In answer to the statement "...treated in the same manner (re:aid)" one has to wonder why it is that in the UN (all these years after the organization ordained the state) it (Israel)is not treated "in the same manner".   Sanctions and censure abound. Where are the sanctions and censure for the other side?    Probably with the larger voting bloc of the Arab states.

One of the smarter things the founders came up with was the Security Council Veto---it assured a balance for the founding powers and the rotating members given that the make=-up of the organization is quite different now than at it inception.

I think that part of the problem with this discussion arises from the fact that history is an ongoing thing and you cannot single out this year or this day or this event as the precipitating factor for these things.   You can, however, look back and see that Israel defended itself ---and agreed to the original map. (By the way they had purchased much of the land through the JNF years back--and in --I think 1929---they were violently attacked by the Arabs (Palestinians) That they were attacked--who is to blame for that?   In 1967 once again---who is to blame for that? 1973---and so on. Israel has even negotiated (or is negotiating) for the return of the Golan---and that can surely be a dangerous precedent.

I highly recommend a book by an author I interviewed on my radio program a while back---Michael Oren. Six Days of War and the Making of the Modern Middle East.   The author--an American expatriate living in Jerusalem (and a professor)writes an even handed history. In conversation he told me that his son is in the army (drafted) he is in the reserve(mandatory) and his youngest calls from school each day to say he has arrived safely since his bus route has been bombed many a time. Great way to live.   How DO you respond to that--I mean such attacks?

I doubt his wife has as much fear of rape as Carol does---more of bombing and maiming. Seriously---if you live here (U S) rape is not all that prevalent---unless you watch the schlock news programs or read the Supermarket Tabloids. Sure way of becoming paranoid.


Bill Hahn