This and That

But first, a message in the sky:

I saw that over at Jewish Review, where I also saw this:

But about the look back . . . .

On this day in 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American air raid against Germany during World War II.

(As a non-participant in the process, I note this: They knew how to make war back then. Imagine the political outcry today over a 50-bomber raid on a city in Iran or North Korea! No, I’m not blood-thirsty. No, I’m not making a recommendation or even expressing a wish. I’m merely expressing an observer’s observation.)

Then on this day in 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.

(But who would then liberate Poland? How they would need it for the next 45 years!)

I wonder what kind of history “we” will make today.

Iran is a riddle — a problem, actually. A huge problem, I would say. Even a crisis, in my estimation.

But what if certain small nations – perhaps including some ruled by reckless dictators who could not be counted on to behave sensibly – developed or obtained nuclear weapons? That was the real nightmare.

The trouble is that at least two relatively small but obstreperous nations – Iran and North Korea – are becoming sophisticated enough, technologically, to construct nuclear weapons, and are showing every sign of intending to use them to blackmail the rest of the world.

This grim problem has shown up on President Bush’s watch, and he cannot escape having to decide what to do about it. Earlier presidents gladly postponed a decision, but Bush doesn’t have that luxury. […] Bush alone must decide.

Such are the considerations President Bush must be weighing, and it is difficult not to feel sorry for him as he does so. But he sought the presidency, after all, including its burdens. Iran is clearly one of the greatest, and war (in the form of air strikes) simply cannot be ruled out.

May God direct him.

Prospects for international peace continue to dim. Hopelessness and fear and instability and conflict all will continue to increase.

I know that sounds like pessimism. It is. It’s also bleak realism.

In Palestine, the Arabs vote for terror:

The Islamic militant Hamas group swept to victory over the long-dominant Fatah party on Thursday in Palestinian parliamentary polls, a political earthquake that could bury any hope for reviving peace talks with Israel soon.

Over in Iran, meanwhile, efforts to buy time continue as the mullahs apparently continue their drive to hoodwink the Israelis and the West. And China and Russia continue their geopolitical game against the West and the Israelis:

China expressed support for a plan to have Iran’s uranium enriched in Russia as a way to end the global impasse over the Islamic republic’s nuclear program.

Top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, who arrived in Beijing Thursday for a one-day visit, expressed qualified support on Wednesday for the plan to enrich his nation’s uranium on Russian territory.

“It’s all a charade,” he mutters. “Things are getting darker for Israel and the US. Mark my words.”

Only worse — Oh the tragedy!

Seven adopted children from a single household were killed Wednesday in a fiery crash when their car was crushed between a truck and a stopped school bus in rural northern Florida.

Pray for the parent(s).

I naturally thought of the Schrock tragedy right away.

About the Schrocks — Jeff and Carolyn and their new baby girl visited our congregation on January 8. That was really special.

And last Sunday morning a letter to us from Cliff Helm was read at the close of the morning service.

UPDATE: Compounding the tragedy (posted around noon on Thursday, January 26).

From CNN:

News of a crash in which seven children perished so upset their grandfather that he had a massive heart attack and died, the children’s mother said.

OK, before you read the whole piece, consider what the President said:

“If you are standing next to a rattle snake, you do not have an obligation to wait until it bites you before you decide it’s dangerous.”

No, that isn’t a GWB quote regarding Iran.

It’s an FDR quote regarding Germany.

Is Google spineless to do this?

Online search engine leader Google Inc. has agreed to censor its results in China, adhering to the country’s free-speech restrictions in return for better access in the Internet’s fastest growing market.

Yes, they’re showing a lot of spine. But it’s not a sound moral spine. This is just another modern day example of cultural decay.

Is Google free to do what they wish to pursue market share? Of course! So was CNN back when they wanted a share of the Iraqi market.

Am I free to boycott Google over this? Of course! So I won’t use their .cn site. 🙂

By the way, how do your personal ethics shine in the marketplace? Are you so different from the folks at Google or CNN?

Today some people will celebrate the five-year anniversary of the end of his eight-year “reign of terror.” 🙂

Others will celebrate the beginning of his ability to practice law:

Today, I signed a consent order in the lawsuit brought by the Arkansas Committee on Professional Conduct which brings to an end that proceeding.

I have accepted a five-year suspension of my law license….

It’s funny how many people practice law because of and for the sake of those many other people who practice lawlessness.

Do you practice law by obeying it?