Ain't Complicated

Cal Thomas makes some observations here regarding the Muslim carryings-on over those cartoons:

At the National Black Fine Art Show, a painting by Harlem artist “Tafa” depicts an upside down “Christ-like” figure with a face that resembles Osama bin Laden. No Christians have threatened the artist, or bombed the building where it is displayed, or attacked the city government.

Throughout the Middle East, state-controlled newspapers regularly depict Jews and Israeli leaders in despicable, stereotypical and anti-Semitic caricatures. These cartoons show Jews with hooked noses; Stars of David morphing into swastikas; Palestinian and Arab blood drips from Jewish hands and Jews are blamed for creating AIDS. Neither those newspapers, nor Arab embassies have been attacked by Jewish mobs.

When a Danish newspaper publishes several political cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, riots ensue and the artists and newspaper receive death threats. When newspapers in France and Germany courageously (and unexpectedly) reprint the cartoons as a demonstration of their right to free speech, further demonstrations occur and threats are made against those newspapers.

What’s the difference here?

Is there an inherent “betterness” of people, religion, government, or nationality?

Or something like that:

“I am concerned about a person that, one, tries to rewrite the history of the Holocaust, and two, has made it clear that his intentions are to destroy Israel,” Bush said.

“Israel is a solid ally of the United States, we will rise to Israel’s defense if need be. So this kind of menacing talk is disturbing. It’s not only disturbing to the United States, it’s disturbing for other countries in the world as well,” he added.

Asked if he meant the United States would rise to Israel’s defense militarily, Bush said: “You bet, we’ll defend Israel.”

Ahmadinejad has prompted international condemnation for anti-Israel rhetoric in recent weeks, including saying it should be wiped off the map, and also calling into question the Holocaust.

Something’s going to give one of these days.

Take cover, everyone!

Or, like I said earlier, something like that.

This morning on my way to get some medicine, I was listening to a Best of Rush on the radio.

He and a caller named Jill weren’t communicating very well at all.

Finally she said, “At least I’m not a drug addict.”

“Cheap shot,” I thought.

Not too much later, as they were talking all over each other, he finally exclaimed, “You are sounding like my two ex-wives. Shut up!” (The first sentence may not be an exact direct quote, but it’s very close.)

That was cheap and ungracious.

That attack on his ex-wives, one of them “the lovely and gracious Marta,” was totally uncalled-for and gratuitous.

They could offer nothing in their defense. I wonder what would be their side of the story of their marriage(s) to Rush.

I would say he revealed less than The Best of Rush.

And instead of being on The Cutting Edge of Societal Evolution, I would say he was conforming to the trailing edge.

Good news concerning the CPT captives in Iraq: They were alive a week ago (at least):

Kidnappers threatened in a new videotape broadcast Saturday to kill four Christian peace activists unless all Iraqi prisoners were released, saying they were giving the U.S. and Iraqi governments a “last chance” to save the hostages.

The tape dated Jan. 21 and broadcast on Al-Jazeera showed the four men — two Canadians, an American and a Briton — standing near a wall . . . .

Bad news: Their captors continue to make demands that won’t be met.

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.”