Israel: Why Can’t They Hold An Election During War? WE Have. Lots of Times

Washington DC, and for that matter much of American and Israel too are all worked up these days. Why? Lifelong, staunch defender of and advocate for Israel Senator Chuck Schumer gave a speech in the Senate the other day. Schumer I must repeat has his entire career been pro-Israel, sometimes to a fault as far as some are concerned. No matter what they did, Schumer defended Israel. No  Matter  What.  Schumer it must be noted has led the Democratic Party in the Senate since Harry Reid stepped down, making him the highest ranking elected official of the Jewish faith. So what did he do that was SO controversial? He called on Israel to hold elections. To decide whether Bibi Netanyahu’s leadership was still in the best interests of the Jewish homeland he (Schumer) has so long and so passionately defended.

Oh the OUTRAGE that has ensue from some quarters. Of course, some folks think it’s long past time for that question to have been put on the table. From ordinary people like me (perhaps you too?) to others in actual positions of authority and influence. However to some Schumer has committed an “unpardonable” sin. A heinous, totally immoral act. He criticitzed Israel, or at least its elected leader. How DARE he? Republicans/conservatives are HOWLING in protest over a politician criticizing the leadership and even leader of another country. An ally. (Excuse me while I go puke over the hypocrisy) However that’s not the worst of it they say. Israel is at war! How can a country, at least one with a freely elected government possibly conduct an election while at war?

Interesting they should ask that. Let me help by providing an answer. People who are “Shocked, SHOCKED I say!” at the suggestion of Israel (or any free country) holding an election while at war (and anyone reading this who is pissed at me by now) to check out this link. to U.S. Constitution. Yep, here in the good ole USA we’ve done it over and over again going all the way back to the War of 1812. I might add that sometimes the wars (like that one, the Civil War and WWII) the wars haven’t always been “regional conflicts” either but with the fate of the country and/or the world hanging in the balance. And sometimes  things things weren’t going all that well on the battle front while we’ve been doing our election thing. You know, deciding who our President and Congress Critters will be. And if not explicitly then implicitly collectively saying whether current policy should be extended or if it should be changed.

I get the argument about standing with whomever is in charge. The whole “show unity in the face of adversity” thing. And I’ve heard it more than once in my lifetime. Older folks like me will recall at the height of the Vietnam War with all that was going on there and in the streets at home. LBJ was taking a lot of heat and at the height of the war with the 1968 election dominating his mind angrily declared we couldn’t, in the midst of a shooting war stop to debate whether our actions were sound or unsound. (I tried to find at least an audio clip but couldn’t) In the end, he chose not to run but the 1968 election DID take place. It would have regardless.

My parents generation including my dad who fought (and was badly wounded) in WWII and his sister (my aunt) who also served voted for FDR in 1942 when an awful lot of people both here and abroad were unsure whether Hitler and the Axis powers could be defeated. (bear in mind the isolationist attitudes that prevailed here prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, how our “non-intervention” in world affairs let Hitler run loose in the first place – and what’s going on now) In 1952 with a major war raging in Korea we held a Presidential election with no problems. And of course there were the elections during Vietnam including that awful year of 1968 I mentioned.

In 2004 when the country was split over our actions in Iraq, we held an election that was quite close and baby Bush (barely) won. Yes, there was some controversy, especially over the voting in Ohio but we got through it. Elections continued in 2008 and 2012 when we still had major amounts of troops fighting over there. Even in 2016, and though things had largely wound down 2020. Get my point?

This country and other countries with democratic institutions have held elections during times of war, even as a current leader was standing for re-election!  Going back to 1968, the Tet Offensive was the beginning of the end for both LBJ’s Presidency and though it took far longer our involvement in the Vietnam War. For all his personal coarseness LBJ could give a great speech when he needed to but after Tet, nothing was going to be good enough.

It didn’t matter that strictly militarily speaking General Giap’s bold attacks failed. Our troops kicked their asses and with the exception of regaining complete control of Hue City quickly. However the siege at Khe Sanh was the final blow. No amount of logic and reason would convince the public that we could win. LBJ bought General Westmorland’s promises and strategy hook line and sinker and what was apparent years before he (Westmoreland) got his “big American style war” was that it was a doomed strategy.

So when LBJ told his wife he couldn’t come up with words that would make a difference “Lady Bird” gently suggested was was needed was not eloquence of words but eloquence of action. And LBJ announced he’d step aside, with the broader assumption a new leader would be able to change course.  For all his considerable faults LBJ sometimes got it right and he did on this. Bib Netanyahu should take a lesson. Of course, what people don’t talk about but (especially the TV pundits) should is that like Trump, Netanyahu NEEDS to be the top dog in his country. He’s under indictment himself and none too popular at home and hasn’t been for a long time. Add it what’s already known about his failures prior to Oct. 7 and he’d never stand a chance in a new election (and his Likud Party would take a beating too) OR in court.

Netanyahu SHOULD step down for the good of his country, and the wider region. People don’t understand, and frankly most don’t want to how quickly this war in Israel/Gaza could turn into a major regional conflict. One that would wind up costing not just a LOT more American money but blood and lives too. However, for GOPers all that matters is beating Biden and if imitating Netanyahu’s bullshit how dare an American politician call for me to step down or for Israel to hold an election to see if I get to stay in power whining as far as I’m concerned Schumer should stick to what he said. No walk-backs by him or other Democrats. I get that as President, Biden has to be very careful but I’m pretty sure he’s been telling “Bibi” privately what Schumer said publicly.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu should, if he won’t do the right thing and step down then at least STFU instead of complaining about a U.S. leader(s) “interfering” in Israel’s affairs. If he doesn’t want us being involved in his country’s affairs then fine – let’s see what he says if we cut off ALL military aid to them. No more weapons, even the purchase of them or parts for existing weapons systems!  Without the U.S. there would be no state of Israel. It just burns the ass of people like Bibi knowing that. He’s not the first to feel that way and too many Israeli leader’s butt-hurt over it has led them to act in ways that have put us on the spot since right after the Unites States become the first country to formally recognize the State of Israel! Enough is f**king enough.

I’m all for a Jewish homeland. But the deal from the beginning, and one the new State of Israel made with the U.N. and the world was that there would also be a Palestinian State and the West Bank was set aside for the very purpose. And right off the bat Israel started reneging on that deal. That’s a different and longer subject to tackle but what I’m saying is that just as Fred Trump should have slapped down Donald more, we maybe should have been doing the same during pretty much the same time frame with Israel. So, as I said instead of expressing outrage, Bibi and his pals here in the GOP need to just STFU.

In the end, if you’ve extended me the courtesy of reading all this what I hope you take away is this: When you hear/read this “Israel can’t be expected to hold an election while they’re at war” bullshit respond with some of what you’ve read above. The United States and other democracies have done so time and time again. Including at times when the wars they were in weren’t going well for us/them!