Smart Aleck Bunk

I read something right now by Steve Benen on TPM criticizing something Mitt Romney said. Now, before the current campaign, I had moderate respect for Romney - he seemed like a good New England Moderate Republican. Yet now he has all the trappings of Political Skank (i.e. someone willing to do anything to get elected). Nearly all politicians are skanks - it's part of the job and it's important to remember that - yet some are subtle about it. Romney is a joke.

So I don't mind attacks on The Mitt... as long as they make sense. However he was criticized by Benen for something that I myself have been tarred with as well. So in defending myself, I will defend Romney.

Romney said:

"This is about Shi'a and Sunni. This is about Hezbollah and Hamas and al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood. This is the worldwide jihadist effort to try and cause the collapse of all moderate Islamic governments and replace them with a caliphate. They also probably want to bring down the United States of America."

Benen's response:

"...but Romney's take didn't make a lot of sense. Romney was articulating a national security strategy that conflates groups, sects, and agendas that have nothing to do with one another..."

The same charge was leveled against me when an op-ed of mine was published which equated Hezbollah, Hamas and Al-Queda. My claim was that they were alike in their desire to kill me - no matter if I was in Israel, in Saudi Arabia or in America. A whiny colleague of mine - whose claim to Middle East expertise is a PhD from Harvard in an unrelated field and (for God knows what reason) a stint as a researcher on the 9/11 commission - claimed that my link of Al Qaeda and Hamas shows that I know nothing about terrorism or the Middle East or, equally likely, high-temperature French cooking.

I believe Benen and Mr. Whiny are using the same argument against the logic shared by Mr. Romney and me. Ya see, Benen-Whiny know for a fact that Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and Hamas are different organizations. They even have different letterheads on the suicide-bomb notes (I assume). It's worse, Whiny would say, because Hezbollah is Iranian, and thus Shia, while Al Qaeda is Wahabist, and thus Sunni. And the Sunnis and Shiites are totally different! They hate each other (exhibit A: Bahgdad)! And Sunnis will actually join up with America to fight Al Qaeda *and* Shiites (see Exhibit A). So, Mr. Whiny concludes, these organizations are different and anyone who equates them knows nothing about terrorism, the Middle East, and French cooking.

My rejoinder (and Romney can join me on this if he wants) is that Benen and Whiny don't know crepe about logic. Ya see, my claim is that all three groups are alike because they all want to kill Jews, Americans, and then everyone else who disagrees with them. Who cares if they hate each other? Who cares if they have different beliefs? I'm not researching a term paper, I'm determining who's the greatest threat to my life!

An analogy from the 1940s. Nazis and Stalinists are completely different from each other. I'm sure that if in 1945 I said that the two groups were the same, the Benens and Whinys would bring up their same criticism: the two ideologies are wholly different from each other. And Stalin was even allied with us against Adolph! My response is the same: yes, they have different ideologies but they have the same goal. In that decade it was genocide and world domination. Sure, they're different, and when one became more of a threat than the other, we allied with them (Stalin vs. Adolph in 1942-45, ex-Nazis vs. Stalin in 1945-1990).

Benen and Whiny's specious criticism masks a deep un-seriousness about the issue at hand. It doesn't matter if these groups are different if the SUBJECT is "who is our enemy."

Last Year at This Time

As I wrote below about being on vacation, I'm currently at my parents' home in Maryland. We come here for vacation so my mom can take care of our kids while my wife and I try to relax. My mom is the only one who has the same energy level as my eldest, so it's a good match.

This year has a totally different feel from 2006. Besides the obvious facet of our having a whole 'nother child along (which makes the adult to kid ratio inadequate for a full bore relaxation), I see from this computer (and from the blog template) what I was fixated on 12 months ago: 1. the second Lebanon war, 2. the Connecticut primary battle.

I would not have predicted 12 months ago that the Lebanon war would go so badly or that once it had been botched that Olmert would still be in power. Nor would I have predicted that after his November win Lieberman would become a hackneyed quasi-Republican stooge. A few comments:

Olmert

Israel - because it's constantly hanging on the lip of doom - is supposed to take leadership quality much more seriously than we do here. Possibly that holds only for their military and not politicians (and that's possibly the opposite structure in America). The US military could be staffed by high level morons and we regular citizens wouldn't even know until the Russkis/Red Chinese/Cubans have conquered the Midwest. The military just has very little to do with everyday life and the protective redundancy built into our 'Homeland Security' means that we just don't pay attention. But our politicians are constantly in our eyesight - probably because we have so many of them and because we insist on constant elections.

Israel seems the opposite. Their military is integral to the citizenry. Everyone serves (except the ultra-orthodox and anti-Israel Arabs... an interesting set of bedfellows). The military is everywhere and is constantly being tested for its efficiency. If something is broke in the military it will swiftly be fixed because the stakes are so high, the scrutiny is so high, and the participation is so high.

The Israeli political class, however, appears to be held in purposeful contempt. Government doesn't really work in Israel; it's a parliamentary system that has infrequent elections and no direct representation. Taxes are very high but to get anything done you need to use corruption - bribery or nepotism. As such, the politicians in Israel seem to be universally corrupt, contemptuous, and negligible.

Cases in point: (1) Olmert botched a war and is still in power, (2) Chaim Ramon sexually assaulted a soldier and is now deputy prime minister, (3) Peres, second in command during the War is now president.

