Debate, like war, is won on the offense, not the defense.
While the video is about Israel, but overall the situation applies to most of the Western world. It’s just most clearly and most sharply defined when it comes to Israel.
The Islamic and leftist side plays the same game. It denies any guilt, projects all of it on us, screams as loudly as possible, lies constantly, exploits every misstep and invents plenty of its own.
The enemy and its collaborators are in full attack mode 24/7, crying victimhood and simultaneously celebrating their own atrocities.
Their goal is to always be on the offense.
Faced with this, the side of civilization all too often defaults to the defense. It explains, it clarifies and it tries to prove. And all of this is moot.
The enemy’s goal is not to win any particular argument. It constantly lies and rarely bothers to back up those lies, moving rapidly from one to the other, because its object is to shape the trajectory of the overall fight.
When Hamas and its supporters claim X and then Y amount of casualties dead, when they claim that Al-Shifa hospital was blown up by Israel, it’s because the tactic is to constantly hurl accusations in order to have the side of civilization debate them. Once that’s done, the debate is about how many civilians Israel has killed.
In all the months since Oct 7, too often the debate has been allowed to drift from the touchstones to countering enemy propaganda.
And that is ultimately a losing proposition.
Debate, like war, is ultimately won on the offense, not the defense. When you amplify the enemy’s message, even to counter it, you lose the long game.
From the other side of Town. says
Thank you, Mr. Greenberg, for this insightful analysis; it does a great job at bringing light and clarity to a murky situation. Most appreciated.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Saw this video yesterday, and completely agree w/ it, Daniel. The attacks on the Palis should always be about the muslims, and their genocide of everyone else, be it Christians in Nigeria, Hindus throughout the subcontinent, Jews in Europe and so on
Kosh's Shadow says
Israel supporters need to go on the offensive, with demonstrations about terrorism.
Note this explains why Hamas supporters tear down pictures of hostages
Burnaby Lad says
“you are one ugly motherf*ck”sinwar
Reziac says
I do wonder if Israel would have been better off, from a public relations standpoint, to have just flattened Gaza down to the bare dirt in the first week. Far less time and opportunity for bad actors to spin up their version of events, in turn choking off Israel’s response.
The Scarlet Pimpernel says
If you ask me, Israel’s worst error is that they allowed the press to look over their shoulders during their offensive. War is ugly. But this war is absolutely necessary. Gaza must be cleared of hamas scum.
maria says
Absolutely, Gaza must be free from its muslims.
Jim says
Amazing the number of words spoken/written on this subject without including the fact that Hamas A. Started this on 10/7 and
B. They are still holding hostages.
If they had half a brain, they would release all the hostages, which would shift international pressure on Israel to pull back on continuing after Hamas.
Dave says
Israel refuses to even declare: ISRAEL is the country “From the River to the Sea” and JORDAN is the “palestinian” state. Apparently this is because the religious fanatics who rule (but refuse to fight) believe Israel will some day control all the land God promised in Genesis. By playing this game Israel will end up with terror states in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria.
Rick Smith says
For those who haven’t, definitely watch Daniel’s short video-it’s amazing and lays out how we should be debating (and winning) against our Islamic enemies.
He spells it out very plainly and effectively. In a sense we need to argue the same way that Muslims have…which incredibly, they believe their own invented lies/propaganda…so I give them credit there.
He’s right, our side is more thoughtful, nuanced and honest. That won’t win the debate-esp. in swaying public opinion.
I too was wondering why Hamas/Gazans are seen as the victims, despite the horrific atrocity of 1,200 Jews being brutally killed on Oct 7…and Israel’s war is the logical response that any nation would take…and yet everyone’s talking about the fake numbers of 30k, 40k blah blah ‘civilians’ being killed in Gaza….and forget about the 1200 Israelis.
Not to mention, Israel is not ‘systematically targeting’ Palestinians…as the lies have often repeatedly been stated by the pro-Hamas side.
Everyone knows if Israel wanted to commit a real genocide, they could wipe out all Arabs/Muslims in Gaza/West Bank in minutes or hours.
Additionally, Israel should keep going after its objectives…regardless of what public opinion thinks.
hillel says
Our media and “cultural” elite are no longer adhering to any moral or ethical context of events. Matching that, most people don’t know dip about history, world culture, ore religions. Toxic brew that.
James Lincoln says
Daniel Greenfield’s short video is absolutely superb.
I learned a lot – thank you Mr. Greenfield.
All should watch.