133 Comments

1. Nick G.:

Michael,

Been a big fan of yours for some time. Keep doing what you’re doing.

As for Obama turning his back on Israel, we can never be sure the man’s true beliefs. It’s been documented that he is friends and associates with people who I wouldn’t be able to stay in the same room with. The quesion is: will the responsibilities of the presidency bring out a side of him that he’s never shown? A compulsory defense of Israel, at the least? We don’t know. But we’ll find out.

In the interim, I agree, it’s a damn good thing someone like Bibi Netanyahu will be leading Israel. If he’s elected, which seems like a lock (knock on wood), he has instantly been thrust into a Churchillian historical position — and I fully expect Netanyahu to take action against Iran if the Obama administration’s “tough diplomacy” fails over the course of the next four years.

Jan 30, 2009 - 1:22 am 2. Eric R.:

The world wants the Jews dead. Perod. Mention the word “Jew”, and almost every Muslim and European becomes a raving, genocidal lunatic. They become animals. The world loves Hitler and wants to finish his work. And they will not let a minor thing like Israel’s nuclear arsenal destroying the Middle East, wiping out the Middle Eastern oil supply and destroying the world economy (and this is Anthony Cordesman’s view, not just mine) get in the way.

Europe already showed in WW2 that it cares about exterminating Jews more than staying alive. With Europe dying, they want to see their 2,000-year old goal of a Judenrein world finished before it becomes completely part of the Umma.

The question is not whether there will be a second Holocaust, but of how much of the world Israel can take down with it when it happens.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:20 am 3. Dougf:

“It is amazing to me, as an American who travels the world on a near-constant basis, that there is so much confusion over who the terrorists are.”

How about the simplest possible explanations?

A.The ‘World’ hates the US and Israel as a default position. It’s essentially a mindless pathology justified by a very thin veneer of rationality but fundamentally based upon jealousy and fear of the ’stronger’.
B.The ‘World’ hates Jews. Period. Jewish suffering is always less important than the ‘other’. Always.

I’m neither American nor Jewish so I have no personal agendas here. Occam’s razor still works for me.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:20 am 4. Marc Malone:

Nick G – How can you be confused about Obama? His first call was to the philistines (aka, Palestinians) His first media appearance was on Al-Jazeera (sp?). During the campaign, he said one thing to the Jews, and another the next day to the Palestinians. His background is all Marxist. HIs associates are Muslims and/or America-haters. He is no friend of Israel.

To the writer, why are you surprised? Any Christian knows this was all foretold in Revelations. The re-founding and naming of Israel. Isolation of Israel. WMD’s. Massive Armies. The Bear defeats the Eagle. Second Coming. What surprise? It’s in writing, as it has been for almost two millenia.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:25 am 5. SAF:

The world isn’t blind. It either a) people don’t take it seriously just as we didn’t take Osama seriously or b)Pure jealousy and want Israel taken down a few notches.

Consider that Israel was a backwater at its inception and against all sorts of wars and enemies became a first world country. Want to find an Arab living as a first world citizen? Just look in Israel.

Hamas could be shut down over night if Europe cut off all aid. But if they did that who would there be to fight the proxy war against the Israeli economy?

As for Obama, time will tell. and soon I think.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:39 am 6. Tony R:

Michael,

Unfortunately you seem to be using old obsolete reasoning methods such as logic, common sense and clarity of thought when it comes to the Middle East.

In todays Europe our “leaders” use the tools of wishful thinking, cowardice and multicultural claptrap to influence their decisions. Sadly it is probably going to take those voilent race wars you warn of to shake Europe out of its self-induced coma.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:40 am 7. David Thomson:

“It is simply astounding that many foreign governments do not see this for what it is.”

Why should it be astounding? Anti-Semitism still exists. And more importantly—so does race guilt. The Israelis are perceived by the politically correct classes as a bunch of white people crapping on the darker skinned Palestinians.

Is President Barack Obama a self-hating American? In his heart of hearts, is he existentially committed to the notion that the allegedly imperialistic policies of the United States and Israel have angered the victims of the Third World? I believe that this is indeed the case.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:03 am 8. Ken Besig:

There are a lot of reasons why governments and individuals now hate Israel. Many also hate their own cultures, progress, freedom, and enlightenment while simultaneously apparently envying and admiring the poverty, ignorance, suffering, and lack of freedom which is so characteristic of the Arab Islamic world.
And Israel provides these groups with the perfect focal point for them to express their hatred, and best of all, it is run by Jews, the perfect international culprit for everything wrong with the world.
The irrational hatred of Israel stems from many sources. For some it is simple anti Semitism, for many others, it is a Left wing loathing of their own society’s success reflected by the success of Israel, for some it is an identification with the poor and downtrodden former colonial peoples by a Western force, Israel, and for far too many of the Western elites, the loathing for Israel is considered a badge of intellectual, cultural, and political sophistication.
Israel has failed miserably in confronting these attitudes because she has tried far too hard to accomodate the Palestinians and the Arabs and their unreasonable and destructive demands. For once Israel began to act weak and appeasing, the rest of the world smelled blood, and began to pile on.
The Arabs are waging an insane, bloody, and lethal jihad on Israel in particular, and the West in general. But because Israel has chosen for so long not to fight back, indeed,not even to defend her legitimate and obvious interests, even her own citizens, and even tried to accede to her Islamic enemies incredible and dangerous demands, her enemies have been emboldened and have extended their jihad to the Western Judeo Christian democracies.
When and if Israel begins to fight back and hit back hard, her international isolation will cease and her pariah status in European and American eyes will diminish, and once again the Israel Jew will stand tall and heroic, and the Islamic jihadists will crawl back under the rocks they came from.
I hope that Netanyahu has the guts for the job, and I hope that he will give a senior security post to Avigdor Lieberman and the defence portfolio to Moshe Yaalon. The very presence of these two individuals in the next government in these posts will do wonders for Israeli security and put the fear of Israel back into the hearts of the Arabs.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:29 am 9. robert verdi:

the destruction of Israel is a pre-requisite to the destruction of the United States, the left domestic and international knows this and acts accordingly.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:40 am 10. Violaine claessens:

This article just says it all as that is the reality.
If only such reporting was done by the mainstream Media…

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:02 am 11. mike191:

Michael, Thankyou for your cogent article. The idea that Israel should be eradicated and Israel is the real Terrorist not Hamas is gaining traction in our Nation.Your article is a step in countering this premise.As to Nick
G;’..Obamaturning his back on Israel…” you are correct ,we do not know this as yet. However,Rice and Powers appointments cast a long shadow towards “…United States might go cold..”

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:44 am 12. Scott Malensek:

Iran will have a bomb this year; in a few months. It takes months to deploy forces for a major air offensive (the only military option). I think Obama’s pushing through his agenda in this stimulus plan while sending envoys to the MidEast and opening talks w Iran because he knows the likelihood is that Iran will not seek appeasement. He knows what’s going to have to happen, and he’s prepping for it now-first domestically, and diplomatically, then it’s on. His bill passes in Feb. Israeli elections are in Feb. All the aircraft carriers become available in Feb. Whether or not he attacks, I don’t know. I don’t know if he’s got the will to kill, but a few things remain clear:
1) Iran will get a bomb sometime in the next 10-11 months if not sooner
2) Diplomacy has never and will never work in this case-it’s been tried in every way, shape, and form by every nation that can
3) item1 + item2=airstrikes or a nuclear armed Iran

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:45 am 13. Terry Gain:

Michael Yon

Thank you. Please ask for a 15 minute segment on 60 Minutes so that you can counteract Bob Simon.

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:46 am 14. J.J. Sefton:

Michael:

As always, a great read. Maybe you stated ths rhetorically:

“It is simply astounding that many foreign governments do not see this for what it is. Good Muslims are murdered by Muslim extremists in probably dozens of countries, yet certain European governments insist that there is some sort of moral equivalence between Hamas and the democracy called Israel. At this conference, I hear incredulous Jews who are concerned that their soldiers and political leaders might be charged with war crimes and arrested if they travel to Europe. This is just one example of the racism that vexes Europe and keeps it behind where it could be.”

There are two very simple reasons – 1) a 1,500-year history of Jew hatred and 2) an exploding (no pun) Muslim population.

Keep doing what you’re doing!

Jan 30, 2009 - 5:13 am 15. Ann141:

There is no one easier to deceive that someone whose purposes are served by BEING deceived.

The purposes of both terrorists and Arab nations are served by acting like they are terrified of Israel.

The purposes of the spineless west are served by cooperating with that deception, since it removes from them the “burden” of taking terrorism seriously and actively supporting Israel.

Isn’t it deeply disturbing to consider the proportion of time (Resolution-wise) that the UN has spent on attacking and undermining Israel. I don’t remember the %, but it’s very high, consider the number of nations in that lily-livered body.

To this day, Israel is not allowed a normal turn on the Security Council of the United Nations. The UN soothsayers thrive on the deception as well–”it’s just all too complicated”…i.e., “we have to keep the terrorists happy and solve these complicated issues (which we really, really care about) before we can give Israel’s its turn”.

Deceiving serves a purpose. So does being deceived. As long as the fulfillment of those underlying purposes are more important than the simple truth, this devastating nonsense will continue.

Jan 30, 2009 - 5:48 am 16. Ann141:

…”as long as the fulfillment of those underlying purposes IS more important…” sorry about that.

Jan 30, 2009 - 5:50 am 17. mk:

People want to massacre us. They hide it under this pretty language about Israel, the rights of the Palestinians, and “peace in our time,” but don’t be deceived – this has nothing to do with Israel, it has to do with Jews.

But the simple fact of the matter is there are a great many people in the world who really do believe that the only Good Jew is a Dead Jew. The left in America is probably not among these, but they sure like to pal around with those who truly, honestly believe it.

I shudder for this world. I shudder for the fact that people are celebrating whilst Rome is burning around them. And I wonder how long before The Protocols become a best seller again and Der Sturmer starts up publication.

