Eric Cantor: 'How to prevent the next clash with Hamas'

How To Prevent The Next Clash With Hamas

By Eric Cantor, Special to CNN

November 23, 2012

We all hope the apparent cease-fire between Israel and Hamas will hold.

However, we must recognize that Hamas and its terrorist partners bear responsibility for instigating the latest round of this conflict and need to refrain from further rocket and terrorist attacks. Israel exercised its inherent right to self-defense only after weeks of unprovoked attacks against civilian targets. Having picked a fight like a playground bully, Hamas cannot now credibly claim to be a victim.

Israel, like the United States, places a premium on avoiding collateral damage and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on sophisticated weaponry to minimize to the greatest extent possible civilian casualties.

Hamas intentionally launches unguided rockets into densely populated areas to cause wanton destruction and kill as many innocents as possible. Hamas exploits their own citizens as human shields, locating rocket stockpiles in population centers, hopeful that images of dead Palestinians will rally the world to their extremist cause.

It is important to understand how this conflict started and how responsibly Israel has behaved, but also how future conflicts with Hamas can be prevented.

Israel has made tremendous progress in reducing Hamas' capacity to threaten Israel and in restoring its deterrence. Israel's military operations in Gaza have been informed by impressively accurate intelligence and have been conducted with great precision and success. Significant stocks of long-range rockets have been destroyed, although remaining weapons stockpiles -- located in densely populated areas -- may require risky ground operations to secure should Hamas resume firing at Israel.

For any enduring cease-fire, the onus must be on Hamas to control its fighters, cease rocket attacks, abandon terrorism and accept Israel's right to exist -- conditions it has long refused to accept despite Israel's commitment to a two-state solution and persistent willingness to negotiate with its Palestinian neighbors.

Israel's Arab neighbors have an important role to play. Egypt deserves credit for its efforts to craft a cease-fire, but initial inflammatory public statements and actions of its leaders unfortunately served mainly to legitimize Hamas.

If Egypt is serious about playing a positive role in the region, it will redouble its efforts to combat terrorist activities in the Sinai, police its border with Gaza, and prevent Iran and others from resupplying Hamas with rockets and other weapons. If Hamas rearms, it will be only a matter of time before the cease-fire breaks down.

Despite President Obama's friendship with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, his recent behavior has been incredibly disappointing. Erdogan, not for the first time, this week referred to Israel as a 'terrorist state' and has solely blamed Israel for the conflict, despite Hamas' preceding campaign of terror.

Erdogan's anti-Israel positions are well known, but his inability to see in Hamas' behavior any wrongdoing whatsoever is deeply disturbing. Turkey and Israel for many years had a positive relationship. Their shared interests and democratic values should overcome the obstacles of Erdogan's personal views and provocative statements.

Israelis look fondly upon Turkey and its people, and they desire a better relationship with this important NATO country. Turkey can play an important role in the region, as it has done in Syria, but its ability to be a responsible partner is badly hindered by Erdogan's staunch defense of a terrorist group.

The behavior of Qatar is similarly disappointing. Qatar's emir recently visited Gaza and promised $400 million in aid to the terrorist rump-state, and it's no coincidence that Hamas' escalation took place in the wake of the emir's visit and his promise of cold hard cash. Such efforts from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey not only legitimize Hamas' violent strategy and embolden its militant leaders, but also marginalize the official Palestinian Authority government of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Hamas' influence and ability to threaten Israel militarily is greatly enhanced by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Long a patron of Hamas, Iran provides significant resources and weapons to Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza. Indeed, the longer-range rockets fired at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are gifts of Tehran, provided for use against the Jewish state.

Any enduring solution must consider the pressing need to cut Iran's military supply lines to terrorists in Gaza. The conflict in Gaza -- as well as the one in Syria -- demonstrates that the threat posed by Iran goes well beyond its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Indeed, the most pressing challenge for Obama in his second term may be the dual task of thwarting Iran's push for nuclear weapons and combating its support for terrorism.

The international community and especially the neighboring Arab and Muslim states, if they truly care for the Palestinians, should make clear that terrorism will never earn the Palestinians statehood and encourage all Palestinian parties to return to the negotiating table to seek a peaceful solution to this decades-long conflict.

Eric Cantor is the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives. A Republican, he represents Virginia's 7th Congressional District.

Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg

Millions of twinkling lights transform the Virginia countryside outside Williamsburg into a magical wonderland as Busch Gardens again hosts Christmas Town, a seasonal holiday favorite, now through New Year's Eve.

