[LowCountryJoe]

I'll try and answer your question. I don't believe that we're doing anything wrong. In fact, I believe that we're doing the right thing by expressing American desire for democracy to take hold in that region. America is playing the hand its been dealt.

Was the creation of the Israel state a wise one in hind-sight? Given the turmoil of what's gone on since, it is a legitimate question to ask. I don't have the answer, either - I'm too young to understand the problems that faced the world body politic in its day. Maybe it goes back even further; to the resolution at the conclusion of WWI and the holding of Germany economically accountable for that war.

Anyhow, the United States will be paying the indirect costs for our hand in those decisions for a long, long time to come. All we can do is to continue playing our cards and keep making the 'calls' and 'checks' while we still have chips on the table.

[DK Zimmerman]

I concur with your last. That said, however, Pat seems to be suggesting that we reverse a course or two, to the point of supporting Hamas. That is just about the only course of action we should not do. A year's time is too much and pussy footing around them because of what Arabs may think of us is too much.

Remember, theirs is supposedly a religion of "peace" and they not only can, but do blame 9-11 on us. Hamas is an Iranian creation. To continue your analogy, the poker table we're sitting at is rapidly filling up with Iranian team members. If we don't start blowing some of them up, we might as well fold and go home. Supporting/sustaining any of them is no way to come out a winner.

[Sam Gamgee]

The creation of Israel was a wise move for Jews who had no where else to go. America could not have and certainly would not have absorbed fleeing European and Russian Jews post World War II.

[rmlew]

Was the creation of the Israel state a wise one in hind-sight? Given the turmoil of what's gone on since, it is a legitimate question to ask. I don't have the answer, either - I'm too young to understand the problems that faced the world body politic in its day.
Muslims have been trying to conquer the world since 622ce. The Muslim Bortherhood was founded in 1929.
Israel may be a rallying cry, but Islam demand world-wide Khalifiya.