Jan 30, 2009 - 6:08 am 18. Vaughn:

Just a reminder, short the market when Bibi becomes PM of Israel. He seems to be the only world leader, aware of the fine line that exists for Israel. I think he knows that time is running short and will take Iran out. More power to him!
Be nice to know how much Arab money is stashed in Switzerland by world leaders. Surely, Slick Willie is not the only crook being paid for.

By the way, I believe Bob Simon is Jewish. Talk about stabbing your peers in the back.

Jan 30, 2009 - 6:15 am 19. Craig:

“It is amazing to me that there is so much confusion…”

Michael, Michael, Michael. We ALL know the answer to that. If liberals would pull their heads from the firm grip of their sphincters, there wouldn’t be a problem.

None.

Jan 30, 2009 - 6:45 am 20. David:

I still can’t figure out how you’re supposed to negotiate with a group with a charter that calls for your eradication. Where’s any room for compromise. It’s pretty hard to be a little bit dead.

I’m with you, Michael, the world’s condemnation of Israel’s legitimate attempts to defend itself is totally illogical. I always think of what the US response would be if a group in Juarez were launching rockets into El Paso. I don’t think (nor would I want) us to be nearly as diplomatic as Israel has been.

Jan 30, 2009 - 6:48 am 21. Still Bill:

There is no confusion about liberals with respect to terrorists: their approach is to blow kisses at the murdering scum, and then go hide until brave people take care of the problem for them. Europeans are very good at criticizing the USA, even though we and the Russians bailed their worthless carcasses out of World War II. The USA needs allies in this world, but we don’t need people as allies who believe the best way of dealing with terrorists is to raise the white flag and beg for forgiveness.

Jan 30, 2009 - 6:51 am 22. Joe Bison:

The Arab world rejected the package in 1948.
Why does anyone believe these kind of concessions
will work now? What they want is an Islamic
government in the whole of the former mandate.

The Jews can stay on as dhimmis. This
would provide a scapegoat when, for instance,
economic setbacks occur. Let the mob slaughter
some to appease them. Sort of like the
Chinese in Indonesia.

Jan 30, 2009 - 7:35 am 23. fred:

Obama has slipped in Samantha Power under the radar, into the foreign policy and national security orbits of the White House. Probably more as a national security adviser. His cabinet positions, public as they are, have had the effect of getting the public to drop its guard. However, the tier of advisers underneath the cabinet positions are very troubling and more likely will be the ones with influence.

This is very bad news for Israel, as Samantha Power is renowned as a Jew and Israel hater.

Jan 30, 2009 - 7:46 am 24. seven:

If the non Muslims give the palestinians more land, they say the terrorism will stop. so we give them more land. Does it stop? No we have reinforced their bahavior and met their demands. If it works, they keep on doing it.

Every time they say they want more land and send bobms, the west should take land. The next demand they make coupled with sending rockets, take more land. Negative reinforcement still works.

Jan 30, 2009 - 7:46 am 25. MarkD:

They aren’t blind, they don’t care.

“Never again” doesn’t mean never again. It means “I don’t want to talk about it.” Israel had better look out for herself. Jimmy Carter was not an aberration, he’s the norm. Ditto James Baker.

I’m not Jewish; I’m human and disgusted by what I see. There are many cowards who have taken “submit or die” as a multiple choice question instead of an existential challenge.

Jan 30, 2009 - 8:14 am 26. cedarford:

robert verdi:
the destruction of Israel is a pre-requisite to the destruction of the United States, the left domestic and international knows this and acts accordingly.

Sounds like a new Domino Theory mirroring the ones spun up by the Hawks supporting the dire necessity of Americans dying for “our indispensable allies in Vietnam”. Failure to win in Vietnam, they warned, would lead to the destruction of the USA at the end of all the other dominos toppling.

Objectively, Israel is of no geopolitical strategic importance to the USA.

Diplomatically, it is a great liability for America in our dealings with Europe, Asia, the Muslim nations, and the remainder of the 3rd world. It cannot be used as a US base, nor can Israelis ever be brought onto a battlefield to support the US, nor US soldiers fight alongside them to support Israel directly – such is the depth of the Pariah status Israel. Earned by anti-Semitism, but also strong anti-colonialist sentiments about The Settlements, the water rights grabs, and the question of compensating the Palestinian refugees and their descendents.

And many nations with traditional close ties to the US at the same time, revile Israel. While many nations on the Left that gave the US the most trouble in the Cold War (Soviet Union, France) had close bonds to the strong socialist-communist coalition that led Israel for many years and which set up much of Israels’ society on a socialist model.

Israel has engaged in horrible PR in recent years – outwitted and outworked by the Palestinians and their media allies. While the Jews own media assets went into an uncompromising right wing Zionist attack mode that labeled all criticism of obvious Israeli mistakes as anti-Semetic bigotry. And all resistance in the Occupied Territories and even the peaceful strikes and demonstrations by Israeli Arabs – as “terrorism”.
With America, Israel has dripped arrogance, crossing US Presidents repeatedly while bragging about how many members of Congress they have bribed, intimidated to cheer in lockstep for Israel or big bucks will be thrown at any incumbent who is not a kneejerk supporter of a small foreign nation – even when those interests clash with America’s own interests. The arrogance extends to being caught repeatedly spying on the US (after China and Russia they are the 3rd largest espionage effort underway in the USA), demanding special deals and earmarks as our largest foreign aid recipent, and transferring US military technology to China.

That leaves Israel badly weakened.

If 180 of 184 nations now vote consistently against Israel when Israel once commanded a plurality of support from 1948-70 by nations on the Left and Right, the chances are the problems to a large degree are Israel’s own doing. And from Israel’s and overseas Jews constant effort to deny the validity of criticism from any quarter and relabel it as rank bigotry.

Now a shift has started within the US..from Israel being the unquestioned “plucky hero good guys” to younger Americans, academia, blacks, and Hispanics seeing the “good guys who became the guys with their boots on Palestinian backs” and lying their asses off about the true nature of ethnic cleansing done in 1948 and 1967 so they don’t have to part with a single precious shekel of money for compensation….

Within the Christian Zionist community, dissident voices are arising about the older generation linking their religious salvation to lockstep support of the politics of modern Israel the State. There is also a broad but subdued resentment of members of the Jewish Left making Christian Zionists the constant object of ridicule as uneducated prolife throwback hicks. And of the same sort of ridicule directed at their well-liked leaders – like Bush, Sarah Palin by Jewish pundits and comedians. The rawest hatred and contempt of Palin came from certain Jewish female politicians and comedians.

The problems for Israel are many, accumulating even in the US, and many are self-inflicted.

So it has gotten so bad that what would be a clear case of self-defense with a nation hit by missiles and rocket artillery coming across it’s Borders don’t cut it with Israel – in large part from the Zionists miserable record at making friends, if not influencing people.

Though the US Congress and the millenial dispensalist Christians of the deep South are well-influenced, the record for Zionists swaying people elsewhere in other nations is pretty abysmal and even so inside Israel Proper.

Jan 30, 2009 - 8:25 am 27. Jason:

I agree with you Seven. I have been saying for years that Israel should call a public press conference, and announce to the world that they will no longer retaliate at attacks launched against them. Instead, for every rocket or mortar fired, every Sniper attack, or every suicide bombing that originates from Gaza, Israel should annex 1 square mile of territory.

Put the Palestinians in direct control of the land they will receive fro being peaceful. Annexation could start in Jerusalem, and move into Gaza.

Today we declare a truce, and the creation of a future Palestinian state on all land captured by Israel in 1967. We as the state of Israel agree to this exchange of Land for Peace, adn promise to turn the territory over to the PA after a period of 5 years of peaceful coexistence.

From this point forward, in response to every act of terrorism that emanates from the “Occupied Territories” we will annex 1 square mile of territory as a response to the ongoing terrorism and attacks on Israeli civilians.

Jan 30, 2009 - 8:37 am 28. tanstaafl:

Obama has slipped in Samantha Power under the radar, into the foreign policy and national security orbits of the White House…This is very bad news for Israel…

Samantha Power’s bobbleheaded babblespeak makes Jimmy Carter sound sane (almost)…

Scary Stuff

It is amazing to me that there is so much confusion over who the terrorists are, who wants war, and who wants peace.

Beyond amazing.

Jan 30, 2009 - 8:42 am 29. Gary Thorington:

Cedarford I would rather trust the bible over what happens to Israel then your guess work. Its probably a miracle in itself that Israel has existed over this number of years surrounded by enemies. The world will always hate Israel and no power in the world will be able to conquer it so you will have to learn to live with the Jewish State. Besides one is blessed rather then cursed siding with Israel.

Jan 30, 2009 - 8:49 am 30. Frank:

Whether or not Iran gets the bomb, Europe will explode, and that will be the catalyst for WW3. I also fear that the Europeans will turn to one of their age old favorites… the goosestepping totalitarian, who promises to restore order and safety… at the cost of freedom, and rivers of blood

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:02 am 31. JED:

The Israelies, the Jewish have been a highly functional and productive people for centuries. What I do not understand is why they want to stay in the “Holy Land.” That place has been awash in blood, guts and sacrilege. I know that some orthodox is going to jump out with a fiddle and sing “tradition,” but why stay there. If they left and recolonized elsewhere the entire mideast and their tradition of “kill the jews” would seem to collapse. Who would they have to hate?
They have been in a no-win situation since before Moses. The Palestinians and the world must hate them because they are so functional.

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:04 am 32. Still Bill:

Let me also agree with “seven”. Gaza is a prime piece of real estate. People with a semblance of a brain and less hate in their hearts and souls would have developed that land into a place for locals to live and prosper, and for tourists to visit and enjoy. Unfortunately, Arabs and Palestinians have been unable to do anything with that prime land other than leave behind goat excrement, camel excrement, and human exrement.

