With the actions this afternoon in Gaza, it has begun.

How far in, how long, the identity of the targets, the amount and type of troops and actions, we still do not know. but we have chosen to provide security and punish the enemy to minimize as much as possible his ability to act with impunity.

I do not know how the name Cloud Pillar was selected but I hope the view and the thinking of our political leaders and military commanders will not be cloudy or beclouded.

Just the other day I was commenting at Jeffrey Goldberg's blog at The Atlantic (he is currently in Jordan, I think).  He had written

There is no military solution to the Gaza conflict, at least not one that Israel could pursue. What [Netanyahu] doesn't seem to understand is that he doesn't possess the political capital to ask the West for its understanding. There's plenty of blame to go around for the collapse of the peace process; his portion is substantial, and his alienation of leaders who might otherwise be friends is a continuing theme of his tenure...Israel has a right to defend itself, and life is an absolute misery for Israelis in rocket range. But before Israel invades, it might want to pause and ask itself if there is any other way possible to reach a ceasefire.