More Suicide Bomber Babies

Two
months ago, I noted that it was rather disturbing to dress up little children
in fake explosive belts and other such paraphernalia identified with suicide
bombers, people who attack innocents to make a political statement. So, of
course, when I see this article in Ha'aretz, with a picture of a (he looks
to be about two years old) baby dressed as Rambo, and read the following
quote:

"I
can find you many, many photos like this," she told DPA. "Many kids imitate
adults and wear toy masks and guns, especially during marches. It's not strange
at all.
She added that she had seen children as young as the one in the photograph wearing similar costumes.
"In our society it happens a lot. It's a kind of phenomenon," she said.

I shook my head in disbelief. Do I need to note that one and two year olds
can't dress themselves this elaborately? Maybe I'm focusing too much on this
little symptom and not the medium sized picture, the culture of death that
has enveloped Palestine -- or the larger picture, that Israel and the Arab
world have locked themselves into this high-noon showdown, with neither side
willing or able to backdown. I guess I just don't like seeing children used
and abused this way.