While reading Ted Rall’s column, “It’s time for U.S. to cut Israel loose” in last Thursday’s Aspen Times, I couldn’t help but wonder why our best local paper would choose to print such unsubstantiated “gar-bage” (if you’ll excuse my expression).

The editorial starts by saying, “Right wing extremist Ariel Sharon has unleashed a horrific onslaught on the Palestinians.” What planet is Rall from? The Israeli military wouldn’t be in the West Bank and Gaza if immediately prior to them going in, there hadn’t been homicide bombings in Israel almost on a daily basis.

Rall makes reference to “Sharon’s shock troops using tactics that most Israelis’ parents and grandparents witnessed as victims of the Third Reich.” The insinuation is so repugnant, it’s hard to figure out whether “Teddy boy” is writing for Arafat or Arafat for “Teddy boy”.

l could go on and on about the seemingly endless malarkey in this editorial, but will instead conclude by pointing out to Mr. Rall and his readers that Arafat was offered 98 percent of everything he demanded. Arafat had the right to turn this offer down and re-negotiate but instead returned to his all-too-familiar terrorist ways to which Israel has had to respond in order to protect its civilian population.

I question why Ted Rall is so obviously turning the tables around? Could it be that unfortunately, just as expected, anti-Semitism (not so well disguised as anti-Israel sentiments, in this case) is heartily living on well into the next Gen X-Rated?

Jerome Marks

Emma