Clash of Civilizations sadly still slugging it out

American political scientist Samuel Huntington, who gained prominence through his Clash of Civilizations (1993, 1996), and through the founding of Foreign Policy magazine, died of natural causes this past Christmas Eve. But his theory of the Clash lives and dies on in the area that is the Cradle of Civilization.

www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/education/29huntington.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=huntington&st=cse

As of Thursday, the Washington Post reported on the 20th day of a conflict -- no, a war -- that sadly must seem as natural as life and death itself in the Middle East. In the fight between Israel and Hamas diplomatic progress was seen as military escalation occurred:

"JERUSALEM, Jan. 15 -- Israeli troops backed by helicopter gunships fought their way into a crowded neighborhood of Gaza City on Thursday, signaling an expansion in the 20-day-old war even as diplomats in Cairo suggested tentative progress in their efforts to reach a cease-fire."

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/15/ST2009011500809.html

This is a conflict that is deeply rooted in several comparative political themes: Territory; Sovereignty; Democracy; Nationalism; Religion; East vs. West; just to name a few. As we transition into our study of comparative political systems, let's try to figure out what's going on in Gaza.

Huntington wrote about a third wave of democracy, and George W. Bush will leave office believing that democracy will eventual take root in both Iraq and throughout the Middle East, maybe even in the Gaza strip.

According to Huntington, the modern world is now in a "third wave of democratization" that began during the 1970s. the first wave developed gradually over time; the second wave occured after the allied victory in World War II, and continued until the early 1960s. The second wave was characterized by de-colonization around the globe. The third wave is characterized by the defeat of dictorial or totalitarian rulers from South america to Eastern Europe to some parts of Africa. Recent political turnover in Mexico may be interpreted as part of this "third wave" of democratization.

Huntington outlines some factors on why democratization has occured:

• The loss of legitimacy of both right and left wing authoritarian regimes
• The expansion of an urban middle class in developing countries
• A new emphaasis on "human rights" by the United States and the EU
• The snowball effect: When one country becomes democratic, it influences others to do so. An example is Poland's influence on other nationas of Eastern Europe during the 1980s. It is also George W. Bush's hope for his legacy.

If we plug in the factors, we should ask ourselves, can the U.S. military lead Iraq by accomplishing all these goals? And can a sovereign military force of Israel live by work with and govern with a democratically-elected "terror organization" like Hamas?

Before we go further, who's packing the punch among the 100 square mile (1.4 million population) Gaza ring in this Clash?

In 2006, Slate.com produced and interactive Middle East Buddy List:

"Last month (2006...same as it ever was), Hamas militants tunneled into Israel and kidnapped an Israeli soldier. Israel immediately invaded Gaza. Hamas began lobbing rockets into Israel. The Lebanese group Hezbollah kidnapped two more Israelis near the Lebanon-Israel border. Israel responded by carrying out airstrikes against Lebanon. Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned Hezbollah for instigating the violence. Syria, Iran, and Lebanon called Israel's retaliation an excessive use of force.

Confused? We are too. Slate's Middle East Buddy List breaks down the relationships between the countries, terrorist organizations, and political factions who are fighting it out in the current conflict. Who likes whom? Who are the bitterest of enemies? And which groups don't really know where they stand? Click here to open an interactive chart that tells you everything you need to know."

CBS 2 School has their take on the Clash, with the debate over a "Just War."

One discussion worth revisiting these days is what comprises a JUST war. When is violence a legitimate course of action? Are the rockets firing from Gaza justifiable? Is an aggressive pursuit into Gaza by Israeli forces right?

A review of a just war theory may advance peace.

VIDEO: Just War Theory Here is a criteria for a just war:

Just Cause: War is permissible only to confront “a real and certain danger,” i.e. to protect innocent life, to preserve conditions necessary for decent human life existence, and to basic human rights.

Competent Authority: The right to use force must be joined with the common good; war must be declared by those with responsibility for public order, not by private groups or individuals.

Comparative Justice: No state should act on the basis that it has “absolute justice” on its side. Every party to a conflict must acknowledge the limits of its “just cause” and the consequent requirement to use only limited means in pursuit of its objectives.

Right Intention: War can be legitimately intended for only the reasons set forth as a just cause.

Last Resort: For war to be justified, all peaceful alternatives must have been exhausted.

Probability of Success: This is a difficult criterion to apply, but its purpose is to prevent irrational resort to force or hopeless resistance when the outcome of either will clearly be disproportionate or futile.

Proportionality: The destruction to be inflicted and the costs incurred by war must be proportionate to the good expected by taking up arms. Destruction applies in both the temporal and spiritual sense.

(The above discussion of the just war theory is taken from the Catholic Peace Fellowship. There are many other cites who use the same criteria. See http://www.catholicpeacefellowship.org/nextpage.asp?m=2198)

By debating whether Israel should JUST stay or JUST go, we may help the advance of peace after all.

The Clash sung in the 80's "Should I stay or Should I Go?" Any answers here?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ag8J2NMYmc

Or here, in "Rock the Casbah" we see a fundamentalist Jew and an Arab rockin.' Any diplomatic answers to replacing the rockets with rock in Gaza?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAkfHShATKY&feature=related

Finally, one more question. Will many of us in the West really understand the complexities of the real Clash of Civilizations if we use "Buddy Lists" and MTV to tell the story?