Rides, shows, shopping, dining, and a visit with Santa Claus in a familiar location made new in the crisp nights will once again offer an exciting experience for young and young-at-heart. Tickets are $27 a person for guests 3 and older. Bring a little wonder to your holidays at Christmas Town.

It's Black Friday ... are you shopping?

Stores were so ready to start their Black Friday sales this year that a number of them opened their doors on Thanksgiving to shoppers eager to cash in on sales in the economically-stressed economy. Other retailers waited until midnight, or opened at 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. today, perhaps to catch those shoppers who had been out earlier and would then be able to swing around to the later-opening stores.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch noted:

The holiday shopping season is off to a decent start, retailers and malls are reporting.

Across the area parking lots are nearly full as shoppers take advantage of Black Friday sales and promotions.

Thursday's newspapers were loaded with ads for businesses that sold everything from office supplies to department store goods. For those who did not receive a hard copy newspaper, there was a website set up specifically for the day called BlackFriday.com listing store ads and deals. Most sales will continue throughout the day for those who were not out before sunrise.

Sales reportedly were brisk Thanksgiving evening when Target stores opened at 9:00 p.m. and featured a 46-inch Westinghouse television for $389.99 that flew out the door. Lines of waiting customers wrapped around the stores and snaked through parking lots as bargain hunters waited in the cold night to pick up on $4 movies and $10 toys as well as home appliances and electronics that were hot items.

It's Black Friday ... are you shopping yet?

2016 ... Jeb Bush?

As political pundits turn their attention to the 2016 presidential election, one name that has been bantered around for a while in Republican circles is former President George W. Bush's younger brother, Jeb.  Jeb, 59, was a popular governor of Florida and, for a variety of reasons, could help pull votes for a GOP some consider badly in need of expanding its base.

On Thursday The New York Times wrote:

... calls for Jeb Bush to enter the arena in a bigger way represent vindication of a sort. His family’s longstanding advocacy for a more broad-based and “compassionate” Republican Party was largely ignored and eventually repudiated by the populist, small-government conservatives who held sway over the party after Mr. Obama’s election.

George W. Bush’s break with the populist right began midway through his second term over his support for a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants, which grass-roots activists labeled an amnesty plan. His push for immigration legislation failed.

This year, even before Election Day, Jeb Bush was warning of what he called his party’s “stupid” approach to illegal immigration. (Mr. Obama took 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, according to interviews with voters.)

“The day after the election, I started getting e-mails and texts from friends and others wanting Governor Bush to run and asking whether he would,” said Justin Sayfie, a Florida lobbyist who served as an adviser to Mr. Bush when he was governor.

As zealous, newly-involved voters shrink the GOP tent to become less inclusive of ideas outside their own, the gains of the Bush White House years have been lost.

A big part of the Hispanic vote was won during the W years but has been lost since then. Jeb, married to his wife, Columba, who was born in Mexico, "speaks Spanish and favors overhauling the immigration system in a way that would provide a route to citizenship for people already in the country illegally but otherwise law-abiding," as noted in The NY Times.

Jeb  in 2016? Stay tuned....

Facebook: 'Updates to Data Use Policy and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities'

My email on Thanksgiving included, oddly enough (because of the holiday), this correspondence from Facebook about policy changes:

We recently announced some proposed updates to our Data Use Policy, which explains how we collect and use data when people use Facebook, and our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (SRR), which explains the terms governing use of our services. The updates provide you with more detailed information about our practices and reflect changes to our products, including: New tools for managing your Facebook Messages; Changes to how we refer to certain products; Tips on managing your timeline; and Reminders about what's visible to other people on Facebook. We are also proposing changes to our site governance process for future updates to our Data Use Policy and SRR. We deeply value the feedback we receive from you during our comment period but have found that the voting mechanism created a system that incentivized quantity of comments over the quality of them. So, we are proposing to end the voting component in order to promote a more meaningful environment for feedback. We also plan to roll out new engagement channels, including a feature for submitting questions about privacy to our Chief Privacy Officer of Policy. We encourage you to review these proposed changes and give us feedback before we finalize them. Please visit the "Documents" tab of the Facebook Site Governance Page https://www.facebook.com/fbsitegovernance to learn more about these changes and to submit comments before 9 AM PST on November 28, 2012. You can also follow and like the Site Governance Page for updates on this process and on any future changes to our Data Use Policy or SRR. Tips: Your timeline: You have settings that help you design how your timeline will appear to others, like hiding things from your timeline. Remember that this only impacts whether those things are visible on your timeline. Those posts are still visible elsewhere, like in news feed, on other people's timelines, or in search results. You can delete your own posts from your timeline or activity log, or ask someone else to delete a post you're tagged in. Cookies info: Technologies like cookies, pixels, and local storage are used to deliver, secure, and understand products, services, and ads, on and off Facebook. Learn more about how we and our partners use cookies and similar technologies.

