Author Archives: Soccerdad

About Soccerdad

I'm a government bureaucrat with delusions of literacy.

Crazy or not, here they come

Guy Bechor observes Israel is back. (h/t David Hazony via Twitter) According to terror groups, Israel can reach anywhere and has infiltrated every organization and each Arab state. The glory of Israel’s secret services had been restored and the fear … Continue reading

Posted in Hamas, Israel | Tagged | 5 Comments

The Dubai sanction

While the apparent efficiency involved in killing Mahmoud al-Mabhouh has convinced many that Israel killed him, (via memeorandum) some others are raising doubts. Tom Gross, for example, wonders: * There seems a very real possibility that Israel is being set … Continue reading

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Misplaced honors

Recently there were a couple of items of how the United States is honoring (in different ways) people they shouldn’t be. Martin Kramer on the American Ambassador to Afghanistan honoring a past Afghan hero. No doubt it made diplomatic sense … Continue reading

Posted in Lebanon | Tagged , | Comments Off on Misplaced honors

Cohen pines for Palestine

Roger Cohen – the columnist who vouched for the moderation of Iran’s rulers – was off to such a promising start, in Hard Mideast Truths: Here’s what I believe. Centuries of persecution culminating in the Holocaust created a moral imperative … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | Tagged | 4 Comments

As persistent as they wanna be

If the UN has been persistent in pursuing the Goldstone Report, it hasn’t been as scrupulous in a different matter. Michael Young complains about the U.N.’s betrayal in Beirut. Five years ago former Lebanese President Rafiq Hariri was killed. Half … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The administration’s Goldstone omission

Benny Avni writing about the Goldstone Hustle in the New York Post concludes: If Goldstone’s tactics succeed, future imitators will surely build cases for “war crimes” in Iraq, Afghanistan or Yemen. Indeed, the ICC’s top prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, has already … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time, The One | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The denier’s denials

Last week, Der Spiegel interviewed Mahmoud Abba, president of the Palestinian Authority. (h/t Bookworm Room) The way the interview was presented was with a question: how many lies did Abbas tell? I didn’t go over the interview with a fine … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | 1 Comment

Snowy Calvinism

In honor of the east coast’s recent deluge of snow, Transterrestial Musings points out a relevant collection of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. Some people were inspired to follow Calvin’s lead. I suppose I could do without the red food coloring. … Continue reading

Posted in Blasts from the past, Pop Culture | Tagged | Comments Off on Snowy Calvinism

I’m m-e-e-lt-i-n-g

This wasn’t so difficult. The icicle was melting pretty quickly and new droplets were forming in quick succession. I didn’t have to time the shot, I just had to click, and was pretty much assured of catching a drop dripping. … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | 2 Comments

Goldstone is the result of 40 years of the perversion of international law

Not only has Israel prepared a defense of its conduct during Cast Lead in response to the Goldstone Report, so, too, has Hamas. Jonathan Dahohah Halevi writes: Hamas’ line of defence vis-à-vis the Goldstone report has been shaped by a … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, United Nations | Tagged | 2 Comments

Cairo nostalgia

David Ignatius wrote two weeks ago that the message of President Obama’s Cairo speech is as important as ever. Specifically: But in truth, the strategy that Obama proposed in Cairo is more important now than ever. Critics speak as if … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, palestinian politics | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Goldstone rumor mill

From the Goldstone Report: 50. The Mission investigated several incidents involving the destruction of industrial infrastructure, food production, water installations, sewage treatment plants and housing (chap.XIII). Already at the beginning of the military operations, el-Bader flour mill was the only … Continue reading

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Israel and the South Pacific Islanders

Last week the leaders of Micronesia and Nauru visited Israel. These South Pacific island nations (along with Palau) are among Israel’s biggest supporters. Israel Behind the News provides some useful background to this diplomatic effort. Of course, the support of … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | Tagged | 1 Comment

Still in with the old

Barry Rubin has read the new Fatah charter. The document was originally linked to at the Secrecy news blog. Secrecy News observes: But what is perhaps most significant is what is not in the document.  The original Fatah charter (or … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, palestinian politics | Tagged | 1 Comment

Legal lightweight

Judge Richard Goldstone was greeted at Yale University with an article in the Yale Daily News written by Noah Pollak and Adam Yoffie that made short work of his commission’s report: Goldstone accepted a mandate from this council to investigate … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | 2 Comments