Gaza Pullout

Did anyone expect this could come to pass, that the Israeli army would be removing settlers from Gaza, when, just a couple of years ago, American peace activists were being run over by bulldozers as they tried to stop the destruction of Palestinian homes and the left were talking about a massacre in the Jenin refugee camp? I didn't. I'm finally impressed with Ariel Sharon -- considered a war criminal for the Sabra and Shatila massacres in Lebanon, now suddenly on the side of the doves (or at least making a move for pragmatic reasons that the doves will much applaud; in any event, it's the right thing to do). I suddenly find myself worrying that he will suffer the same fate as Yitzhak Rabin. It will be a much-needed sign of hope, if this pullout goes smoothly, and if it has the desired affect -- though with America in Iraq, we can't really have recourse to the old formula of "peace in the Middle East."