Damned lies and statistics – American Thinker
This past Friday, Senator Charles Schumer of New York, the Democrat Majority Leader, and a Jew in the state with the largest Jewish population in this nation, called for the removal of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Though this is interference in democratic Israeli politics, the most disturbing aspect is the idea that underlies this demand. Earlier, President Joe Biden indicated that it was time for him to have a “come to Jesus” moment with Netanyahu. Though it’s quite insulting to use this phrase with the Jewish leader of the Jewish State, again the most troubling aspect is the implication underlying this statement.
The media and the administration have referred to the deaths of innocent Gazan civilians and has claimed that over 30,000 civilians have died since the IDF invaded the Gaza Strip. There is now evidence that this number is impossible. Mark Levin interviewed University of Pennsylvania statistics professor Abraham Wyner who has analyzed the numbers released by the Hamas Ministry of Health. Even though these people are terrorists and less than honest, there is a total lack of critical analysis by American governmental statisticians and journalists. These numbers underlie the call for Netanyahu’s removal (whom the Left finds as repulsive as Donald Trump) since they claim he is indiscriminated in the conduct of the Israeli-Hamas War. Further, the Israeli War is damaging the Biden’s (an ultimately Obama’s) dream for an arrangement with Iran. In the end, Biden would be willing to let Israel go it alone and deny necessary military supplies.
Writing in Tablet magazine, Wyner details the statistical anomalies that are being used to justify the public criticism of Israeli policies. First, the early period of civilian casualties is almost perfectly linear. This is not realistic. This means that there is very little daily variation in casualties, not plausible. There should be some correlation between innocent women and children’s deaths, but this is not the case since the relationship does not line up. Further the death of men is consistently about 30% while the total of women and children stays regularly at 70%. This is also impossible since there should be variation daily.
Another aspect is puzzling since the male adult population of Gaza is about 25%. This means that a higher percentage of males is being killed than total. This would be expected, since the males tend to be the Hamas soldiers. But the numbers are inadequate. Hamas acknowledges the loss of 6,000 of its military which is 20% of the total reported deaths. This would mean that Israel is not killing enough combatants or that almost all the men are soldiers in Hamas’ army. Israel claims to have killed 12,000 Hamas fighters. This is reasonable and double the number Hamas claims. If true, then over 40% of the casualties are fighters, not civilians. Wyner says the ratio of fighters to civilians in urban combat deaths is 1.4 to 1.0, which is extremely low under these circumstances. The is better than our U.S.. military experience in urban fighting.
The conclusion is that American foreign policy is being driven by domestic election concerns after the primary results in Michigan and Minnesota, where thousands of Democrats expressed their displeasure with the U.S. support of Israel and consequently Biden. Biden’s attempt to build a floating port will not solve this animosity, but will increase the risk to our military. Biden’s motivation is clearly related to his concern about his eroding polling numbers. Further, the legal proceedings against Trump have not slowed him down.
As for Schumer, his situation is more complex. Clearly, he wants to push back against any primary run by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. But he is also demonstrating the self-loathing anti-Semitism that has plagued Jews for millennia. The short story “The Jewbird,” written by Bernard Malamud 60 years ago, alludes to this issue. The non-religious Jews who hold significant positions in the Biden administration represent the sad situation confronting Israeli-supporting American Jews.
I do not blindly support Israel, but the small nation is besieged on its own territory. A two-state solution is not acceptable to most Israelis today. Schumer is correct when he says Oct 7th changed everything. Unfortunately, negotiation, which was the way of the past, is over. Israel will seek total victory and not stop short under American and world pressure. Their victory against terrorists is our victory. The limit this time will only be weaponry. The existence of Israel is at risk, which after the Holocaust will “never again” willingly walk to its death. Democrats want to maintain their power at any cost, including the loss of our best ally in the Middle East.
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