'A very Happy Thanksgiving' from Virginia's First Family

As we gather together with our families and friends, The McDonnell Family would like to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving and encourage you to take a few minutes to remember some of the many blessings for which we are so grateful.

As I reflect on this past year, I am thankful for so many things: my family, friends, and our wonderful country. And I am especially thankful for the incredible ongoing opportunity to serve as your Governor. I am so blessed for the trust you have placed in me and I look forward to my final year in office as we continue to build a Commonwealth of Opportunity for all Virginians. Click here to read my 2012 Thanksgiving Proclamation.

A significant part of Thanksgiving is remembering our shared Virginia tradtions. Yesterday, Maureen and I welcomed Chief Carl Custalow of the Mattaponi Tribe, Chief Kevin Brown of the Pamunkey Tribe, and other tribal members to the Governor’s Mansion to observe the 335th tax tribute ceremony. The ceremony is the oldest continuing nation-to-nation ceremony in the United States. 

After Bacon's Rebellion, the British Crown concluded a peace treaty with the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indian tribes in 1677. In it, the British reserved certain lands for the tribes, “confirming to them their just Rights.” In return, the Native Americans and their posterity were to pay the royal governor a token every year in lieu of taxes.

In the tribute ceremony, tribal members honor their ancestors who negotiated the Treaty of Middle Plantation to preserve Virginia Indian lands and the rich heritage they enjoy to this day. In this year’s ceremony, Chief Carl Custalow presented us with a piece of pottery decorated with fish and turtles, a beaded feathered medicine bag and an eight point buck deer. Chief Kevin Brown presented a drum made by a Pamunkey artisan, a beaded barrette, and a deer. Drumming and dancing followed the presentation of gifts, led by Assistant Chief Mark Custalow. We also celebrated this years tribute knowing that as soon as next year, there will be a new monument on Capitol grounds – a tribute to Virginia Indians. The Virginia Indian Commemorative Commission recently voted on a design submitted by a Canadian Indian artist and fundraising has begun for the new monument here on the capitol grounds.

Essential in the history of Thanksgiving was the sharing of the harvest by Native Americans, allowing the early settlers to carry on through those harsh first winters in the New World. 

Now, in 2012, let us also join together as a community, commemorating our shared traditions and continuing to lend a helping hand to our neighbors in need. With that goal in mind, Maureen and I joined yesterday with Congressmen Eric Cantor and Bobby Scott and volunteered at the Central Virginia Food Bank. This organization works hard every day to ensure Virginia families are able to put food on their tables and I am so thankful for all the work they do. To learn how you can help hunger relief in Virginia please visit: https://feedmore.org/ways-to-give/. Let’s all continue to do our part to bring blessings into the lives of those who need a little help during the holiday season.





Finally, this Thanksgiving I ask you to keep our country, and those who are fighting for our freedom abroad, in your thoughts and prayers. We owe these brave men and women, our veterans, and their families a deep appreciation that we will never be able to truly repay. It is because of their sacrifice that we here in Virginia can gather around the table in peace to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Today, Maureen and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. God has been so good to our Commonwealth. May we continue to give thanks everyday for all our blessings, and help each other in every way that we are able.

Sincerely,

Bob McDonnell
Governor of Virginia

Tim Tebow beats out Obama as top guest choice for Thanksgiving dinner

I wouldn't mind having Tim Tebow as a guest at our Thanksgiving dinner and, apparently, many others feel the same way. Tebow beat out President Barack Obama and everyone else to come out on top in a poll asking Americans who their number one Thanksgiving dinner guest choice would be. Tim Tebow would provide interesting conversation about a variety of subjects, not just sports.

Who would I like to see at my dinner table? Former President George W. Bush. Witty, intelligent, knowledgeable, a part of history ... what a great meal that would be.

Michelle Malkin's Top 3 Political Turkeys 2012

Michelle Malkin was on Fox & Friends this morning with her Top 3 Political Turkeys for 2012. They were:

3. Liberal media: The performance of Candy Crawley and others who acted as a tag team for Obama, acting more like lap dogs than as journalists. Among other things, the fact they ignored the scandals of the Obama administration has blinded the American electorate, and they exerted lots of leverage in the final results of Election 2012.