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:18 am 33. slimslowslider:

“The Israelies, the Jewish have been a highly functional and productive people for centuries. What I do not understand is why they want to stay in the “Holy Land.” That place has been awash in blood, guts and sacrilege. I know that some orthodox is going to jump out with a fiddle and sing “tradition,” but why stay there. If they left and recolonized elsewhere the entire mideast and their tradition of “kill the jews” would seem to collapse. Who would they have to hate?
They have been in a no-win situation since before Moses. The Palestinians and the world must hate them because they are so functional.”

they did this. it was called Europe.

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:25 am 34. barry 0351:

I just want to finish my waffle.

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:28 am 35. barry 0351:

slimslowslider:
Let’s say we move the Jews to some place that is not claimed by anyone, a real desert with nothing to make the place habitable. The Jews would make the place bloom.
The next day you would read about somebody attacking the Jews there.
It’s not about land it’s the drooling desire to kill a whole group of people for the most insane of reasons.
They are Jews.

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:32 am 36. dennisl59:

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:39 am 37. jw:

The “Left” has been antiIsrael and antisemitic since the Soviet Communists took over the Socialist parties in the 1970s with the slogan “no enemies on the left.”

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:12 am 38. Delia:

“And when Iran has the capacity to launch rockets over to Europe or the United States, one can count on it happening. Iran could be the opening chapter of an apocalyptic era.”

Ugh. No kidding. “Playing nice” with whack-jobs is just plain st00pid.

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:15 am 39. mwl:

Why does the world hate Israel and/or the U.S.? The answer is simple.

Envy.

Residents of third world hellholes (and Europe is well on its way) see how Americans and Israelis live our lives, and become very upset that our quality of life is denied them. They see the success, but not the hard work done to create that success. Their leaders and media portray us as takers instead of doers, to excuse their own incompetence and corruption.

I cannot overstate the culpability of the world media establishment in this matter. There are too many editorialists, and not enough journalists. Too many of them propagate prejudice instead of facts.

Mr. Yon is a journalist, and that’s why I pay close attention to everything he writes.

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:32 am 40. james:

The Dutch are now prosecuting themselves for being impolite to violent Muslims in their own country.
Do you need any further demonstration of what suicide looks like?
Everyone always asks, after a suicide, “How could he do that? How bad could it have been?”
Normal people don’t commit suicide and neither do normal countries. Forget the analysis. There is none.
Just keep your eyes open and your powder dry.

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:46 am 41. ashok:

You raise excellent questions about how this “moral equivalence” came about. The following is just speculation regarding Western Europe:

Part of it might be Germany post-Second World War: something in a lot of Germans changed when “being armed” wasn’t an option. To a lesser degree, this happened in the UK and France after the Suez crisis – we told them we didn’t want them playing imperial games, and so a certain attitude started creeping in.

That attitude isn’t “peace at all costs.” It’s something more like “anyone fighting and dying for their land must be imperial, except us.” It’s a twisted logic of jealousy, and to see exactly how it came about, one has to realize that being a Marxist in all those countries had a lot more impact than being a Marxist here. Their socialist/peace movements got infected with a much higher degree of anti-Americanism than maybe even the ones here, and there wasn’t any real military culture (except for joining the OAR and trying to shoot Charles de Gaulle) to offset it.

This is all speculation, obviously. But I think if the picture holds up at all, where we see the current attitudes towards Israel as a remnant of Soviet ideological warfare, it can make some sense. After all, the theoretical obstacle one faces in just labeling Europe anti-Semitic outright is that many in Europe are genuinely devastated by the Holocaust, still.

The issue is why a European would think “what the Israelis are doing to the Palestinians is what the Germans did once.” The answer has to be something like that Israel is seen as a projection of power by a capitalist state (I remember a Marxist friend telling me once that Israel was an “economic superpower,” prompting a gigantic belly laugh from me), i.e. that Europeans do see Israel the way the Islamists do in part, “little Satan” to “Great Satan.”

If anyone has a simpler theory, I’m all ears.

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:54 am 42. Terry Gain:

“The Dutch are now prosecuting themselves for being impolite to violent Muslims in their own country.
Do you need any further demonstration of what suicide looks like?”
—

Well perhaps cedarford could post a photo of himself?

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:56 am 43. mohammed:

Spreading the usual lies. Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and most of its jewish inhabitants are recent arrivals. Israel is the only country we know today that has an ambition to expand it’s borders resettle non-jewish citizens elsewhere and is still importing jewish immigrants assuming it can find any left(it has run out as we can see). Israel is willing to kill infinitely to realize this ambition as it has recently demonstrated. And to say that it is democratic as you put it is laughable. The arab population is reportedly 19%, that is definitely not reflected in the knesset or any other aspect of Israeli public life. To say that you can criticize who you like means you need some lessons in history because it blows up its enemies.Ask Elie Hobeika who was blown to death a few days after saying he will testify against Ariel Sharon. Why don’t you ask yourself a simple question, muslims are clearly not everybody’s favorite the world over so why would the world with near unanimity not side with Israel?

And to draw an analogy with Cuba sending missiles to the US is rather simplistic. Well if the Cubans were expelled from America and cramped into an area that is barely visible on a map and their houses are bulldozed and they are blockaded for exercising the democratic right to vote what makes you think anyone will agree that America will be justified in wiping them out. Hogwash. Israel cannot continue as it is, America’s support for them can only bring woe to Americans as the zionist continue to suck the blood out of American taxpayers. You taxes have gone into their companies and they have paid themselves billion in bonuses. Into whose pockets do you think the bailout money which is foreign debt and you shall very well pay in future goes to? Have you seen your recession numbers today? Idiots.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:00 am 44. Ann141:

43 Mohammed….give it up.

Repeating the big lies don’t make them true.

If you are a brave thinker, read Dave Hunt’s “Judgment Day” and Joel Rosenberg’s “Epicenter” and then come back and do a self-critique on this spew.

While you’re at it, visit JihadWatch and Gates of Vienna websites for history (special note to you: historical, years ago, meant FACTUAL).

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:15 am 45. Kevin:

cedarford,
Ever the fly in the ointment, eh? Would you be able to live the lifestyle you are accustomed to in Cuba? In North Korea? In Egypt? In Syria? Iran? Nope. Could you be the New World Man in Israel? The US? Yep. I always marvel that despite your long-winded pseudo-intellectual half-cocked revisionist drivel, it still boils down to you and your ilk taking for granted the amazing lifestyle, food, medical care, security, entertainment, freedom of expression, et al. that has been granted to you SOLELY due to those philosophies and movements that are anathema to you- capitalism and western democracy. There is a reason for your bitterness and envious rage which clearly boils beneath the surface- your worldview is a lie – made up of academic theory and utopia without ANY relevance to the real affairs of real men.
Grow up, dude.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:18 am 46. Donttreadonme:

“mohammed”
1) your prophet, in modern terms, was most likely a child-raping syphilitic madman. nice choice. my prophet made bread, your’s beheads.
2) As the youngest of the three Mideast religions, Islam is like the spoiled brat youngest kid -always railing at the older brother who seems to achieve the most, while complaining the least.
3) Envy has a powerful effect on those with nothing to lose.
4) Have you ever really and honestly tried to answer the question: why are the “Palestinians” still in refugee camps? They weren’t forced to leave by Israel. What on earth could be the answer? Perhaps it is because the neighboring Arab states refused to allow them entry. Ah, now we are getting somewhere.
5)In which country do Arabs have the highest standard of living? If you said Israel, you are correct. Give this idiot a six-pointed star!

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:30 am 47. Laura:

Mohammed, (if that is your real name) please return to whichever gutter from whence you came.

Thank you.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:34 am 48. RickenAxer:

You’ve got to hop on the Hope Train, buddy. It’s all about the Change.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:37 am 49. mohammed:

44. Ann141:
43 Mohammed….give it up.

Why don’t you refute them. Like the typical neo-con nut case you have a phobia for facts because they hurt. I can easily predict whatever you have on all those websites. You should also look at giving it up, your agenda is dead in the water and your ideology as espoused by the likes of rumsfield and wolfowitz has been proved to be nothing but disaster for America. The downfall is still unfolding, watch the space.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:38 am 50. karlstro:

Very well written. Any nation who spews the destruction of Israel is a threat to all free people of the world! Lobbing rockets into Israel is not targeting military objectives but innocent individuals. I to wonder why also why nations protect a group like Hamas.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:39 am 51. Gary Chien:

The reason the so called ‘world’ hates the Zionists- (Not the Jews, not every Jew is a zionist and not every zionit a jew) is because the Israeli state was founded on terrorism, (e.g Stern gang etc).
Ever since the UN mandated a 2 state solution in 1948 it is only Israel that has had a ’state’. Israel acts with impunity in the region because through groups such as AIPAC it has the US gov. by the testicles.
Conveniently the US population is also the most naive on the planet and coupled with a powerful zionist media will never hear/see the truth.
If Israel wanted peace and a two state solution it would immediately pull out its ILLEGAL settlments from the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The ‘world’ simply hates to see the hypocrisy of a people that were persecuted to commit similar acts on to other innocents. Israel IS an apartheid and racist state, period.
I find it puzzling that somehow Israel is fighting for ‘our values’. The only values Israel has exported to the west are state endorsed torture and acting with impunity/unilateralism, ( ie Trotskyist NEOCONs)
It’s the US’s uncompromising support of Israel by supplying it with the UN veto and weapons to enable it to maintain its terror on the Palestinians that is annoying the ‘world’.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:42 am 52. Erin O'Donnell:

No confusion at all.All things being equal the left would detest radical Islam given that it is misogynistic by nature,practices gender apartheid and executes homosexuals, but all is forgiven because they also kill Jews.Anyone who still seriously believes that criticism of Israel and antisemitism aren’t congruent in at least three of four cases is probably naive enough to be a liberal

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:00 pm 53. Marl:

Gary Chien: Its painfully obvious that you have no idea what either an apartheid state or racism is although you plainly practice the latter. An apartheid state is Saudi Arabia where no one but Wahabi Muslims are permitted in public view and practicing any other religion means execution.It is not Israel where Muslims and Christians live, worship and hold elective office.At least have the moral fiber to take responsibility for your own drivel. You are a Jew hater pure and simple.Who picks up the beer cans from the trailer park while you embarrass yourself online?

