re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

As the sun sets tonight I know many of you are thinking of your Jewish friends and family as they celebrate Yom Kippur.

In the spirit of this thread and the high holiday, I am reminded of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 when a coalition of Arab nations launched a surprise attack against Israel. The attack was launched on multiple fronts and from multiple international boundaries. The attacking forces came primarily from Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia. The population of the attacking countries (~roughly 60,000,000) dwarfed that of Israel (~3,000,000). The attackers, equipped by the Soviet Union, enjoyed a 3-1 troop advantage against the small but determined defense force and its American hardware. So hopeless was the outlook for Israel, little known South African Errol Musk reportedly remarked while rocking his two year old son that Israel should save itself and sue for peace on the Arab terms.

In retrospect, one cannot help but wonder how much suffering and conflict could have been avoided these past 49 years had the US pulled it’s support and Israel laid down its weapons and acquiesced. Surely the benevolence of Sadat, Al-Assad, and Arafat would have ensured the safety of the Jewish population, strengthened the global economy and ushered in an era of peace and prosperity for the entire region and world.

I look forward to the updated maps after break fast.