Hindrocket over at Powerline takes the occasion of Charles Krauthammer's column today to credit Israel with a victory over a terror campaign. The above quote from Churchill reflects my own views on the matter.

Hillel Halkin over at Commentary has a concise, lucid explanation of Sharon's strategy, and the actual state of things. The fence and the pullback are really an effort both to impose partition, and to give the Palestinians a chance to work out the direction they want to take for themselves. It also, importantly, gives Israelis a chance to live in peace. For now.

It doesn't actually guarantee military or political victory over the terrorists. Hamas will continue to exist. Even with the fence, there's no sign that any of the active leadership sees Israel as anything other than a travesty against Muslim honor. The hope is that Palestinians, deprived of convenient Israeli targets to vent their wrath, will start to rethink their support of Hamas and Arafat, and that more moderate leaders will emerge from the rubble.

It is entirely possible that Hamas will emerge. Or that, given a few months of quiet, Israel will be forced to concede victory and rehabilitate Arafat yet again. It's entirely possible that a Kerry administration, armed with sage advice from former Secretaries of State, will do just that.

Israel can declare a victory of sorts because it hasn't tried to cure the disease, just to quarantine it. The US doesn't really have that option. And eventually, Israel may not, either.