1415. Agincourt. A force of english knights and archers, hungry from lack of food and tired from an 18-day march were met by a force of france's finest knights. The french outnumbered the english by almost 5 to 1. Three hours later, 10,000 french knights, knighthood itself, and chivalry had all been struck their deathblows.
The english archer, one of histories most dangerous weapons until very recent times, was the undoing of the knights as much as the knights themselves. Knights (particularly the french ones, who gave us the word chivalry) were attached to a style of warfare not on account of its effectiveness, but because it represented something attractive to them. While for a period they were highly effective on the battlefield, english archers, Swiss pikemen, and the general march of civilization and technology left them vulnerable on the battlefield. As warfare began to change, they remained committed to a style of warfare that made them feel noble, generous, and full of Christian goodness. Then they began to suffer catastrophic defeats by enemies who, while not nearly so noble, fought more effectively. Agincourt is the best known, though far from only, example.
Israel's heroic nobility has been its warriors, from biblical times until today. They stretch from Moses, Joshua, and David, to Noam Apter and every Golani fighter that does brave things that we will never hear about. Israel is rightly proud of her fine and noble soldiers that go out to fight off our evil enemies. We as a people say prayers for them, send them pizza, volunteer, raise money, and support them in a thousand different ways. We even lend the army our children, knowing we might not get them back. What healthy, normal Jew doesn't feel a sense pride when looking at an Israeli soldier - the pride of a people who crawled through 2,000 years of goyish massacres and oppression to stand tall and return upright to their land, with the blood of kings and prophets running in their veins, brought there by a promise of the Almighty God.
Our soldiers defeated every enemy they met on the field of battle. They were outnumbered, out-equipped, out-trained, and surrounded every time. Every time they won. If there is an image of an Israeli soldier, it might be Yoni Netanyahu. He was a scholar, heroically brave, and fought and rescued Jews against astounding odds. He struck down terrorists who were threatening to murder many Jews.
But our enemies have changed, and we have not. Like the brave french knights at Agincourt who rode to meet their foes honorably in man-to man combat between nobles, we have been much surprised lately.
While the french were met by commoners shooting arrows, we are met by snipers who shoot babies, genocidal monsters who target groups of children, terrorists who shoot from UN buildings and churches, terrorists dressed as Israeli soldiers, terrorists in UN uniforms, and parents who raise their children to be human bombs. On top of this, add the chemical, biological and nuclear weapons that are in our enemies hands. According to several reports, this includes the enemies that surround our state, as well as those that we have invited in.
Even Yoni Netanyahu would have a hard time with this. Superman would have a hard time with this.
To fight effectively against these new kinds of threats, we need to do things in new ways. That may mean not always fighting as 'honorably', or 'nobly', or in ways that make us proud, or feel good about ourselves. We may not be able to show ideal Christian mercy to our vanquished foes. We may not feel heroic doing things in new ways. Our job in war is to win, not to feel good. War feels bad, even when you win. That is still better than losing.
We are fighting an enemy that intentionally uses our humanity as a weapon against us. We should not allow them to use the kindnesses and honor that we offer to kind and honorable people as a shield from behind which they may launch their attacks on us. Our responsibility is to protect our Nation - its People and its Land. The burden of the consequences of the form that this is required to take falls on those who force this war upon us.
We must begin to fight differently, or perish.
--------------------------------------------------------
The Elder of Zion is a senior level executive with a privately held multinational. He is responsible for various operations, including governmental oversight, media manipulation, banking, and global AIDS distribution. In his spare time he occupies contested territories and oppresses innocents; usually peace-loving arab children named 'jihad,' who were just out working on their rock collections.
The english archer, one of histories most dangerous weapons until very recent times, was the undoing of the knights as much as the knights themselves. Knights (particularly the french ones, who gave us the word chivalry) were attached to a style of warfare not on account of its effectiveness, but because it represented something attractive to them. While for a period they were highly effective on the battlefield, english archers, Swiss pikemen, and the general march of civilization and technology left them vulnerable on the battlefield. As warfare began to change, they remained committed to a style of warfare that made them feel noble, generous, and full of Christian goodness. Then they began to suffer catastrophic defeats by enemies who, while not nearly so noble, fought more effectively. Agincourt is the best known, though far from only, example.
Israel's heroic nobility has been its warriors, from biblical times until today. They stretch from Moses, Joshua, and David, to Noam Apter and every Golani fighter that does brave things that we will never hear about. Israel is rightly proud of her fine and noble soldiers that go out to fight off our evil enemies. We as a people say prayers for them, send them pizza, volunteer, raise money, and support them in a thousand different ways. We even lend the army our children, knowing we might not get them back. What healthy, normal Jew doesn't feel a sense pride when looking at an Israeli soldier - the pride of a people who crawled through 2,000 years of goyish massacres and oppression to stand tall and return upright to their land, with the blood of kings and prophets running in their veins, brought there by a promise of the Almighty God.
Our soldiers defeated every enemy they met on the field of battle. They were outnumbered, out-equipped, out-trained, and surrounded every time. Every time they won. If there is an image of an Israeli soldier, it might be Yoni Netanyahu. He was a scholar, heroically brave, and fought and rescued Jews against astounding odds. He struck down terrorists who were threatening to murder many Jews.
But our enemies have changed, and we have not. Like the brave french knights at Agincourt who rode to meet their foes honorably in man-to man combat between nobles, we have been much surprised lately.
While the french were met by commoners shooting arrows, we are met by snipers who shoot babies, genocidal monsters who target groups of children, terrorists who shoot from UN buildings and churches, terrorists dressed as Israeli soldiers, terrorists in UN uniforms, and parents who raise their children to be human bombs. On top of this, add the chemical, biological and nuclear weapons that are in our enemies hands. According to several reports, this includes the enemies that surround our state, as well as those that we have invited in.
Even Yoni Netanyahu would have a hard time with this. Superman would have a hard time with this.
To fight effectively against these new kinds of threats, we need to do things in new ways. That may mean not always fighting as 'honorably', or 'nobly', or in ways that make us proud, or feel good about ourselves. We may not be able to show ideal Christian mercy to our vanquished foes. We may not feel heroic doing things in new ways. Our job in war is to win, not to feel good. War feels bad, even when you win. That is still better than losing.
We are fighting an enemy that intentionally uses our humanity as a weapon against us. We should not allow them to use the kindnesses and honor that we offer to kind and honorable people as a shield from behind which they may launch their attacks on us. Our responsibility is to protect our Nation - its People and its Land. The burden of the consequences of the form that this is required to take falls on those who force this war upon us.
We must begin to fight differently, or perish.
--------------------------------------------------------
The Elder of Zion is a senior level executive with a privately held multinational. He is responsible for various operations, including governmental oversight, media manipulation, banking, and global AIDS distribution. In his spare time he occupies contested territories and oppresses innocents; usually peace-loving arab children named 'jihad,' who were just out working on their rock collections.