A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
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It is said that as a part of their training IDF (Israeli Defense Force) troops march up the famous mountain named "Masada" reportedly chanting "Never again" and once on top of that impressive mount they take an oath: "Masada shall not fall again."
The slogan " Never Again" was adopted as the motto of the Jewish Defense League. This is what the JDL has to say about their motto, Never Again: "The meaning of JDL’s motto, “Never Again,“ may not be that clear to those who do not know a lot about us. Never Again means first and foremost that Jews will never again go quietly and submissively to our deaths. Never Again means that Jews will not bend to the will of oppressors. Never Again is a motto shouted with the recognition that Jews are not commanded by G-d to be downtrodden and victimized - quite the opposite. Never Again is the motto of the post-Holocaust, truly sensible Jew, who knows that the world can be a dangerous place and that it often gets much more dangerous for Jews when we fail to assert our rights as human beings." SOURCE: http://www.jdl.org/index.php/ideology-advocacy/core-ideology/never-again/
Masada is one of Israel's greatest and most inspiration sites for the Jewish people of Israel. It was on Masada that 960 Jews held off the Roman legions for three years before committing suicide rather than surrender and submit to Roman rule.Falvius Josephus wrote of the fall of Masada. "According to Josephus, two women and five children managed to hide themselves during the mass suicide, and it was from one of these women that he heard an account of Elazar ben Yair's final speech.( Elazar ben Yair was the leader of the Jewish rebels.) Josephus probably added some rhetorical flourishes of his own, but Elazar’s speech clearly was a masterful oration: "Since we long ago resolved," Elazar began, "never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice.... We were the very first that revolted [against Rome], and we are the last that fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom." Elazar ordered that all the Jews' possessions except food be destroyed, for "[the food] will be a testimonial when we are dead that we were not subdued for want of necessities; but that, according to our original resolution, we have preferred death before slavery." SOURCE: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/masada.html
(If you are unfamiliar with the story of those Jewish rebels on Masada, we urge you to read it. Just click on the link above.)
Today, "The Masada Complex" is a philosophy in Israel that is defined thusly: "the conviction ... that it is preferable to fight to the end rather than to surrender and acquiesce to the loss of independent statehood."
And then, there is the "Samson Option." Pulitzer Prize-winning author ("My Lai 4")
Seymour M. Hersh made this hypothesis in his 1991 best seller "The Samson Option." This is the way Hersh described Israel's Samson Option then: "Should war break out in the Middle East again and should the Syrians and the Egyptians break through again as they did in 1973 [Yom Kippur War], or should any Arab nation fire missiles again at Israel, as Iraq did [in the 1991 Gulf War], a nuclear escalation, once unthinkable except as a last resort, would now be a strong possibility." SOURCE: http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/10/15/112430.shtml
(If you don't know the story of Samson we suggest you read it in the Old Testament in the book of Judges, chapters 13 through 16.)
Samson literally brought the house down on the Philistines killing them ... as well as himself. But Israel was saved.
Israel's Samson Option is a protocol of last resort, which involves Israel's sizable nuclear arsenal including nuclear armed submarines with a devastating nation killing second strike capability.
The world, including Iran and the Obama administration, should understand that Israel reserves the right to retaliate -- and they have the capability of retaliating -- if attacked -- even if they are the recipients of a devastating nuclear attack from Iran. The Persians should understand that if they issue a nuclear death warrant against Israel, they will have signed their own nuclear death warrant, as well. There can be no question that Israel will retaliate and the country of Iran will no longer exist as a viable nation state.
Even though the leaders of Iran are willing to strap on a nuclear suicide vest and kill themselves (as they surely will) I have to wonder if the PEOPLE of Iran understand what will happen to THEM if their "leaders" should decide to "martyr" themselves.
I would point out to Tehran that THAT is the true meaning of "Never Again" and that is what "Masada shall not fall again." really means.
And then, there is the "Samson Option." Pulitzer Prize-winning author ("My Lai 4")
Seymour M. Hersh made this hypothesis in his 1991 best seller "The Samson Option." This is the way Hersh described Israel's Samson Option then: "Should war break out in the Middle East again and should the Syrians and the Egyptians break through again as they did in 1973 [Yom Kippur War], or should any Arab nation fire missiles again at Israel, as Iraq did [in the 1991 Gulf War], a nuclear escalation, once unthinkable except as a last resort, would now be a strong possibility." SOURCE: http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/10/15/112430.shtml(If you don't know the story of Samson we suggest you read it in the Old Testament in the book of Judges, chapters 13 through 16.)
Samson literally brought the house down on the Philistines killing them ... as well as himself. But Israel was saved.
Israel's Samson Option is a protocol of last resort, which involves Israel's sizable nuclear arsenal including nuclear armed submarines with a devastating nation killing second strike capability.
The world, including Iran and the Obama administration, should understand that Israel reserves the right to retaliate -- and they have the capability of retaliating -- if attacked -- even if they are the recipients of a devastating nuclear attack from Iran. The Persians should understand that if they issue a nuclear death warrant against Israel, they will have signed their own nuclear death warrant, as well. There can be no question that Israel will retaliate and the country of Iran will no longer exist as a viable nation state.
Even though the leaders of Iran are willing to strap on a nuclear suicide vest and kill themselves (as they surely will) I have to wonder if the PEOPLE of Iran understand what will happen to THEM if their "leaders" should decide to "martyr" themselves.
I would point out to Tehran that THAT is the true meaning of "Never Again" and that is what "Masada shall not fall again." really means.
When Samson leaned against the pillars of the temple he uttered the words: "Let my soul die with the Philistines." If the Samson Option is released those same words change only slightly. Allow me to paraphrase the last words of Samson, which more nearly reflect the truth of today : "Let Iran's soul die with Israel."
Iran should understand, both the government and the people of that ancient country, if they initiate a nuclear war with Israel, they may, indeed, wipe Israel out. But make no mistake, Iran will also cease to exist.
J. D. Longstreet
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