However, the only politician that may be held to the same high standard as the military is the Defense Secretary. Cases in point: (1) Halutz, army head during Lebanon, is gone; (2) Amir Peretz, defense secretary, is gone; (3) Ehud Barak, despite being a disgraced failure of a PM, is still a talented general and so he was promoted to head of Labor and made Defense Secretary.

Under this analysis, it all makes sense. Olmert is still PM because Israelis don't consider it an all that important job; theoretically if Halutz hadn't resigned, then he would have been forced to.

The other component of Olmert's eerie longevity is that he's probably a stupendous political infighter. How else to explain how he managed to be number 2 in Kadima, the next prime minister after Sharon's incapacitation, still PM after a fiasco *plus* getting his favored candidates as President (Peres, who beat both Labor and Likud candidates and who had never before won an election), head of Labor (Barak, as opposed to Ayalon who pledged to bring Olmert down), and keep convicted pervert Ramon in government (*and* promote him). These are extraordinary political accomplishments and make me frightened of Olmert’s abilities.

Yet, despite all that I took down a picture of me and Olmert from my office wall… maybe I’ll put it back up if he manages to liberate Shalit, Regev and Goldvasser.

Lieberman

This is a more mundane story. Joe started to go wacky before Lamont threatened him. I believe the loss of his mother – who I’ve been told acted as his moral and political gyroscope – made Lieberman do all these politically stupid things. I also think that had the Democrats not tried to throw Joe under a bus last August, he’d be less likely now to betray his party principals. It is said that people suffer a loss of loyalty when their employer unsuccessfully tries to fire them. So too with Joe.

It’s still sad to see a man of integrity defend this criminal presidency. Isn’t it ironic that the two men people considered party mavericks - McCain and Lieberman – have destroyed their public integrity by their staunch support of a detested president and a bald fiasco of a war?

If I figure out how that happened, I will learn a great secret of life.

{2009 Update: cool Lebanon map from Debka. Lieberman doggie pic from here.}

France authorizes troops to fire at IAF jets over Lebanon

From the Jerusalem Post:

French soldiers in Lebanon who feel threatened by aggressive Israeli overflights are permitted to shoot at IAF fighter jets, a high-ranking French military officer told The Jerusalem Post.

Ya know, if France fires at Israel, then it could be the first overt military exchange between two nuclear powers. And it may be the only time that anyone can fire a nuclear weapon (Israel to France) where you're guaranteed the opponent won't fire back.

Lebanese Cabinet Minister Assassinated

Oh, this has not been a good day. According to the AP:

Pierre Gemayel, an anti-Syrian politician and scion of Lebanon's most prominent Christian family, was gunned down Tuesday in an assassination that heightened tensions amid a showdown between opponents and allies of Syria that threatens to topple the U.S.-backed government. Gemayel, 34, was the fifth anti-Syrian figure to be killed in the past two years and the first member of the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to be slain.

A few thoughts:

1. Whenever I link from Yahoo News, they add their tagline at the end. Usually I delete it but occasionally it will create an inadvertent joke, like the 'in my pants' game, e.g. Lebanese Cabinet minister is killed on Yahoo! News

2. It's amazing that there's been so many assassinations that the story needs to qualify which number killing this makes. It's like counting Dead Kennedys.

3. This news story seems to say that Syria killed the Lebanese Christian. But didn't James Baker just announce that Syria was our good buddy? Isn't Syria supposed to help us with Iraq?

According to that linked WP story:

Some prominent U.S. officials say that engaging in talks with adversaries such as Syria and Iran is key to curbing the violence. The Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by former secretary of state James A. Baker III and former congressman Lee H. Hamilton, is expected to recommend such action in its report, set to come out next month.

Syria being supported by Baker is matched by Hamas being helped by W (who insisted that they be included in February's elections). And now Syria is encroaching from the North and Hamas is using human baby shields to help launch Kassams from the South. Thanks Baker & Bush!

A Shot of Martin Peretz

"Yes, I know, I know, Islam is a peaceful religion. But peace does not rule in the world of Islam. Of course, if only Israel gave the Palestinians the peace they want, the Sunnis and Shiaa would not be killing each other in Iraq, and Hezbollah would not be fomenting a civil war in Lebanon, and democracy with democratic results would soon govern Egypt, and the Syrian dictatorship would finally become a free republic, and Saudi Arabia would allow religious freedom, and Pakistan wouldn't be torn by sect and tribe, and India wouldn't be harassed by Islamic fanatics. God damn you Jews. Don't you grasp how much waits on your surrender? And you keep on insisting on living a free life in your own land."

(Read the whole thing)

Totten Scaring the Bajeepers Outa Me

Michael Totten, as far as I've seen, the best journalist covering Israel/Lebanon Relations. He's a native English speaker who knows and likes both countries. And he gets real news, real facts, and takes real pictures. I've mentioned all this before.

His most recent blog entry, entitled A Perfect Storm? has this scary quote:

Meanwhile, a group that calls itself “Al Qaeda in Lebanon” appeared from Lord-only-knows-where and directly threatened to destroy the March 14 government. “Al Qaeda in Lebanon” may or may not exist as a wing of bin Laden’s Al Qaeda. If they do, they’re serious. If they don’t, they’re a Syrian proxy. Either way, it doesn’t look good. This is not a prank phone call.