2. Big Labor: Unions accused of pursuying power grab. Chicago teachers strike (left hundreds of thousands of students without instruction), SEIU, UAW, Longshoremans Association (cooking up a port strike), the demise of Hostess Bakery ... all have helped solidify political power at the expense of the rank and file.

1. Stephanie Cutter on CNN: Cutter ran a dishonest campaign during the 2012 political season with her incessant lies told throughout the campaign season. She redefined the saying, "How low can you go?" In a very competitive year for political turkeys, she vaulted to the top of the list.

Thanksgiving thank you

May you have a blessed
Thanksgiving
with family and friends.

If you are on the road this weekend,
have a safe trip. 

To our Armed Forces ...
you have sacrificed to protect America.
Thank you.

To our Military Families ...
you have sacrificed with your loved ones at war.
Thank you.

To friends and family ...
we are blessed to have your friendship and love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving "Fun With Taters" from Hoops & Yoyo

Reprinted from 2008 ... for my brother-in-law Jon....

So it's Thanksgiving morning and we've got the turkey in the oven cooking, and my Mom, sister, and I have planned the side dishes, bread, dessert ... and then my brother-in-law asks, "Are we having mashed potatoes?"

Some years we have mashed potatoes but most years we have macaroni and cheese, which is what was planned this year. I laughed and asked him did he want mashed potatoes? He just laughed.

Then I slipped out of the kitchen to the office to check my email ... and there was an e-card sent by him, his wife -- my sister, and their daughter -- SWAC Niece. I opened it ... and laughed my head off! Mashed potatoes, indeed!

Check it out here if you want a good Turkey Day laugh. Be sure to click on the butter sticks for more funny commentary from Hoops and Yoyo.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Bill Bolling on rocket attacks: 'I stand with the people of Israel'

From Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's office....

RICHMOND – Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today released the following statement on the rocket attacks launched from Gaza into Israel:

“I stand with the people of Israel in the wake of rocket attacks sustained over the past several weeks. Israel has an inherent right to protect its citizens and territory from terrorist attacks. It is my hope that those responsible for the attacks on Israel will end their campaign of violence immediately and instead seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

Bob McDonnell talks about the December 14 health care deadline

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell talked last night with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News about the looming December 14th deadline imposed by the federal government concerning states' decision to set up their own health care exchanges.

Virginia has been asking for months about what was involved but has received little information and numerous unanswered questions. Watch the video for a better understanding of what is involved.

Rand for 2016?

Rand Paul said he's "interested" in 2016. I don't think so ... my choice is in another direction.

And to think it could have been Bob McDonnell....

News this morning is that Eric Holder will remain as Attorney General of the United States in the Obama Administration. And to think that, if Mitt Romney had won the presidential election, it could have been our own Governor Bob McDonnell....

A frosty morning on this Turkey Day Eve 2012

Frost was heavy this morning across our back yard with fog rising from the ridge behind the house as the sun peeked through the trees. With the temperature hovering at 25 degrees, the deck, outdoor furniture, grass, and trees had a thick layer of what looked almost like frozen fog on this day before Thanksgiving.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
November 21, 2012

Mark Warner decides to pass on gubernatorial run

~Yawn~ The biggest no-news of the day: former Democratic Governor Mark Warner announced he will not run for Governor in 2013. With Terry McAuliffe running full-speed ahead putting together a campaign team and sending out press releases, the writing was on the wall. Bring on 2013....

Breaking: Gov. McDonnell issues conditional pardon effective immediately for Jonathan Montgomery ... personally conveys news by phone this evening

--Montgomery Will Leave Greensville Correctional Center Tonight--

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell has issued a conditional pardon for Johnathan Montgomery, who is currently imprisoned at Greensville Correctional Center, and has ordered his immediate release tonight. The governor received the official conditional pardon request from Montgomery’s lawyers at 10pm last night. Mr. Montgomery is currently serving a seven year sentence for crimes he did not commit. He was sentenced in 2008. His accuser has recently recanted her testimony and substantiated evidence of innocence was received by the Governor. A copy of the pardon is here.

The Governor personally conveyed the news of his pardon to Johnathan Montgomery by phone this evening. He also spoke directly to Mr. Montgomery’s mother, and called Montgomery’s father.

