President Bush's Speech at the UN

I liked the speech very much with the exception of the part that dealt with Israel. Rewarding the "Palestinians" with a state within the land of Israel is wrong even if they were to find their own version of Thomas Jefferson to lead them because the borders are not defensible and wars can erupt even between the purist democracies. One of the arguments made in the Federalist Papers for the need for a Union was to avoid just that possibility between the States.

Of course the land of Israel was promised to the people of Israel by G-d and I believe that that is to the benefit of the whole world -- if only we could remember why it was given to us and act accordingly. Putting aside the biblical claim, which should be honored by all nations, the fact is that Israel has a right to defend itself and the duty to defend its people. In order to do that it must have defensible borders.

Another point: all of Israel's concessions to date have only encouraged terrorism -- worldwide and on all fronts. Further concessions would only make it worse.