Rock and Roll Morality

I must have written on this before (but I can't find it in the archives); and I'll do so in a better forum and just link back to this as an example. Anyhoo, in brief, Rock n'Roll has never been considered a 'high' musical form and the heavier the metallic sound, and the more sexualized the veneer of the band, the less respect the artists will receive. On the lowest end of all of these lists would be the band 'KISS.' I remember these bozos back in the 70s and while I thought they looked interesting, even back then I though they were more hype than talent. And I was 7 years old. It was only into the 80s that I learned the lead singer, Gene Simmons, was Jewish; which only served to embarrass me, not give me ethnic pride in 'one of our boys doing good.'

But in recent, and more mature, years I understand the shades of morality that make easy determinations suspect. This story from Haaretz in 2006 is a good case in point (alas, the story is no longer at the link): Israeli-born 'KISS' rocker Gene Simmons sends get-well video to wounded soldier.

Basically, Simmons heard that one of the soldiers wounded in Lebanon was a KISS fan, so he sent him a personally made video to cheer him up.

So, for the morality scale, does this act of righteousness - selflessly given and in defiance of world opinion on Israel and the Lebanon War - out balance Simmons's many sins against decency? Kinda.

I still don't wish to hold Simmons, or KISS, up as examples of good taste, good music, or good morals. But Simmons has complicated those computations. Someone who is an over-sexed freak - whose major crimes/sins are carnal - also knows who is a good person, good nation, and will do good acts.

And, to further the point, I've been trying to compile a list of which artists/bands support Israel and which ones don't. Support, for my list, can just mean playing in Israel (e.g. Deep Purple played in Tel Aviv back in the 90s, so they're on the good list). When I finish the list, I'll post it. And I'm sure we will have further complications on the good-sinful calibration scale.

Backpost finished 4/12/08, I had just the link. Background: This is another Lebanon II era post, but it combines with another issue I have about morality and art.

More Casualties

From Haaretz:

Eliel Ben-Yehuda, 24, from Kfar Tavor
Eliel Ben-Yehuda was killed in Lebanon on Sunday by an anti-tank missile. He was born 24 years ago at Kfar Tavor while the family was observing the seven days of mourning for his uncle, who was killed in the first Lebanon War. He recently was released from the professional army and took a trip to South America where he met his girlfriend. After his return, he began preparing for the university entrance exams, but was called to the reserves. When the officers arrived with the bad news Sunday, his mother refused to open the door, saying she didn't believe anything could happen to Eliel. He is survived by his parents, a sister and brother.

Ben-Yehuda will be laid to rest at 5.30 P.M. Monday at the military section of the Kfar Tavor cemetery.

Lieutenant Tzur Zarhi, 27, from Nahalal
Lieutenant Tzur Zarhi was killed in Lebanon on Sunday. He was born and raised in Nahalal, in the Jezreel Valley. He served in the Armored Corps as a platoon captain.

"He was about to finish his degree in economics and management at Jezreel Valley College," Tzur's girlfriend Yael related Sunday. "He was a dairy farmer, the cowshed was his world and the Armored Corps was the other half of his world." Tzur spoke to Yael for the last time on Saturday night, when he told her that he realized this was a real war, and now he and the guys would have stories like their parents did.

Tzur is survived by his parents and two younger sisters. He will be laid to rest at 6.00 P.M. Monday at the military section of the Nahalal cemetery.

Sergeant Major Guy Hasson, 24, from Na'ama
Sergeant Major Guy Hasson was killed in Lebanon on Sunday by an anti-tank missile.

He will be buried at 6.00 P.M. Monday at the Mt. Herzel cemetery in Jerusalem.

Staff Sergeant (res.) Amitai Yaron, 44, from Zichron Yaakov

Staff Sergeant Peter Ochotzky, 23, from Lod

Obituaries for some of the fallen

From Haaretz:

Staff Sergeant. Uri Grossman, 20, of Mevasseret Zion
Staff Sergeant. Uri Grossman, 20, was killed by an anti-tank missile in a major ground offensive in southern Lebanon on Saturday. He was the son of David Grossman, a renowned novelist and peace activist in Israel, and he was killed just three days after the author publicly urged the government to end the war with Hezbollah guerrillas. Grossman's appeal to the government on Thursday came a day after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Security Cabinet approved the plan for the new offensive.

Yossi Abutbul, 20, from Gan-Ner
Yossi Abutbul from the community of Gan-Ner, near Afula, fought with the Golani Brigade. He was injured in the first week of fighting in Lebanon last month and could have chosen to recuperate at home but instead returned to fight alongside his comrades. He told his parents he was going for R&R when he was actually returning to Lebanon.

Abutbul was brought up in an ultra-Orthodox home but chose to join the Israel Defense Forces.

He was the oldest of seven. Yossi's father worked for the IDF before his retirement and became ultra-Orthodox several years ago.

Abutbul was laid to rest at 5 P.M. Sunday in the Afula military cemetery.

Corporal Tamer (Tomer) Amar, 19, from Julis

Corporal Tamer (Tomer) Amar, 19, served with Golani's Battalion 51. He was killed Saturday in Lebanon when an Israel Defense Forces tank crushed him and another soldier by mistake.

Adi Amar, a close friend, said that Amar was ambitious and serious, but also lively. "He was always smiling and liked helping friends, riding horses and taking hikes."

Amar joined his unit in Lebanon despite a recent shoulder injury. "He was very sad when comrades fell in battle at Bint Jbail and despite receiving medical leave he asked to return to his unit to fight," Adi Amar said.

Amar was laid to rest at 2.30 P.M. Sunday.

