"Obama's Lazy Tribute to Daniel Pearl"

Mark Steyn:

Like a lot of guys who've been told they're brilliant one time too often, President Obama gets a little lazy, and doesn't always choose his words with care. And so it was that he came to say a few words about Daniel Pearl, upon signing the "Daniel Pearl Press Freedom Act." Pearl was decapitated on video by jihadist Muslims in Karachi on Feb. 1, 2002. That's how I'd put it. This is what the president of the United States said:

FILE PHOTO: Wall Street Journalreporter Daniel Pearl is shown with a gun held to his head in this file photo obtained on Jan. 26, 2002.  AP Photo, HO, File

"Obviously, the loss of Daniel Pearl was one of those moments that captured the world's imagination because it reminded us of how valuable a free press is."

Now Obama's off the prompter, when his silver-tongued rhetoric invariably turns to sludge. But he's talking about a dead man here, a guy murdered in public for all the world to see. Furthermore, the deceased's family is standing all around him. And, even for a busy president, it's the work of moments to come up with a sentence that would be respectful, moving and true. Indeed, for Obama, it's the work of seconds, because he has a taxpayer-funded staff sitting around all day with nothing to do but provide him with that sentence.

Instead, he delivered the one above, which in its clumsiness and insipidness is most revealing. First of all, note the passivity: "The loss of Daniel Pearl." He wasn't "lost." He was kidnapped and beheaded. He was murdered on a snuff video. He was specifically targeted, seized as a trophy, a high-value scalp. And the circumstances of his "loss" merit some vigor in the prose. Yet Obama can muster none.

Even if Americans don't get the message, the rest of the world does. This week's pictures of the leaders of Brazil and Turkey clasping hands with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are also monuments to American passivity.

Related:  The Lesson of Brother Pearl: "Hatred is their soulcraft," and they are legion

It is further insisted that once a Palestinian state has been created there will be peace.

The murder of Danny Pearl tells a much different story. For these radicals, the issue is not merely a Palestinian state. They do not believe Israel should exist. For them, there is no room in this world for the Jews. By killing Danny Pearl, who no doubt approved of a Palestinian homeland, they reminded us, if we indeed need reminding, that when they chant "kill the Jews" between chanting "death to America," they mean what they say.

For understandable reasons, well-meaning people continue to believe that with the correct aid package and enough economic development, all will be well. Once their bellies are full, we are told, their minds will radiate Karma. The horror of this conflict is that our opponents are not speaking from their stomachs and brains, but from their souls. Hatred is their soulcraft. It may well be true that they comprise only 10 percent of the Islamic population, but that still means 100 million people. A large legion is at the gate.

Comments

[Rouli]

So, what you actually say, is that the conflict between Israel and Palestine is due to the fact that some Palestinians are Jews haters and want to kill them all? Ever wondered why it is so? It sure has nothing to do with the fact that a lot of Palestinians are living in horrible conditions, misery and with Israelite planes over their heads, that might drop bombs!

I do NOT say Palestinians are angels, let it be clear! Everybody had wrongs in this story. But if you count the death on each side, I doubt Israel suffered the most. And look at the force balance! Can you really say the fight is fair?

I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't agree with what you said. Yes, I do believe things can only go better if two states could be created and be treated (by the world and by each other) as equals.
There might be some fanatics in Palestine, as I'm also sure there are among Jews, and what they did to Daniel Pearl is scandalous and horrible. But I think those fanatics have the power and means they have only because the whole Palestinian population is ready to help them, because they see no other way to make there future better. Because they've see their homes rampages while they couldn't do anything. Because they have no hospital to go when they're injured and because they're living of international support for decades. And yes, maybe they became Jew haters, not because they were born this way or because it is in their religion, but because they've seen their family and friends die, touched by Israelian bullets. Because even in the United Nations buildings/camps they aren't safe from the war.
Because all they have to fight back and defend their lives - if they can't defend their land - is their hands and rocks, while the opponents has high tech guns and protections. Even if it is horrible, even if sometime innocent people die from it, I can understand why they throw home-made rockets in Israel.
Once again, I don't say it's a good thing. Killing people for any reason is something that shouldn't happen.

So now I'd like to ask you: why do you believe that "For them, there is no room in this world for the Jews" and "Hatred is their soulcraft"? What arguments do you have to give to support that at least 1% of the israeliand are just bad by nature?
An when you say they think that in the world there is no space for jews... Do you really think that if Israel wasn't there to fight, Palestinians or islamists would try and kill Jews that are somewhere else, like Europe or America? Do you really think that coming back to the boundaries as they were set in 67 is impossible?

Thanks for your attention, I hope this doesn't get too confused. I'm not an English native speaker as you probably guessed, so I ask for you indulgence toward my bad language.

Sincerely,
Rouli

[Gina Cobb]

Rouli, over the next year, please take notice whenever there is an attack in the world in which the attackers deliberately, purposefully, intentionally kill men, women and children who were not fighting or creating a confrontation, but just minding their own business before the attack.

After a year, let me know your results and who the attackers were.

There is only one group in the world today that is repeatedly TARGETING innocent civilians who were minding their own business before the attack (eating pizza, attending a wedding, working in an office building, flying on an airplane).

Deliberately targeting and killing innocent civilians who are minding their own business, and doing it again and again, on purpose, is an inexcusable crime.