Charles Krauthammer reminds us of the differences about both sides, and offers a due helping of criticism towards Israel for allowing the Palestinians to define the "norm", in Townhall on Friday:
For Hamas the only thing more prized than dead Jews are dead Palestinians.
---
At war today in Gaza, one combatant is committed to causing the most civilian pain and suffering on both sides. The other combatant is committed to saving as many lives as possible -- also on both sides.
---
Hamas' rejection of an extension of its often-violated six-month cease-fire (during which the rockets never stopped, just were less frequent) gave Israel a rare opportunity to establish the norm it should have insisted upon three years ago: no rockets, no mortar fire, no kidnapping, no acts of war. As the U.S. government has officially stated: a sustainable and enduring cease-fire.
If this fighting ends with anything less than that, Israel will have lost again. It can ill afford to lose any more wars.
---
At war today in Gaza, one combatant is committed to causing the most civilian pain and suffering on both sides. The other combatant is committed to saving as many lives as possible -- also on both sides.
---
Hamas' rejection of an extension of its often-violated six-month cease-fire (during which the rockets never stopped, just were less frequent) gave Israel a rare opportunity to establish the norm it should have insisted upon three years ago: no rockets, no mortar fire, no kidnapping, no acts of war. As the U.S. government has officially stated: a sustainable and enduring cease-fire.
If this fighting ends with anything less than that, Israel will have lost again. It can ill afford to lose any more wars.
The WSJ Editorial "Israel's Gaza Defense" provides more history - a history that always seems to be ignored a few days into an Israeli effort to defend herself:
Hamas did agree to a six-month cease-fire earlier this year, during which the rocket attacks declined in number but never completely stopped. But Hamas refused to extend the truce past December 19, and the group has since resumed attacks, firing nearly 300 missiles, rockets and mortars. The 250,000 Israelis in the southern part of the country live under constant threat, often in bomb shelters, and the economy has suffered. Yet the world's media seem to pay attention only when Israel responds to that Hamas barrage.
The Israeli Defense Forces have their own blog and videos. A nice improvement to the once one-sided PR battle.
The WSJ Editorial, "Dynasty", on Wednesday sums up the Democrats' shameful behavior towards the vacated Senate seats. Another example of a party that has no shame. The summary:
So to recap all of this change you can believe in: A Kennedy and Cuomo are competing to succeed a Clinton in New York; the skids are greased for a Biden to replace a Biden in Delaware; one Salazar might replace another in Colorado; and a Governor charged with political corruption in Illinois wants one of his cronies to succeed the President-elect.
Sally C. Pipes is the CEO of the Pacific Research Institute. She often publishes opinion pieces in the WSJ and we have never read one we didn't like. Her latest, "Obama Will Ration Your Health Care", discusses the Tom Daschle vision for universal [communist] care:
It is nearly certain that the process of determining which drugs and which treatments would be approved for use would be quickly politicized. The details of health-care policy may not be kitchen table conversation, but the fact that a Washington committee can deny grandma a hip replacement due to her age, or your sister a new and expensive drug, is. Health care is personal and voters will pressure lawmakers on access to care.
Ushanka owner Mike S. Adams analyzes the tolerance and moral superiority of the left in his Townhall article, "No Gay Mormon Left Behind". Is it selective tolerance to only permit marriage between a man and a man, but not a man and two women, or between a man and an animal?
If one can be morally superior to another by being more tolerant why not be really morally superior by being really tolerant?