Corporal Ya'ar Ben-Giat, 19, from Kibbutz Nahsholim
Corporal Ya'ar Ben-Giat was killed Saturday in a battle against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

Ben-Giat was the oldest son of Eera and Yossi. His mother, Eera, related Saturday that despite being defined as a gifted child in elementary school, Ya'ar much preferred basketball, playing computer games and going out with his friends to studying.

Last week he called home and told the family to be sure to watch the latest broadcast of "Fact," which would contain a segment about his Nahal unit.

In addition to his parents, Ben-Giat is survived by sister Nof, 16, and Nahar, 18. The funeral took place at 6:30 P.M. Sunday.

Staff Sergeant Itai Steinberger, 21, from Carmei Yosef
Itai Steinberger, 21, was killed Friday night in Lebanon. Last week he was interviewed for an article in the Friday magazine of Ma'ariv. "Whiskey, a woman, and a cigarette, that's the only thing I miss now," he announced, the unofficial spokesman for his unit.

Saturday afternoon, dozens of friends converged on the family home in Carmei Yosef.

Arik, Itai's father, stands at the doorway with reddened eyes. A visitor shows him recent pictures of his son from the army and tells him that Itai was the star among his fellow soldiers and was always full of joie de vivre even in the hell of Lebanon. The father also heard how Itai shielded his parents from the fact that three of the soldiers in his unit had already been injured.

Arik said he had not spoken to Itai since Tuesday.

Friends smile, relating how Itai would take up his guitar at night, strumming with one hand and drinking whiskey with the other and ordering them to stay up late with him.

Itai's younger brother, Yonatan, just finished basic training in the Paratroops and would now spend his leave in mourning. They spoke for the last time last Friday.

"I haven't changed my shoes for a week," Itai boasted to Yonatan. "And I haven't changed mine for two weeks," the new soldier boasted in return. "By the time you've been in the army as long as I have, I'll be barefoot and in India," Itai joked.

Sergeant Yaniv Tamerson, 21, from Zippori
Sergeant Yaniv Tamerson, 21, volunteered for combat service with the Armored Corps despite back problems that could have kept him out of combat duty. "He had to feel that he was making a contribution," his family said Saturday. Tamerson was drafted 18 months ago and loved the army. He completed a tank commanders' course three weeks ago, after which he began preparing to fight in Lebanon. He was killed one day after going into Lebanon.

Tamerson is survived by his parents and two brothers. He lived with his mother in Zippori. The funeral will probably be held Sunday.

Sergeant Tzachi Krips, 20, from Kibbutz Hama'apil
Sergeant Tzachi Krips enlisted in the army in November 2004 to an elite Nahal unit. He later completed a medics course. His company went up to Lebanon three weeks ago.

His older sister, Romy, said he had a heart of gold and always helped people.

Eliran Shafran, a childhood friend who grew up with Krips on the kibbutz, said he had always volunteered in school. He noted that Krips was editor of the senior yearbook.

Krips is survived by his parents and two sisters. He was laid to rest at 6:30 P.M. Sunday.

Captain Shai Bernstein, 24, from Be'er Sheva
Shai Bernstein, killed in an IDF operation in south Lebanon on Saturday, was the youngest of his siblings.

His family said that he had recently proposed to his girlfriend of six years, Sivan.

Bernstein graduated from the technical high school in Be'er Sheva, and was enrolled in a pilots course for six months, but then decided that he wanted to be a combat soldier, quit the course, and joined the Armored Corps. He later completed an officers course.

"He was my younger brother, but I admired him as an adult figure," his brother said about him.

Avital Gefen, Bernstein sister, said she had spoken to him on Friday and he had asked her to reassure his mother. "He loved his nephews, and even though he was a company commander, he played with them like a kid," she said.

Bernstein is survived by his parents, Ella and Shlomo, two brothers and a sister.

Staff Sergeat Aharon Yechezkel, 32, from Kfar Yedidya
Friends and family arrived at the Yechezkel residence in Kfar Yedidya on Saturday afternoon to mourn Staff Sergeat Aharon Yechezkel. Everyone who knew him said he was good-hearted and kind to those around him.

His uncle, Mordechai Yechezkel, said he had been very concerned ever since Aharon was sent to Lebanon three weeks ago.

"I talked to him during the week, and I was very worried about him. 'You are very tall and you have to hide so as not to stick out, so stay low,' I said to him. He told me that he wasn't scared, and that he hoped to attack terrorists and return safely," Mordechai said.

Yechezkel is survived by his parents and two sisters. He was laid to rest at 5 P.M. Sunday.

Recent Casualties

The 24 Israel servicemen killed in action against Hizballah in Lebanon Saturday, August 12

- 1st Sgt. Uri Grossman, 20, from Mevaseret Zion
- 1st Sgt Ido Grabovsky, 20, from Rosh Ha’ayin
- Capt. Shay Bernstein, 24, from Beersheba
- 1st Sgt Itay Steinberger, 21, from Carmei Yosef
- Cpl Yaar Ben Giyat, 19, from Nahsholim
- Sgt Yosef Abutbul, 19, from Gan Ner
- 1st Sgt Tzahi Kripps, 20, from Hamaapil
- Sgt Ankonina, 21, from Netanya
- Cpl Tomer Amar, 19, from Julis
- Sgt Yaniv Tamerson, 21, from Tzipori
- Sgt-Maj Aharon Yehezkiel, 32, from Kfar Yedidya
- 1st Sgt Amsha Meshulami, 20-, from Ofra
- Sgt Juan Zabiv, 22, from Tel Aviv
- Capt. Bnaya Rein, 27, from Karnei Shomron
- 1st Sgt Adam Goren, 21, from K. Maabarot
- Sgt. Alexander Bohemovitch, 19, from Netanya
- 1st Gt. Oz Zemach, 20, from Maccabee-Re’ut
- Sgt. Haran Lev, 20, from from Maayan
- Sgt. Dan Brauer, 19, from Beit Hillel
- Cpl Yigael Nissan, 19, from Maaleh Adummim
Five Yasur crew shot down by Hizballah declared dead and missing:
- Maj. Ami Naim, 29, from Rehovoth
- Maj. Nissan Shalev, 36, from Evron
- Capt Daniel Gomez, 25, from Nahalim
- Master Sgt. Ron Mashiach, 33, from Gedera
- Sgt Maj Karen Tendler, 26, from Rehovoth, the first servicewoman to fall in the Lebanon War

