In Israel's shadow

* Thanks for the recent analyses on Lebanon by Stephen Zunes and Margot Patterson (NCR, Aug. 25). For perspective, it might be well to recall that when Russia wanted to base missiles in Cuba in October 1962, we were ready to embark on World War III. All the nations living in Israel's shadow suffer the presence of more than 200 nuclear weapons, plus the sophisticated hardware we've supplied for decades. We've been making Israel the second-most militarized nation in the world. In addition, Israel has broken the economy of Palestine, targeted civilians and indeed has its neighbors in a stranglehold. Now the infrastructure of Lebanon has been crippled. My definition" of terrorism includes nations that threaten to use weapons of mass destruction and nations that target civilians as we do in Iraq and Israel does in Palestine and Lebanon. The best way to peace is for the United States and Israel to do an about-face.

LORETTA SCHNITZ

Sacramento, Calif.

COPYRIGHT 2006 National Catholic Reporter
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning