Debt Free

The current UN brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is tenuous at best. It can be likened to a pair of hippos trying to walk down the edge of a machete. Before too long, one or both will certainly fall. As could have been predicted, those in the Arab world are crying victory for Hezbollah and it could be argued that they are correct. Israel got almost nothing from the UN for its efforts. Rather than an emasculated Hezbollah withering on the vine, the group sits patiently to the north, waiting for their next opportunity to lob 122mm packages of love into Israeli cities. Columnists throughout the Arab world trumpet the success of the Hezbollah offensive, which will surely embolden future aggressors seeking to eliminate the Jewish state.

The only time Hezbollah and their supporters deviate from their victorious rhetoric is when they take advantage of an opportunity to declare themselves victims. Their cry of victimhood is a weak attempt to engender sympathy that is, unfortunately, all too often successful. After all, those on the left throughout the world love to be portrayed as supporting the victim.

According to S.M. Hassan of the Iran Daily, Israel “has seriously eroded the 100-year-old accomplishment of humanity which prohibits use of force for solving international disputes.” Mr. Hassan seriously overstates humanity's accomplishments, especially the radical Muslim contribution to resolving our differences, as they seem to turn to violence as a first resort. Apparently the irony of his prose escapes him, as groups backed by Iran contribute mightily to using force when resolving disputes. It could, however, be argued that these disputes are not truly international, because all parties concerned are not truly nations. Or, possibly, these folks just like to blow things up, like your drunk brother-in-law at a 4th of July party. Observing their behavior for the previous decades could easily lead one to that conclusion. In any case, most unbiased observers would have trouble determining that radical Muslims have turned their backs on the use of force to resolve their differences, however unreasonable these differences may be.

With deference to the esteemed Mr. Hassan, the track record of the radical Muslim community indicates only that they will continue to kill everyone in their path. Since they exclude nearly everyone from their definition of innocent, their own harangue to their followers and actions throughout the world demonstrate that no one is safe. They endeavor to exterminate anyone with the slightest difference of opinion or any unfortunates who occupy land the radicals deem to have some tenuous claim on. The Imams in Britain whip their followers into a frenzy, urging them to use whatever means necessary to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, the Brits have too often let such inflammatory diatribes go unpunished.

When statements from Muslim political leaders and clerics are often indistinguishable from those uttered by Hitler 70 years ago, one wonders why so many of the world's liberal journalists, leaders and entertainers have trouble supporting efforts to rid the world of this menace, preferring instead to negotiate. Negotiation with those who do not respect you or your positions is impossible and should be avoided. It's a waste of time for all concerned. Interviews such as Mike Wallace's of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad serve only to advance the cause of the Muslim radicals. He might have given similarly glowing reports while speaking with Adolf, had he been interviewing world leaders in 1934.

Numerous cease fires have been perpetrated throughout the middle east for decades. They have accomplished little, save the opportunity for both sides to regroup and rearm. This one will prove no different. Next time the Hezbollites will use longer range missiles. It's ironic that when Israel destroys Lebanese buildings and causes loss of Lebanese life as collateral damage from aimed fire there is a great hue and cry from the world community. When, however, the Katusha rocket, a weapon that has no possibility of being aimed at anything other than a general area, causes the deaths of Israelis, many in the world say little or nothing. Sadly, it's not over yet.