I always find your commentaries insightful, thank you.

The Cold War never ended. Russia armed Iran and Syria as your article said; threat to add more is a threat but doesn't change fact that despite the mask of perestroika and later democratism Moscow's Cold War activites and alliances remained the same in the Middle East. If recent events make it clear that a Golan retreat is a bad idea then at least something good has come out. Yeltsin and Primakov both said in the mid 90s the former republics would reunite. Stay away from middle east conference Article 4 of Jordan peace treaty calls for conference on security and cooperation in middle east based on European model; this would be a disaster for Israel.

Probably, but they are no different from the U.S preventing us doing what we need to do and making us sacrifice in the process

or there is no differance ..........

Russia has been boosting America's and Israel's enemies; namely Venezuela, Iran, Syria, Hezbullah, etc. for the past eight years in a bid to reassert its power and rebuild its empire; the west's moves have nothing to do with it

You either tell Syria and Iran they are in for a nuclear attack, in retaliation for an attack on Israel, or you might as well roll over and go back to sleep. Russia is in the same category. If they arm these fools to be a political game player, with advanced weapons.......let them know that they are responsible for the conflict, and are on the list as well. Russia needs to know they will be on a nuclear hit list, as well as the Iranians and Syrians, if they help attack Israel. Russia's problem, is they think they can beat the dog with a stick, out of range of the dogs bite, standing on a platform above the cage........and then they release the dog to the next cage to attack the cat in retribution. Someone needs to let them know, that they will get kicked into the cage with the dog, if they continue this behaviour. Jews aren't some play toy for a dog to attack, when the owner of the dog,"The Russians and Iranians," decide to throw them to the wolves. Israel isn't helpless. Israel has plenty of weapons at their disposal to help these malicious owners in the event of an attack by their dogs. Let them know that Israel has them in their sights for retribution. They aren't your friends. They think of Israel as their little pawn in a board game. They are a target to strike back at....no more no less. Let it be clearly known. Russia and Iran aren't any different than any other country....they bleed just like the rest of us.

Georgia started it after all. They killed 2000 people with Katyusha's while they slept in a sneak attack. Haven't we had enough dirty US jobs like dealing with South Africa and Guatemala? We need our own policy.

Two superpowers are better than one. An evening of the middle east balance of power will put Israel back as a bit player instead of the star role. The return of the USSR is the best news of the decade (if it happens).

Let's account Russian "features": - False democracy - Authoritarism as policy - A constant missing feeling about the CCCP - Biggest mafia's home in the World (and the most important "exporters") Do you want I continue? I think Russians aren't a good influence as country and as inmigrants.

THE "LETTER-BOX "IS USED AS A EUPHAMISM FOR DEPOSITING MESSAGES/LETTERS FOR SPIES....IT IS UNNECESSARY TO E-"MAIL" THEM.THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE GIVEN IDEAS TO OUR ENEMIES.IT IS ABOUT TIME THIS WAS MORE SEVERELY VETTED BEFORE GOING TO PRINT,AND SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO "THE LINE OF LAW "AND MADE A "PROSECUTABLE OFFENCE"

Mr Ben-Yishai automatically makes us a passive actor, the acted-upon rather than having an ability to act on our own in our own interests. This has been the Israeli attitude since Oslo. Like a bunch of ghetto Jews, we sit & wait to see what others inflict upon us. This attitude will be the end of us. We are suffering from our own mistakes, our own blunders, our own disasterously incompetent leadership. We sit & watch as our enemies prepare for war against us. We hope that the "international community" will take pity on us poor Jews & act on our behalf. Yes, we must take into consideration the politics of the major powers. But "take into consideration" does not mean paralysed into inaction when our vital security interests are concerned. What happened to the idea of preemption? Why did we ignore Hezbollah for all those years? Why do we ignore Hamas while they train & arm against us? We know Syria is our enemy. Why didn't we attack them during the last Lebanon war? What about Iran? Will we sit & wait, hope for the best, pray that someone else acts? Our business is to eliminate threats to our security with whatever means necessary.

For those proscribing more of what got us into trouble, please buy a new brain, it also comes with a heart attached to it...

Oh, I see you're afraid 'others' might not be intelligent enough to pick up some secrets.. Hmm interesting as it seems the arrogance of Israeli's and their Diaspora supporters is one cause for the debacle in the first place..No need to worry, brighter minds then Israel's are at work..and they can't do any worse...

Russia apparently captured lots of US and Israeli weapons from the Georgian Army (without a fight, much like what happened when Hamas took Gaza). I saw pictures of US Humvees (probably with lots of intel) being hauled away by the Russians. Israel supplied UAVs, mine-defense, artillary and who knows what else to Georgia over 7 years. Ron: what does the IDF think the impact of losing these technologies to the enemy means?

