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May 24, 2012

Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Clifford D. May: What Iran's Rulers Want
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
Kimberly Lankford: Switching Medicare Advantage Plans Mid-Year
Bryan McIver, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Understanding hyperthyroidism and its variety of treatment options
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: Baghdad talks highlight Western naivete
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Lisa Gerstner: 4 Money-Etiquette Questions Answered
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Art Markman, Ph.D.: Get smart: How to bulk up your creativity muscles
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
David S. Cloud and Kathleen Hennessey: Obama changes mind on Pakistan invite to NATO summit --- and then gets dissed by country's president
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
Environmental Nutrition editors: The lowdown on a low-acid diet
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
James K. Glassman: 5 Stock Picks Among Online Retailers
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Caroline B. Glick: Embracing dangerous delusions and not our friends
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Janet Bodnar: How to Teach Kids to Handle Credit Cards
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Mary Beth Franklin: Retirement Savings Tips for New Grads
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
Chelsea Sheasley: Social media: Is it too feminine?
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Jackson Holahan: The Aleppo Codex
Jonathan Tobin : Iran Declares Victory in Nuclear Talks
Anne Kates Smith: 7 Stocks That Let You Sleep Tight
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Dennis Prager: God and Man at (and for) Liberty
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
Environmental Nutrition Editors: Get the facts on palm sugar sweetening
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Richard Simon: Purple Hearts for domestic terror victims?
Nando Pelusi, Ph.D.: The privacy paradox: Surrounded by strangers, we risk isolation, anxiety
Chris Farrell: Investing Lessons from the Great Recession
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
Tiffany O'Callaghan: New hormone mimics effects of exercise without the sweat
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Rabbi B. Shafier: Why happiness will always be elusive
Charles Krauthammer: Echoes of '67: Israel unites
Howard LaFranchi: With G8 snub, US-Putin 'reset' off to stumbling start
Jeremy J. Siegel: Investors, Relax About Rising Interest Rates
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Clifford D. May: The Real Palestinian Refugee Problem
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Harvard Health Letters: Palliative care: Underused therapy yields surprising benefits
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
Rachel L. Sheedy and Susan B. Garland : Make the Right Moves to Boost Benefits
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
John Rosemond: Parents, stop destroying the American male
Valerie J. Nelson: Maurice Sendak, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are,' dies at 83
Bob Frick: Angst Over Annuities
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Why did my blood pressure suddenly shoot up?
Lisa Gerstner: Lower the Rate on All Your Loans
The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : Springtime soba with miso sauce offers a coloful mix of fresh textures and flavors
May 8, 2012
Edmund Sanders: Netanyahu suddenly cancels new elections, forms unity government
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Farewell to European superstate
Anne Kates Smith: 4 Stocks That Mimic Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway
Gaia Vince and Clare Wilson The Rise of Miniature Medical Robots: Fantasy Fast Becoming Reality
Paul Takahashi, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Never suffer night leg cramps
Jessica L. Anderson: Extended-Warranty Warning
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day with the Best Cookie Ever (Includes techniques)
May 7, 2012
Mark Clayton: Homeland Security warns major cyber attack aimed at gas pipeline industry underway
Angus Roxburgh: Putin Decoded: World view of a Russian feeling dissed
Kimberly Lankford: Navigate a Course for Long-Term Care
Kevin McCormally How to Adjust Your Tax Withholding
Celeste Robb-Nicholson, M.D.: Harvard Health Letters: How do you treat a Baker's cyst?
Joanne Capano: Healthy Snacks for Children: The Choices May Surprise You
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: Classic Creamy Spinach Dip with a Fraction of the Calories and Fat
May 4, 2012
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Holy 'trivialities'
Jonathan Tobin: Bibi v. Barak will be no contest this time around
Steven Goldberg: Blue Chip Stocks On Sale Worldwide
Art Pine Slow Productivity Growth a Blessing --- For Now
Sue Hubbard, M.D. : The Kid's Doctor: Are Kids Too Wired?
Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D: Foods that are good for your smile
Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H.: Eating Well: Foods that are good for your smile
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Strawberry rhubarb parfaits are elegant yet simple to assemble
May 3, 2012
Michael Freund: Who's Afraid of the Messiah?
Clifford D. May: The Foggiest War
Susan B. Garland: Insurance to Cover Old Old Age
Steven Goldberg 6 Reasons to Bet on a Big Bull Market
Harvard Health Letters: Treating prostate cancer --- no rush to judgment
Larry Gordon: Harvard, MIT partner to offer free online courses
Naomi Nix : Man gets free trip to Chicago after postcard sent by mother in 1957 finally reaches him
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Intensely Italian vegetable frittata is a seriously simple standby


Jewish World Review August 17, 2006 / 23 Menachem-Av, 5766

We won't win war on jihad — unless non-Islamics unite and play to win

By Ed Koch


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Last week, while the U.N. Security Council was discussing, and ultimately adopting, its ceasefire resolution regarding the war in Lebanon, I was depressed. After four weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel had not delivered a knockout blow and Hezbollah had acquitted itself well, something that no other Arab military force — whether Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, or Palestinian — has been able to do.


