Vice President Dick Cheney squarely denied that Israel asked for permission from the United States before thousands of its soldiers invaded the Gaza Strip yesterday. He was somewhat more evasive on the question of whether Israel informed them of the timing, saying only that they have said for a period of months that they intended to act “and that’s exactly what’s happened.”

As most of the world watched appalled at the growing humanitarian crisis, both parties in the United States government remain firmly on the side of the Israeli invasion. Senator Harry Reid cheered the attacks, saying “I think what the Israelis are doing is very important.” Senator Dick Durbin also expressed support for the Israeli action.

But perhaps the most disappointing, for those hoping America would chart a different foreign policy, was not what was said, but what was not. Or, rather, who was not saying anything at all. President-elect Barack Obama, whose campaign was centered around change and rallied many war opponents under his banner, has remained totally silent on the matter, and that is upsetting a lot of people. If the war continues a few weeks further, America may soon be faced with a president whose only goal in the Gaza crisis seems to be avoid having to make any comments.

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