WhatsappWatch this film clip closely. It will and should make your stomach churn. It is not that the short film is violent – even though it is. It is because it gives us an accurate glimpse into why certain pockets of the world are indeed filled with violence and will continue as such for another few generations.
Note that the people in the film are not necessarily the “radical” elements of Islam. The people in this short film clip are the ones who are on the frontlines in Iraq fighting against ISIS. They are the ones who are using children to do battle. So, who exactly is the problem? Is it ISIS or the people who are doing battle against ISIS?
The Middle East is a Whole Different World Than the Western World
The answer to the above questions are not simple. In truth, there are multiple dangerous elements that are fighting each other in the Middle East. Israel happens to be in a corner of the world that is exceptionally dangerous and filled with unexpected changes. Therefore, any form of positive development that moves the radical elements out of power and improves the standing of more moderate elements is a blessing.
But more importantly, any time that there is an agreement made with a dangerous neighbor, no assumption should be made as to the length that the agreement will actually hold out for.
For example, Israel and Egypt reached an historic agreement back in 1979, when Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat signed the agreement at Camp David that Jimmy Carter brokered. There were many problems with the agreement, and it was certainly not a flawless process. But, it certainly was a major step in the right direction of moderation of Arabs in the Middle East. However, just a few years later, radical elements in the Egyptian military assassinated Anwar Sadat. Surprisingly, the peace agreement has basically held out for nearly 40 years. It’s not a warm peace, but there have been no wars with Egypt since then. Beforehand, Israel had fought four or five full scale battles with Egypt and an endless amount of skirmishes at their borders.
The lessons are clear. Positive steps of moderation should be encouraged. But, no long-term expectations should come from any form of agreements with regimes that are inherently unstable.