15 Soldiers Killed

From Haaretz

Captain Gilad Shtukelman, 26, from Tamrat
Gilad Shtukelman was informed that he had gotten an immediate call-up notice while in New York. In recent years, he was employed as a flight attendant for El Al, and received word of the call-up while abroad.

"Gilad made sure that El Al put him on a flight two days early, so that he could return to Israel as quickly as possible to report for reserve duty," Tamrat resident Orit Messer-Harel said. "He loved life and loved music. He was a generous boy," she said.

Gilad was a graduate of the high school in Nahalal and served in the armored corps. After completing his military service, he traveled in South America. When he returned to Israel, he began work as a flight attendant with El Al. Next year, he planned to study economics and East Asian studies.

When he reported for reserve duty, his mother Rachel tried to help soldiers in his battalion. She and neighbors from Tamrat prepared food packages, which they sent to soldiers on the Lebanese border.

Staff Sergeant Benny (Benjamin) Sela, 24, from Koranit
Benny Sela completed his military service in the paratroopers two years ago, and was killed during his first call up to reserve duty. Last Monday he visited his family for one day, which was the last time they saw him.

"I had a feeling that was our last meeting. I knew what his role in the military was. It was obvious that he was going into Lebanon. Beforehand, he told me that they lacked military equipment and that they gathered money and drove to Tel Aviv to buy supplies for their friends. I asked him, 'Ben, what about a bullet proof vest. I'm going to buy you a bullet proof vest now.' I called a company that manufactures the vests, but he said to me, 'Mom, I don't want. I'll be like the rest of my friends and I'll be fine.' I feel like during this war, the ground troops are being led like sheep to the slaughter. It was obvious to me that this would happen," his mother, Yehudit, said.

Sela's grandmother, Sara, said Benny was named after her father. "It's hard to think about this beautiful boy with a heart of gold, who was so similar to his grandfather and who was willing to give of himself to everyone," she said.

His father, Yosef, said that he picked his son up from his unit on Monday for a short break. "He traveled the world and visited places that I'll never reach. He walked everywhere and rode horses. At every place, he made friends. He began a tour guiding course abroad, along with a close friend," he said.

Sela was laid to rest at 8 P.M. Thursday at the Misgav cemetery.

Staff Sergeant Igor Koblik, 26, from Upper Nazareth
Igor Koblik, who reported for reserve duty last week, studied computer science.

A friend of the family said that since Koblik reported for reserve duty, his father Lev had been very worried.

The Koblik family immigrated from Belarus in the early 1990's and settled in Upper Nazareth. Neighbors said Koblik was very close to his grandmother, who also lived in the town.

"Igor was a guy with a heart of gold," Ya'akov Schneider, a neighbor, said. "He was very close to his parents and sister. A few months ago, I asked him to help me put up a fence, and he did."

Koblik is survived by his parents, Tatiana and Lev, and his 18-year-old sister Yulia.

Koblik was laid to rest at 5 P.M. at the Upper Nazareth cemetery.

Staff Sergeant Nir Cohen, 22, from Maccabim
Last week, Cohengot an emergency call-up for reserve duty. He had served as a medic in the armored corps, and his friends said he was happy to report for reserve duty. Cohen asked his commander to return to the role of tank driver, which he held during his regular army service, rather than serve as a medic.

After he completed his military service, Cohen was employed as a tour guide and youth counselor with the Jewish Agency, and worked with American Jews on tours in Israel. His sister said he loved to travel in Israel, and noted that he was an excellent musician and loved to play the piano.

Cohen had been in touch with his family and friends in recent days, and after every fierce battle in Lebanon, he called to assure them that he was fine.

He asked that his friend Nofar take care of his worried parents. During their last phone conversation, he said to her, "You have to say goodbye to me, because I might not come back."

"I said to him, 'why do you have to think bad thoughts,'" Nofar related.

Cohen is survived by his parents, Giora and Nava, his sister Noa and brother Eyal. He will be laid to rest on Friday.

Sergeant Major David Shemidov, 25, from Jerusalem
David Shemidov returned Sunday from a week-long vacation in Prague with his girlfriend of three years. One hour after he landed in Israel, he received his emergency call-up notice. His frinds and family last heard from him on Tuesday, when he sent his girlfriend a text message saying, "I love you."

Shemidov's trip to Prague was his first voyage overseas since immigrating to Israel from Belarus in 1991. It was supposed to be a celebration, as he was recently accepted to architecture studies at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem.

"His dream was to be an architect," his friend, Yvgeny Mindlin, said. "David talked about building the third temple. He wasn't a religious man, but he strongly believed in God."

