LH:
I'm not as assured as you are about Israel's 'might' relative to its neighbors. For instance, as you correctly point out, in 1973 it was a very different story. Also, I think Israel's small size needs to be taken into account relative to the battle ground. (This is one reason I do not think the problems of a two-state solution have been adequately worked out, limited land area and water availibility). I agree totally on the common origins of both sides, but I think an argument among cousins can be the most difficult to solve. I do use the word 'tribal' in this context, and I believe that our current crises are part of a larger story: mankind coming to terms with the larger family we all belong to. We are running in to a familiar problem, if the tribal group next door hates us on a tribal basis, and we 'love' them on a 'fellow human' basis, how do we stay alive? I don't know if you remember the movie 'Dances With Wolves' but some other country north of US (and south of Alaska) came out with a different take: 'Black Robe'. In it, a Catholic missionary goes through great trials to reach a receptive Michigan tribe. At the end of the movie, the postscript informs us that the tribe accepted Christianity onlt to fall to its heathen neighbors. Of course as you know the greater lesson is this enlarged view of humanity wins out in the end, but the trick is not be one of the victims on a blown up bus in Haifa before that happens.

As to the thread topic (I knew I'd get there eventually), it is truly sad that the UN isn't more involved in some way with this war Let us not forget that the UN DID establish a presence and was horrifically bombed at its mission headquarters.

I'd have more respect for the words of Kofi Annan if I was more informed of anything he had actually accomplished vis-a-vis UN corruption, world conflicts, or long range work to improve its sorry state. What is the point of choosing to air his views on legality right now? It is very easy to jeer from the sidelines, but if the US quit the mideast tomorrow, the ramifications would be felt in many places worse than out own territory.

I think it is vital to keep the UN involved. As one of my favorite authors once wrote about life in general: "Sure the game is rigged. But it's the only game in town."