Liberals and Israel

"Perhaps sensing that this issue could highlight just how far removed the Kos community is from the American mainstream, [Markos] Moulitsas and his other front-page bloggers have opted to ignore Israel's war. Combined, the half dozen front-pagers have written exactly one post on the subject. And that post, authored by Moulitsas, simply declared that he wouldn't write anything further on the subject. So while the most important story of the year develops, the nation's leading progressive blog has chosen to focus on the Indiana second district House race between Chris Chocola and Joe Donnelly. Nothing wrong with that; it's their prerogative to blog about whatever they like.

"But inside the Kos diaries, it's been a different story. The conversation in the diaries has been overwhelmingly anti-Israel--and potentially disastrous for the Democratic party.

"One diarist labeled Israel 'a destabilizing force in the region' and saw 'no difference between Iran's support of Hezbollah and Hamas in the form of finances and even arms and The United States' financial support of Israel.' Before modifying this diary into a more moderate form, the author opened his essay with the declaration, 'Israel is showing the entire world why the Iranian President was absolutely right to suggest that Israel cease being a sovereign state as is.'

"Echoing the themes of moral equivalence and hostility towards the Jewish state, another diarist observed that, 'War is nothing but terrorist attacks. Call it what you will, whatever rhetoric you want to use . . . when it comes down to it, that's all it is. Israel committed terrorism today. And we helped to fund that terrorism.'"

The problem with this analysis is that the views of a few people who write in to Kos (I don't know how it's decided who gets on the diary page) represent . . . well, mainly themselves. It's like characterizing a radio show by a few of the loons who call in. And getting from these few folks to a problem for the Democratic Party seems like a big stretch.

Atrios explains his lack of posting this way:

"I've said nothing about war in Lebanon or Ethiopia because I have nothing to add, and also because -- as you may or may not be aware -- the United States is actually involved in a hugely bloody war right now, and this is more of a pressing concern to me personally."

Andrew Sullivan is dismissive:

"Are lefties unable to grapple with complex regional wars? Nah. They're just wimping out."

One liberal voice, The Nation , isn't pulling any punches:

"It makes no sense for Israel to destroy the civil infrastructure of the Palestinians and of Lebanon in response to the kidnapping of its soldiers, or to further weaken the capacity of the governments of Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority while at the same trying to hold them accountable for the actions of groups and militias they cannot reasonably control. This collective punishment of the Palestinian and Lebanese people is not only inhumane and should be condemned but also leads to more radicalization and to more chaos."

Kevin Drum , who initially opted out of the Mideast debate in his Washington Monthly blog, says of the failed cease-fire talks: