"The fundamental disconnect in Democratic senators’ criticisms of Israel" (By Michael A. Cohen, MSNBC Columnist)

 ". . . If you endorse the idea that Israel has a right to defend itself, then that means tacitly endorsing the collateral deaths that result from that position.

Going into Gaza and uprooting a terrorist organization that has had a decade and a half to construct a military and political infrastructure in and among the civilian population is going to cause massive casualties. Even in the most ideal of scenarios, thousands would still die in Gaza. Many of Israel’s critics and friends are ignoring that reality. Complaints that Israel needs to wage war in a less deadly way are a bit like trying to wipe off the moral stain of supporting a policy that will inevitably lead to the deaths of innocents.

It is, as a colleague said to me, wanting only the good parts of war (killing Hamas militants) and not the bad ones (the collateral damage of civilian casualties)."

Nobody's getting out of this war unscathed, and somebody's going to have to rebuild Gaza. :(