Swamppundit

Dear Salam,

The nutcases from your part of the world claim a tactical superiority over the West because of their embrace of death. They claim their willingness to be a martyr, and their willingness to kill noncombatants means they will overcome disadvantages in other areas and ultimately succeed.

First, I can understand why they would trumpet this so-called advantage because it is the only one they have. As fighters, they are outnumbered by the West; they have primitive technology compared to the West, they are less well-trained than the West, they are poorly equipped compared to the West, their military leaders are inferior compared to the West, and, in fact, they have been routed in each and every military confrontation they have ever had with the West.

When the only thing you are capable of doing is hiding in the shadows and occasionally striking out to kill unguarded, unsuspecting, innocents, then it is of course likely that you will proclaim that hiding in the shadows and occasionally striking out to kill unguarded, unsuspecting, innocents is the best strategy for success and that your ability to hide in the shadows and occasionally strike out to kill unguarded, unsuspecting, innocents guarantees you ultimate success.

But, Salam, really, is there any evidence that such a tactical advantage is advantageous? Is there any evidence that a culture that glorifies death prospers over a culture that glorifies life? Do not confuse, Salam, strength versus weakness, with death versus life. A culture that glorifies life can be strong, and a culture that glorifies death can be weak. In fact, Salam, any objective survey of world cultures would demonstrate that in the long run, the cultures that most value life are the cultures that thrive and grow strong.

Look what Israel is doing to affect the return of a single solder kidnapped in Gaza. Israel is clearly a culture that values each soldier’s life very dearly. Hamas on the other hand, clearly relishes producing martyrs for the cause. Salam, you don’t have to like Israel to open your eyes and see that an Israeli culture of life has created a very strong and vital nation, while a Hamas culture of death has created a society that is at the bottom of any scale of civilization you wish to use. Can you name a single country on this earth with poorer prospects for providing a good life for its people than a Hamas-run Palestine?

Embrace life, Salam. Reject martyrdom. To embrace life is to focus your energy on making a better life for your family as opposed to making a worse life for your enemy. Your enemies do not hold you back, Salam; it is your focus on your enemies that holds you back.

Do not listen to the nutcases among you. Their so-called advantage merely guarantees that they will forever have none of the other advantages of life.

Love,
Clarence