Stop Me Before I Vote Again

The rather gripping lede of a report today from Gaza by Safwat al-Kahlout in the Christian Science Monitor reads, "The Israeli drones are driving me crazy."

Me too, Safwat. Here's Daily Kos hero senator Harry Reid, on Meet The Press:

GREGORY: Let me ask you about the ground invasion into Gaza. Do you think on the part of this Israeli -- of the Israelis this was offensive or defensive?

REID: ... Let’s understand the background. For eight years they’ve been firing rockets into Israel. They’ve become more intense the last few months. Israelis have been killed, maimed and injured. Sometimes more than 200 a day coming into Israel.

If this were going on in the United States from Vancouver, Canada, into Seattle, would we react? Of course we do. [T]his terrorist organization, Hamas, has got to be put away....

GREGORY: And they’re in power in the West Bank.

REID: That’s right. and Israel, for -- since 1967, controlled Gaza. They gave it to the Palestinians as a gesture of peace. And all they got are a bunch of rockets in return.

GREGORY: So you think that Israel ought to move forward and try to remove Hamas from power?

REID: They have to....

GREGORY: Should there be an immediate cease-fire?

REID: If the Hamas organization will agree and there is some degree of certainty that they will follow through.... Otherwise, Israel has to continue till they stop the rockets and mortars coming into Israel, maiming, injuring...

GREGORY: Right.

REID: ... and killing Israelis.

GREGORY: So you’re in sync with the Bush administration on this point?

REID: Yes, I am.

Of course one expects Democratic politicians to slavishly regurgitate whatever the Israeli propaganda ministry scripts for 'em. But I have to admit, sometimes their grinning dog-faced shamelessness takes my breath away.