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:07 pm 54. mohammed:

53. Marl:
‘You are a Jew hater pure’
The standard response. The comment explicitly made a difference between jews and zionists and yet you ignore it. Israel is an apartheid regime on the basis that it gives automatic citizenship to every jew (with imports from russia etc) and has just threatened to expel Israeli Arabs from Israel and resettle them elsewhere (these Israeli Arabs are active in any campaign against the Israel). This was said by the rather ‘dovish’ Livni who is not even from a right wing party. What other definition of apartheid do you have?

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:29 pm 55. James:

Thank you Michael Yon ,great article.
People must understand we are fighting a terror group.
Hamas,Jihad,Hizbollah are all terrorists.

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:30 pm 56. Marianne:

Cedarford: Stop blaming the Jews for your miserable life. You are a bitter, bigoted, frustrated old man, and if all of the Jews disappeared from the earth tomorrow, you would still be a bigoted, bitter, frustrated old man.

Seriously, you need to get yourself into a church, or get some psychiatric treatment, you are going to lose your soul or your sanity if you keep this up, probably both.

Every one else here that do not know this screwed up old man, you should not believe a word he says.

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:31 pm 57. Leatherneck:

The world hates morality. Therefore, Israel is hated, and America is hated for supporting Israel. Plus, the Christian so called hate speech thing.

The world wants to find G-d within itself. To be as G-d. Doing what ever feels good rather than having a right, and wrong.

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:37 pm 58. mohammed:

20. David:
I still can’t figure out how you’re supposed to negotiate with a group with a charter that calls for your eradication.

This is just an excuse to buy time, we have been down this path before with Arafat and the PLO, Israel promised everything in exchange for Arafat to recognize their existence, he was humiliated at the end. Abbas is just a traitor and the Palestinians should topple him.

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:39 pm 59. ThinkingPerson:

mohammed is a closed-minded liberal nut job with an ax to grind and a personal agenda. Nothing could be more insane or dangerous. mohammed should be disregarded by all who espouse freedom. He/she/it does nothing but rail against Jews thereby disclosing his/her/it’s true intentions. I, for one, will not bend to his ever increasingly bitter dogma. Go back to your terrorist camp mohammed. There’s no place for you here.

Jan 30, 2009 - 12:56 pm 60. mishu:

Mo, you’re an idiot. Arafish was offered *all* the west bank and gaza back and he sent suicide bombers instead. All the while his wife was shopping in Paris with the money *we* gave the Pals. After he croaked. Israel gave gaza to the pals, green houses and irrigation and all. What did the pals do with those irrigation pipes? dug them up and turned them into rockets to fire on the Jews. Who’s morally bankrupt? I’ll give you a hint. They wear checkered scarves over their faces, throw rocks and wail and moan in front of news cameras.

Jan 30, 2009 - 1:52 pm 61. tanstaafl:

Israel promised everything in exchange for Arafat to recognize their existence, he was humiliated at the end.

Yasser Arafat was a humiliation, a disgusting creature & perpetual revolutionary, who took the funds dumped onto him by “the world”(especially the EU) and squirreled it away in foreign accounts. (that is, the money he didn’t personally dole out to his cronies in a complicated system of patronage to “insure” their loyalty)

When Israel left Gaza, the functioning part of the economy (for example, greenhouse flowers, fruits & vegetables) was, literally, trashed.

Since the territory’s limited resources largely go to securing armaments, training (including brainwashing of all ages as to the necessity of killing Jews) & recruitment of soldiers (especially Hamas) one might logically conclude that the only real common interest of sundry conflicting groups in Gaza is the slaughter of Jews and erasing Israel from the map.

They shoot each other in domestic turf wars when they’re not rocketing Israel.

It’s a very sad situation for the civilians trapped there who haven’t managed, to this point, to leave.

Jan 30, 2009 - 1:53 pm 62. thegre8_1:

Did Samantha Power have a tiff with the Clintons and she the one who will be Hillary’s shadow? Stupid ignorant people listen to the media and just don’t get it. Israel has enough nukes to take out MANY large cities if provoked and they have a PM with b@lls.

Jan 30, 2009 - 1:55 pm 63. Eric R.:

Mohammed,

I assume you are Muslim. If your fellow Muslims keep it up, you will be praying five times a day in the direction of a crater. And a radioactive one at that.

Assuming you survive the nuclear war, of course.

Then you will REALLY have something to blame on the Jews.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:29 pm 64. Achillea:

“I could sit right here in Jerusalem and write bad things about Israel and Jews, and nothing would happen.”

Not nothing, Ha’aretz would probably offer you a job.

Jan 30, 2009 - 2:55 pm 65. Nature:

Can You Pronounce the Name of Your Own Nation?

Palestine, Palestinians, the right to return to Palestine; The Arab inhabitants in both, Israel and the Palestinian territories call themselves Palestinians and call their homeland Palestine. The world has fallen into a trap believing the existence of a fabricated Arab Palestinian nation. The evidence for the biggest hoax in history- so called Arab Palestinian nation- has been in front of our ears for decades and we were deaf to hear it. The evidence has been pronounced thousand of times, day after day, hours after hours by the Arabs themselves. They have been shouting out loud that they are a fabricated nation, and no one was willing to listen. Have you got no idea at all what I am taking about? Want a hint? Listen again, Palestine. Palestinian. No, still not? OK, fair enough, let me explain.

A name of a nation is a name that is rooted in history, a name of a nation is proudly transferred from father to son generation after generation. A name of a nation is rooted within the language of your own people, a language that you are proud of, a language that you can actually pronounce to the letter. But just by listening to an Arabic speech you will shortly realize that the letter/sound ‘P’ does not exist in Arabic. Arabs pronounce ‘B’ instead of ‘P’, for example, the word ‘people’ will be pronounced as ‘beoble’. The question is, if ‘P’ does not exist in Arabic, then why an Arab will use a letter that does not exist in his alphabet for a name, and more so for the name of his own nation, and a name for his own people (beoble)? The name Palestine or Palestinian cannot be pronounced phonetically by any man whose mother tongue is Arabic, including Arabs who so call themselves Palestinians.

How a nation can truly exist when their proclaimed ‘beoble’ cannot pronounce it correctly? The fallacy of a native Arab Palestinian nation has been absorbed and accepted for decades without questioning if they really ever existed. An Arab ‘Balestinian’ nation is the biggest hoax in the human history.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:07 pm 66. Valerie:

Don’t forget the false advertising campaign. The Hamas Covenant includes, among many other things, an agreement to engage in an advertising campaign to teach Muslims that they have a religious duty to kill anybody who travels to any land formerly held by a “Muslim” regime. Ordinary Muslims, like other decent human beings need a reason to kill that is more substantial than religious bigotry. In the absence of such reasons, Hamas will manufacture atrocities.

The Hamas Covenant is clearly a plan for Hirabah, “unholy war” and its hostility extends beyond Jews to include all non-Muslims. This is in fundamental opposition to the teachings of Islam according to the real authorities. Real Muslim scholars their Abrahamic roots and embrace the core teachings of Judaism. See Open Letter to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and A Common Word. Hamas, of course, doesn’t listen to real Muslim scholars any better than Hitler listened to the Pope of his time.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:19 pm 67. EnAye:

I see you mentioned Israel and Hamas, but what of the Palestinian people?

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:31 pm 68. Tom W.:

Israel is an apartheid regime on the basis that it gives automatic citizenship to every jew (with imports from russia etc) and has just threatened to expel Israeli Arabs from Israel and resettle them elsewhere (these Israeli Arabs are active in any campaign against the Israel).

Israel wants to expel people who are working to destroy Israel?

How evil! How racist! How insane!

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:37 pm 69. Rebar:

“The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him”
-Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6985

There will never be peace between Jews and the death-cult of mohammad, until all Jews are murdered or muslems break out of the prison of the soul that is islam.

Israel is not doing anyone a favor by bending over backward to appease the unappeasable. Muslems are commanded to fight the Jews and the rest of the world until all are imprisoned under sharia, islamic law. All the bleeding hearts who are against Israel should learn about the horrors of sharia, before throwing stones at them.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:37 pm 70. Maryo:

Anti-Jewish graffiti is frequently appearing and being tolerated around Europe. In most EU countries, special arrangements are being made for Muslims, many of whom have many many children and live solely on welfare from the very governments they seek to destroy. A majority of young people of the world do not know the true history of Hitler’s Germany and the Holocaust, because they have been taught a false history. They are taught to hate Jews and instilled from childhood with the desire to destroy them.
And what about Israel? Do they vow to destroy others and wipe them from the planet? Do they declare war on another religious group? No, they seek only to defend themselves, in a tiny little place of their origin.
Most of the world will stand by and let Jews be persecuted and Israel destroyed. It is not a good time. It frightens me very much that US support for Israel is waning.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:45 pm 71. Al:

Actually the US saved Arab states from complete defeats , be it by intervention in 1956, 1967 , and 1973 wars slightly before Israel gave the last blow.

The US-Israel special alliance started slightly after the 1967 in the sense of full R&D commerce etc etc …

The US intervened and stopped Israel-UK-France 1956 against Egypt.

It stopped Israel 101km from Cairo in 1973 war.

It forced Israel to allow Arafat and 15k of his terrorists to leave Lebanon and break free from the Siege Israel lay on Beirut to capture him in 1982.

So Any person who argue that the US allow Israel impunity is slightly misguiding in most cases it was the US serving as restraining and calming effect over Israel.

You might recall the USN Liberty incident that was on day 4 of the 1967 you can hardly claim that back then the relations were as they are now.

And it left Gaza recently because of a new president comming to the WH.

but the dishonesty is to ignore all the states that gave AID to Arabs to fight Israel all those years be the old USSR to NK.

