Kidnapping of a Hostage And Rice's Response

I'm sure by now most everyone knows that Hamas has kidnapped an Israeli soldier recently.

http://www.ajn.com.au/news/news.asp?pgID=916

I personally call for his release and hope that no additional harm comes to him. At least this is one clear line that can be drawn between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian "militants": Israeli's do not capture Palestinians unless there is evidence they have committed a crime, and when they do, they go to jails, have trials, and have access to lawyers. As opposed to Hamas, who kidnaps soldiers and uses them as bargaining chips, which is among the oldest contemporary examples of TERRORISM (which Arab nations still refuse to define.)

Moving on, you can see from the below linked story that Hamas is pretty much mobilizing for an invasion from Israel. They have lined the streets with roadside bombs, set up sniper positions, and sent out thousands of guys with guns into the streets.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060627/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians

For what? To protect against a massed Israeli force on their border, which is only there because of the kidnapping. Which kind of looks like - Hamas kidnapped the soldier in order to provoke an Israeli incursion.

At least that what it looks like to me. And how are you supposed to deal with that? How do you deal with the child that keeps stealing your toys, and then destroys them? How do you make peace with that, when that child has repeatedly said, "I'll take all of your toys until there are none left, and then I will burn your house down. I won't stop until that happens!"

You don't ask him to stop. You send the fucker to Juvy.

Which is why I'm startled to see this quote from Condoleesza Rice, "Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice urged Israel to "give diplomacy a chance."" (same link as above)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060627/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians

Ms. Rice: Isn't the United States of America's policy not to negotiate with terrorists? Isn't negotiation 'diplomacy'? So how can you not only condone, but almost forcibly suggest, that they negotiate with these terrorists instead of striking them (like we did in Iraq?!)

I'm ashamed of you Ms. Rice. This baldly stated contradiction simply shows how thin the veneer of this administration's dedication to Israel's security really is. I have long suspected that Israel has been viewed as no more than a bargaining chip in the middle east, kind of like a dam to hold back the excrement ready to pur forth. This lends credence to that theory.

Well, Israel has enjoyed America's positive attentions for a long time, alongside with some of the negative effects as well. Perhaps it is time to tell our country to put their money where their mouth is. You want to fight terrorism, fight Hamas and Fatah and all those other factions. They are actively targeting our allies, while we not only sit and do nothing - we tell Israel to do nothing too. And so the Israeli war of 1948 continues....