The American Spectator

Special Report

(Page 2 of 2)

[T]he founding charter of Hamas calls for the "elimination" of Israel. ...[T]he followers of Hezbollah chant "Death to Israel, Death to America!" That is why Osama bin Laden teaches that "the killing of Jews and Americans is one of the biggest duties." ...[T]he President of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages and calls for Israel to be wiped off the map...There are good and decent people who cannot fathom the darkness in these men and try to explain away their words. It's natural, but it is deadly wrong. As witnesses to evil in the past, we carry a solemn responsibility to take these words seriously. Jews and Americans have seen the consequences of disregarding the words of leaders who espouse hatred. And that is a mistake the world must not repeat in the 21st century.

br> The warnings and admonitions from Bush this time around suggest that he learned his lesson from the failure of the Annapolis appeasement conference to provoke real results in the region.

His Knesset speech also seemed to signal that Bush has returned to his his rightful place, vis-a-vis Israel, in the pantheon of American presidents -- that is, as one of the more stalwart supporters that the Jewish state has had, and the leader of the greatest international ally Israel could hope for.

topics:
Iraq, Iran, Israel