I missed this bit of moral cluelessness in Monday's New York Times while suffering from the stomach bug that bit me, but it should come as no surprise that the Times editorialists are sympathetic to the aims of terrorists.

Troops must also be lined up for the international security force. The idea is to draw them from NATO countries like France, Italy and Turkey, along with perhaps Australia. None of these countries want to send soldiers if either Israel or Hezbollah is going to keep shooting. Therefore the political settlement has to be packaged so that both sides can claim some sort of victory. [emphasis added]

Yeah, because we can't let terrorists think that terrorism isn't the way to get what you want from the western world.

Maybe the Times editorialists will apply this principle to crime-fighting. Yes, the guy stole your plasma TV. He was caught by the cops, but both sides need a victory -- so he'll go to jail, but he gets to keep the TV.