U.S. Troops Get Taste of Israeli Life

Soldiers disguised as civilians, ambulances used to transport arms, gunmen hiding out in mosques, suicide bombers attacking checkpoints. These are some of the threats U.S. soldiers have faced in Iraq in the last three weeks, but they are dangers Israelis have been facing for years. Though it is perhaps too much to hope for, the Iraq war may help Americans better appreciate what Israelis are up against.

The parallels are quite remarkable. Remember the international outcry when Israel dropped a bomb on the home of one of the leaders of Hamas and a number of civilians were killed as well? The United States did not hesitate to use its bombers to vaporize Iraqi targets when the regime’s leaders were suspected of being present in a building and, despite the precision of the weapons, many civilians were part of the “collateral damage.” Unlike Israel, however, which is condemned, flagellates itself, and apologizes endlessly, Defense Secretary “Attila the Rum” chalks it up to the cost of war.

How many times have we also heard about trigger happy Israeli soldiers who shoot Palestinians who fail to stop at checkpoints? Well, U.S. soldiers faced the same dilemma after suicide bombers blew up their comrades at a checkpoint and did not hesitate to shoot at Iraqis who failed to heed warnings to stop.