a magic wand the Jews would never have lost the Land of Israel to the Romans, and the Jews would never have allowed them or the Byzantines or the Arabs to take over our land.
But I do not have a magic wand, I live in the real world.
You believe that Dr. Baruch Goldstein had a good solution to Arab terror- kill the Arabs.
So when you mention Dresden and Hiroshima it is logical to see that you are enjoying a fantasy of Israel dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza, or a Dresden scale carpet bombing.
I agree that Israel has a right to bomb an apartment building that is being used to attack Israelis.
But I think Israel has to try to minimize civilian deaths as much as is possible.
Even the brothers and sons of Hamas murderers are innocent and should be included in whom Israel is trying to avoid from killing.
Your statement about how the World did nothing after Hiroshima was bombed, reminded me of how Adolph Hitler said the same thing about the Armenian genocide.
But while most of the world was willing to say and do nothing about the murder of a million and a half Armenians by the Turks, and say and do nothing about the murder of six million Jews by the Germans, the world will not say and do nothing about killing a million or more Arabs in Gaza.
Even when Israel takes great pains to avoid civilian deaths it has been and will be condemned by most of the world.
If it would follow your advice and not try to limit civilian deaths the reaction would be much more than condemnation.
It would include the end of mainstream support for Israel in the United States.
That in turn, would make Obama look like Cyrus the Great.
The US would stop all trade and any military and economic aid to Israel.
It would assist UN forces in a military take over of Judea and Samaria, including Jerusalem.
You really should keep your fantasies to yourself or at most keep it to your family or a therapist.
Israel cannot survive on G-d alone in 2012 anymore than it could ignore Roman ultimatums in 70.
Israel needs alternative ideas and leadership alternatives for its vexing problems.
Your ideas that celebrate murdering innocent people are not part of the solution.
They certainly are part of the problem and you are the fulfillment of a Hamas dream.
If I had a magic wand the Jews would never have lost the Land of Israel to the Romans, and the Jews would never have allowed them or the Byzantines or the Arabs to take over our land.
But I do not have a magic wand, I live in the real world.
You believe that Dr. Baruch Goldstein had a good solution to Arab terror- kill the Arabs.
So when you mention Dresden and Hiroshima it is logical to see that you are enjoying a fantasy of Israel dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza, or a Dresden scale carpet bombing.
I agree that Israel has a right to bomb an apartment building that is being used to attack Israelis.
But I think Israel has to try to minimize civilian deaths as much as is possible.
Even the brothers and sons of Hamas murderers are innocent and should be included in whom Israel is trying to avoid from killing.
Your statement about how the World did nothing after Hiroshima was bombed, reminded me of how Adolph Hitler said the same thing about the Armenian genocide.
But while most of the world was willing to say and do nothing about the murder of a million and a half Armenians by the Turks, and say and do nothing about the murder of six million Jews by the Germans, the world will not say and do nothing about killing a million or more Arabs in Gaza.
Even when Israel takes great pains to avoid civilian deaths it has been and will be condemned by most of the world.
If it would follow your advice and not try to limit civilian deaths the reaction would be much more than condemnation.
It would include the end of mainstream support for Israel in the United States.
That in turn, would make Obama look like Cyrus the Great.
The US would stop all trade and any military and economic aid to Israel.
It would assist UN forces in a military take over of Judea and Samaria, including Jerusalem.
You really should keep your fantasies to yourself or at most keep it to your family or a therapist.
Israel cannot survive on G-d alone in 2012 anymore than it could ignore Roman ultimatums in 70.
Israel needs alternative ideas and leadership alternatives for its vexing problems.
Your ideas that celebrate murdering innocent people are not part of the solution.
They certainly are part of the problem and you are the fulfillment of a Hamas dream.
I totally agree with Tzvi whose country, the size of New Jersey, is being attacked by not only missiles but by rockets and even mortars.
Seems to me if Mecca is off limits to attack it being a religious site then too should the same apply to Jerusalem. But the ‘religion of peace’ only sees the answers in a ‘conquer the world’ mindset.
I totally agree with Tzvi whose country, the size of New Jersey, is being attacked by not only missiles but by rockets and even mortars.
Seems to me if Mecca is off limits to attack it being a religious site then too should the same apply to Jerusalem. But the ‘religion of peace’ only sees the answers in a ‘conquer the world’ mindset.
To better understand this war and in fact all wars, one should read “War and Peace” The Teachings of HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook.
Obviously, throughout war history, the annihilation of Bismarks, Fredericks, Hitlers, Mussolinis and Hirohitos brings a cleansing to the world. IMO, the annihilation of the Islamic Jihads would do the same cleansing to the world; however, the only problem is that the main supporter of Islamic Jihad via the Muslim Brotherhood is Obama.
Now if you American Obama supporting Jews would repent and come to live a Torah life in Israel, things would be a lot better and so would your ideas about what is going on in Israel at this time.
To better understand this war and in fact all wars, one should read "War and Peace" The Teachings of HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook.
Obviously, throughout war history, the annihilation of Bismarks, Fredericks, Hitlers, Mussolinis and Hirohitos brings a cleansing to the world. IMO, the annihilation of the Islamic Jihads would do the same cleansing to the world; however, the only problem is that the main supporter of Islamic Jihad via the Muslim Brotherhood is Obama.
Now if you American Obama supporting Jews would repent and come to live a Torah life in Israel, things would be a lot better and so would your ideas about what is going on in Israel at this time.
Tzvi Fishman expressed only a Torah-netto position.
It is shameful that someone fabricated a Stanley Kubrick inspired image manipulation and put it on a Jewish paper to do a character assassination on a Jew who, in simple words, expressed what Torah teaches to be appropriate behavior in war: preserve OUR soldiers' and our kids' lives and make the war shorter by killing the most enemies in the safest of ways. That is: make Jewish lives precious by making the consequences of attacking us UNBEARABLE FOR THE ENEMY AND THEIR SUPPORTERS.
The bible says 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." If this is so, we will all be blind and toothless before long. I hate violence. It always seems to beget more violence. Is there not another solution? Like Israel switching off Gaza's electricity, water and no more food supplies? Together with pinpoint bombing, maybe they will get the message. Regrettably, the Muslim Radical Mentality is such that there is no reasoning, no logic, no truth, and no possibility for peace because they do not want it. They want, instead, to kill the Jews and kick them out of this land they feel is theirs. If all fails, then, I suppose the IDF must do what it must do. The present situation is untenable.