Let me make this perfectly clear: I don't care much for Richard Lugar. His support for various new gun control laws over a period of some year particularly unthrills me. I dislike his record enough to have sought the Libertarian Party nomination to run against him in 2000. I generally think of him as another damned big government conservative.

However, THESE COMMENTS did please me quite significantly. He told Fox News that US forces (perhaps with international participation) may have to go root out Hamas.

Lugar said such a force could be used to quell Israeli and Palestinian disputes, "and, maybe even more important, to root out the terrorism that is at the heart of the problem."

"...It may not be just Hamas but clearly Hamas is right in the gunsights," he added.

Hint to the Palestenians: Richard Lugar is not known for belligerance, nor for speaking incautiously. He is not particularly the radical end of his colleagues. When even HE starts talking about US coming in after you, it should be a clue to you that American patience is nearing an end. Also, he's chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

If even a cautious guy like Lugar stands ready to even seriously consider turning our guns on you badly deserving human insects, then you better believe that we're this close to absolutely turning Israel loose on your rotten asses.

America has tried very hard to help make peace and get you a good deal and hold Israel back from destroying you. You have repaid our efforts by killing more Israelis and Americans and others. Your wicked nonsense has become very tiresome.

It would be better for Israel to hit Hamas and any supporters they can find rather than dragging US in. Merely making it clear that we're taking the leash off of Sharon might be enough. He could start by killing Arafat. He's their equivalent of bin Laden. Why is he still alive? Just make it clear that we've got Israel's back in that den of vipers called the UN Security Council. Hey, they all hate US and the Jews anyway.

Whoa be unto any of these people, however, if the Americans absolutely end up coming in after them. No American president even could get away with tolerating anything like the constant murder that the Israelis have been subjected to. Some Palestenian jerks will WISH it was Sharon who had hold of them.

Even a cautious middle-of-the-road politician like Richard Lugar has come to the conclusion that the situation is intolerable, and must be dealt with appropriately.

A few more remarks like this, and even I might support his next re-election.

Maybe.