I myself don't know how I feel about that very real possibility. After the unopposed rain of missiles we saw in the Lebanon engagement, it seems clear that giving Iran and Syria and every Levantine aspirant for the title of Imam al Umah the excuse to do the same would be suicidal. If Iran responded as I assume it would, Israel, faced with an existential threat, might resort to the unthinkable, and that would, indeed, bring on Armageddon.

No such thing as "world peace."
That phrase tips John-John's hand, imho.

It is statements like that one, written by some aid no doubt, and that recent blogger hire of his that convinces me that the only right thing to do is to vote GOP for President, no matter how distateful the GOP candidate will be. BECAUSE it doesn't matter who wins. What matters are all the people he puts in charge of everything. And I shudder to think of the people a Dem president would put in charge of stuff. (Not that W's appointees have been the most stellar either. But I'm talking about world outlook, not incompetence.)

To All:

The real world threat of Persian nukes is not isolated to Israel. Make no mistake about it, this is a distinctly Shia threat to a Sunni majority. Saudi Arabia is already doing the unthinkable, sharing vital intelligence with Israel. Turkey is allowing Israel to fly mock combat and refueling missions over her airspace. Jordan, as always, is simply terrified of Iranian hegemony on the block and is also aiding Israel with intelligence. The only people who are solidly aligned with Iran are North Korea, Syria, the Hizbullah in Lebanon, and of course Al Queda, and though Sunni will deal with the devil Shia to destroy Israel and make mischief to humiliate America no matter what the cost.

This is deeply serious business. Edwards is an airhead, and should be dismissed by anyone who cares about national security, not to mention Israel's existence. This excludes my Hollywood friends. They are moral idiots.

The Democrats do not take the war on Islamic terror seriously. Take a look at the websites of all the major Democratic candidates--it is barely mentioned. Surrender in Iraq is their goal. So-called global warming is their issue. They are children in a man's world and should be treated as such. It will not be long before Joseph Lieberman can no longer bear the stench and crosses the aisle.

Dear Robert,

This comes as no surprise to me! This sparkling bit of political acumen comes from the mouth of the same man who, prior to his vice-presidential nomination, boasted in an act of heretofore unknown electoral chest pounding, that he would deliver a knockout drubbing to his then primary opponent John Kerry in the primary of South Carolina, Edward's home state. Neboch!

As it happens, he did win, his only primary victory. Not exactly an avalanche ... more like the flurries that follow a sizeable snowstorm.

See http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P04/SC-D.phtml for the electoral results of all the illustrious contenders.

I remain,

Very Sincerely Yours,

Alan D. Busch

Alan:

Thanks so much. The subtext of the statement, which Democrat apologists skate past--so many of them Jewish, or so they tell us--is that once again, Israel is painted as the bad guy in the middle-East. For the chutzpah of having to defend herself, israel is a threat to the region.

I have had a question popping into my mind for years. Very recently, it has played a drum in my head: why are the majority of American Jews so leftist? Of all the peoples on earth and the history of the past 5,000 years, the Jews should know a thing or two. Yet they support the Left which has become, in the past twenty-five years, a tinfoil hatted group of leftist loons? Why? I mean no disrespect, just trying to find an answer and cannot.

Sharinlite:

I'd like to field this one if I may... even though I consider myself a liberal, I've come to realize in recent years that my liberalism is a little more self-defined. Thus, I often vote for Republicans and some independents, but not quite as often as Democrats. I usually go 60-40 Democratic.

Anyway, as Robert has posted many times before, a lot of American Jews... well probably the majority... are left wingers because their parents were, and the their grandparents were before them. In defense of those earlier generations, there was a time in America when the words "right wing" were basically synonomous with "anti-semtic." That hasn't been true for a very long time, but traditions die hard.

And then there's the fact that the leading labor and quasi-to-full-blown socialist leaders in this country at one time were all Jews. Eugene V. Debbs being the most famous, but even Samuel Gompers was a Jew, (I believe he converted). Even though Jews mostly prospered and gravitated into the world of management, again old traditions die hard, and it was hard to leave the party of the unions.

But those answers are a little to easy to explain the enduring devotion to the party. I think a third thing is at play that much more dangerous than devotion to old and outdated traditions. Some Jews, in fact I would argue the overwhelming majority of prominent Jews, have decided that we as a people have suffered over the centuries because of the nationalism and religious beliefs of others. In other words, it wasn't the evil of the Nazis that killed us, but the nationalist fervor of Nazism that did us in. And it wasn't/isn't the evil of certain Christians or Muslims who massacred us over the centuries, but the religious fervor that indoctrinated them.

