ASK ROSCOE: Go, Israel!

Roscoe,

Man, you're such a shill. Why are we even on Israel's side? Don't you think their response to current hostilities has been disproportionate?

M. Allbright

Dear M.:

Absolutely. Surrounded by enemies denying even Israel's right to exist, what has Israel done? Unilaterally withdrawn from Lebanon. Unilaterally withdrawn from Gaza. Considering unilaterial withdrawal from the West Bank. There's not a lot they haven't done to try to appease both their enemies and friends, including us.

And what has it gotten them?

Suicide bombings. Kidnapped soldiers. Hundreds upon hundreds of rocket attacks. Jerky, screwball self-exposes of ignorance and demagoguery such as you're displaying here.

Yeah, I'd say that's pretty disproportionate. A more appropriate response would be a true one-eighty: A full-scale, take-no-prisoners offensive to retake all those relinquished territories and then some. Let's throw in the Temple Mount, which incredibly was handed over years ago to Islamic authority--which has shut down Jewish and Christian worship on the site.

How about let's also throw in Damascus? To be truly proportionate, these responses have to cost the opposition something. Last time, the Israelis stopped short of the Syrian capital. Perhaps that was a mistake. Perhaps they should correct that this time.

Let's remember, M., that other than the British, the Israelis are America's most dependable partner in the war on terror. We need to supply Israel with anything and everything whatsoever she needs to do the job right as they do some of the heavy lifting for us.

Let's also remember, M., who it was who murdered 241 U.S. Marines in Beirut in 1983: This very same Hezbollah. Let's not forget who it was that danced in the streets when the World Trade Center Towers fell on 9/11: Hamas and the Palestinians.

This time, Israel needs to do the "proportionate" thing. She needs to fix this problem with a decisive solution that will last for more than six months for a change. Hezbollah and all its terrorist friends need to be resoundingly defeated, if not entirely eliminated.

Does that answer your question, M.?

--Roscoe