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:48 pm 72. CrusaderPatriot.com:

Mohammed, it was Arafat who turned down the deal for peace, even though Israel offered pretty much everything he wanted. Israel won Jerusalem in 1967 after they were attacked from all sides! These were all Jewish or Christian lands at one time until muslims took them by the sword! Christians were there before Muslims, Jews were there before Christians and Muslims. Killing Jews and destroying Israel is more important to most muslims then economic prosperity. If the fighting ever stopped, it would be the greatest tourist destination in the world and everyone would prosper! It won’t happen because Islam not only wants Israel, they seek to take over the world. Visit thereligionofpeace dot com and you’ll see they on the march all over the world every day.

Obama will betray Israel and he’s already begun betraying America. In one of his books he writes “I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction”! That’s says it all!

Jan 30, 2009 - 3:49 pm 73. Battlecat:

The world is not blind to Israel’s existential threats. It fully supports them. It is Israel that is blind. You can’t make nice with terrorists. You can only defeat them. Annihilate your foes, and their support will vanish.

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:13 pm 74. Oscar the Grump:

Hey Mo, want another hyperlink?

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:17 pm 75. Aaron M.:

“Concern comes from numerous allies that the United States might go cold. I’m hearing these concerns from Iraqis, British, Lithuanians, and Israelis, to name a few.”
THE BRITS!!!Good lord, the Brits have time and again elected dhimmini mutlticutural morons to lead them to extintion. Why on god’s green earth should we care one s*** what the hell happens with this group of clowns that invite them in and shower them with welfare. If it were over a football match half the country would be in flames, over national idenity… not a peep. Fight your own way out Britan.

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:22 pm 76. C O Lindale:

>Meanwhile, Israel is an energetic democracy with a vibrant press<

er … yes….and an endemically corrupt political class that is very energetic at enriching itself. But I guess that’s just the way of the world – isn’t it? Oh! I nearly forgot! The 400 odd children that were accidentally shot … . Collateral damage, I think it’s called. Or maybe just plain killing of children and defenceless women .. but these things do happen … Look at all the hundreds of Israeli women and children that have been killed by the Palestinians….

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:25 pm 77. Andrew Ian Dodge:

When it comes to Jews & Israel logic does not apply.

“…but what of the Palestinian people?”

What of them? They elected Hamas to lead them which speaks volumes to anyone who cares to listen.

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:29 pm 78. Professor Guvinoff:

It is not easy to learn that the only effective way to deal with bullies is to confront them. The first tendency is often to try to accomodate them, with the obligatory feel-good declarations of being for peace, courtesy, meteorological temperance, or whatever slogan happens to be polite at the time. It is always a disappointment to recognize that this was a mistake, but this step can be taken. It’s a matter of courage.

Today’s indisputable world champions in the bullying practice are the islamists (nobody else comes close), and this is not something new. The prophet Mohammed was a grand master bully (and not just with words), and allegedly authored the all-time literary masterpiece on bullying, all by himself. (actually he could not really have written it because in his days many arabic dialects were spoken, but none was written).

Bottom line: The most common western response to the jihadists is to pretend that they are just some crazy marginals, whithout any real support among the “peaceful muslim majority” as the canard so often quacks.

Now, how can one engage in denial without getting into proportional rationalizing at the same time? I don’t think it’s possible. If you are determined to ignore the depth of the the jihadist’s belligerance, you must find someone else and/or something else to attribute your political stress to.

Identifying Israel as the “something” is a rather new practice, barely over 60 years old, but designating the jews as the nefarious “somebody” is not new. It might have been done before the time of Mohammed, but it’s hard to imagine anyone admonishing it more vociferously than he did. Hitler is not the one who came up with the idea, he merely invoked a particularly notorious precedent, and just got more industrial about it. How do you say “my jihad” in German? Simple, you just say “Mein Kampf”!

As we wake up to the real danger of the modern wave of islamism and find the spine to confront it, we will at the same time learn to recognize the predicament of the jews, and realize how much they deserve our support. Falling in the intellectual trap of antisemitism can only be a precursor to our acceptance of defeat under the assault of the islamists of our days. Is this where we are going?

Thomas Jefferson created an expeditionary corps (today known as the “US Marines”) to defeat the muslim pirates of the North-western africa coast in his days. Many in the congress accused him of being “out of his mind” for it (does this remind anyone of anything?), but the expedition was successful, thanks to the courage and the audacity of his envoys. Can’t we measure up to this?

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:48 pm 79. Tex Taylor:

PREDICTION:

Later this year, Israel’s hand will be forced to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability, while the feckless Obambi administration sits with its collective thumb in its … voting “present.” Israel will be successful.

In turn, the entire world and the domestic “progressives”, accompanied by many liberal Jews, will condemn Israel and the hate will grow to a crescendo, led by the U.N.

History will repeat itself, just as it was 27 years ago when Israel did the entire world a favor taking out Saddam’s nuclear capability.

And then the dung will really hit the fan.

Jan 30, 2009 - 5:25 pm 80. CFB:

C O Lindale:

I shouldn’t have to point this out, because someone who can read and write (as you apparently can) should have been able to figure out the following:

Israelis kill children by accident, after trying mightily — and at the risk of their own soldiers’ lives — to kill only their targets, who are terrorists and cowards who terrorize and hide among their own women and children. Muslim terrorists, on the other hand, kill Jewish children, grandchildren, pregnant women, crippled people and whatever other vulnerable group they can find ON PURPOSE. That is their entire goal, their raison d’etre. There is no other.

The same way they gloried and crowed and celebrated in the streets when innocent men and women burned or jumped to their deaths at the Twin Towers.

That you cannot see the blatant error in your thinking is apparently attributable to some moral defect that distorts your thinking. Hmmm…wonder what that could be.

Could it perhaps be anti-Semitism?

Jan 30, 2009 - 5:26 pm 81. john baker:

I believe the hatred can be summed up like this. The world {muslim world] hates the Jews because they serve another God {Satan} They love death more than life That is satan. Christians love life [God loves life]God is love. The muslim world is driven by Satan to exterminate the Jews. He [Satan] believes that if the Jews are eleminated or completrely wiped off the face of the map that Jesus will not have any reason to come back,and he will not meet his fate.

Jan 30, 2009 - 7:46 pm 82. Judy, NYC:

the world hates productivity, innovation, science, strength. it is an elite strata that possesses these characteristics. whether it is jews or the ibo tribe of africa or america with its energy and promise, too much of the world is left out. dumb, barbaric, unproductive, shambling between irrational warring and lower brain driven, most are poor, hopeless, diseased and unevolved. we cannot coexist. there are not enough of us and too many of them.
i will leave this world happily knowing i will never have to see it again, or think of what it was for such a very brief moment, or what we hoped it might have been.

Jan 30, 2009 - 7:48 pm 83. Dan:

Thank you Michael. After reading innumerable articles by Jewish apologists of Hamas on the internet on mainstream left sites like huffpost and talkingpoinstmemo, I find your article both refreshing and reassuring.

Jan 30, 2009 - 8:59 pm 84. fred:

There is a reason why Satan works so hard to get humanity to wipe out the Jews. If it can be done, then that means that God’s promises are not worth anything. Satan will have proven God to be a liar, and then reap the reward of that victory: our death.

I believe, after years of reading, probing, and thinking about Islamic writings, that Allah is Satan. Allah was Muhammad’s sock puppet, and this embodiment of Lies is the work of The Evil One.

I used to be a Leftist Christian – a Pelagian heretic – decades ago. But I got out and about in the world and slowly understood that Evil really does exist and that there is such an entity as Satan. Satan’s best accomplishment is to convince us that he doesn’t exist.

Jan 30, 2009 - 9:32 pm 85. Knighst13:

“He [Satan] believes that if the Jews are eleminated or completrely wiped off the face of the map that Jesus will not have any reason to come back,and he will not meet his fate.”

Oh Great, now Satan is dictating to God.

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:29 pm 86. C O Lindale:

CFB >Could it perhaps be anti-Semitism?<

I suppose it could be, even though I’m Jewish and spent my entire childhood in a Zionist environment. I could be the proverbial ’self-hating’ Jew, although I love myself to bits! So what is it in fact? Can we return again for a minute to the 400 odd children, many shot in the head in the last week or so by brutal thugs in uniform. Can I suggest that anyone who believes the official line that these poor kids were killed because they were a threat to the mighty IDF, must either be naive or extremely simple. Do you appreciate, before you rush into print, that the vast majority of dissenters against Israeli thuggery, live not in the US, or the UK, or Europe – but in the state of Israel where hundreds if not thousands are sickened and ashamed at the deliberate killing of women and children in their homes? Some day soon, those responsible will be brought before the ICC to answer for these atrocities. These are not collateral damage incidents – these are war crimes.

Jan 30, 2009 - 10:48 pm 87. b4isleep:

CO Lindale — allright, I am not even asking for proof here, just for a consistent narrative. It seems to be a well-documented fact that Hamas uses it population as human shields and derives much political capital from publicity of Arab victims. It is also obvious that Israel is much damaged by such publicity and seeks as a policy to avoid them (advance phone calls etc); so the motivation and policy part speaks against Israel executing 400 children or whatever the allegation is here. Now if in spite of that Israel did decide to inflict civilian casualties for whatever reasons (obviously jihadis would not be deterred by that, but I guess jews just like spilling Arab blood as part of this narrative, isn’t that what Erdogan was screaming in Davos the other day, “they liked going in in their tanks, they liked it!”) the casualties would easily be in hundreds of thousands after a day or two of bombing in one of the most densely populated spots on earth with no bomb shelters to speak of. Why did the thugs stop at 400? I dont see a consistent narrative. Nor proof (c’mon, headshots, you gotta share the source on that!).
Self-hating? No, Lindale, the word is narcissistic, i.e. holding views that are most satisfying for reasons of personal psychology, observed reality notwithstanding.

Jan 30, 2009 - 11:46 pm 88. C O Lindale:

b4isleep:

Killing children is just that. Pseudo psychoanalysis will not alter the terrible fact of the slaughter of these children. Opinions are OK, at times. But not here. Here we deal in facts. The horrific killing of 400 children in Gaza by one of the most powerful armies on earth.

