THIS WAR, LIKE THE LAST, IS A "WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOM"

• BARAK WITHDREW FROM LEBANON.

• A FEW YEARS LATER WE GOT THE HIZBALLAH WAR.

• SHARON WITHDREW FROM LEBANON.

• DID IT CREATE PEACE? NO. ISRAEL GOT THE HAMAS WAR - PHASE #1 IN WHICH HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL WITH NON-STOP ROCKET-FIRE. NOW ISRAEL IS FINALLY FIGHTING BACK.
  

• IN NEITHER CASE DID ISRAEL GET ANY CREDIT FOR WITHDRAWING; WORSE: ITS ENEMIES GOT STRONGER.

• THIS WAR IS STRICTLY A MOPPING UP EXERCISE: ISRAEL IS CREATING A BUFFER: SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY.

• WHAT WILL THE ARAB MUSLIMS AND ISRAELIS DO WITH THIS SPACE AND TIME?

REAL PEACE WILL ONLY COME WHEN ISLAM EITHER UNDERGOES A MASSIVE (AND HIGHLY UNLIKELY) REFORM FROM WITHIN (SUCH AS SUGGESTED BY IRSHAD MANJI, OR BY SUFISM) - OR IT IS ERADICATED.

THE CHOICE IS THEIRS.

(OR OURS: WE CAN SURRENDER AND LIVE IN SERVITUDE - DHIMMITUDE - TO OUR MUSLIM OVERLORDS.)