Jim wrote in message ...
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/...der/index.html

Extract

In the initial U.S. reaction, Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's
national security adviser, emphasized that the United States believes
Hamas is a terrorist organization. And she stressed on NBC's "Today"
show that "Sheik Yassin has himself, personally we believe, been
involved in terrorist planning."



A few hours later, the U.S. tone shifted. State Department spokesman
Richard Boucher said the attack was "deeply troubling," would increase
tensions in the region and could make it harder to pursue peace in the
Middle East.

Harldy a flip-flop. The position didn't change. The United States
can have concerns over the actions Israel takes against Hamas, AND
still hold the position that Hamas is a terrorist organization.

I don't understand why we have such concerns over Israel's actions.
They target leaders and planner in terrorist organizations that attack
Israeli civilians. Hamas will retaliate by blowing up a bus full of
school kids.