Whether you are an American Jew sticking to the standard AIPAC line or a Likudnik basking in victorious glory in a Tel Aviv cafe – the brutal facts remain. These were gratuitous killings. They were not self-defence. They are contrary to every tenet of Judaism, and Christianity. They are war crimes and those responsible must be brought to justice.

In the meantime, those who wish to dwell on abstruse theories and excuses, may do just that. Death is death. Blood is blood. Killing is killing and an atrocity by any other name is still an atrocity.
f

Jan 31, 2009 - 12:17 am 89. Still Bill:

To C O Lindale: I don’t know if you were ever in the military, but I was, so let me tell you how I would deal with civilian deaths in a combat zone. If I was leading a platoon that was getting “incoming” from a school, hospital, church, or mosque, or from any other physical structure, I would call for air support and request that they level the place. War is hell.

Jan 31, 2009 - 1:19 am 90. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

It seems to me everyone is waiting for the breaking point that leads the world to war and in the meantime, they’re making their case in convincing others to believe their cause is just. To what extent would it take to eliminate militant Moslems? You know it’s too late to take only a few out and not expect three times as many to take their place in retribution. So when I speak of finding a peaceful solution, it isn’t out of cowardice. It’s out of trying to find a logical solution. Sure it is prophesized in the Bible that the Lord will ultimately defeat evil. And if you’re Christian, you will leave it to the Lord for vengeance. Not too practical, from a humanistic viewpoint, becoming a docile martyr (unless of course, you believe in the rapture, or will the rapture simply mean becoming a martyr?). And if only 144,000 are left in the tribe of Israel, that are holy, the rest of the people have a rude awakening. We all face the inevitable death, anyway.

Is it practical to give up on a peaceful solution? Or is it more practical to wipe out hordes of people? Sure the latter could be done, but it would take a lot of killing of non-combatants and the green light from other super powers. Doesn’t look as if some actually think it’s in their best interest at this point in time. There should be more persuasion aimed at them, or has the hope of persuasion already been squandered?

Is our fear of what course we’re on, with militant Islam, going to provoke us to act too hastily, and inflame the rest of the world’s already bad sentiment towards us, further? We can’t let the militants continue to get by with their aggression. Caught between a rock and a hard place. By the way, I’m speaking from a USA citizen’s standpoint.

President Obama is mounting a war in Afghanistan, and is bombing areas Pakistan, namely Pashtun, using drone aircraft, and seems to be escalating a possible governmental takeover by militants, by doing so.

I offer this bit of information, from Bill Moyer’s Journal. I believe it’s rather interesting, about President Obama’s aerial attacks and how their outcome are not being so well received.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01302009/watch.html

I think when people look at Israel defending itself against the Palestinians, they are perceived as being the civilized ones, therefore should have restraint and be able to use negotiations with a less fortunate people. And that is true, to a certain extent.

But what others fail to recognize is that some Palestinians, even in their despair, will not give up their lust for the end of Israel. The sad part is, they have to remain in despair, in order for Israel to keep them at bay. Times are a changing though. With the threat of outside help growing, for the Palestinians, the despair is changing hands. And in that transition, there is firepower to contend with, on a global scale.

The world needs to open it’s eyes, about now. That is, if they want peace or a small scale war? Either way, the need to contain the problem is becoming urgent. The U.N. needs to act in unison for the greater good of mankind and realize the only ones who want a theocracy, are the ones in power with a theocracy . Maybe I underestimate the will for the alleged greater good?

Jan 31, 2009 - 3:56 am 91. Marc Malone:

C O Lindale – Palestinian kids shot in the head, huh? Did the mighty Jews climb out of their tanks to do that? Or could it be that Hamas actually did that?

Muslims reward those who sacrifice their own children. They use their own people as human shields. They set up their HQ’s and weapons dumps in schools, hospitals and temples. They kill doctors who treat “the enemy”. They behead Prisoners of War. This isn’t just a few. This is doctrine. They think it clever and righteous. These are war crimes; the real kind. They’re proud of it.

So, do you really think the Jews did it, or do you think it more likely that Hamas did it. The Jews called the people and told them to get out. That they didn’t was probably because the filthy Arabs wouldn’t allow them to leave. They needed their human shields, and the subsequent casualties get used as propoganda.

Try this: give your own people the benefit of the doubt, assuming your statement about being a Jew is true. Maybe, just maybe, they’re not baby-killers, but rather, the Arabs are. Oh, and go to temple. Talk to your Rabbi. Get down on your knees and pray. A little faith in God and in your fellow Jews will serve you very well. After all, you know your people. You don’t really believe they viciously slaughtered those kids, do you?

Jan 31, 2009 - 4:00 am 92. Bruce Martin:

Isreal, the apple of God’s eye.
The problem is the Isreal and the Palestine are becoming political. Many people chose to support the other side, meaning Palestine is politically correct.
I support Isreal, giving to IFJC, because Christ was a Jew, my and saviour.

Jan 31, 2009 - 4:11 am 93. C O Lindale:

Still Bill:

Yeah. I was on active service for 4 years and war IS hell. But the British army I was in didn’t knowingly kill children and women. There are 1.5 m people living/existing in Gaza, restricted by Israel and unable to move out by sea, air or land. The IDF comes in to this ghetto with tanks, missiles, cluster bombs and white phosphorus and you know what – they kill 400 children! Great army. Great discipline. Good strategy. Amazing tactics. Hell – you call that an army? Is that a victory for Israel? I believe it to be an extraordinary defeat. To knowingly kill one child is a criminal act. To kill 400 children is a war crime.

Jan 31, 2009 - 4:11 am 94. Still Bill:

To C O Lindale: I respect your military service, but if you were ever in a war zone where cowards hiding behind women and children are trying to kill you, what would you do? I know what I would do – kill the cowards, and if innocent people lose their lives during the operation, blame the gutless cowards, not me.

Jan 31, 2009 - 6:15 am 95. Sue:

CO Lindale and Mohammed
How dare you write such terrible propaganda as an absolute truth. Where is your compassion for the family of Gazans whose farm overlooked Sderot, and was taken over by Hamas for the puropose of shooting rockets into Israel, the members of the family who, knowing their farm would be destroyed, protested and were “kneecapped” for their trouble by Hamas thugs! Where is your compassion for the mother whose young daughter was killed when Hamas thugs took over their Apartment to fire Rockets, knowing that Israel would retaliate! These are just a tiny proportion of the real horror stories. Where is your compassion for the people killed because Hamas provoked and entered into a war WITHOUT BUILDING SHELTERS for their protection, knowing full well in ADVANCE that innocents would be killed. Yes, I am an Israeli, I am one of the APARTHEID people you blinkered liberals talk about with no real knowledge of Israel other than what you selectively read in the so-called Media. My APARTHEID daughter gave up every summer since she was 14 years old to run summer camps for ISRAELI children – yes, my goodness, both Arab and Jewish children! How wonderful it was on my visits to see the ISRAELI children playing together in peace and harmony, ISRAELI parents coming to pick up thir children smiling and greeting each other by name. This is probably not what you want to read is it?
To Mohammed
I lived in South Africa as a child and am well aware of the terrible and soul destroying effects of Apartheid. I experienced it at first hand, you on the other hand can not have had any experience of Apartheid if you compare the Israeli society to South Africa in former times. Rather, Israel accepts their Arab Citizens, whereas in the West Bank and Gaza they want Arab only, Jews out – please tell me which is more Apartheid? My apartment building is a community, we discuss matters together, make decisions together, listen to one another – goodness! there are 5 Israeli Arab families living here, with whom we get on very well, so leave us alone and find another cause. Israel would probably had a much better chance of peace many years ago if it was not for the misguided Idiots such as yourself who continuosly stir up people like Hamas and give them a legitimate platform to destroy their own people! You Sirs are just as culpable for the Arab misery as Hamas!

Jan 31, 2009 - 6:24 am 96. issachar5:

That people (and governments) have some trouble recognizing terrorists should not be a surprise. The PLO was (and is) a terrorist organization. The Palestinian people are terrorists (teaching even their kindergarden children to be terrorists). ALL of the Palestinian organizations are terrorist…Hamas kills Fatah, Fatah kills Jews and Hamas. Terrorists they are, terrorists they will be. Israel is a stumbling block for all the governments of the world. Big surprise; GOD told us that it would be so over 2000 years ago. Look at the US. We support Israel, and also give money to the [terrorist] Palestinians. How stupid and blind can governments be? “A wild, donkey of a man, at war with himself and his neighbors”. We can’t complain that God didn’t tell us what OUR enemy would be like. When members of governments begin to read the bible, eyes might actually begin to see, minds to comprehend, and ears to hear…the truth. Israel, trust in God, and YOUR military preparation, and in GOD, and GOD alone. May God bless you.

Jan 31, 2009 - 7:05 am 97. issachar5:

To Mohammad.
The Koran does not mention Jerusalem even once. The Bible mentions it over 2500 times. God gave Israel the land; this includes the land now occupied by [terrorist] Palestinians. This occupation is contrary to GOD’s will. This is why the Palestinians are under GOD’s curse; GOD harden’s their hearts, even as he hardened Pharoh’s heart.
The West Bank, and the Gaza Strip belong to Israel. Israel, remove these terrorists from your land. Do not divide the land between you and these terrorists, contrary to GOD’s word (in the Bible). Have you not learned from what has happened to your leaders, when they divide the land? Take back what GOD has given you. Send them [the Palestinians] back to Syria. There will NEVER be peace with them.

Jan 31, 2009 - 7:17 am 98. Blackwater:

It’s the liberal worldview that’s extremely pervasive throughout the various institutions of which our civilization is founded upon. Everything from the liberal news networks to the entertainment industry (MTV, Hollywood) and the education system (public shools, college campus). So it’s going to be one hell of an uphill battle to try and change these views. They see this in racial terms. It’s fair skinned people once again colonizing and abusing brown skinned people. Whoever lead the propaganda campaign for the “Palestinian cause” did a -very- good job. Hitler would be proud.

