Soccer Dad

Around the web

Biur Chametz considers the divisiveness that PM Sharon has inspired in the disengagement process. Like me this bothers him a lot as it seems out of character for Sharon. I think he gives the only answer possible in "Tearing for purpose of mending?". Though his solution seems plausible - I think even more so than the popular but dubious allegations that Sharon pursued disengagement as a way out of his legal troubles - it still is unsatisfying (because it's only speculation) and ultimately frightening (because, as Biur Chametz points out, it won't likely work.)

Elie's Expositions fingers a lack of basic negotiation skills involved from Israel's side of the peace process. (Though his criticisms are directed towards the Sharon government, they could be applied to any of the post-Oslo governments of Israel, except perhaps Netanyahu's. Of course, Netanyahu's time in office was an object lesson in the problems with negotiating. Every effort by Netanyahu to require something of the Palestinians, was portrayed as an effort to get out of Israeli obligations; not an attempt - as it should have been understood - to introduce Palestinian obligations.) And yes he cites Biur Chametz.

Mirty's Place has a couple of interesting pictures. In particular the second one stands out. It shows a group of protesters and a group of soldiers; separated by a fence. But they're not separated in a more fundamental way; they are praying together. Despite the divisiveness encouraged by the Sharon government, there are many people - though they may be working against one another - who see themselves as members of a single nation. This is encouraging.

I've been chiding the Sharon government for being unnecessarily divisive. Early on in the disengagement process, Sharon told Lally Weymouth of the Washington Post that he was threatened by Jews:

By doing this, you have opponents threatening not only your political career but your life.
I don't worry about my life. Arabs always wanted to act [against me] but now the Jews are doing this. So for me, it is a strange situation. As one who defended Jews all his life, I now have to be secured against Jews. But I am fully committed to the plan.

Even if true, the way he said it was a pre-emptive strike to delegitimize his opponents. He will carry through despite the threats to his life. His approach should have been to deflect the question.
Yes recently an Israeli government minister was assaulted. But it wasn't one who was for disengagement. It was Natan Sharansky; because he wasn't sufficiently committed to peace in the eyes of one Abe Greenhouse.
I don't recall if PM Sharon deplored the incident when it occurred. But I do know that recently added insult to the injury by undermining Sharansky's candidacy to run the Jewish Agency.

President Bush recently disappointed those of us who thought he was serious abou his war on terror. I'm not happy that he wants a Palestinian state. But I though he differed from Democrats because he would, at least, demand some level of compliance. Jewish Current Issues lets us know that, alas, he's following in his predecessor's footsteps. I've been remiss in not bringing it up sooner; this is a disappointing retreat from the President's position of June 2003.

Cox and Forkum illustrate this appeasement this quite well.

On another matter, Brain Terminal has a nice comparison of how Americans treat their enemies in war; and the way our enemies treat us. It's a good exercise in moral equivalence.

One of the more popular entries that people still look up here is one of a soldier, Pfc. Oscar Buonafina, sharing his Game Boy with an Iraqi boy.

Here's another great picture showing the humanitarian nature of the American army. Our soldiers are people to be proud of.

Capt. Jacqueline Naylor, a family practice physician from the 173rd Support Battalion, successfully delivers a premature baby in a hospital at Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan. This photo appeared on www.army.mil. (Picture by Sgt. Erin Maynard)

Finally, how about Not Quite Perfect's fractal art?

I had wanted to cover more ground but just don't have the time.

Posted by SoccerDad at July 21, 2005 08:05 AM | TrackBack