Hez by contrast looked relatively good, I mean competent. Granted that they are evil, the world somehow doesn’t see that anymore – they did capture/kidnap the soldiers and did manage to avoid having the IDF smash them to pieces, which is really good for a crappy little guerilla force. I hope the IDF will do better next time,

BUT HOPE IS NOT A PLAN.

It is not a dig, not an insult: the US armed forces have also had periods of decline. After Vietnam there was a lot of trouble, and a concerted effort was necessary to make a turnaround.

Obviously it is a big help having the Lord on your side, but nonetheless you may do better with the Lord plus military reform than with the Lord without reform. Unless you are thinking in terms of Gideon, He has historically voted for the heavier, better-trained, better-equipped, etc., battalions.

IIRC, He also required more of his leaders than Olmert has provided. I don’t see any more news, BTW – how is Sharon? Now there would be your miracle – for him to recover and take charge.

“Elsewhere on Tuesday, Mashaal’s words were backed up by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who asserted that in all the time he had served as prime minister, he had never taken steps against Palestinian armed groups or prevented them from carrying out operations.”

How many, many times have we seen attacks carried out and disclaimed by the Palestinian authorities as “rogue elements” they can’t control? And how many times have the western governments and media echoed that line? We saw it just last week. “We support the cease fire but we can’t control everyone.”

Now the Palestinian PM admits quite openly tht the rogue elements aren’t rogue and in fact at best the PA doesn’t care to know about them and doesn’t care to stop them.

Meryl has a grim prediction for 2007 that may well come true. My prediction for right now is that this unequivocal statement will be totally ignored by the media and western governments.

Anyone want to bet against me?

Here in Israel, the view is pretty gloomy. No one trusts the gov’t, everyone thinks there will be another, far nastier, war very soon (my money is on direct Syrian involvement), and no one thinks that the Lebanese gov’t will surviv long. People are getting their shelters ready, and the army is busy getting commissions to write reports on the last war.

I think Israel will survive, again, but more because of our enemies’ incompetence.

Israel should show a bit of backbone. Do whatever it takes to make sure the world sees your point of view (where is that gun form the Hitchhiker’s Guide?). Stop being so apologetic and explain that Israel has the right to defend itself and that the only reason for the “occupation” is to minimize terror attacks. The only reason you don’t see suicide attacks is because the IDF is doing such a great job at stopping those insane radicals (unfortunately, statistics dictates that one or two will eventually get through). It is in the interest of the PLA to keep its people starving and poor and that is what IT is doing. PLA – Money for weapons and training YES, money for the betterment of the people NO. This is exactly what creates the hatred for Israel, that and infinite propaganda (aka: brain washing).

Well as they say in Israel – “Al tid-ag yihi-ye be-seder”

I think the spring of 2007 is going to be far bloodier than the spring of 2002

That, I think, may turn out to be the understatement of the century–for all of us.