Actually, one might say, Israel is the currency used by the USA to pay for Arab "favors". For example: - To turn Egypt from Soviet to American sort-of-ally, USA forced Israel into a peace with Egypt that is colder than the Cold War - To get Arab support for the 1st Iraq war (1991), USA forced Madrid and Oslo upon Israel - To get Arab support for the Afhanistan war, the Bush administration got involved in the 2. Intifada, promised Palestinians a state and forced Israel to negotiate with Arafat under fire - To get a tacit support for the 2. Iraq war, USA forced the Roadmap upon Israel, de facto establishing a Palestinan state while it was still ruled by terrorists I'm afraid Israel has no options but comply.

Unfortunately, Israel is paying the price today for its indecisiveness of yesterday. When we all had the chance to change the regime in Damascus and the Syrian opposition cultivated itself into a reliable partner for a better Syria living peacefully with the international community, Israel balked at the prospect. Instead of asking AIPAC to help ease the pains of Syrians and Israelis alike by pushing for what the Syrian opposition was already pushing in Washington DC, it advised its main ally the US against such move in the hopes it finds the Assad son in the image of his father. Even today, Israel remains adamant about weakening herself even further by believing it can accommodate its aims within the sphere of a lethal resistance mentality when history has shown only peace with peaceful leaders can Israel achieve its goals (King Hussein of Jordan and Anwar Sadat of Egypt). As a Syrian, I recommend to the Israeli public to pressure their government to seriously look at what change can accomplish for both countries. You will be surprised to find that the minority of Syrians are Islamists and the majority want to live like the Israelis do.

this article is not about no action ,is about bad actions Mr . preemptive. read one more time honey.What the hell Israeli interest in Georgia ,the few remaing jews their? or planning an attack in Iran from Georgia and advising Sakashvilli to invade Asetia ?!!

This article is totally upside down!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn`t it enough You lie constantly to whole world, nevertheless You are lying to home audience also !!!!!!!! What a` People !!!!!!

The most stupid thing the Russian can do is to station missiles on Syrian territory. It will take IAF half an hour to remove those. Israel can take of Russians as well, as mentioned once Dayan. If I were Russian I wouldn't involve crazy Israel in their dispute with US.

We don't stick to any 'enemy of the enemy of the enemy is my enemy' logic. We react only to direct threats to us or our interests. Does Israel threaten us in any way? Can't see how. See the growing business instead. But Syrian President might just think he may do his own little business while super-powers grapple. This IS cold-war thinking. So, by the way, did Saakashvili trying to solve his own territorial problems by dragging NATO and US into it. We have a bit of interest in Syria. A naval base in the Mediterranean is not a thing to sneeze at. But he is on his own. If he pays his own money for arms - good for him unless he starves his own people. If he wants to duke it out with Israel - G-d help him because we won't. Let him be warned. If he wants to keep talks with Israel - the more power to him, this is the only thing we want. Thank you, Mr. Ben-Yishai. I'm looking forward for more from you.

If you would not arm Georgia, not turn them against Russia, you shouldn't need to fear. Now, some Zionist tested Russia's defense and they've failed. I don't know what on you really surprised. Don't make enemies and no one will turn against you. Otherwise, it's better if you start to build shelters, because retaliation will be great. I'd like to know why Israel need to interfere into other countries interests, then why are they surprised, when someone want to shoot back at it. Israel deserves it.

I dont think that Assad did any ploitical mistake. Dont fool him or fool us. Israel is proposing a fake peace agreement. I think you are angry about these sophusticated anti-aircraft missiles.

their 'honor' gave us pogroms and the gulag but leftist intellectuals still blamed america for the cold war and now blame israel for provoking the the kgb!...moronic!.."scratch a russian you will find a tartar"-still!

Georgia is your ally too. You want to stay out of it? Why don't you care that the Russians tried to destroy a new democracy? And why do you automatically believe the Russian propaganda that Georgia killed civilians? For people who have been plagued by Pallywood for so many years, I would have thought Israelis could spot propaganda better than that. Anyway, that was to the feedbacks. To Ron Ben-Yishai's article, another great read. And I think you're right, Israel will pay the price for this because the world just got MUCH more complicated. But that's what the US and Isreal have always done with radical Islam, and namely Iran, they just keep allowing them to get stronger and the situation more complicated. It should have been taken care of decades ago, and now I see a large war with many dead, for survival, otherwise we'll be at their mercy -- Israel because of proximity and the USA because of Israel.