Damned if they do, dead if they don’t

Ralph Peters on the Israeli assault on Hamas:

What might Israel have done better? It’s essential to take out the top terrorist leaders. But Israel’s government remains reluctant to target the cowardly Hamas leaders hiding in Damascus – or even the top terrorists remaining in Gaza.

For terrorist bosses, the rank-and-file are disposable and replaceable. You can’t just kill the gunmen. You have to kill the names.

We may sympathize with the average Palestinian family, exploited by generations of corrupt leaders and now caught in yet another round of violence. But let us never forget that Israel hasn’t fired thousands of blind rockets into Palestinian cities, that Israeli suicide bombers don’t attack Arab restaurants and bus stops, and that Israel seeks to avoid harming civilians – while Hamas seeks to kill as many civilians as possible.

In a world where there are no good answers, Israel just answered as best it could. The world’s response? "How dare Jews defend themselves."

Humanity doesn’t progress. It just changes clothes.

Ralph doesn’t mince words. Read the whole thing.

 

Technorati tags: Hamas, Gaza, terrorism, anti-Semitism, Israel

Sarah Palin, Man of the Year?

She’s one Canadian’s choice.

"For a politician of real accomplishment and promise, who has somehow managed, for the first time since Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, to cut through the verbiage and posturing of an election campaign, and look an electorate in the eye; a politician whose policy instincts are sound, whose wits are sharp, and whose moral vision is unclouded — who drives all the right people crazy, across party lines."

UPDATE: So does Gerard Vanderleun. (h/t Fausta)

Technorati tags: David Warren, Sarah Palin, Man of the Year, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan

Quote of the day

Victor Davis Hanson again, this time on Kennedy vs. Palin, a media morality tale:

But, no, the real embarrassment proves to be the media itself that apparently can’t see this weird unfolding self-incriminating morality tale: It is not just that Palin is conservative, Kennedy politically-correct (e.g., pro-abortion, gun control, gay marriage, etc), or Palin a newcomer to public attention, Kennedy a celebrity since childhood. Rather it is the aristocratic value system of most NY-DC journalists themselves who apparently still assume that old money, status, and an Ivy-League pedigree are reliable barometers of talent and sobriety, suggesting that the upper-East Side Kennedy’s public ineptness is an aberration, a bad day, a minor distraction, while Palin’s charisma and ease are superficial and a natural reflection of her Idaho sports journalism degree.

A few generations ago, Democrats would have opposed Palin but appreciated her blue-collar story, and applauded a working mom who out-politicked entrenched and richer male elites. But now the new aristocratic liberalism has adopted the values of the old silk-stocking Republicans of the 1950s—and so zombie-like worship rather than question entitlement.

 

Technorati tags: Victor Davis Hanson, Caroline Kennedy, Sarah Palin, media bias

I for one welcome our new Chinese overlords

A Russian academic predicts the breakup of the United States by 2010, with China getting the West Coast. Surprise, surprise, he gives Alaska back to Russia.

Would that be before or after China grabs Siberia from Russia?

LINKS: Fausta has more.

(hat tip: reader Scamper)

 

Technorati tags: Igor Panarin, geopolitics, wishful thinking, Russian nationalism, fantasies, balkanization, United States

I still think Saltsman’s stunt was stupid

But Michelle is right to call foul on hypocritical, self-righteous outrage from the Left.

 

Technorati tags: Chip Saltsman, Magic Negro, parodies, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, assassination fantasies, hypocrisy

More rats jumping ship

Another high-ranking Iranian official defects. There are interesting implications for Iranian-Turkish relations:

Iran will have to tread a fine line in this case. Relations with Turkey are very important for Tehran, both economically and politically. With Tehran becoming isolated, any damage caused in Tehran-Ankara relations will be to the benefit of the U.S. and Israel. On the other hand, Turkish authorities seem to be playing host to defectors from Iran, thus making the country a top destination for whoever wants to escape and to cause damage to Iran’s military apparatus.

And the Turkish military is historically very friendly to the Great Satan, the United States. Read the whole thing: it’s an enlightening look into the game of espionage in this new Cold War.

 

Technorati tags: Mohammad Reza Arian, defectors, Turkey, Holland, cold war, Iran, spies