March 11, 2009... Viva Israel.

Some commentators including the likes of Gideon Levy, have strongly argued that Operation Cast lead--The War--was a failure. Whilst it wasn't as clearly a victory as some would have preferred, it has still been an outstanding victory.

Hams now know that their bellicose rhetoric and tactics of ruthlessly using civilians, democracy and international pressure to achieve their aims is futile vis-à-vis Israel's proportionality of determination to not sacrifice IDF lives, but to inflict maximum damage on Hamas without unnecessary casualties in Gaza Strip.

The Gazans now know that democracy is allied to responsibility for their own well being, and is not simply a means via which the world is held to ransom and/or promote regional, and beyond, insurrection.

The International Community now know that when they are being taken for a ride by a bunch of malign primitives, force is the response which is most likely to modify attitudes, and with any further aid being made contingent on certain standards of behaviour, as opposed to aid as a means to incentivise certain standards of behaviour. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has properly demanded.

The Islamic terrorists in the EU now know that, although suicide bombings such as in London and Madrid may have limited consequences in the present, opportunities will present themselves in the future, for more substantial, and proportional blowback. In the case of Gaza Strip, 300 died and over one thousand were injured, during the 22 day period of The War.

And Israel now knows that it can act in self-defense vis-à-vis a lot of rhetorical invective, and legal shenanigans out of Iran, for example, but will be vindicated in the short, and longer term.