Make Some Noise!

before I turn to mush...I can't in good conscience collapse next to the ice without saying something about what is going on in Palestine and Lebanon. All together now, say Mass Punishment. As I have said before, it's not about poor Lt. Shalit- it's about bigger, nastier things like subjugating the block, like being an offensive neighbor, like pouring gas on the region...
I don't think Hamas or Hizbollah did anyone a favor by kidnapping the soldiers, although, arguably, their demands are pretty reasonable and in the past this kind of thing has worked. On the other hand, how could they not know that Israel would bring down the wrath of the IDF? Meanwhile, like always, its the civilian population who suffers.

A few places with very articulate assessments:
The Arabist
left End of the Dial
Blogger Roundtable
Crossing the Line: Life in Occupied Palestine

And Bush defended Israel. Well, of course he did, the shmuck, part of a coordinated game plan to control the region.