Shemidov served in Givati and was determined to serve in a combat unit shortly after immigrating to Israel.

"He wanted to serve his country," Yulia Kaplan, a friend from high school, said. "In twelfth grade he practiced with his brother, to built up his stamina." His friends described Shemidov as a born leader who was constantly smiling and had a great sense of humor. His brother, Ya'akov, 27, was serving in Lebanon when his family received word on David's death.

Shemidov is survived by his parents, Leonid and Natalya, and brother Ya'akov.

Captain Yoni-Leon Shmucher, 30, from Beit Nehemia
Yoni served as an officer in the paratroopers' engineer company. He was issued an emergency call-up notice last week.

Originally from Mazkeret Batia, Shmucher moved to Moshav Beit Nehemia after he got married. He was on the verge of completing his graduate degree in physics.

"Yoni was good at everything. He studied physics and was also an athlete. He rode his bike on Saturdays; we could never keep up with him," a friend said, and described an extraordinary love between Yoni and his wife, Shlomit.

First Staff Sergeant Asher Reuven Novick, 36, from Kanaf
Ashi (Asher) Novick, from Moshav Kanaf in the Golan Heights, celebrated his 36th birthday last week. He received an emergency call-up notice two weeks ago.

Novick, originally from Nes Ziona, resided in Kanaf for the past seven years with his wife, Osnat, in a house they built together. They had two children - Yuval, 10, and Itai, 6.

Novick recently completed a business degree, and was appointed chairman of the Luna Gal water park.

"Within a short while, Ashi was one of the pillars of the moshav," Haim Ohayon, the chairman of the Luna Gal board of directors, also a resident of Kanaf, said of Novick.

Novick will be laid to rest on Sunday at the Moshav Gamle cemetery.

Captain Nathan Yahav, 36, from Tel Aviv
Natan Yahav's wife, Sharon, was informed of her husband's death at close to 1 A.M. Wednesday by Israel Defense Forces representatives. The news reached his parents in Tel Aviv at 2:30 A.M. and they passed it on to his two sisters, Hagit and Neta.

Yahav was called up as a company commander of a paratrooper's commando unit that entered the village of Debel in south Lebanon. Yahav had been married for six years, and is survived by his wife and their two children, aged five and two and a half.

Staff Sergeant Adi Salim, 22, from Hashmonai
Adi Salim, a combat medic, was discharged from the army about six months ago and began working at Israel Aircraft Industries. He had planned to start college next year.

Salim was laid to rest at 7 P.M. Thursday in Ramle.

Sergeant Major Gilad Sussman, 27, from Eli
Gilad Sussman, the third Eli resident to be killed in the current conflict in Lebanon, moved to the West Bank settlement with his wife a few years ago. Seven months ago, their first son was born.

Sussman worked as an El Al security guard, and a neighbor described him as a modest man who smiled easily and often. The news of his death began circulating among Eli residents Wednesday night while many were attending the wedding of fellow Eli resident Emuna Merhavia whose brother, Amihai, had been killed in Lebanon just two weeks earlier.

Sergeant Major Noam Goldman, 27, from Tel Aviv
Goldman was laid to rest at 5 P.M. Thursday at the Kfar Sava cemetery.

Staff Sergeant Elad Dan, 25, from Kibbutz Eilot

Newest Casualties from Israel

From Haaretz

Staff Sergeant Noam Meirson (res.), 23, of Jerusalem
Staff Sergeant Noam Meirson, a 23-year-old reservist from Jerusalem, was killed Monday in clashes with Hezbollah in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbail, a month before he was due to get married. Meirson was called up to fight over the weekend. "Noam was God-fearing," his father, Haim, said Tuesday. "The key thing with him was piety, love of the people and the land. He wanted to be involved in education and the rabbinate." Haim and his wife, Gila, last spoke to their son at 11:30 P.M. Sunday, while attending a prayer service at the Western Wall for the welfare of soldiers and residents of the north.

Staff Sergeant Malko Ambao, 20, of Lod
Malko Ambao, who was killed Tuesday in a gunbattle with Hezbollah fighters near the village of Bint Jbail, immigrated to Israel in 1991 from the Gondar region of Ethiopia. He graduated from the Kfar Batya residential school and the pre-military preparatory program at Yemin Orde. Yemin Orde's program director, Ayal Eldar, described Ambao as "talented and industrious," adding that his death was a great loss to Israeli society. Ambao's brother Avi, 23, a paratrooper, said, "He died a hero. He loved life and his friends loved him." A close friend, Yoel Wabgai, said Ambao had been looking forward to continuing his education.

Major Yotam Lotan (res.), 33, of Kibbutz Beit Hashita
Reserve Captain Yotam Lotan was the third generation of his family to be born and raised on Kibbutz Beit Hashita in the Jezreel Valley. His mandatory military service was spent in the Armored Corp where he was a company commander. After his release from mandatory service, Lotan traveled overseas then returned home to work as a youth counselor. His cousin, Amit Hameiri, said, "Yotam was a counselor admired by his kids." Lotan, who most recently worked as a youth counselor at neighboring Kibbutz Ein Harod, took his kids on a graduation trip to Turkey. Upon his return, he found his emergency call-up orders waiting for him. He joined his reserve unit without even having a chance to bid farewell to his family. Lotan is survived by his parents, Meir and Batya, and by two siblings, Ophir and Rotem.

