Submitted by Bernard Most (United States), Jul 21, 2006 at 01:42
Professor Pipes' analysis seems sound in the light of history. Appeasement of those who hate you does not bring long term security - indeed it brings the opposite. Nevertheless, short term "solutions" are very attractive; the problem is that lack of an apparent willingness to seek immediate cease fires or calm or limited short-term improvements is associated with a protracted and costly (in many ways) struggle. From the safety of the USA, it seems clear that Israel does indeed have a war to win but that the price it will have to pay to win that war is very high and the time needed to prosecute the war to an effective conclusion could easily be a generation.
I hope that the US resolve to support the efforts of Israel (emblemized to me by UN rep John Bolton's statement that 'one can't have a cease fire with terrorists' is maintained as the tragic repercussions of war on individual lives continues.
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