Radical Islam (Flawed Argument) איסלאם רדיקלי (טיעון פגום)

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"You, racist Israel, are killing babies, civilians. And Mr. Israeli on TV says, yes, but we're saving you from radical Islam. Thank us!"

Our next flawed argument is the one that says Islamic extremism is coming to you, West. To you, America. To you, Europe, that our Israeli speakers will use. Now this is one of the worst ones.

Because just imagine the perspective of the listener who is our typical Westerner. Maybe our university student. And they're hearing this. Or they're thinking this.

You, Israel, are killing babies. You, Israel, are attacking civilians. And the Israeli comes on TV and says, yes, but I'm doing it on your behalf. So you should actually thank me. Thank me for doing this. Send me a little piece of chocolate with each bullet.

They think you're racist. They think you're baby killers. And you're telling them that you're doing it on their behalf.

All right, so that's, first of all, the obnoxious, condescending element of that argument. But beyond that, Hamas, Hezbollah, PIJ, other groups, they exist with one goal in mind. And that is to destroy Israel.

So the idea that these groups are spreading out throughout the world, are going to incentivize and motivate others around the world, is not going to fly against the listener.

Moreover, Islamic extremism is not new. And it's not only in Israel. It exists in Russia, as we saw recently, China, the rest of the West. It has existed for many centuries. It peaked with the British in the Middle East, with the Russians in Afghanistan, with ISIS, with Bin Laden against the West. It has come. It has peaked. It has waned. To start to explain that Israel is some savior on their behalf, won't work.

So Mr. Israeli speaker, stick to the basics. You're fighting a war because you were attacked. You're at war. You cannot live successfully or peacefully in your land unless you deal with this enemy. The enemy preaches to kill and has killed for generations because they cannot accept that the war of their grandparents and great-grandparents is over. That's sufficient. Don't be a mercenary.