While some conservatives blast President Bush for trying to restrain Israel's
response to suicide attacks, another conservative is blasting Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon for "the stupidest campaign in recent memory."
Columnist William F. Buckley, in a Tuesday op-ed, writes that Sharon's offensive
has "solved nothing, increased Israel's problems, intensified Palestinian
hatred of Israel, estranged many Europeans and Americans, and fanned Islamic
hostility." Buckley says that Sharon, in his effort to destroy the terrorist
infrastructure, is conducting a scorched-earth campaign of "wanton damage."
According to Buckley, "What has been done is to enhance and even legitimize
Palestinian grievances." Buckley's conclusion: "Mr. Sharon has wounded
the state of Israel incalculably, causing ache and pain not only to Palestinians,
but to his people and to friends of Israel everywhere."