"JUST ANOTHER POLITICAL PARTY"

My sentiments exactly. Now tell me when Republicans can start sending missles into Democratic precincts.

Again? Didn't the Civil War sate your blood lust?

I've been actively supporting Israel since, it almost seems biblical times, and if they blow it again, they'll have lost me for good.

No more talk. Time to eliminate the killers and the regimes harboring them.

Beating your head against a brick wall -- or in this case, an IDF tank -- long enough may make enough people in Hamas and the Palestinians they are supposed to represent comprehend that the two-state solution the Israelis have imposed makes their old tactics during the Intifada far less viable. Running their own country and attacking Israeli allows the IDF to come in and take care of the problem, under the right of self-defense, and Israeli's critics can no longer attack it by saying they are repressing their own people, leaving them with the option of saying Israel has no right to defend itself (a position only those on the far left in the west are willing to take right now). Hamas' willingness to take the Egyptian offer shows reality may finally be dawning on them.

The Hezbollah situation is a little different, since they are not officially in charge of Lebanon, even though their the de facto rulers of the southern part of the country. But as long as the actual Lebanese government refuses to do what King Hussein did to Arafat and the PLO in 1970, Israel can do what it wants until Hezbollah either takes the hint or the other factions in Beiruit decide to finally put their own house in order.

"...They are also ready to release Shalit in exchange for guaranteeing the future release of Palestinian prisoners."

If that guarantee was made, wouldn't that make the kidnapping the Israelis a valid form of Palestinian political expression?

JJ:

This isn't something new--it's routine.

If they can get Shalit back in exchange for a ceasefire, why wouldn't they do it? It's a clear win for Israel. They can always start the shooting again if Hamas commits more infractions, and they save Shalit.

Returning Palestinian prisoners is more problematic. I would insist on Shalit back for a ceasefire. No other conditions.

Routine - So are murders in Detroit and D.C.

Yes, if we didn't prosecute murder there'd be more of it.

So we should adopt the Clinton & DemoRat Party's policy of prosecuting terrorists instead of killing them?

The Israelis should go to Damascus and then turn left and clean out the Bekaa Valley. No more negotiation, no more half-measures. Set the pace, as it were.

It's already just a one-front war, because the Palis evidently know when to quit.

obc:

We have.

There's no front in Lebanon.

Of course not, but 10 days ago, both Hamas and Hezbollah thought there was. And they thought they could keep it that way.

President Bush should tell the Israelis to do whatever they need to do. We should begin covertly killing as many Syrian troops and agents on the Iraqi border as possible. Then the IDF can free Damascus. The panic among the mullahs and goons in Tehran will be palpable.

The panic in the UN will be the same. Don Kofi might even be forced to go in hiding to avoid attacking Israel on live TV.