As U.S. troop deployments mount in Saudi Arabia, American Jews ponder Israel's place in the war scenario.
with civil rights. The econ-
omy was very strong. But
America in 1990 has low
morale and a sick economy.
That, coupled with a war,
would be fertile ground for
renewed anti-Semitism in
this country."
Historian Walzer agreed
that if a war goes badly,
"it won't be good for the
Jews. But," he added, "it
won't be good for America —
period."
Bomb Now
The absence of a call at
last month's General
Assembly for bombing does
not mean that no Jews rec-
ommend it. Or that they do
so behind closed doors.
In a brief essay in
Newsweek, Rabbi Marvin
Hier, dean of the Simon
Wiesenthal Center said the
United States should attack
Iraq "very soon." Waiting
several years, he wrote,
would assure that American
casualties "will be three
times as high" and that Iraq
will have nuclear weapons.
Rabbi Hier noted that
delaying an attack on Iraq
will also give Iraq a chance
to split the multinational
force arrayed against him.
Attacking Iraq, he said,
should have one clear objec-
tive: "Topple Hussein. We'll
have a better chance with
whoever follows him. His
successor would not want to
take over the Middle East or
eradicate Israel. Saddam is
not just a tyrant. He would
welcome forcing the world to
the brink."
Rabbi Hier scolded some
Americans' reluctance to use
force against Saddam.
"In America now," he said,
"there is an attitude that
you never have to pay the
bills, that you never have to
make the sacrifice."
Ruth King, a member of
the executive committee of
Americans for a Safe Israel,
considered a hawkish group
regarding Israel, also
demanded an immediate at-
tack against Iraq.
"If you're going to strike,
strike now," she said. "We
owe that to our armed forces.
Otherwise, they're sitting
ducks."
Ms. King said the issue of
Iraq transcends the usual
distinctions between the
right and left regarding
peace between Israel and Pa-
lestinians.
"This is not a matter of
keeping Hebron or not," she
said. "This is a matter of a
chemical weapons attack on
Israel — or Israel's complete
destruction if Saddam gets
nuclear weapons."
The outcome of the war,
said Ms. King, would be "the
removal" of Saddam Hus-
sein or his compliance with
"requests" that he leave of-
fice.
While few hawks believe
in the efficacy of the anti-
Iraq economic embargo,
Henry Siegman, executive
director of the American
Jewish Congress, is confi-
dent that coupling sanctions
with air strikes will bring
Saddam Hussein to his
knees.
"Engaging Saddam in a
land war," said Mr.
Siegman, "will not suffi-
ciently deter him or any
other potential aggressor. I
am not overwhelmed by
President Bush's objective of
freeing Kuwait. The objec-
tive should be to reduce
Saddam militarily. I don't
care that much if he stays in
Kuwait."
More neutral than Mr.
Siegman's stand was the
American Jewish Com-
mittee's endorsement of ad-
ministration policy.
"It is not appropriate for
us to make specific recom-
mendations," said David
Harris, the AJC's executive
vice president. "We do not
have all the information to
make an informed judg-
ment."
On the religious front, the
Orthodox, Conservative and
Reform movements essen-
tially agree that military ac-
tion is necessary if peaceful
means to resolve the Gulf
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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