Natural cultural selection This Salon interview with an Israeli historian is very informative-especially about the Six Day War and its context. The more I read about the Arabs-the less sympathy I have (OK-let me admit I start from a low threshold). I've already expressed my relative lack of sympathy or antipathy toward Israel-but I will add that I believe that cutting the Israelis off the subsidies from America will allow them far greater freedom of action. The Arabs seem to respond only to force-let the Israelis dish it out. Let the children of Abraham battle for their honor without all this international meddling. God knows the other Western powers don't seem to be addressing the "Islamic problem" with any vigor. P.S. I find it pretty hilarious that it's the Europeans that seem particularly distressed at the quasi-colonial nature of the Israeli state. Hell-the British denied Hong Kong democracy until the 1990s! [Update]: I would also like aid cut off from kleptocracies like Egypt, I'm not singling out Israel in particular. Joel says: Here's a different interview with the same historian.