Israel had dazzled the world by its victories in the five previous wars waged against it by the Arabs. Now, forced by the murder and kidnapping of its soldiers into war with Hezbollah, a terrorist organization that has held Lebanon hostage, the Israeli Defense Forces appeared bogged down, seemingly unable to advance to the Litani River, the defense line that Israel had announced as its objective. They finally reached it immediately before the cease-fire went into effect on August 13th.


It now appears that the Israeli military was hindered by Prime Minister Olmert's decision to rely overwhelmingly on the Israeli air force and to commit a relatively small number of troops, about 10,000, to the ground battle, so as to limit casualties. This is the same error made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld when he ignored his military advisors and invaded Iraq with insufficient troops.


That error has proven costly.


The United States, in statements and actions by President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, has been unstinting in its support of Israel. Our government correctly viewed the attack on Israel by Hezbollah as an aspect of worldwide terrorism directed at the Western countries, including the U.S. Every American who believes that the war against international terrorism, which the President refers to as the battle against Islamic fascism, is the greatest danger the Western world faces, should thank President Bush for his steadfastness and courage. I thank him from the bottom of my heart.


I was depressed last week because I thought whatever partial victory the Israelis had achieved on the ground would be stolen from them by members of the U.N. Security Council who believe, as the French, Russians and Chinese do, that they should continue to do business with international terrorists and their state sponsors, including Iran, Iraq and Syria. When the final resolution was adopted by the Security Council, I understood how extraordinarily effective John Bolton, our U.N. delegate, had been, supported by our only major ally there, Great Britain, as a result of the courage of Prime Minister Tony Blair in undoubtedly overruling many of his own cabinet members who seem to have forgotten the lessons of appeasement that were painfully learned in the days of Chamberlain and World War II.


The final resolution, while undoubtedly watered down from the initial American proposal, nevertheless could yield positive results if the international military forces in conjunction with the Lebanese army disarm Hezbollah in southern Lebanon from the Israeli border to the Litani River. According to The New York Times of August 12th, "The United Nations resolution extends Unifil's mandate by a year and empowers it to take action 'to insure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind' and 'to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties'...The zone for the new joint force extends from the border of Israel and Lebanon — the so-called blue line — to the Litani River, roughly 15 miles to the north. That zone would be declared free of all 'armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the government of Lebanon and Unifil.'"


It will shortly be crystal clear whether or not the U.N. troops supplied by France, Australia, Italy and Turkey to support the Lebanese army will, in fact, have the will to engage in disarming the Hezbollah terrorists who have already given notice that they will not lay down their arms, notwithstanding that Hezbollah representatives in the Lebanese cabinet voted in favor of the U.N. cease-fire resolution.


There are now 30,000 Israeli soldiers on the ground in southern Lebanon, prepared to turn over the area they have conquered at great cost in casualties to the U.N. force and Lebanese army. If Hezbollah does not disarm, resumes shooting rockets into Israel and the U.N. forces and Lebanese army decline or are unable to enforce the resolution, the Israeli government will have to decide whether once again to resort to full-scale war. I believe Israel would have no option but to fight.


The lessons of history are clear. When Hitler sent his troops into the Rhineland in 1936 in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Britain and France did nothing. If they had marched against Germany, it was later learned, Hitler was prepared to back down immediately. Because the Allies did not respond, Hitler correctly saw there was a failure of will on their part. As a result, the tyrant was emboldened. He invaded Poland in 1939, beginning World War II, which cost 50 million lives.


While the war in Lebanon was raging, British Intelligence learned of a plot by Islamic fascists to blow up ten airliners flying between Heathrow airport and the United States. If they had succeeded, as many as 4,000 passengers would have died, most of them Americans. The war goes on. It is important to repeat the stated goal of the terrorists, as reflected in the words of the late Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq before U.S. forces killed him. He said, "Killing the infidels is our religion, slaughtering them is our religion, until they convert to Islam or pay us tribute."


The terrorists are counting on the Western world being unable to muster the will to sacrifice lives to save our civilization. They are also counting on help from "sleeper cells" in Western countries. These secret cells are comprised of citizens born in those countries, as were the 24 second-generation Pakistanis, born in Britain, just apprehended in the alleged plot to blow up the ten passenger planes.


If we are to survive and win this battle of civilizations which will go on for years, we must, as we did in World War II, unite at the water's edge and find a way to convince our former Western allies, led by France, to join us in a common front willing to stand and fight international terrorism — Islamic fascism — as we stood and successfully defeated Hitler and his Nazi legions.


Slowly, too slowly, the Western world is beginning to wake up and recognize how unbelievably cruel these Muslim fanatics are, and the danger they pose to the future of humankind. Christians, Jews, Hindus and a majority of Muslims must find a way to jointly rise up and resist these evil people who are bent on our destruction.


The son of a close friend of mine, an American who married an Israeli, moved to Israel as a permanent immigrant about a year ago with his family. He recently wrote to me, "Morale here is grim; not defeatist, but resigned. There are no Six Day victories in Lebanon (or Gaza). On the radio this morning, the commentators said that for Israel, a state-of-war is the norm — and cease-fires are a nice vacation. I hear this theme more and more these days. But I also hear everyone saying that this is their country, and they're not going anywhere: Hezbollah, Hamas be damned."


I replied: "We will prevail."

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JWR contributor Edward I. Koch, the former mayor of New York, can be heard on Bloomberg Radio (WBBR 1130 AM) every Sunday from 9-10 am . Comment by clicking here.

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