Staff Sergeant Philip Mosko, 21, of Ma'ale Adumim
Staff Sergeant Philip Mosko, 21, immigrated with his family from Moscow in 1991. Friends and family describe him as a giving person who was always ready to volunteer, even on his weekends off from the army. At age 15, he began volunteering at Magen David Adom and later with the civil guard. Told by the army he was too overweight for a combat unit, he lost 24 kilograms and joined the paratrooper brigade. "He was a good boy and gentle," said his mother. He is survived by his parents, Ze'ev, a psychologist; Luba, who works for the city's education department; and his sister Katya. Philip was laid to rest Tueday on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

Captain Gilad Balachsan (res.), 29, of Carmiel
Captain Gilad Balachsan's mother didn't know he had been called up to serve in Lebanon until she found out about his death Tuesday morning. Balachsan, aged 29 from Carmiel, received his call-up order Sunday, but the family kept the news from his mother, said Balachsan's brother Benny, who has also been called up to fight in the war. Balachsan was killed in clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. "He was really waiting for the call-up," said Benny. "It was clear that this would happen to him - he was always brave, running in first." Balachsan is survived by his parents, Eli and Miriam, Benny and three sisters: Zohar, Liron and Natalie.

Tisha B'av Sucks

Just in case you were wondering if worse things happen on Tisha B'av than on other days:

Haaretz reports:

A barrage of Hezbollah rockets slammed into northern Israel on Thursday, killing at least seven people. Three people were killed when a rocket crashed directly into a house near the northern town of Tarhisha, and another four were killed when a rocket exploded near their vehicle in Acre.

Three people were wounded in the strike on Acre, and another four were wounded when rockets hit the town of Horfesh. At least three more people were wounded in Kiryat Shmona and Tiberias.

Also Thursday, two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and two others were seriously wounded Thursday in heavy fighting with Hezbollah guerillas in south Lebanon.

Seven civilians killed - the most in one day in this current war. And three soldiers. Grrrr

Michael J. Totten: Lebanon’s Premature Liberalism

This is a fascinating insider's look at the situation in Lebanon - Michael J. Totten: Lebanon’s Premature Liberalism

More Left-Wing Foolishness

Background:

This is all of a piece, similar to what I recently posted here, about the inane myths in the left-wing echo-chamber. In the example below, the master of the Great Orange Satan, the Kos himself, repeats the standard nonesense:

Daily Kos: State of the Nation:

I grew up in a war zone. And there was one clear lesson I learned -- there will never be peace unless both sides get tired of the fighting and start seeking an alternative. It's clear that in the Middle East, no one is sick of the fighting. They have centuries of grudges to resolve, and will continue fighting until they can get over them.

Centuries of grudges, eh? Moron.

Backpost finished 4/11/08. The link and the quote.

Israeli Military & Civilian Losses

Israeli military & Civilian losses in the conflict with Hezbollah as of July 27, 2006 (from the JTA). Each listing includes the victim’s name, age and city of origin, and is in chronological order.

Civilians:
Monica Seidman Lehrer, 40, of Nahariya
Nitzan Roseban, 33, of Safed
Omer Pesachov, 7, of Nahariya
Yehudit Itzkovitch, 58, of Meron
Shmuel Ben Shimon, 41, of Yokneam Illit
Asael Damti, 39, of Kiryat Yam
Nissim Elharar, 43, of Kiryat Ata
David Feldman, 28, of Kiryat Yam
Rafi Hazan, 30, of Haifa
Dennis Lapidos, 24, of Kiryat Yam
Reuven Levy, 46, of Kiryat Ata
Shlomi Mansura, 35, of Nahariya
Andrei Zelinksy, 36, of Nahariya
Rabia Abed Taluzi, 3, of Nazareth
Mahmoud Taluzi, 7, of Nazareth
Shimon Glickblich, 60, of Haifa
Habib Isa Awad, 48, of Iblin
Dou’a Abbas, 15, of Kfar Mrar

Military:
Sgt. Maj.(res.) Eyal Benin, 22, of Beersheba
Sgt. Maj.(res.) Shani Turgeman, 24, of Beit Shean
Sgt. Maj. Wassim Nazal, 26, of Yanuah
Staff Sgt. Alexei Kushnirski, 21, of Nes Ziona
Staff Sgt. Yaniv Bar-on, 20, of Maccabim
Sgt. Gadi Mosayev, 20, of Acre
Sgt. Shlomi Yirmiyahu, 20, of Rishon le-Zion
Sgt. Nimrod Cohen, 19, of Mitzpe Shalem
Staff Sgt. Tal Amgar, 21, of Ashdod
Sgt. Yaniv Hershkovitz, 21, of Haifa
Cpl. Shai Atias, 19, of Rishon le-Zion
1st Sgt. Dov Steinshuss, 37, of Carmiel
Staff Sgt. Yonatan Hadasi, 21, of Kibbutz Merhavia
Staff Sgt. Yotam Gilboa, 21, of Kibbutz Maoz Haim
Maj. Benjamin (Benji) Hillman, 27, of Maccabim Re’ut
Staff Sgt. Refanael Muskal, 21, of Mazkeret Batya
Staff Sgt. Nadav Baeloha, 21, of Carmiel
Staff Sgt. Liran Saadia, 21, of Kiryat Shmona
Staff Sgt. Yonatan (Sergei) Vlasyuk, 21, of Kibbutz Lahav
Maj. Ran Yehoshua Kochva, 37, of Beit Hanania
2nd Lt. Lotan Slavin, 21, of Hatzeva
Staff Sgt. Kobi Smileg, 20, of Rehovot
Col. Zvi Luft, 42, of Kibbutz Hogla
1st Lt. Tom Farkash, 23, of Caesarea
Maj. Ro’i Klein, 31, of Eli
Lt. Amihai Merhavia, 24, of Eli
Lt. Alexander Shwartzman, 24, of Acre
Sgt. Shimon Adega, 21, of Kiryat Gat
Staff Sgt. Edan Cohen, 21, of Jaffa
Staff Sgt. Shimon Dahan, 20, of Ashdod
Cpl. Ohad Klausner, 20, of Bet Horon
Cpl. Assaf Namer, 27, of Kiryat Yam.
Lt. Yiftah Shreirer, 21, of Haifa

