Living in Terror

By Fred Thompson

May 30, 2007

Let me ask you a hypothetical question. What do you think America would do

if Canadian soldiers were firing dozens of missiles every day into Buffalo,

N.Y.? What do you think our response would be if Mexican troops for two

years had launched daily rocket attacks on San Diego -- and bragged about

it?

I can tell you, our response would look nothing like Israel's restrained

and pinpoint reactions to daily missile attacks from Gaza. We would use

whatever means necessary to win the war. There would likely be numerous

casualties on our enemy's side, but we would rightfully hold those who

attacked us responsible.

More than 1,300 rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza since

Palestinians were given control two years ago. Israelis, however, have gone

to incredible lengths to stop the war against them without harming

Palestinian non-combatants. But make no mistake, Israel is at war. The

elected Hamas government regularly repeats its official promise to destroy

Israel entirely and replace it with an Islamic state. Hamas openly took

Credit for killing one woman and wounding dozens more last week alone.

The Palestinian strategy is to purposely target and kill Israeli civilians.

Then, when Israel goes after those launching the attacks, Palestinians

claim to be the victims. If Palestinian civilians aren't hurt in the

Israeli attacks, they stage injuries and deaths. Too often, they garner

sympathy and support from a gullible or anti-Semitic media in the

international community.

Israelis, themselves, are often incapable of facing the damage they inflict

in self-defense. Knowing this, Islamic extremists are using their own

populations as human shields.

I'm beginning to wonder how much longer this vicious plot will work though.

International sympathy for Palestinians has diminished as the same

Islamofascist extremists have brought havoc to Madrid, Bali, Somalia,

London and elsewhere. More importantly, Israelis themselves are suffering

so badly, they may be on the verge of losing their sympathy for the people

who have sworn to kill them.

Imagine what it would be like to live, knowing that a rocket could fall on

you or your children at any minute. Half of those who live nearest to Gaza

have fled their homes. Those remaining are traumatized by daily warning

sirens and explosions.

The irony is that Israel has the military might to easily win the war that

is being waged against them today. They haven't used that might, in the

past, out of compassion for Palestinian civilians and because it could

trigger a wider regional conflict.

That balance of power is about to change, though. If Iran develops nuclear

weapons, the very existence of this tiny nation of Israel will be

threatened. The Iranian regime has left little doubt that it intends to see

Israel "wiped off the map. Hamas is using the same language, not

coincidentally, and has announced it will begin launching missiles into

Israel from the West Bank too.

If the world doesn't act to stop Iran's nuclear ambitions, it must be

prepared for the consequences of Israel defending itself.

Fred understands this world of ours.

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