Through the Looking-Glass Darkly

True reality in Gaza (and elsewhere) must be viewed by examining a transcript inside a transcript within the transcript. Purportedly leaked earlier this week by a top US military official, the published transcript of President Obama's telephone conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu which occurred this past Sunday, in part, reads as follows:

                 The President, BO: "I demand that Israel agrees to an immediate unilateral ceasefire and halt all offensive activities... " [Forget what I said about your right to existential self defense with more than 80% of your population having less than 90 seconds to reach a bomb shelter daily.]

                 The Prime Minister, BN: "And what will Israel receive in exchange for a ceasefire..." [Other than Hamas being given sanctuary to reload and kill more innocents.]

                  BO: "I believe Hamas will cease its rocket fire..." [As it did not in the short duration of the five previous ceasefires.]


Today, more excerpts from this hotly disputed leaked "transcript" are being published world-wide, including the following portions disclosed exclusively here for the first time:

                  BN: "Mr. President while your belief in Hamas' good will toward Israel (and Gaza's dwindling supply of innocent civilian human shields) is admirable from America's vantage point 7000 miles from Tel Aviv, allow me to refer you to an almost identical situation that confronted your  country when subjected to merciless unprovoked attacks from the sky by [very] foreign militants.  Under the steadfast leadership of President Thomas J. Whitmore, America prevailed by the sheer tenacity of its willingness to spare no military means to deny these attackers victory over the forces of human civilization."

                  BO: "Yes, Bibi that historical precedent might be of immense relevance to this current confrontation by Israel and Hamas in Gaza.  But, as my recollection of the exact strategy employed by President Whitmore escapes me at the moment, can you text me the relevant excerpts from any transcribed record of his decision making to which now you so earnestly cite?"

                   BN: "Certainly, Barrack, let me read to you the salient portion right now - Whitmore: 'Can we negotiate a truce?  Is there room for co-existence?  Can there be peace between us?'
Foreign militant: 'Peace? No peace.'  Whitmore: What do you want us to do?'   Foreign militant: 'Die; we will kill you all.'  Whitmore: 'He wanted me to understand ... so nuke em all."

                   BO: "I too now understand; so how long will it take for Israel to stop defending itself against this Terrorist Entity that has told you that your only means to end this war is 'TO DIE'?

Of course, fact is so much more scary than fiction, or as Lewis Carroll (not actor Bill Pullman) put it: "If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.  Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.  And contrary wise ... it wouldn't be ... You see."  That is the only plausible explanation for why this Administration, the most ardent defender of the Jewish national home EVER, has chosen to demand that Israel cease and desist, quite possibly from existence.