Northern Refugees

The town of Alon Shvut is the quaint academic/yeshiva town (a.k.a. a "settlement" over the "green line" populated by "Hebrews") I lived in for a year.

They are doing their part to house refugees from the North of Israel. I find it notable that residents of Acco need to go to the West Bank to be safe.

Israel's Nobility

It was a terrible day for Israel - 8 soldiers killed by ambush. According to Haaretz (whose editors are not apologists or propagandists for the government, as you know) about today's deaths in Bint Jbail :

...officers in the Golani and Paratroops Brigades charged that the IDF employed insufficient force before the soldiers were deployed to search the homes. They said that once the civilians had been told to leave the town, the army should have regarded Bint Jbail as a battlefield and destroyed any home where Hezbollah guerrillas were suspected of hiding.
[....]
Military sources claimed Wednesday that the IDF's current tactics are having an insufficient impact on the Katyusha rocket launchers and expose the soldiers to excessive danger. The criticism was mostly aimed at the decision not to employ large ground forces in Lebanon, which would give the IDF a significant advantages over a guerrilla force.
The sources also criticized what they described as insufficient utilization of aircraft in ground support operations, because of concerns that they might kill Lebanese civilians that did not evacuate target areas.

Israeli soldiers die so civilians don't.

It's not even that Israel has the most moral army in the world (it is) - because I assume all armies of Democratic countries minimize civilian casualties.

It's just that Israel is accused of war crimes for targeting civilians... while soldiers are dying to protect the very same civilians...

The Juan Coles of the world perpetuate a libel, this blood libel, against Israel.

A modified version of this post was emailed to the TPM in response to the Juan Cole post; Marshall wrote back to me saying that he agrees. Which means that, yet again, Marshall demonstrates he is a thinking Leftist

Late Update: Here are the obituaries

Left Wing Lebanon Commentary

Background:

18 months ago, my twin blog obsessions were about the flailing Lebanon War and the primary challenge to Joe Lieberman. It was as a result of Israel's botched mission in Lebanon that even centrist blogs like TPM were taken over by yammering leftists who considered that every action in the Middle East that didn't snuggle up to Muslim terrorists was a bad thing. So the following quote, from the until-then reliable TPM, shows the crazy extent of the leftist backslide.

Grrrr. From TPM:

"In any particular flare-up in this unhappy region, debating who shot first is a distraction, since the conflict has been going on for generations. The question is, or should be, does the US have a policy with a realistic chance of success, and is the US involved in a process to further that policy...in this case, to resolve the flare-up of the moment? Whether a long term 'solution' is possible is always another question....see Bill Clinton/Camp David, etc."

What's wrong with this?

1. It's inane to think that "who shot first" is irrelevant because "the conflict has been going on for generations." The first statement is immoral and the second is incorrect. The myth that the Arab-Israeli conflict is an ethnic stranglehold, like Bosnia or Iraq, is pure intellectual laziness. Besides the fact that Israel has been existence for 60 years means that it's a young conflict. It's just a way that pundits can sweep everything under the rug and start their comments afresh, as if they had a right not to look up facts anymore.
   
   
2. Another problem is why on earth should the U.S. have a responsibility to mediate this conflict? It's the flip-side of Iraq, in my opinion. If you don't think that the US should have been involved in Iraq, and these Leftists don't, then why get involved in Lebanon? It's Israel's problem, Israel is an ALLY (and Hezbollah, not), so let's let the ally do what it needs.

Backpost finished 4/11/08 1:20 PM, started 7/24/06, 9:40 PM. I just had the link, quote, and 'grrr'.

The Bomb Drawing Pictures

You may have seen these pictures of little Israeli girls writing happy bloodthirsty messages on bombs that, we all now, are used to kill little Lebanese children. Picture 1, picture 2, picture 3.

Here's research on the explanation. Summary: the kids were under fire from Hezbollah rockets and were writing messages - as a way to relieve frustration - against the terrorists who were trying to kill them every day.

1. Sandmonkey:

   kids were in bomb shelters for days. city is a ghost town. only poor people stayed. a new army unit arrived, kids were bored, went out with parents to look
   there were TWELVE photographers there and they egged the kids on. the kids are low class, not educated, have never met a Lebanese, just want to live their lives, don't understand why Lebanon attacked their home, etc. the photographers told them "hey, your cousins in america will see you!." mostly foreign photographers. so the kids, who were bored and restless and had been cooped up in bomb shelters for 5 days, took the felt markers and drew messages to nasrallah. there were no cries of hatred toward lebanese. and a big problem is that the israeli tv does not show dead lebanese. it shows destroyed buildings, but not dead bodies. so no one has a face of the dead in their minds. too aware of our own suffering, etc. make sense?

2. Yahoo Pictures (the originals, many on other websites were touched up). For an example of the propaganda, see here.