You might have mentioned that there was much opposition in Germany against Tom Cruise. People feel that a Scientologist is miscast in the role of Stauffenberg. Scientology here is perceived to be very similar to Nazism.

It took many years for the German public to accept that Stauffenberg was a hero and not a traitor. Some people still see him as the latter. It's really too sad that the German movie industry did not see fit to make such a movie.

By the way, Stauffenberg's family survived and one of his sons became a General in the German Army.

This article is right on target. OK, so Hamas is doing itself no favor by lobbing largely ineffective rockets into Israel. That is about the same as children throwing rocks at tanks. They should have known that Israel will - again - retaliate out of all proportion. Could it be that Hamas wanted to incite such a reaction to turn world opinion against Israel and to get better support from other Arab countries? Because failure of all Arab and Muslim countries to help the Palestinians is also a scandal. Sorry, now I am getting cynical. But the greatest scandal is unquestioning American support for the most aggressive faction in Israeli politics. There are many in Israel who are mortified about their governments flaunting of international law and conventions, not to mention betrayal of Jewish principles. It boggles my mind that almost all influential American Jews seem to be firmly on the side of the most aggressive factions in Israel. One sometimes get the impression they are the ones who are the driving force. What is really depressing is the fact that no American politician can survive who fails to cater to that lobby. Obama had to use the right words to get elected. Let's hope that this is one area where he doesn't follow through on his campaign rhetoric.

People want to deny it, but our support of Israel's actions is the root cause of our problems with the Arab World and Islam.

Everything in the article is correct. And the USA must again take the lead in environmental and climate protection. But let us not go over board. Bush's policies, started by Reagan, were supported primarily in reaction to excessive activism in the 1970s. Remember the snail darter, when the presence of a subspecies of an obscure fish prevented the operation of an already completed dam in the Tennessee Valley? Ever once in a while the sacrifice of a species cannot be avoided.

If the government goes too far, there may be another backlash.

The last two years, with a House of Representatives controlled by the Democratic Party, have been a huge disappointment. Will the next two years be better?

I foresee a nasty struggle between Congress and President Obama. Some of the people he has selected for his team may by inclination support a recalcitrant Congress. And I don't mean only issues concerning the Constitution. Let's hope Obama is strong enough to make them tow his line.

As a retired officer in the US Army I fully agree with your assessment that a sophisticated Army does not stand a chance to win an "asymmetrical conflict". History is full of such examples, including the American Revolution. Back then the irregulars were the heroes - just as they are now in the eyes of those for whom they fight. Jews using terror beat down the British in Palestine when it was a British mandate.

Israel would have to kill all Palestinians if they actually want to fight "to the bitter end." I doubt that Israelis have the stomach for that. The only solution is withdrawal from all occupied territories, to include closing of all settlements on occupied land. Perhaps, just perhaps, emotions on both sides will have settled down after a few decades of relatively little violence. But both sides will have to accept some violence without resorting to immediate massive retaliation.

There are enough people in both camps who are willing to take that step. Daniel Barenboim directed today's traditional New Year Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. During a break a visibly emotional and shaken Barenboim wished the audience a Happy New Year and peace for the Near East. In the past he has done much to reconcile Jews and Arabs. He is one of the best living examples of what Jews should be. Those Jews in Israel and the USA who are driving the current Israel policy are a disgrace to their faith.

I have been waiting for an article like this. How I wished that a President Obama will have the courage to call Israel to reason. But that is perhaps too much to wish for. Israel seems to be much too eager to play the Holocaust trauma indefinitely. But why should we play along?

Did anybody notice Rosenblat's first name? Can't get any more German than Herman! Most German Jews had become so assimilated by 1933 that they were more nationalistic than many Gentile Germans. There had been countless inter-faith marriages and many Germans only discovered their Jewish ancestry when they had to present evidence of their "Aryan purity."

Therein lies another tragedy of the Holocaust - the betrayal of loyal Germans of the Jewish faith by their Gentile countrymen.

I know this has nothing to do with Herman Rosenblat's story but it gave me an opportunity to point out this often ignored aspect of the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in Germany.

This collection should be mandatory reading for everybody, now and forever.

It boggles my mind that some still admire Bush. Oh yes: He is a born-again Christian and opposes abortion.