Al-Rantissi was described as "more extreme" than Yassin, suggesting we can just be happy we didn't find out what direction he'd take Hamas.
Do you remember the extremists and pundits alike predicting the killing of Sheik Yassin would lead to increased violence against Israel - "opening the floodgates of hell" - that the killing was such a big mistake and would escalate the violence, etc, etc? Fact is, the killing has lead to a reduction in attacks on Israel, not because the extremists don't want to, but because they cannot.
Whether Israel targets the militant leaders or not, existemists like Hamas will try to kill as many Israelis as they possibly can. So Israel has nothing to lose by reducing the terrorists' capability to attack.
Bin Laden truce offer: acknowledgment is (small) victory for al-Qaeda
Trevor Stanley has some very interesting thoughts on Bin Laden's truce offer. He argues that by replying to the "offer" Europe blunders, since even a negative response acknowledges the premise that we (the west) are the aggressors while al-Qaeda and the Muslims (whom he arrogantly presume to be a spokesman for) are the victims.
By accpting the premise, and I suspect many Europeans already do, the wedge has begun to work.
Scott Martens has a different perspective, also worth reading. He reminds us that terrorism is a media strategy, and the latest communication is all part of how Bin Laden portrays himself to the world:
Being seen as the only man willing to stand up to America and the West is his objective. Getting Europe to back away might, conceivably, have had some propaganda effect, but I doubt bin Laden ever entertained the idea that anyone would agree to it. This is a different kind of war with a different kind of logic.
Primarily, then, Bin Laden is communicating to his own allies.
Do we, by merely acknowledging him, play to his script?
The Gloria, a sailing ship that is the Colombian navy's pride and official flagship, is on a goodwill trip to several countries, including Peru. Shortly before the Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was to tour the ship, a large cache of cocaine and heroine was discovered. Oops!
The visit to Peru was part of a campaign to convince the world that the Colombian government and security forces have control with the drug cartels and marxist guerilla. Not bloody likely.
Why does CNN report the news like the public is made up of a bunch of circus idiots?
And will Emmanuel Goldstein also be in on the negotiations?
He's not saying that...? Nah, can't be. Marshall can't have fallen for the tin foil hat syndrome that seems to have overtaken most of the left lately. But what did he really mean?
Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi, the new Hamas leader after the 
