[anotherview]

Wrong on all points. The Egyptian troops are going into the Philadelphi Road, the Gaza side of the border, replacing the IDF as the author pointed out. For all of Secretary Rice's pro-Palestinian noise I have not heard a demand to remove the security fence. I fully expect Prime Minister Sharon to ignore this President Bush when he turns against Israel the same way Prime Minister Shamir did to the last President Bush. I expect this President to do much like his father, who froze loan guarantees to Israel, or worse. There are some differences. Prime Minister Sharon's words from 2001:

"We are currently in the midst of a complex and difficult diplomatic campaign. I turn to the western democracies, first and foremost the leader of the free world, the United States. Do not repeat the dreadful mistake of 1938, when the enlightened democracies of Europe decided to sacrifice Czechoslovakia for the sake of a temporary, convenient solution. Don't try to appease the Arabs at our expense. We will not accept this. Israel will not be Czechoslovakia. Israel will fight terror. There's no difference between 'good terror' and 'bad terror' just as there is no difference between 'good murder' and 'bad murder.'

Another difference: this Israeli government has been building the basis of an alliance with China, just in case things with the U.S. get really, really bad. I would hope it never comes to that. I would hope the American people and American Congress, who overwhelmingly support Israel, will use the American system of checks and balances to reign in President Bush's pro-Arab policy if necessary. Finally, yes, I think the analysis in the article is pretty close to the mark.

[happyathome]

I hope you're wrong about a budding alliance with China. Such an alliance would be based solely on short-term political/military considerations, and could be abrogated by either side whenever the situation changed sufficiently.

In contrast, the ties between Israel and the US are built on shared values and deeply help conviction. Israel would be foolish to throw that away (as they risk doing every time they send spies into the US or try to sell weapons to China).

[tomahawk]

The Road is the border. My understanding is that the 750 Egyptian troops will be on the Egyptian side of the border.

If I am wrong, I will be happy to admit it (and please show me a source), but I believe I am correct on this.

[tomahawk]

There is NO Israeli alliance with China.

There are some small weapons deals.

To suggest there is an "alliance" is very misleading.

[American in Israel]

Totaly foolish article. To retreat to defensible borders that are only 9 miles wide? And if America has its way contigous with between the Mountains of Jerusalem and Gaza? That is cutting Israel in half, not building a fence.

Last I heard a ladder beats a chain link fence, that is if you mind just climbing the stupid fence. Last thing I also heard is that chain link fences do not stop bullets either.

Nope, this Gaza thing is going to blow up and cause the death of thousands of Jews and everyone knows it. Now what do you think of a leader that goes against the vote of the people, seizes houses from people that were built on land bought and paid for before there even was an Israel, and then causes thousands of his own citizens to die for another useless media statement?

I call it criminal.

Let Sharon give up his hundreds of acres ranch or ride around in city busses instead of his armored limos, then and only then will the man have put his mouth where his money is. As it is now, he is tossings others lives and homes and property down the drain like it is not costing him anything.

Because it doesn;t.

[Valin]

I fully expect Prime Minister Sharon to ignore this President Bush when he turns against Israel the same way Prime Minister Shamir did to the last President Bush.

What makes you think he will "turn against Israel"?
Define "turn against Israel".

no flame intended.

[gogogodzilla]

After the 2004 elections, President Bush seems to be retreating from his 'pro-Israel' stance.

Secretary Rice demanding further Israeli concessions and territorial withdrawals is just one example that comes to mind.

Also, the left in America has sold its soul to the Islamofascists. Which means that the Democratic party can no longer be thought of a pro-Israel. (It can be argued whether or not it ever was.) In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the Democratic party will shortly be the 'Death to Israel' party.

So with lukewarm Republican support and Democratic hostility, it would seem that Israel will shortly have no other choice but to ally itself with either China or India.

China has more diplomatic clout right now, but India has a better military industrial complex. Not so much in production terms, but in research and development.

There was a post floating around yesterday stating that India was working on developing an indigenously developed and produced nuclear submarine. So their research in naval matters appears to be far in advance of China.