Because sometimes war is the answer.

I don't know. Some people can find a million excuses for the worst kinds of people. If only we were nice to them they'd be nice to us. Oy.

I must second the suggestion of The Hebrew Kid as a gift. My three, teenagers all, really enjoyed it.

Finally tired of latkes, we're having mashed potatoes tonight, and lots of board games by candlelight. A wonderful Hanukah to all -- and a joyous Christmas Eve to our Christian friends.

I hope that I'm wrong but with the way things are shaping up, I don't think England is an anomaly. I think they are at the forefront of what is happening in the world. That sunny thought not withstanding - my best wishes to all - Chanukah Sameach or, Merry Christmas

When civilized countries do not demand the same from governments backing terrorists (or unable to control them ala Pakistan)terrorism will continue.

And when so-called moderate Muslims take to the street protesting the suicide bombers the way they did over the cartoons maybe we will see fewer such killers. As a Catholic I know people expect my church to condemn an abortion bomber though such incidents are extremely rare. But where are the Muslims taking to the streets against those that kill in the name of their religion?

Johnny - that is my belief too - until moderate Muslims condemn the terrorists...

As a prelude to WW2, I thought an excellent history was contained in a biography of Winston Churchill - The Last Lion by William Manchester. Rather than the West "recognizing Evil" throughout the 30s - until September 1939, they tried to placate it - rationalize it -

Britain and France had lost much of a generation of fine young men to the trenches of WW1 - and although they had a half dozen chances to quickly and economically remove Hitler - they tried to placate him. I heard in 1938 with the sell out of Czechoslovakia, the Czech army at the time was the match of the German Army in 1938 - but had the rug pulled out from under them by Britain "Peace in our time" and France.

It seems most people have put 9/11 in the back of their minds - will it take an even more cataclysmic event to galvanize public opinion?

How can they possibly say that people don't often get a chance to hear Ahmadinejad speak? He's spoken at the U.N. and at Columbia University. People who give him a microphone and let him speak and appluad him MUST realize that he murders gays, Christians and adulterers-THEM!!!!They are so anxious to see Israel finished off, they don't care if they're next on his hit list.

Jack:

You are so right, and in the end "nice" will kill us. Happy Chanukah to you and yours.

Katherine:

I'm so glad to hear that your kids enjoyed my book. Nothing makes me happier than entertaining people.

No latkes for yours truly, gotta watch my waistline. Instead, veggie spinach burgers topped with low fat yogurt.

Sigh.

Kae:

You're right. An Orthodox Jew cannot walk in certain French neighborhoods without being murdered. In two generations, England and France will be Judenrein.

Johnny:

Civilized countries do not demand the same ethos from terrorists because they are, at the core:

1. Racist. i.e. Arab Muslims are too dumb and backward to adhere to a civilized code of conduct.

2. The Europeans have no backbone and believe that if they appease the Islamic terrorists, abandon Israel and world Jewry, everything will just be hunky-dory.

Bill:

Appeasement only invites further aggression. Look at the foolish and cowardly Israeli expulsion of all Jews form Gaza. The govt. argued that once Gaza was totally in Arab hands, peace would break-out. They also claimed that if Gaza turned into a terrorist entity the world would support strong Israeli military action.

Hasn't quite worked out that way, has it?

Miranda:

They can say it because they are a bunch of dyed-in-the-wool Jew-haters, and the message of genocide against Israel and the Jewish people can never be repeated often enough.

Apologies for the long comment.

Channel 4 is playing a nasty agenda, but not quite the one you might think (it's actually a lot sillier).

At 3pm on each Christmas Day, Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Elizabeth the Second, makes a televised speech to the nation. This is always broadcast on the BBC. It has a large but falling audience. She always draws attention to troops fighting abroad.

For the past 20 years, Channel 4, an independent television station (sorry, I meant "predominently Leftist republican propaganda organisation"), which tends to favour Irish terrorists, Communist tyrants and any other leftist criminal it can find, has tried to cash in on anti-monarchist feeling in the UK.

A few years ago, they got Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen) to do a televised address to coincide with the Queen's speech. He did a very good job of satire. He provoked outrage in the conservative media.

So this latest outrage is prescisely that, a calculated attempt to show the bourgeoisie how avant-garde the radicals are. I honestly don't think any thought went into the choice of speaker beyond asking "who can we get that will outrage monarchists, conservatives and devout Christians?" Next year, they'll probably show a gay porn film or a documentary about killing turkeys.

The carols in St James' church do not surprise me. During the Cold War that place was the centre of pro-Soviet propaganda events and "peace" campaigns. I consider that place to be about as legitimate a place of worship as a public urinal, except the latter serves a purpose. I'm surprised they didn't just sing "Death to America" and the Red Flag.

Final thought about the European-US divide. Who's the Israel hater: Nicolas Sarkozy or Barak Obama?

Antoine:

Thanks so much for all the background. Context helps.

Sarkozy is definitely pro-American, and more importantly, pro hot babes.

Unfortunately, the Jewish community in France is in an extremely precarious position. Not surprising, let's not forget that during WWII, French Jews were rounded up and sent to Auschwitz by the gendermes without any help from the SS. In every other country in Europe, even rabidly Jew-hating Poland, the local police were organized and aided by the Nazis.

Can't say anything negative about you know who. His agents are everywhere and I'll be arrested for thought crimes.

Chag Sameach to all of the Avrechs as well. We are about due for lunch again.

But Robert, don't they CARE that if Israel is destroyed, England, where they live, will soon follow? I'm sure BBC Channel 4 employees include WOMEN and GAYS and ADULTERERS and all sorts of people who, if they had any common sense, would get a little queasy when Ahmadinajad spoke. Well, if G-d forbid, Israel is ever destroyed, Europe, as I've said before, is next on the Islamofascist hit list. And if, G-d forbid, EUROPE goes Islamofscist, I will have no sympathy for the useful idiots who helped that happen-no matter WHAT the Arabs do to them.

Miranda:

No, they don't care. Jew-hatred blinds them to self-preservation. Foolishly, they believe that if they throw Israel and the Jews to the Islamists, all will be well.

They don't realize that once Israel and the Jews are sacrificed, they are next on the Muslim hit-list.

Jack:

Have your people call my people:-)

Dear Robert: Don't they remember what happened when a certain Neville Chamberlain tried to avoid getting eaten by a crocodile by feeding his neighbor to it? Happy Chanukah. Hodesh Tov. Shavuah Tov.