Israel, 9/11 and dangers of wars of revenge

+ Indian land theft and 'Killers of the Flower Moon' US Edition - Today's top story: A reflexive act of military revenge burdened the US − and may do the same for Israel [View in browser]( US Edition | 16 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Cleaning up after wildfire smoke, the right way]( - [Echoes of past conflicts – and signs of change – for Israelis]( - [Ways to prevent children’s deaths involving guns]( Lead story Responding to the deadly attacks by Hamas that killed more than 1,300 Israelis, Israel’s government is preparing to mount a ground invasion into Gaza. The goal, says Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: “We will wipe this thing called Hamas, ISIS-Gaza, off the face of the earth. It will cease to exist.” That statement and others from top Israeli officials make it clear, writes military historian Peter Mansoor of The Ohio State University, that this ground invasion will be a war “[based on revenge](.” As such, it bears a striking resemblance to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan after the attacks on 9/11 that killed thousands of Americans. The goal of that invasion: force the Taliban from power and destroy al-Qaida. But not much consideration was given to what would happen in Afghanistan after those goals were reached – and the U.S. found itself tangled up in the longest war in its history. That’s where any Israeli invasion of Gaza has unfortunate similarities to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, says Mansoor. “Wars that are based on revenge can be effective in punishing an enemy, but they can also create a power vacuum that sparks a long, deadly conflict that fails to deliver sustainable stability,” he writes. “That’s what happened in Afghanistan, and that is what could happen in Gaza.” [ [Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.]( ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Israeli tanks gather near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 13, 2023. Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images [A reflexive act of military revenge burdened the US − and may do the same for Israel]( Peter Mansoor, The Ohio State University The US response to 9/11 included a declaration that America would destroy its enemies. The effort took decades, and thousands of lives on both sides, and never really succeeded. Environment + Energy - [Gangsters are the villains in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ but the biggest thief of Native American wealth was the US government]( Torivio Fodder, University of Arizona The Osage murders of the 1920s are just one episode in nearly two centuries of stealing land and resources from Native Americans. Much of this theft was guided and sanctioned by federal law. - [Rising oil prices, surging inflation: The Arab embargo 50 years ago weaponized oil to inflict economic trauma – sound familiar?]( Jim Krane, Rice University; Mark Finley, Rice University Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine reprised the risks of energy weaponization, but the oil landscape today and energy security itself are changing. - [Wildfire smoke leaves harmful gases in floors and walls − air purifiers aren’t enough, new study shows, but you can clean it up]( Delphine Farmer, Colorado State University Wildfire smoke, even from fires far away, carries potentially harmful gases that, once inside, tend to stick around. An air quality specialist offers an easy, cheap, effective way to deal with it. International - [How the ‘laws of war’ apply to the conflict between Israel and Hamas]( Robert Goldman, American University A scholar of the laws of war explores the complex issues raised by Israeli bombing of Gaza in retaliation for the slaughter of its citizens. - [Referendum ‘no’ vote a blow for Indigenous Australians]( Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra The result was definitive, a major rebuff for Anthony Albanese and, more important, for the many Indigenous Australians who had put their hopes in what was always a long shot. - [Israel-Gaza conflict: when social media fakes are rampant, news verification is vital]( Mitali Mukherjee, University of Oxford An onslaught of fake videos on social media is relaying confusing and deliberately misleading information about the Israel-Gaza conflict. Politics + Society - [Gun deaths among children and teens have soared – but there are ways to reverse the trend]( Rebeccah Sokol, University of Michigan; Marc A. Zimmerman, University of Michigan; Patrick Carter, University of Michigan Fatalities from gun homicides, suicides and accidents are all up for Americans ages 18 and under. - [Reflections on hope during unprecedented violence in the Israel-Hamas war]( Boaz Dvir, Penn State Israel’s war with Hamas is unlike anything Israelis have seen before in some important ways, writes an Israeli filmmaker. But in other ways, it is reminiscent of the distant and not so long ago past. Science + Technology - [An itching paradox – a molecule that triggers the urge to scratch also turns down inflammation in the skin]( Marlys Fassett, University of California, San Francisco Itch-sensing neurons in your skin are intertwined with your immune cells. Counterintuitively, the molecule that connects them triggers responses that both worsen and improve skin conditions. - [Why is space so dark even though the universe is filled with stars?]( Brian Jackson, Boise State University An astronomer explains why space looks so dark despite containing 200 billion trillion stars. Trending on site - [What is a strong El Niño? Meteorologists anticipate a big impact in winter 2023, but the forecasts don’t all agree]( - [Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system works well – here’s how Hamas got around it]( - [The Israel-Hamas war: No matter who loses, Iran wins]( Author Comment 💬 “We may trade off stability when walking without shoes, as they may encounter variety of perturbations as they walk on different surfaces. Walking barefoot may redistribute pressure in different areas of the feet, causing more somatosensory information, but causing other issues such as excessive knee flexion during walking.” – Gurpreet Singh on the story [Are people born with good balance? A physical therapist explains the systems that help keep you on your toes]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon](• [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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