Author Archives: Soccerdad

About Soccerdad

I'm a government bureaucrat with delusions of literacy.

This deal keeps getting worse and worse

The Israeli government has decided to swap a live terrorist for two dead soldiers. Former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz is in favor of the deal. And isn’t the price too high? According to Halutz, “Our nation is not like … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, palestinian politics | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

What color is the sky on J-Street?

J-Street has a wonderful new feature that allows you to send a letter to the editor of a local paper to support J-Street’s views. I decided to take advantage. Amy Teibel’s report on the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has … Continue reading

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

Re-posting

Taking its cue from the NY Times that recently introduced “Op-classics,” the Washington Post is inaugurating a feature called “Re-posted.” (I like the name Op-Classics better, but the idea is still a good one.) Here’s the deal: This RePosted article … Continue reading

Posted in Hamas, Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time, Media Bias | Tagged | Comments Off on Re-posting

Syrian serial peace making

David Ignatius hails Israel-Syrian negotiations in A surprise negotiation. There is so much wrong with this article it’s hard to know where to start. OK, I’ll start with Noah Pollak’s observation that Ignatius: regularly demonstrates that you can write about … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Syria | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Once more unto the breach

The NYT and Washington Post both reported on the recent breach of the ceasefire by Hamas. Though both papers included the reporting in articles about PM Olmert’s political maneuverings the Times did a superior job. The Washington Post left out … Continue reading

Posted in Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Media Bias | Tagged , | Comments Off on Once more unto the breach

Good Government Terrorists

Barry Rubin writes about They’re Dictators and Terrorists But What Clean Streets!, after outlining the failures of Fatah, Prof. Rubin lays out the secrets of Hamas’s success. As for Hamas, it possesses three key weapons. The mainstream appeal of extremism … Continue reading

Posted in Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Good Government Terrorists

Pictures = 1000’s of words

On the ceasefire: We have this picture with the caption: An Israeli woman stands outside her damaged house after a rocket fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza landed in the southern town of Sderot And this picture with this caption: … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Media Bias | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Pictures = 1000’s of words

The folly of revisiting Shebaa Farms

Jonathan Spyer explains the untoward interest the West has in Shebaa Farms: In the wake of the recent Doha agreement, the US is keen to bolster the position of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and the March 14 movement of … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | Comments Off on The folly of revisiting Shebaa Farms

No [blank] Tony

From Ethan Bronner’s Israel in the Season of Dread: Mr. Sara’s use of the word “calm” (“regiah” in Hebrew) was telling. No one quite knows what to call the current accord. Many use the Arabic word “tahadiya,” which is what … Continue reading

Posted in Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time | Tagged | 2 Comments

Anthony Lewis II

Nicholas Kristoff sounds off about The Two Israels. In Kristoff’s simplistic formulation there’s the good Israel and the bad Israel. There are no grey areas. Here’s his take: It is here in the Palestinian territories that you see the worst … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Israeli Double Standard Time | Tagged | Comments Off on Anthony Lewis II

Hezbollah in the west

Nice to see that even after prodding Israel to accept Hezbollah’s claim that Shebaa Farms is part of Lebanon, Sec. Rice acknowledges the nature of Hezbollah. Rice said also during the lightning visit that Washington still considers Hezbollah a terrorist … Continue reading

Posted in Terrorism | Tagged | Comments Off on Hezbollah in the west

Abdullah duels – with himself

In response to a question from Lally Weymouth, King Abdullah of Jordan says that he’s not afraid of Iran. Do you view Iran as the No. 1 threat in this region? I think the lack of peace [between Israel and … Continue reading

Posted in Israel | Tagged , | Comments Off on Abdullah duels – with himself

Hamas’s no-cost triumph

Jonathan D. Halevi on what Hamas accomplished. Hamas’ motives have nothing to do with “distress,” but rather with “opportunities” – that is, the objectives it seeks to attain in the international arena and especially in its own internal political arena. … Continue reading

Posted in Hamas, Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The whole shebaa-ng

Back in February, 2002, Thomas Friedman trumpeted the Saudi “peace plan” as proposed by then-Crown Prince (now King) Abdullah: Earlier this month, I wrote a column suggesting that the 22 members of the Arab League, at their summit in Beirut … Continue reading

Posted in Iran, Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Lebanon, Syria | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The whole shebaa-ng

Hamas handed victory

Griffe Witte reports in the Washington Post, As Israeli Siege Strangles Gaza Strip, Hamas, Smugglers Profit Off Tunnels.Despite the title, and some silliness in the beginning the article is, overall, rather informative. For all the talk of the “strangling” of … Continue reading

Posted in Hamas, Iran, Israel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hamas handed victory