Speaking about the granting of the pardon, Governor McDonnell said, “It is a travesty of justice when an innocent person is confined in a jail or prison, and it should never occur in our society. Our office became aware of Mr. Montgomery’s situation last week. Since that time members of my staff, along with the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, the Mid-Atlantic Actual Innocence Project, the Hampton Police Department, the Hampton Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia Department of Corrections and the Virginia State Police have worked diligently to gather all necessary information in this case and review the matter thoroughly. I asked Mr. Montgomery’s attorneys to file a petition for a pardon with our office, as that action would allow me to exercise my gubernatorial authority and take immediate action. We received that petition at 10pm last night, and began reviewing it immediately.

“Our staff, together with their counterparts in various state and local agencies, did a great deal of work on this petition in under 20 hours. And I thank them for that service. After reviewing the petition for a conditional pardon sought by his attorneys, the evidence that came with it, and additional evidence gathered by our staff, I have granted Mr. Montgomery a conditional pardon, as requested, effective immediately. Mr. Montgomery will leave Greensville Correctional Center this evening.

"This situation has been a tragedy. An innocent man was in jail for four years. While tonight Mr. Montgomery is free from prison, he will never get those years of his life back. Tonight I called Johnathan to personally offer, on behalf of the citizens of the Commonwealth, our heartfelt apologies for all that he has been put through due to this miscarriage of justice. I am thankful that the witness in this case finally stepped forward to recent her testimony. Justice, while tragically delayed, has been served. I thank everyone who worked so hard on this case to achieve tonight’s outcome. More than anything else, I wish Mr. Montgomery a successful and fulfilled future with his family and his friends.”

Susan & George Allen: 'From our family to yours, we wish you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving'

Thanksgiving message from two well-respect and classy people, Susan and George Allen...

This Thanksgiving, we're so thankful for the men and women of our Armed Services, away from their families. Their dedicated service helps keep America free.

We're thankful for millions of Virginians and Americans who have supported us and stood with us through the years as we've worked for the enduring foundational principles we hold dear.

We're thankful for the help and prayers of family and friends who've made our life journey possible.

And we're thankful for God's blessing of America in so many ways.

As we look forward to a brighter future, it's important to us to reflect on all our blessings, and we're so grateful for your part in our lives.

From our family to yours, we wish you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving.

Forever grateful,

George and Susan Allen

Cross-posted at Bearing Drift

Shenandoah Mountain search ends for missing hiker

View from the Confederate Breastworks trail along the top of Shenandoah Mountain.

Hope is fading that a Staunton man has been able to survive a week lost or injured in the vast George Washington National Forest in western Augusta County. Rescuers decided Monday night to call off the search.

Robert Fitzgerald, 60, has not been heard from even though his car was found parked in the area. Inside searchers found his backpack with power bars and bottled water and other supplies.

It was a cold 25 degrees at my house this morning with heavy frost on the ground which means colder temperatures up on Shenandoah Mountain located about 20 miles west of Staunton. Anyone who has driven to Highland County out Rt. 250 west of Staunton has driven over Shenandoah Mountain. At the very top, at the Augusta County-Highland County line, is a parking area with a breath-takingly scenic overlook that takes in the mountains of Highland County and beyond into West Virginia.

It also documents the Confederate Breastworks, site of Fort Edward Johnson during the Civil War, with interpretive signs of the historical importance with a circular trail along the top of the mountain. Many other trails are in the vicinity, and that is where Robert Fitzgerald disappeared sometime last week.

A Tuesday article in the Waynesboro News-Virginian by reporter Bob Stuart noted that Fitzgerald was physically fit and very familiar with that area of the Shenandoah range because he had hiked it for the past 15 to 20 years.

Fitzgerald appears to have hiked the trail with a friend on Sunday, November 11, and lost his cell phone at that time. It is believed he returned the following day to search for the phone, and disappeared into the wilderness. No one has heard from him since.

He reportedly was not dressed in cold weather gear and, even though days have been comfortable in this area the past week, the nights have been cold with a low of 20 at my house one night which means temps in the teens up on the mountain.

The owner of Staunton's Wilderness Adventure store remains cautiously optimistic about the prospects for Fitzgerald, who was a regular customer.

The view from top of Shenandoah Mountain into Highland County and West Virginia.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell

Sears Hill foot bridge returns to downtown Staunton

It's was condemned and closed to foot traffic three years ago, and removed a year after that. The Sears Hill bridge was returned Monday after it's refurbishment.

Crossing over the railroad tracks behind the Depot Restaurant, the bridge has been a local icon for years. Many have stood on it as the train passed beneath, and it's a shortcut from the Wharf area of downtown Staunton to the Sears Hill neighborhood overlooking the city. The steps still need to be installed but the Sears Hill bridge is almost ready to be in use once again.