Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict [Paperback]

Obadiah Shoher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 8, 2006

Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict, by Obadiah Shoher, abandons moralizing and ideological hubris to view Israeli-Muslim struggle in terms of raw realpolitik. Terrorism is historically normal mode of war. Israel must respect terrorists as efficient warriors - and kill them. Nuclear terrorism is unavoidable, and it will hit America before Israel. We must learn to tolerate and mitigate its damages. Shoher makes the case that only by shedding liberal idealism the West can win against Islamists. Espousing political rationalism, he deplores both Jewish and Muslim myths, and argues for efficiency and separating politics from moralism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The book makes us re-think many issues, and for that it is definitely worth reading. -- Israel Hasbara Committee, Janurary 26, 2006

There's plenty of food for thought in this book, which, wrongheaded or not, is both open and fearless. -- Kirkus Discoveries, June 12, 2006

This is an extreme viewpoint well worth taking the time to examine. -- Postscript Publishing Company, August 1, 2006

From the Author

Several reviewers classified this book as hate literature. This cannot be true: hate is irrational while I argue for pure rationality; hate veils itself in morality while my policies are stripped from any notion of moralizing; hate is wasteful while my aim is efficiency. Hate is like any ideology: silly, costly, and going nowhere. We cannot afford to hate enemies; we must act efficiently.
Any political book advocates against someone; discrimination is central for politics. Democrats, for example, want more votes at the expense of Republicans, and legitimately attack them. My recommendations involve threat of reciprocal violence, but international politics is always built around such threat; balance of power is the only proven strategy for maintaining peace.
I do not hate Neo-Nazis. They are just enemies, and must be dealt with rationally. I dislike anti-Semites, but cannot object to their opinions as long as they remain passive. Xenophobia is all too human. I do, however, believe in the biblical choosiness of the Jews. That does not make me a racist, but, on the contrary, makes me to hate many Jewish violations of Or Hara'ayon.
I am liberal - in the traditional sense of the word before leftists usurped it. I dislike irresponsible idealists who in the worst totalitarian manner shut voices of realism, and keep their heads in sand. These totalitarian moralists are bad for us, but catastrophic for the next generation which will suffer the crisis the idealists created - the crisis we still can defuse. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Lulu.com (August 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847282180
• ISBN-13: 978-1847282187
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,801,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Politically incorrect; A necessary discussion., May 23, 2006

By 

C. T. Hunter "chips_books" (Gainesville, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict (Paperback)

Shoher presents a compelling argument for strengthening Israel's

position in the world through firm and decisive action. While I am

sure that there are relatively few people who will agree with

everything he suggests, he does do an excellent job of reasoning out

his arguments and provides citations and references for all of his

claims. Many parts of this book come off as extreme or racist, but

I think that it is good to get these ideas out in the open and

actually consider them as possibilities for action that could be taken by

Israel. Five stars for this one because I'm glad that someone has

the will to take these "extreme" ideas and put them to paper as well

thought out propositions. This debate has been going on for a long

time, and one way or another, action needs to be taken.. and this

book will surely help people reason out what that action should be.

Among the main premises of the book is that Jews should start

viewing and treating Islamic states as their enemies. This means

that otherwise drastic seeming actions could be carried out and that

Israel shouldn't feel bad about hurting or disabling Arabs. Shoher

proposes taking land by force and then expelling its inhabitants as

well as responding to terrorist attacks by blanket reprisals against

cities and governments. Many very interesting ideas are presented

here, including the selling of Israeli mercenaries to foreign powers

and bribing imams to teach more liberal ideals in order to compete

with Saudi Arabia's promotion of jihad. Also, ideas to promote

conflicts between Muslim states are discussed as well as other ways

to trick and fool the Muslim world into forgetting their common enemy

and focusing on others.

One thing that turned me off about this book personally, was

Shoher's rather European-like cynical view of America and its

reasons for doing things. Claiming that the West basically ignores

the accumulation of WMDs by Muslim states doesn't really hold up

under recent world events. America chose Iraq arbitrarily? I think

not. And it really isn't fair to compare the wars in Afghanistan and

Iraq to proposed takeovers of Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, whereas

America has no interest in claiming lands of the Middle East as

their own and will not displace civilians with their own settlers.

But this book isn't about America, and I can understand Shoher's

misunderstanding of the goals and values of that great nation.

Shoher argues compellingly that the political game in Israel has

resulted in a country that cannot act forcefully one way or

another. When one political party acts, another is quick to follow

and reverse that action. Shoher believes that Israel must have a

debate and decide on what their course will be, isolationism or

aggressiveness towards their neighbors. When it is decided, commit

to that decision. Basically, stick with a plan and don't

vacillate. Fight for a clear objective and don't loose sight of

that goal. Weigh the costs and the benefits of actions, and when a

path is chosen, don't waver.

"Conflicts between states cannot be solved by palliatives but

require the credible threat of force."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Samson Blinded, the most straight forward look at the Middle East Conflict, February 26, 2010

By 

Zachary Z. Grunberg "Z" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict (Paperback)

Very balanced and to the point. Looking at the Middle east from a western/humanist perspective misses the real mark. This is a conflict between two eastern cultures, you cannot interject western values. The Western approach will never work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Samson Blinded Book, September 3, 2009

By 

Mair Marty Maayan "book lover" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict (Paperback)

The book is very much to the point. Always logical even if it counters you sensibilities and past ideas.

Unfortunately I doubt that these ideas would be followed by the Israeli government.

No doubt though that if they were so followed much prolonged pain and suffering would be resolved much sooner.