The American Spectator

Obviously it would. Israel would no longer have any reason to be there. The only solution to this conflict is (to resurrect a phrase from the history books) is for Israel to press for the unconditional surrender of the PA with the full power of their military. Japan did not give up the fight in World War II until it came face to face with the prospect of total annihilation. It was only by facing the choice of surrender or total destruction that it went through the necessary catharsis and gave up their madness. The Palestinians, through suicide-murder bombing have sunk to such a depraved level that I fear that the only solution is to force them to face a similar catharsis. Only then will they give up their madness. Once unconditional surrender is achieved, I’m sure Israel could win within a matter of days, some international peacekeeping body can step in to keep order, a democratic constitution can be written, free open elections can be held and the Palestinian people can be shepherded into the civilized world as citizens of a free country. I’m sure the reality won’t be as easy as I make it sound, it may take many years, but the alternative is for the Israeli people to settle down and get used to having their arms and legs blown off on a daily basis.

However, as long as the Palestinians continue to send their own children (their own children!), pumped up on vile anti-Semitic propaganda and C-4, off to murder innocent Israelis and then celebrate them by naming streets after them, a Palestinian state should be off the table. The USA wouldn’t tolerate such a depraved nation on our borders, why should Israel be required to? Is there any other country in the world that would be asked to by the “international community”? This is the reality that Israel has to contend with.

p>Lastly, your argument for a political solution seems to boil down to the notion that Israel shouldn’t fight back because it is upsetting the world’s anti-Semites. As the president said, “Either you are with us or against us.” Anti Semites, I presume, are against us so it’s better that they identify themselves publicly now so we know who our real enemies are. Regarding the Jewish settlements, I have one question: Is it too much to ask that the Palestinians tolerate a few Jews within their borders? The United States needs to act in its own interests and that may mean that we need to restrain Israel for the time being, but eventually one side is going to have to win this fight. It shouldn’t be the terrorists. br> — Steve Guarino br> Manchester, NH /p>

For years I have read John Corry and have admired his insightful media analysis. I can’t remember a single occasion where his and my views have diverged. This one, however, is a whopper.

There is not a single point Mr. Corry makes in his April 23 piece that cannot easily be refuted with factual and/or empirical evidence to the contrary. “What is the terrorist infrastructure when anyone can become a suicide bomber?” If Mr. Corry finds this question so “sensible,” then why hasn’t he argued that the Bush Administration should have sought a political solution in Afghanistan instead of a violent one? I don’t understand why Mr. Corry would argue the pervasive suicide bombers of Palestine deserve a different response than the pervasive suicide bombers of Al Qaeda.

To agree with an editorial in Haaretz that various military solutions “have not worked” (Mr. Corry’s words) is absurd. Israeli military action has most certainly stopped the bombings, temporarily or not, and has saved who-knows-how-many lives with the arrest and killings of many known Palestinian terrorists and the recovery of suicide bombs, bomb-making materials and weapons.

Most glaringly obvious — though it somehow escapes Mr. Corry — is that the political solutions are the ones that “have not worked.” When Yasser Arafat refused the return of 90-plus percent of Palestinian land claims and launched his latest campaign of terror, he said through his actions what has been obvious to the rational world for decades — the only solution for Palestine and most Arab populations is the complete and total destruction of Israel. It doesn’t have anything to do with land. Just what does Mr. Corry propose as a political peace that has not already been offered and refused by Mr. Arafat?

p>Because Mr. Corry has such an outstanding record of solid reporting, I will forgive this single slip-up. But the level of illogic and poor reasoning in this column is disturbing, to say the least. br> — Jay Dillon br> Atlanta, GA