Israel's crocodile tears

Israel has formally expressed "deep sorrow" over the killing of seven Canadian citizens, including four children. Sorry? I'll just bet they are. An ally as staunch as Prime Minister Stephen Harper, first in line to cut off aid to the newly-elected Palestinian government, a man whose notion of a "measured response" I have already covered, is not one to trifle with. His "ethnic" flank is now badly exposed. So it's time to bring out the tears and handkerchiefs, but not for the Lebanese kids killed by an Israeli rocket attack on an open road after obeying Israeli orders to evacuate their village. And not likely for the Canadians either.

Meanwhile, is Harper becoming more, well, measured?

Israel must show restraint as part of the solution

What, "show restraint?" Is he having a lucid moment?

but it is essential that the attacks against Israel would stop and it is essential that Israeli soldiers be returned to Israel.

Ah. Too good to be true. All that's needed to secure peace is a one-sided truce and a one-sided prisoner release. Why hasn't the UN Secretary-General's mission to the region thought of that?

I have a confession to make: I find myself increasingly unable to navigate the surreal sea of geopolitics in which our Leader is presently dog-paddling. Not because I am unable to follow Realpolitik: I'm a student of Machiavelli and I know how the game is played. But when I look at those photos of dead children on a country road, I find myself blaming--why, the people who did it.

People have tried to talk me out of this moralizing nonsense. One commenter told me to "grow up." Didn't I know that this was simply "prepping the battlefield?" And now Israel is expressing "deep sorrow," and I still don't get it.

I'm sorry to be a slow learner. The only thing that cheers me up--a little--is that there's a whole lot of people in my class just like me, asking dumb questions about "disproportionate responses" and stuff. And the classroom appears to be more crowded by the day. I'm not lonely or anything. But I just can't stomach the lessons.