Jan 31, 2009 - 7:22 am 99. Oldguy:

Israel plays too nice. It should politely remind the world that it has nuclear fangs.
It should also stop taking threats from countries such as Spain, which we all know is a nation made up of cowards.

Jan 31, 2009 - 7:39 am 100. tanstaafl:

#78, professor…

Good outline of steps an individual might use in his own psychological appeasement process…Israel as scapegoat.

If you are determined to ignore the depth of the the jihadist’s belligerance, you must find someone else and/or something else to attribute your political stress to…

Identifying Israel as the “something” is a rather new practice…

“An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile – hoping it will eat him last”

~Winston Churchill

C O Lindale should read some of the accounts linked at

Palestinian Media Watch

Jan 31, 2009 - 7:54 am 101. C O Lindale:

issachar5: Israeli Sue:

You are on very shaky ground indeed when trying to define ‘terrorist’. IRGUN ZVEI LEUMI and LEHI were designated ‘terrorist organisations’ in 1948. Now they are considered freedom fighters. At that time, they blew up the King David Hotel in Jerusalem with a very large loss of civilian life and carried out documented massacres in Arab villages. So where does that leave your definition of terrorist?

Israeli-Sue’s post indignantly drew my attention to the various crimes of Hamas – which I have no doubt are correct. Interestingly and expectantly, she makes no reference to the 400 children killed by the IDF – for the reason that there is nothing one can say, except to support the proposed action of the European Union government to apply for arrest warrants for those responsible. As for ‘propaganda’. Perhaps one should use that word with care, also. The Israeli Foreign Ministry, through its embassies abroad and its busy band of Internet writers, disseminate blatant propaganda on a daily basis. FYI, propaganda usually contains some truths and omits others in order to propagate misinformation and to elicit a required response. Both the Arab and Israeli lobbies are masters of the art. You need to be a little circumspect in what you read and what you believe. Did you believe Olmert when he strenuously denied any corruption?

Jan 31, 2009 - 8:34 am 102. DoubleTapper:

Stupid terrorists!

You’d better be careful or we’ll unleash our secret weapon!

DoubleTapper
DoubleTapper@gmail.com
DoubleTapper, blogging on
Guns Politics Defense from Israel

Jan 31, 2009 - 9:59 am 103. Sylvie:

Thank you Michael Yon for an instigating and profoundly interesting debate. I for one would be in full agreement that “Iran could be the opening chapter of an apocalyptic era” with Hamas as its little proxy for the time being in order to keep Israel and its nemesis America busy while it engages on fulfilling its ultimate aim of ‘wiping Israel off the map’which should be ready to be fulfilled in the next few months. Your query as to who is the Terrorist and who really wants to live in peace needs no Answer. It is all too clear for that formidable War ‘God v. Evil’ will soon be at our doorstep……

Jan 31, 2009 - 10:42 am 104. liberty4usa:

It is amazing that it seems that open hate of Jews is not only tolerated but has some kind of “politically correct” stamp of approval.

Some of the world’s greatest accomplishments were done by Jewish people.

We are in the “Age of Pretending”, and ignoring history.
http://thenma.org/blogs//index.php/libertyforusa/2009/01/27/the-age-of-pretending

Jan 31, 2009 - 12:17 pm 105. Still Bill:

Liberals are people who don’t seem to learn from history. Hitler and radical Islam: what’s the difference? The former was a genocidal lunatic hellbent on exterminating Jews; the latter is a genocidal movement comprised of lunatics hellbent on exterminating Jews and everyone else who doesn’t abide by their lunatic belief system. If that means throwing acid in the faces of young girls who have the audacity of going to school, then that’s what these lunatic cowards do. I don’t see why liberals keep trying to complicate this issue by searching for “root” causes when confronted with the obvious. We are dealing with cold-blooded murderous lunatics. It’s that simple.

Jan 31, 2009 - 12:43 pm 106. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

issachar5 typed:

“GOD harden’s their hearts, even as he hardened Pharoh’s heart.”

You make it sound as if God took away Pharoh’s freedom of choice and hardened his heart, when it was the mere revelation of God that hardened his heart.
The meaning was meant to be like saying, “The Israeli/Palestinian conflict has hardened my heart.”
At least, that’s the way I interpret it.

Read: 1 Samuuel 6:6

Jan 31, 2009 - 1:52 pm 107. tanstaafl:

I don’t see why liberals keep trying to complicate this issue by searching for “root” causes when confronted with the obvious. We are dealing with cold-blooded murderous lunatics. It’s that simple.

Liberals don’t make decisions and policies as a function of straightforward observations & common sense, but rather from a highly tenuous set of assumptions they have projected onto the human condition, having to do with a whole variety of “oppressed” and “oppressor” paradigms (sex, race, age, wealth…you name it)

Within the “victim” paradigm, Israel’s big crime is to have survived 60 years of assault.

Liberals twist themselves into knots (knots like “proportionate response”) to always make their take on any given situation the correct one. The brutalities of Hamas (even causing the deaths of their own people as propaganda fodder) are, by and large, ignored. Words and dissembling are the liberal stock in trade, hence the endless talking & pontificating.

Some have identified today’s “liberalism” as a mental illness or deficient brain function.

Jan 31, 2009 - 1:52 pm 108. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

“Samuel”

Jan 31, 2009 - 1:54 pm 109. James:

Problem is Israel is never allowed to fight its wars to victory. The more land it concedes, the more the terrorists are emboldened & not just in Israel. “Victory first, then negotiate,” Winston Churchill.

Jan 31, 2009 - 2:13 pm 110. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

Still Bill typed:

“If that means throwing acid in the faces of young girls who have the audacity of going to school, then that’s what these lunatic cowards do.”

I think you have to be careful when equating a society as a whole from the actions of a few within that society.
What if we were judged for what the Mafia does? The only difference in Palestine is that they are to weak to contain groups like Hamas. The area needs to policed by a strong law abiding government. Sadly no one wants the responsibilty of making that a reality. But still are willing to kill innocents, because of the actions of a few. Sure there were elections that put Hamas in office, but it seems to me that was out of desperation to have a strong government. Too bad it wasn’t law abiding.

Jan 31, 2009 - 2:16 pm 111. Ann141:

110.pajewmas…your second to the last sentence brings up a significant aspect of the whole thing….”elections that put Hamas in office….out of desperation to have a strong a government”.

Yup. When a law abiding society disintegrates to the point of anarchy, then totalitarianism looks attractive. This may be the next manifestation of rot in Europe (again).

This is why compromise and “negotiation” with those who always intended to destroy you just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

I wonder if the United States of America will understand this in time? Or will we keep PC-ing and stumbling along until the Muslims can control anything they want, inside and outside of our government, just by pointing out how offended they are?

Jan 31, 2009 - 3:47 pm 112. Still Bill:

To Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish: As an American of Italian descent, I don’t want to be put in the position of defending the Mafia. I happen to believe that the now deceased fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini had a very good approach to dealing with the Mafia: shoot them on sight and ask questions later. I guess that’s why so many of those mobsters wound up in the United States, and a few of them in my neighborhood as a matter of fact when I was growing up in Chicago. Although I’m not defending the Mafia, let me say this: their goal is and has never been to exterminate Jews. Heck, Jews have always been important members of the Mafia’s operation. It’s business, not genocide.

Jan 31, 2009 - 4:30 pm 113. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

Ann141 typed:

“This is why compromise and “negotiation” with those who always intended to destroy you just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

Do you agree the Palestinian society needs to be policed? And if so, could surrounding neighbors (those that don’t project a perceived threat to Palestine) ban together to help a law abiding government take hold?
Is that sound thinking, or do you think it’s a plan for impractical negotiations? And Palestinians are just a bunch of savages, hell bent on the destruction of Israel, and there’s no hope for rehabilitation?

Jan 31, 2009 - 4:40 pm 114. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

Still Bill typed:

“Although I’m not defending the Mafia, let me say this: their goal is and has never been to exterminate Jews. Heck, Jews have always been important members of the Mafia’s operation. It’s business, not genocide.”

What if militant Moslems believe it will be better business for them to exteminate Jews? That’s not my point. I could’ve easily used “thugs and gangstas” as an example.
Maybe you should read what I posted again on 110 and refocus on my overall point, instead of the tangential semantics of the mafia.

That should be “too” back at that post.

Jan 31, 2009 - 6:08 pm 115. Pajewmas tuba teakettle of fish:

“exterminate”

Jan 31, 2009 - 6:09 pm 116. Pat J:

I long for when Palestinians rise up against Hamas. Case scenario. Hamas launches their rockets from a school. Some teachers manage to overpower them, throw them outside and hold them just long enough for Israel to get a fix on them.

In the meantime, I pray Israel can use its military might more strategically against Hamas and not let innocent people die in the crossfire.

Jan 31, 2009 - 8:05 pm 117. myth buster:

The use of human shields is a war crime. Thus, even if the proximate cause of death was trauma from Israeli munitions, every last one of those dead civilians was murdered by Hamas, just as a bystander shot to death by a police officer returning fire against a gunman was murdered by the gunman (see Felony Murder).

Jan 31, 2009 - 8:42 pm 118. Ann141:

The group we refer to as “Palestinians” has at least two subgroups: those who have been victimized (by Israel-haters) and those are the victimizers (terrorist groups–even if they are elected out of desperation) One of these subgroups MAY be interested in an orderly society. The other one definitely is not.

As a general comment on the points in 113, is it not a given that every society “needs policing”? We have policing in our society. Of course the Palestinian society “needs policing” in the best sense. How to do that now, under terrorist/war/civil war/no effective government? The answer to that is what the last 25 years of futility has been dedicated to! There are so many nations/groups involved in this mess whose interest does not lie in a real solution, and a solution is not their purpose.

Good questions and discussion points, though.

Jan 31, 2009 - 9:02 pm 119. stevbjessie:

wow – you re-pubes are a hateful bunch of hillbillies.

