"INVISIBLE IN WAR; INVINCIBLE IN PEACE"

Someone has said, "There is no fury like that of a non-combatant." And it was said of a veteran of the Civil War who spoke out like a war-hawk when international problems came along between 1865 and 1885, that the veteran was "invisible in war and invincible in peace." The basis or grain of truth was that the veteran, an officer for the Union at the beginning of the war, was captured early and paroled on the promise that he would not again take up arms against the South.

When we hear reports from some of the media commentators about violence breaking out in some part of the world, we often think of the Civil War officer, and the reference to the fury of non-combatants. We are presently listening to Rush Limbaugh discuss the violence in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon. Limbaugh is full of fury and follows the position of the administration that the international community should let Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah fight awhile. He also defends Israel from charges that the killing of U.N. observers "[the attack] appears to have been intentional." Kofi Anan's charge. We are not sure whether the deaths of the U.N. people are supposed to be considered "collateral damage." If so, is it possible that Anan is correct? If the blow to the compound was intentional, that in itself may not make it wrong under the circumstances. Let the U.N. investigate.

It is hard for us to understand why we send our Secretary of State overseas to discuss the conflict and to suggest a way to resolve it. Why has this small war not been brought before the general body of the United Nations? Why has no one insisted (or have they?) that representatives of the civilized nations of the world meet at the U.N. and let all blow off steam? It may very well be that Israel is entirely in the right in this matter. If so, and if the world community wrongfully votes against Israel, we have a veto.

It is ironic that Iran sends arms to Hezbollah; Syria sends arms to the terrorists; and the USA sends arms (ordered earlier)to Israel. If a Martian dropped in, would her or she think that Israel is a puppet of the USA? Hezbollah and Lebanon have failed to comply with a U.N. directive. How many U.N. directives is Israel violating with impunity? The policy of the administration in the USA is undermining the power of the United Nations. Shame on us.