Michael's Dispatches
Jerusalem
- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 27 January 2009 17:14
27 January 2009
Recently I was invited to the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington D.C. to receive an award for journalism in Afghanistan. I was incredibly happy to receive this journalism award from the Lithuanian people, and the Lithuanian government, and would like to thank the Lithuanians for standing their ground in Afghanistan and other troubled places. Lithuanians stood up against the Soviets, so it's doubtful that they fear al Qaeda or the Taliban. The Lithuanians are concerned, however, that America will turn its back on Lithuania. We must assure Lithuania that we will stand with them.
I was also invited to a reception at the residence of the Israeli Ambassador to the United States. I wanted to tell the Ambassador that I hope the Israeli Defence Forces ripped Hamas out by the roots. Apparently they did not, but the thousands of rocket strikes against Israel warranted a serious response. Some people say that the Israeli response was disproportionate. I agree. A more proportionate response would have seen Israel launching thousands of rockets into Gaza. I read one report that the peak times for Hamas to launch on Israel is when the kids are going to school, or coming home from school. Yet while many international players reflexively point their fingers at Jews and Israelis, clearly the Israelis want peace. The Jews would rather be in school than in a tank.
I am at the Jerusalem Conference in Jerusalem. Important Israelis are speaking here and one of the key topics is Iran. If Iranian leadership gets its wishes, Israel will cease to exist. The United States should under no circumstances allow Iran to attain nuclear status. A nuclear armed Iran is a recipe for genocide. We've got to stand up to Iran. If we do not, millions of people might die.