So, they've decided that we Jews must show the world just how bad/dangerous religious fervor and nationalism can be. Even, (or especially), if that means criticizing our own religious Jews and Jews who they deem to be overly Zionistic. Too bad that religious devotion and Zionism are what will keep Judaism alive in the future... the only things. In short, these people think they can save Judaism by destroying it. It's like that Vietnam-era quote about destroying the village so we could save it.

And so the uber patriotism of the right wing and its tendancy to be more religious digusts this new crop of Jews. They think it's childish at best and dangerous at worst. They are wrong. If the 20th century has taught us anything, it should be a lesson that 1) there is evil and 2) it can come from anywhere.

And so, while I consider myself liberal and admit I am not religious I try to stay fair and honest by 1) respecting religious and non-religious people equally as long as they are GOOD people and 2) not giving anyone any undeserved credit either.

It's a long answer, but one to ponder. The good news for right wingers and the bad news for the liberals is that the GOP has nothing but upside and the left has nothing but downside when it comes to the U.S. vote. If the Dems can get 80%+ of the Jewish vote and STILL not win a presidential election, then the GOP only needs to chip off a percentage point or two every election cycle to make a huge impact. Meanwhile the Dems have much more to protect and a lot more to lose. And I suppose that's good for democracy.

Dear Jake:

When one tries to express oneself or get to the truth of a matter, length is not important, quality of content is what is important. I understand what you are saying and have thought of it also, too many times to count. But,

I am an Agnostic, although by scientist brother insists that I am an atheist...does it matter? No. However, your answer doesn't explain the past 4,750 years? Parents, grandparents? At some point each of us must mature, become adult and make our own choices. I did. Born a Catholic (is there any other?), switched to lite Catholic or Episcopalian and then finally onto a search for my own philosophy, which I have. I clearly see what my parents did or didn't teach and have gone through sufficient "therapy" a little outside but mostly from decades of reading, listening and watching. I know me, the why of what I experienced throughout my life making me the person I am today. I have learned not to be rigid, parochial or dogmatic. I've learned to listen and read not only what people "think" to say or write, but to watch the structure and lexicon. That gives me the ability to "hear" the feelings of the writer or speaker. But I live by a creed that is probably as old as the hills: I love myself first because without love, hate is easy. I love my family, country and fellowman when they behave decently, honestly, fairly and truthfully. Otherwise, I don't waste my time. At my age, I've learned there is simply not enough time not to be a human being instead of simply a homo sapien. Thank you for the "conversation", it is rare indeed.

This morning, Sunday, February 25, on the Biography Channel I watched an hour on the Prophets of Judaism.

I came away with what I think may be somewhat of an answer to my own question. I don't know very much about Judaism, but what I watched gave me a thread to add to my thinking: ancient archaic memories.

It seems to be that one of the reason Jews have been so despised for thousands of years, may have to do with the establishment of laws for human behavior, the Ten Commandments. God had always tried to get "his people" to listen, they would not. Therefore, he put it in "concrete" through Moses. Then came the prophet Isaiah. He separated royalty from priests, if I understand correctly. He was followed by Jeremiah and his admonition to "obey or be ostracized and destroyed" (8:18)...he was the last "political" prophet. Ezekiel followed. The word of God was within..." (2:3) and then he laid down the "philosophy" that I believe is the mainstay of Western thought (1:17). He was, apparently, the last of the true prophets.

Would you not agree that to separate royalty from priests caused discontent? And, the rabbi's were to be "teachers" reminding the "people" of the laws that needed to be followed in order to live a righteous life, the basis of which was to follow God's Commandments. What the rabbis actually evolved was a long litany of laws in an attempt to control every hour of daily lives of the "people".

In addition, were not the Jews that brought forth the concept of one god? That must have caused havoc throughout the known world. And, is it not that so much of the prophecies spoken came to pass for and against the Jews, also not a point of contention for others as well as the "people".

What I have always believed is that the species, homo sapien, has been on the path of evolution to human beings. But the road is hard and pleasure, power and material things often are more important. The lesson, I guess, is that if you put "god", who is within, first, and follow him truly, then a good life may be possible. We are today where we are because we, the people, still do not listen in sufficient numbers to make it real. And, more importantly, there will also be a segment of the world's population who simply do not want to hear,and those that never will. We are caught up in this conundrum again, only this time the technology may do us all in.

I would also like your permission to use your post above as an inclusion in my blog. I will email
this site for permission also. The owner may give you my email for this purpose. Thank you.