This is where the illogic jumps out at you. There are hundreds - thousands - of suicide bombers and gunmen to replace the ones in the Church of the Nativity. If Israel was interested in their own real security and long-term diplomatic interests, they would pull back and let the Palestinian gunmen in the Church leave without incident.
Very little makes sense with all of this. But our eyes are all on the place of Jesus' birth, and that tells me something is afoot. So I pray hard.
Not that I'm under any illusions that the Anti-Christ won't enjoy a good thousand year reign of Peace-Keeping and Prosperity once he finally shows his face.
Which face, I suspect, may be waiting in the wings until the progress of President Bush's "hopeful technologies" reach a breakthrough such that human mulch really can effect some sort of Sustainable "eternal life" ... supple skin, fresh vitals, intelligence enhancements, the works.