Regarding the article about Charles Freeman (IHT, Blunt talk..., 13.2.09) I may not agreed with all that he has said, I do agree that the US must find a more balanced policy towards both sides of the conflict, to be able to be a part of the solution and not the problem itself. Too often, justifiable criticism of Isreal's methods are immediately labeled as anti-semitic. As the son of a Shoah survivor, I too find that they go over the top, becoming Hamas' and Hizbollah's best recruiting agency. Too many religious americans believe that the Rapture will come if Isreal is destroyed, and yet all forget the Bible -e.g. he who lives by the sword.... and hate begets hate, are also in there. In Germany, almost 400 years ago we too had a religious/political-power war where two sides were convinced that God was on their side. When they were finished (exhausted), 2/3 of the population was dead and the middle of Europe a ruin. Can't we learn from past mistakes? For the US to be an honest broker it claims to be, in the sense of a Bismarck, they need someone not afraid to read BOTH sides the Leviten.