Amalekites

Well they are at it again in the Middle East. Just when many Americans felt that we were going to spend our time and energy trying to fix our economy, this historical battle flared once again. I am very uncomfortable in thinking about what I am about to say, but the times require it. I think it is time we begin treating these people like the Amalekites of ancient history.

In the biblical era, the Tribes of Israel returned from Egypt to what they felt was their sacred land of Israel.

Having been gone for several hundred years, they encountered resistance to their claim of rightful ownership. These locals, the most famous of which were called Amalekites, many historians feel, were actually distant relatives of the Jews. It makes no difference whether they were or not, almost all the residents of the Middle East to this day have distant relations to each other.

According to the biblical text, Moses ordered his best general, Joshua to fight and destroy the Amalekites. Note here, that I use the word destroy. It was a common practice in those times for the victor to utterly destroy all of the people of another tribe or country, at the end of the conflict.

In one instance, during this early history of warfare between the Jews and the other local tribes of the area, God got angry at the way his chosen people had acted at the end of the battle. He was angry not because they had killed many of their enemies, he was mad because they did not totally destroy all remnants of the other people.

His instructions were to kill every member of the other tribe plus all their animals and possessions. Nothing was to remain. I am no biblical scholar, but I assure you this is in the text of the Old Testament.

It has now been a few thousand years since this time of resettlement by the Israelis. They were not able to hold on to their conquered lands for very long at any time.

Successive waves of outsiders have come and gone. Some of these outsiders like the Palestinians claim that they are the actual historical owners of the land.

Conquerors followed throughout the years. The Mesopotamians, Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and British, were just a few of the many civilizations that established control for a time over what many call the "Holy Land."

Most Americans have a difficult time understanding the Middle East, and Israel. We get confused by the various religious issues in this conflict. The real issue is control, regardless of who has it, or for how long.

History tells us that this area is going to be at war, period. There has never been, nor will there ever be a time of peace for these lands. Right now, the western powers and Israel, have a tenuous grip on power in the area. How long they will keep this control is debatable.

My prediction is simple. The side that looks to history for insight will prevail, at least for a time. For many years now American policy in the region has been to support Israel in this conflict. At the same time, we have tried to play both sides because of all the oil in the area.

The money from the sale of all of this oil by the Islamic States, has been used to fund an ever increasing guerilla type of war against Israel, and a world wide terrorist movement against us and our allies. Sept. 11 was a planned attack, as have been many other terrorist attacks.

Our response was to begin attacks in the Middle East in two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq. If you look on a map, you will find that these two countries surround Iran on both sides. Most of the western leadership feels that Iran is the real enemy. They are the growing and dangerous power in the region.

Once again, we are poised to win temporary control. Just like in the times of the Crusades, we are trying to gain domination of this long embattled region.

Some previous conquerors have followed Joshua's strategy of total annihilation. When the future emperor of Rome, Vespasian was sent to quell the Jewish rebellion in 66 A.D., he followed the script. He and his son Titus devastated the area and its cities. Those they did not kill, they enslaved. Brutal as these practices were, they were successful. For a long time Rome found peace, if only for a time.

It is important to know that these times of peace are far from permanent. A hundred or more years from now, someone besides us and Israel may be the conquerors. History shows us that this is the way of the Middle East.

The real issue is how we conquer and control. Do we follow the examples of Joshua and Rome? Do we on the other hand feel there is a more peaceful and humane way to tackle this problem?

I hate to say this, but I am going to just the same. If we want peace, even if for only a brief time in historical terms, I think we must treat the area as if they are Amalekites. I don't like it, but I don't think anything else seems to work.

Right now, Israel is practicing this theory in Gaza. Are they right? I don't know, but I do know that what we have been doing is not working. History will be the judge not me. I for one, am not going to question anymore what Israel does to survive, are you?