TLF Slams Israel for Building Stuff

New York Times sage Thomas L. Friedman has some very, um, TLFish observations on Joe Biden's "humiliation" at the hands of the "drunken" Israelis:

I am a big Joe Biden fan. The vice president is an indefatigable defender of U.S. interests abroad. So it pains me to say that on his recent trip to Israel, when Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s government rubbed his nose in some new housing plans for contested East Jerusalem, the vice president missed a chance to send a powerful public signal: He should have snapped his notebook shut, gotten right back on Air Force Two, flown home and left the following scribbled note behind: “Message from America to the Israeli government: Friends don’t let friends drive drunk. And right now, you’re driving drunk. You think you can embarrass your only true ally in the world, to satisfy some domestic political need, with no consequences? You have lost total contact with reality. Call us when you’re serious. We need to focus on building our country.”

I think that — rather than fuming and making up — would have sent a very useful message for two reasons. First, what the Israelis did played right into a question a lot of people are asking about the Obama team: how tough are these guys? The last thing the president needs, at a time when he is facing down Iran and China — not to mention Congress — is to look like America’s most dependent ally can push him around.

And second, Israel needs a wake-up call. Continuing to build settlements in the West Bank, and even housing in disputed East Jerusalem, is sheer madness...

Actually, Tom, the "sheer madness" (aside from being a "big Joe Biden fan," I mean--what sane person would admit to that?) is trying to arrange yet another "peace" bargain between Jews and enemies who remain bent on their destruction. Isn't that the very definition of insanity--doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result this time? (And speaking of drinking, I hear Joe's boss, who's been steering the ship of state like a drunken sailor, has been advised to cut back on his liquor intake.)

Or, to put it in terms you're likelier to understand: the Israelis are the Jetsons; the jihadis are the Flintsones. And never the twain shall meet, capiche?