Bloggers visit Israel

I can't help but get a chuckle out of this. It's a great article...but could you at least get the name right?

Chris Powers, who writes for Open Left, said he and some other prominent bloggers stopped writing about the war when the talkbacks became especially ugly, pitting pro and anti-Israel readers against one another.

For Jerome Armstrong, a Democratic Party strategist and political consultant who blogs at mydd.com and was a pioneer in the blogging world, even coining the now popular expression "netroots" -- referring to grassroots work done online -- the critiques of Israel found in the progressive blogosphere often have a constructive bent.

"I think a lot of it comes from a healthy skepticism or a healthy desire to see the conflict solved," he said.

Waldman resented what he said were attempts by Jewish Republicans to suggest that the Jews within the Democratic Party were somehow less supportive of Israel.

"That does not fly with anyone," he said. "It's insulting and stupid" to say that Jewish Democrats "would be less interested in the security of anyone, including Israel."

As for seeing Israel in person, Armstrong said he welcomed the chance. He had written about Israel only sporadically and usually during Knesset elections.

"I'm getting familiar with the situation and seeing different perspectives and talking to people firsthand," he said. "Certainly I am not going to go back with all answers," but upon returning to the United States, it will be easier "to relate to and stay in touch with" the topic more.