Snow, the beauty and the beast. It's already snowed 3" this morning, but they are expecting an additional 6-9" before it ends tomorrow. I'd really would have enjoyed it more if they had cancelled school (yeah, I'm crazy). I just would rather not had to get up and get the kids out so early.

Oh well. At least with them out of the house, I can clean the place (oh, joy).

I wanted to bring two articles to your attention. I was going to post the third part of my year-end Dallas Cowboys report, but these two articles are more important.

The first one was written by Michelle Malkin (who else?) titled, "In Defense of Daniel Pipes." Mr. Pipes is a very impressive Middle East expert who has written many commentaries and books on the subject. About a year ago, President Bush had the good sense to nominate him (in spite of Arab propaganda) to the U.S. Institute of Peace Board of Directors.

Mr. Pipes has been vilified by the left and by Islamicists for his views on the death culture of the Arabs. However, he is not anti-Islam and has praised many aspects of the religion. But because he is not anti-Israel, he is considered a very scary wingnut, a crackpot, an Israeli racist, an a**hole of the right and a professional hysteric."

Pipes is nothing of the sort. He's actually one of the most eloquent and reasonable voices in this debate. It should be noted that Pipes' strongest critic is the Council on American-Islamic Relations. For those unaware of this "moderate" group, read this.

The other issue I wish to bring to your attention is what Mahmoud Abbas, the expected next "President" of the Palestinian Authority, said. Abbas, who is considered by everyone to be a "moderate" and "a person Israel can make peace with," called Israel "the Zionist enemy," after an Israeli tank killed seven "Palestinian" teenagers in a Gaza field.

While the deaths of these kids is tragic, surely Abbas realized that the Israelis fired on that field was because they were going after terrorists who had crept into the field and fired mortar bombs into a nearby Jewish settlement.

By choosing these words, Abbas is trying to have it both ways. Instead of fighting the Arab terror network, he is forming alliances with them. This will never bring security to the region. This two-faced approach will only serve to alienate the Israelis, the real moderate Arabs and also the United States.

Rep. Eric Cantor, the chief deputy majority whip in Congress, spoke out recently over what Abbas said. In a press release, Cantor questioned abbey's seriousness in stopping terror.

Unfortunately, we all know the game. The Arabs say one thing to the west and another thing to their "people." This is the real "cycle of violence" we should be talking about. Until an Arab leader worries more about his people and less about his head, peace will not have a chance.