"And Lebanese democracy, which would not have come into existence if not for the American forces on the border with Iraq, as the leader of the Lebanese Druze testified, radiates throughout the region." Er, Mr Gurvitz is rewriting history. Jumblatt specifically said that watching Iraqis vote inspired him. Not the fact of "American forces on the border." Iraq was the first Arab democracy. The Cedar Revolution followed that.

"It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," explains Jumblatt. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."

Anyone who rewrites history to avoid acknowledging the significance of the reconstruction of Iraq, even to the extent of misquoting Jumblatt, has no credibility with me. Gurvitz almost lost me with his interpretation of R. 242 (always an indicator of one's political agenda!), and his characterization of the IDF is stupid lefty poseur cliches, but until he erased 8 million Iraqis voting three times in the face of IEDs and snipers, I was still willing to give his argument a chance. I'm glad he wants to bomb Syria, but there are others who have more credibility with me, and more understanding of military strategy, and who aren't dishonest, who also want to bomb Syria, so the hell with Yossi Gurvitz. Since I don't know Hebrew, Lisa, perhaps - as a journalist concerned with accuracy - you can pass this along to him or add it as a comment on that portal that if he has to erase Iraq to make his argument, then his argument is dishonest as well as wrong.