May 08, 2002

Just when we all thought it was safe to go back in the pool, the Palestinians-- Hamas this time (Does anyone really care which group it was?) set off another deadly bomb in Israel.
Gee, the last month has been so peaceful and quiet over there-- not a bombing since Easter Sunday!-- while the IDF had Arafat all isolated in Ramallah.
Now we all know and can see that the juxtaposition of the two events ain't a coincidence.
How tragic that 15 (at least) more innocent Israeli citizens had to die for Arab militants to make their point--whatever point it may be that one makes with a suicide bombing other than random MURDER.
This time I hope Sharon won't be so restrained when he has the troops move back in to the West Bank to kick their *ss and take more names.
If you ask me, I think Sharon has been remarkably even-handed in his actions and is doing every play *by the book*.
He came to Washington to meet with President Bush armed with lots of evidence of Arafat's direct involvement with the bombings and as of this writing (2:30 a.m. CDT), Israeli troops have yet to make a retaliatory strike.
With each successive defensive answer for murder of civilian Israelis, Sharon will ratchet up the response, but in a measured, methodical way.

Also of note is that the Italian government has backed out of the deal to take the Palestinian detainees from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. So the siege or sitdown strike or whatever that is goes on, I suppose.
Who didn't see that coming?!
Trading a by now stinky and pitted out church with no food, medicine or cigarettes for an exile in sunny Rome with Italian monks who know how to cook pasta? We should all have "punishment" for our crimes like that!
Again, I repeat, the Church--even that special church--is not a building and we can rebuild the physical structure.
The Christian believers know that Christ was born in our hearts.