Ariel Sharon, desperate to establish peace between Israel and Palestine chose to believe that peace could be had by all-- He had to ignore thousands of years of history to do this.
What has transpired since Israel's handing over of Gaza to the Palestinian people? Hamas began lob-ing rockets into Israel. Not just that either. According to interviews with Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar, the plan is to begin firing Qassam rockets from the West Bank into unprotected towns and villages in Israel, while continuing the rocket campaign from Gaza. Ultimately they intend to drive Israel not only out of the West Bank and Jerusalem, but out of Israel altogether and into the sea. A bold plan, emboldened by the perception that Israel is weak, and that terror will work in achieving long-range goals provided such a campaign of terror can be sustained long enough.
The day Israel pulled out of Gaza, Egypt opened her border and left it open long enough for men and materials to flood into Gaza. al Qaida has moved in hoping to open a chapter house [so to speak] and provided monetary and technical assistance to Hamas, and Islamic Jihad. In addition, Ahmed Jibril, widely blamed for the bombing of Pan AM 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, is now planning to move to Gaza-- as he's presently somewhat-unwelcome in Lebanon.
Israel, perhaps tired and soul-weary with her decades old [insofar as her revived status as a nation] conflict has suffered a defeat. Temporarily. Ultimately, Israel will gain far more than she loses, but that's irrelevant at this point. What is relevant is that our own future is not so certain.
9-11 should have dispelled any notion that America is untouchable by foreign entities. Sadly, this isn't the case. America doesn't truly believe that Muslim Radicalism can and will make it presence increasingly known here. The "Religion of Peace" that is Islam wants us all to believe that Islam doesn't condone terrorism, but Islam won't speak out against, or rein in their adherents who support such. And since they won't we must. Muslim Radicalism stikes with impugnity against all who offend her-- Theo Van Gogh comes instantly to mind.
America doesn't need permission from anyone to defend herself. And there is no logic in waiting to be attacked first before defending ourselves. If you and a robber each have a gun pointed at each other, do you wait to be shot before firing yourself? No. You fire first and take him out. This is what's being attempted in Iraq, Afghanistan. To do otherwise is, basically "suicide by cop"-- giving the Muslims the badge, and power to effect any peace they choose. Radical Islam isn't interested in peacefully co-existing with the rest of the world. They want us dead, or effectively neutralized. Plain and simple.
Israel is in for a tough road, but she'll survive and be better for it. For us, we must shunt politics aside and stand in the gap. There are plenty of those along our southern and northern borders. Men and women are standing in the gap this very day, in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Don't think that Islamic-Radicalism won't use atomic weapons if they can get hold of them-- some believe al Qaida already have nukes. If bin Laden set his sights on, and succeeded at the WTC on 9-11, what other date do we have to look forward to if he chooses to detonate a nuke on American soil?