The secret of Israel's success

because of the Palestinian situation rather than because of it

The second "because" should be "in spite".

Israel is successful because its people are clever and very hard working.

Funnily enough, I'm on agreement with Old Pickler on this. Apparently Jews are known to have one of the highest average IQs in the world and for such a small country to have made so many scientific breakthroughs that would suggest some truth to it. And they are exceptionally ambitious and hard working.
Of course, I don't beleive any amount of success justifies Israel's existence in the first place, but let's not pretend that Israel's wealth has anything to do with their oppression of our Palestinian brothers. That's a different issue altogether. I'd venture that even if Israel was at peace it would still be economically as good as it is now.

It is in part because Jews spent almost two millennia as a small, persecuted minority that they placed such high value on educational achievement.

I remember a quote from Usenet poster Mike Stone (a Mormon, by the way): "The Muslims are what the Jews would be if there were a billion of them".

Was he being complimentary? Is it just secluar Jews who are well educated? I never see othodox jews anywhere in any jobs!

I haven't posted here for long. Trying to spend my time wisely.

Wanted to comment on this thread:

So, how do you measure IQ -then?

Is it based on the amount of destructive models you can build? Or the amount of bombs you could make? Or the amount of havoc you could wrec to the environment? Or the amount of false economic theories you could espouse?

Well, if this is how you define IQ, I am glad muslims are excluded from this type of intelligence - which is nothing but stupidity of the highest order.

These lots need to be subdued, I am telling you, otherwise they will continue to destroy the world. The are at the lower deck of the ship and they are thirsty. Their IQ is going to tell them to bore a hole in the ship to get water. Sure, we'll all have water for some time and congratulate them on their efforts, but eventually everyone is going to drown with water in their bellies.

Israel's economy is, sadly for Klein's thesis, not dependent on the security sector. There are more than enough other clever people for their economy to thrive even if all their arms were magically turned into ploughshares. Which I'm sure we all - including most Israelis - hope might one day be the case.

anonymous - I hope those high IQ people on your ship are sailing on a freshwater lake; if they're not they'll probably die of salt poisoning well before the drowning gets them...

Israel is "successful" because of the constant infusion of cash and military hardware at the expense of the American tax payer. Lots of "hard work" securing billions through AIPAC, and cheap outsourcing.
No wonder vermin like pRickler support them.

Dal Nun Strong,
I can imagine them dieing of both - simultaneously - drowning whilst poison with salt.
Only if they had been a bit less intelligent and wait it out until they could get to the shore.

Muslims are stupid when they have left their religion.

IKRAA was the first word ,in the holly message, which means LEARN.

Neither Islam nor muslims are preachers for stupidity my dear