Author Archives: Soccerdad

About Soccerdad

I'm a government bureaucrat with delusions of literacy.

Losing while winning

The New York Times reports Few Israelis Near Gaza Feel War Achieved Much Elad Katzir, a potato farmer, was nervous as he drove through the lush fields, agreeing to stop the car only behind clumps of trees or bushes as … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | 1 Comment

New president, old paradigm

The New York Times is happy with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. And of course the Times draws the wrong lessons. The Israelis have tough decisions ahead, starting with their vote next month for a new prime minister. We … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | Tagged | 2 Comments

False claims of victory and peaceful intentions

From Israel Speeds Withdrawal From Gaza (via memeorandum): It remained unclear what impact the conflict had had on Hamas’s popularity in Gaza. Israeli officials said Hamas had been harmed politically. Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz suggested that Hamas was rapidly losing … Continue reading

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Feuded? Try aided and abetted

Last week the Washington Post reported Israel, Aid Groups Have Long Feuded: Many Israeli officials, however, have long nurtured suspicions that U.N. agencies and other aid groups, which are supposed to be politically neutral, favor the Palestinian cause. They say … Continue reading

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Declaring victory from a rat hole

In Parsing Gains of the Gaza War, Ethan Bronner writes: Halima Dardouna, 37, from the northern city of Jabaliya, whose house was destroyed by an Israeli shell, said both Fatah and Hamas were to blame because of their rivalry, “and … Continue reading

Posted in Hamas, Iran, Israel | Tagged | 1 Comment

“… you’d rather see me paralyzed …”

Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” is a rebuke to an insincere ex-friend. It’s impossible to read a recent New York Times editorial “A way out of Gaza?” without feeling the same disgust towards the editors of the Times. It begins. … Continue reading

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Your rock, Barak

The talk about a possible ceasefire (via memeorandum) between Israel and Hamas before dealing Hamas a decisive blow is disappointing, especially since it doesn’t seem to include the freedom of Gilad Shalit. Hamas does not have the upper hand, but … Continue reading

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Is the media losing the credibility war?

Andrew Lee Butters, a member of the “terror troika” of Time Magazine wrote an essay titled, Is Israel losing the media war in Gaza? Asking the question means, of course, that he believes the answer is “yes.” But here’s a … Continue reading

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MacLeod-ing the issue

The trio of Scott MacLeod, Tim McGirk and Andrew Lee Butters who write for Time Magazine might have the worst collection of anti-Israel activists writing for any American publication. I’ll call them the “terror troika,” given their enthusiasm for Hamas. … Continue reading

Posted in Jews, Juvenile Scorn, Media Bias, Music, Religion | 1 Comment

The siren song of Syria and Iran

Charles Krauthammer (or here) sees that President Bush’s vindication starts on January 20. President-elect Obama seems to be accepting a number of premises of the Bush administration and appears ready to incorporate them into his administration. Vindication is being expressed … Continue reading

Posted in Iran | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Aysmmetric symmetry

Griff Witte writes Gaza War Generates Debate on Civilians. Witte boils down his debate thusly (after giving Israeli human rights organizations their say): The debate underscores the asymmetry of the conflict. On one side, Israel possesses a modern military, the … Continue reading

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Who’s getting sapped?

via memeorandum Isabel Kershner writes in War on Hamas Saps Palestinian leaders: The more bombs in Gaza, the more Hamas’s support seems to be growing at the expense of the Palestinian Authority, already considered corrupt and distant from average Palestinians. … Continue reading

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Withdrawal is no cure-all

If Thomas Friedman thinks that Israel only needs to teach Hamas a lesson, Dore Gold provides some numbers that would make him reconsider. (Friedman actually would never reconsider, being resistant to learning from past mistakes.) Admittedly, there were rocket attacks … Continue reading

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Teaching Thomas

In “Israel’s goals in Gaza,” Thomas Friedman sees Israel’s war against Hamas as a teaching action. No, really. I have only one question about Israel’s military operation in Gaza: What is the goal? Is it the education of Hamas or … Continue reading

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Wilhelm Marr’s legacy – rewrapped

In today’s Wall Street Journal, Daniel Schwammenthal contributes Europe Reimports Jew Hatred. He points out the hypocrisy of the anti-Israel protesters, their allies and enablers: The rage against the Jews that is exploding in Europe has been carefully nurtured; it … Continue reading

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