Jan 31, 2009 - 9:48 pm 120. cubanbob:

Why aren’t the Arabs held to the same standard as the Israeli’s? Tel mel Mo, when are the Arabs going to quit their illegal occupation of Kurdistan? When are they going to get out of Darfur? There are so many other ethnic groups with a real history of their own,a separate language and culture that are oppressed, occupied and dispossessed by Arabs, when do they get their state? Why are they less ‘deserving’ than the so-called Palestinian’s? Sixty five years ago it was they Jews that were called the Palestinians. The real truth is that Israel embarrasses the Arabs. A people that Arabs and Muslims consider their inferiors have proven that virtually every measurable way they are the inferiors. Minus the oil and the Arabs are a nearly worthless pile of sand for all of their other economic, scientific contributions to the world today.

Feb 1, 2009 - 12:34 am 121. Gary A.:

I don’t worry about Israel because God will never let their nation be destroyed. I just hope the U.S. doesn’t ever give up supporting our Jewish friends.

Feb 1, 2009 - 2:00 am 122. Oscar the Grump:

Not on the main news any more…
Hamastan has been rocketing Israel for the last four days. Lets see what the apologists have to say about that.

Feb 1, 2009 - 10:34 am 123. Mark C:

I see from some of the comments above that the Judenratt are very much still with us.

Feb 1, 2009 - 12:09 pm 124. Sylvie:

To cubanbob @ 120 – Let us remember that the Arabs and the Jewish people are no longer the same people that they were those thousands of years ago as much water has flowed neath the bridge since. These two peoples have proven time and time again that they can never live ’side by side’ in peace. The question now is why it should be the miniscule state of Israel chosen to be the ‘Proposed State for the ‘Palestinians’ when Arabs have the whole of the land mass in the area to create a State of their very own? Arab Leaders built Dubai didn’t they? Why not they build another for these Palestinian/Arabs in their very own homeland and put an end to the ongoing Conflict in the Mideast between Arab and Jew and one which might easily escalate into something far more lethal and dangerous
in the not too distant future … especially while Iran is waiting in the wings to ‘wipe Israel off the map’. The Jewish State has enough on her plate without having to fight a war each year in order to survive.

Feb 1, 2009 - 12:40 pm 125. Oscar the Grump:

Mark C,
Great remark, it reminds me of all the love there is in the world. Gee, I’d love to me you in person.

Feb 1, 2009 - 1:39 pm 126. Oscar the Grump:

For those who don’t know the Judenratts were the Jewish organizations the Nazis set up in the ghettos to help them control the population. They were complicit in executions and shipping the Jews to the gas chambers.

Feb 1, 2009 - 5:23 pm 127. Len Frankel:

Iran is the best thing to happen to Israel in 60 years. The Mullahs are serious about getting the bomb, they’re serious about using it to destroy Israel. That means Israel will be faced with a stark choice within the next twelve months: allow Iran’s nuclear weapons program to reach maturity or strangle it while it’s still vulnerable. And if Israel opts for the latter it will almost certainly have to act in defiance of the Obama administration, the EU, the UN, etc. who will all be in full “negotiation” mode. For a country that’s always made a living beating back its Muslim enemies, only to allow the Nations to keep the Muslim thorn in its side, Iran spells the end of that game – for Israel and the world.

Feb 1, 2009 - 7:40 pm 128. Mark C:

Oscar, if the shoe fits, wear it. The Judenratt were what came to mind when reading Linsdale’s Israel-hating diatribes above…

Feb 2, 2009 - 6:05 am 129. Oscar the Grump:

Mark C,
You need to address your comment to the appropriate party otherwise it is considered a general statement. And, I’d be glad to show you where the shoe fits.

Linsdale is parroting the Hamas line. It is the modern blood libel. The IDF would prosecute any soldier guilty of such an infraction. I’m not saying that some children weren’t shot. It happens. The number reported is suspiciously high. I doubt if a dozen were shot by Israeli soldiers. If that number, 400, were really shot, my attention goes to Hamas. BBC made a point of being the voice of Hamas. One of their programs displayed in Egypt children that had been shot up close will full blame given to the IDF. Their mistake was to display an x-ray of a child’s head with a bullet in it. The bullet was from an AK47.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7831588.stm

You be the judge.

Feb 2, 2009 - 8:45 am 130. David W. Lincoln:

Keep this in mind. Those who do not want to see
will not see. Here is proof:

The cultural relativists can’t excuse evil

By Lauryn Oates, Citizen SpecialJanuary 29, 2009

In November, when a group of unveiled girls was attacked by men on motorcycles who sprayed acid in their faces as they were walking to morning classes in Kandahar, Canadians were shocked.

They shouldn’t have been.

Every year, all over South Asia, hundreds of women have acid sprayed in their faces for committing the offence of going to school, or for going to work, or for merely walking down a street without covering their faces. In Bangladesh alone, an average of 228 women are subjected to such acid attacks every year.

But there is an important and very specific lesson to be learned from the Kandahar incident.

More than a dozen of the young Kandahari women were seriously injured, two of them blinded, and the victims have all defiantly returned to their classes at the Mirwais Mena school. One of the girls who suffered severe eye injuries is 17-year-old Shamsia: “I will go to my school even if they kill me,” Shamsia said. “My message for the enemies is that if they do this 100 times, I am still going to continue my studies.”

The lesson here is that millions of brave Afghan schoolgirls are dedicated to pursuing their studies, in sometimes perilous and hostile circumstances, and their devotion is heartfelt, homegrown and hardy. It has not been “imposed” upon them by the “West.”

As Canadians, we should be proud and honoured that history has afforded our country a specific opportunity to help young Afghan women assert their fundamental right to education. Our focus should be on how we can do more, and better. Instead, a bizarre kind of cultural relativism has come to infect national debates about the Afghan mission, clouding our judgment and entirely obscuring the very meaning of universal human rights.

I first noticed it when I was in high school, in 1996, when I was circulating a petition to protest the Taliban’s brutal oppression of women. One of my teachers refused to sign the petition, saying, well, that’s their culture, and we have no right to interfere.

Two years ago I spoke on a panel organized by Carleton University’s Students Coalition Against War, in Ottawa. I was accused of exaggerating the suffering of Afghan women, but even if I had a point, it was an “internal cultural matter,” and certainly none of my business.

Human rights are culturally relative, the thinking goes, and the universality of human rights is some sort of western imperialist construction. It is as though girls have no right to read if their “culture” forbids it. It is a rarely scrutinized assumption, but it is ubiquitous in Canadian universities, and it reaches its most toxic concentrations in “anti-war” debates.

The result is that the once great cause of fulfilling the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is rendered merely a “Eurocentric” enterprise, and necessarily something shabby.

Years from now, when our own children look back on us, what will they make of how Canada, one of the richest countries of the world, lived up to the promise of universal human rights? In Afghanistan, where those rights are only now being extended to the people, and are still just nominally available to the women of that country, did we uphold our commitment?

Did we not see in the Afghan people our shared humanity? Did we recognize death-cult misogyny for what it really is? Did we have the courage to call fascism by its proper name, or did we excuse ourselves and retreat into the comfortable, false virtues of pacifist isolationism and cultural relativism?

Afghanistan is not just a theatre of war in the conventional meaning of the term. It is also a battleground of values. But it is not a clash between “western” and “eastern” cultures. The Afghan people want their girls to go to school. The Afghan people do not want the Taliban. But in Canada, it has nonetheless become necessary to point this out, over and over, and also to point out what it is that the Taliban actually do want.

“They want what they had before 2001: an extremist, eccentric Islamic state where the sports stadium is used for public executions of dissenters, homosexuals and women accused of adultery,” Cheryl Benard of the Rand Corporation recently reminded us here in the “West.” What the Taliban want is a place apart from humanity, where “religious police roam the streets with sticks to beat anyone whose beard or chador is too short; and all education for girls is eliminated.”

The Taliban and their fellow travellers have not given up on this vision, and to achieve it they are happy to blow up civilians and their own in suicide bombings (an act condemned in Islam and in Afghan traditions, for any “yes, but” cultural relativists reading this). They kidnap journalists, hijack food-aid convoys, decapitate teachers, and slaughter unarmed women working for foreign aid organizations — the fate that recently befell the Canadian humanitarian workers Shirley Case and Jackie Kirk.

Yet to hear from some of the more prominent “troops out” voices in Canada, the Taliban are merely “dissidents” or “the resistance.” To listen to these voices, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Taliban were some quaint tribe, engaged in a noble fight against the power-hungry, capitalist West.

Once you strip away the misleading “explanations” offered up by the cultural relativists, all that remains is disgraceful excuse-making for an ideology that requires its adherents to pull women’s fingernails out for the crime of wearing nail polish. It is an ideology engaged in an open revolt against humanity, against the values shared by Afghans and Canadians alike, and against an entire international order founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

With a new year under way in our engagement in Afghanistan, let us do a better job of honouring the legacy on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is based — in Afghanistan, and everywhere.

Lauryn Oates is a founding member of the Canada Afghanistan Solidarity Committee and project director of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan’s Excel-erate Teacher Training Program. She has advocated for the rights of Afghan women and girls since the Taliban invasion in 1996 and travels frequently to Afghanistan.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Feb 2, 2009 - 10:11 am 131. Still Bill:

To David W. Lincoln: You are an eloquent spokesperson for our great neighbor to the north. God bless Canada, God bless the United States of America, and God bless freedom loving people wherever they live.

Feb 2, 2009 - 7:21 pm 132. allen@governmentality:

“It is amazing to me that there is so much confusion over who the terrorists are, who wants war, and who wants peace.”

Is it really that amazing? It was this media group that sent Joe the Plumber to do reporting on Israel’s raid.

http://www.governmentalityblog.com/my_weblog/2009/01/media-dont-know-half-the-time-joe-the-plumber-in-israel.html

Feb 3, 2009 - 6:44 am 133. Cybergeezer:

Imagine transplanting a kindergarden class into the worst neighborhood in the world; This is Israel.
“All I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarden.”

Feb 3, 2009 - 6:35 pm