The Inquirer Letters Page never leaves me wanting for material. Here's this:

Neutrality needed

Recently, letters and columns have been published advocating support for both the Israelis and the Palestinians. The writers fail to see that the only way for peace to be achieved is for the United States to disengage completely from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our government should end any diplomatic, financial, commercial, or military support for either side.

Doing so would weaken the infrastructures of both groups to such an extent that they would be forced to either come to terms or watch as their dreams of statehood crumbled under economic and military collapse. In this case, neutrality is the best policy.

Michael P. Gallen

Philadelphia

No Mike, if we stopped supporting Israel, their economy would collapse and they'd have no one to trade with. On the Palestinian side, the dictators of the mid-east would throw so much money and arms at Arafat that Israel would cease to exist within ten years. I'll tell you Mike, can I call you Mike, oh never mind, I'll just refer to you as Moron. Listen Moron, Israel is the only democracy in the mid-east, at least until Iraq holds elections. Are you saying that democracy is bad or that Israel is bad? I'd guess the latter. Now this:

Strong argument

Re: "War's progress may doom Dems," Commentary Page, Dec. 17:

Robert Stewart misses the whole point. He argues in a circular fashion that we were justified in invading a sovereign nation not at war with us because the postwar occupation is going better than expected. He sees Saddam Hussein's capture as confirmation that our cause was just. The Democratic candidates who supported the war but not the postwar planning may indeed have little more to say, but the candidates who opposed the war from the beginning do not have to change a word of their argument.

The invasion of Iraq was based on deception, and nothing that happens now can change that.

Gloria C. Endres

Philadelphia
sisglo@aol.com

Ah Gloria, we were at war with Iraq. At the cessation of hostilities in the original Gulf War, a cease fire was signed, holding Iraq accountable for certain actions, which they didn't comply with. As for the candidates who didn't support the war, watch how fast Howard Dean rushes to the center if he gets the nomination. The anti-war liberals are but a small fraction of the electorate and he'll drop you like an unshaven, feminist chick that he woke up with after a drunken bender.

And on that happy note, we'll leave the rest for another day.