The right-wing zealot that looks for morality in war, and not finding it blames the American educational system shows how far conservatives can stretch.

Charles Durning played a Texas Governor in "The Best Little Whorehouse.." and when he faced a question he advised--in song--"to take a little side step.." A rant over perceived amorality in the Palestinian/Israeli war is a major side step. To ascribe the situation as a dividend of our educational system is tour d'jute.

Your author said, >" here is a postmodern amorality afloat — the dividend of years of an American educational system in which historical ignorance, cultural relativism, and well-intentioned theory, in place of cold facts, has reigned. We see the sad results everywhere in the current discussions of the Middle East and our own war on terror."

Israel has precisely the same moral ascendancy to act based on the Passover bombing that we have as a result of 911.

But, to look for morality in war is Walter Mitty searching for Camelot. Morality may be an element of politics, but when politics has failed to the point of war, that issue has vanished. Strategic---or as Bush says, "Strategeric" war has a strong component of destroying the enemy's will to fight. So Sherman set Atlanta afire and destroyed everything in his path to get there. Morality in war gave way to mere conventional form from that time to this.

The article mentioned the fire bombing of Dresden as being a tactical target.. Naw, the only war material in Dresden consisted of fine china plates. It was pure and simple revenge the Brits took for the bombings of London. It was warranted, it was war. Was it moral? Morality is not part of this equation--justification may be.

Has Hammas given Israel justification for a slaughter? I am hard pressed to say no. Much as I detest needless slaughter, I recognize the Palestinians have abandoned their pretense of a moral position.