Imagine the following scenario... 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After obtaining a declaration of war against Japan following yesterday's attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt today urged British Prime Minister Churchill to exercise "restraint" in its own war against Germany, and to avoid "disproportionate" targeting of German infrastructure in response to attacks against London and other British cities. 

"It is extremely important that Britain exercise restraint in its acts of self-defense," he told reporters following his address to Congress, which successfully requested a declaration of war against Japan. 

Asked about the looming possibility that America and Germany might themselves descend into conflict against each other, President Roosevelt replied, "I think it doesn't help to speculate about those kind of apocalyptic scenarios.  What we have to do is work day-by-day, hour-by-hour.  That's what we're doing, and that's what a lot of others are doing." 

The President gave his full support to the League of Nations team sent to try to resolve the conflict, calling it "the best opportunity now for de-escalation of this crisis." 

The President also said that he had spoken to Prime Minister Churchill, and urged him to "be concerned about civilian casualties, be concerned, of course, about civilian infrastructure." 

He said that it is important for Britain to be mindful that its long-term security interests lie in the development of stable, democratic states in the European region, and that Britain should not act in such a way as to undermine the Road Map peace process with Germany or the fragile government taking root in Vichy France. 

"It is, in the case of Vichy France, especially important that British actions not undermine a new, fledgling government, which obviously has its problems in that it has within it German forces, which are the source of these attacks against Britain," he said. 

President Roosevelt also urged the countries of the region to play a constructive role in defusing the crisis, and praised League of Nations' efforts to that end.  He called upon Hitler to cease its military activities against Britain, and said that Berlin should release British prisoners of war. 

Does this scenario sound absurd?  Of course it does.  Unfortunately, it is all too real. 

The preceding statements are the actual words of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding Israel, our ally in today's War on Terror.  One need only substitute the words "United Nations" for "League of Nations," "Israel" for "Britain," "Lebanon" for "Vichy France," and "Syria," "Iran," "Hezbollah," "al Qaeda," or "Hamas" for "Germany," and the preceding scenario takes on a much more clarifying and alarming context. 

America and Britain stood together in 1941, with nothing less than human civilization at stake.  Today, America and Israel stand together, with nothing less than human civilization once again at stake. 

To be sure, it must be acknowledged that the Bush Administration, including Secretary Rice, have been forceful defenders of Israel and its right to self-defense, more so than any previous administration.  Nevertheless, any reluctance to fully acknowledge the commonality of our enemies – far more obvious than ever before – only undermines the effectiveness of our common battle. 

During World War II, America and Britain faced a common enemy – worldwide fascism.  Although Germany, Japan, and Italy were distinct countries with somewhat differing objectives, they jointly pursued world domination.  And although they were separate actors with somewhat differing aims, they recognized that world domination required defeat of the vanguards of freedom, rule of law, and human rights – America and Britain. 

Today, America and Israel face a common enemy – militant Islamic fascism.  Although Iran, Syria, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Taliban are distinct nations and terrorist groups, they jointly pursue the same world domination that Germany, Japan and Italy pursued in 1941.  And although they are separate actors with somewhat differing aims, they recognize that world domination requires defeat of today's vanguards of freedom, rule of law, and human rights in the Middle East and around the world – America and Israel. 

Or, as stated so cogently by former Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, these Islamofascist enemies believe that "America is the 'Great Satan,' and Israel is the 'Little Satan.'" 

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the emerging leader of the Islamofascist worldwide effort, illustrated this fact recently when he joined a Tehran demonstration and chanted, "Death to America!  Death to Israel!" in tandem. 

Our enemies thus see America and Israel as a common enemy, and we can no longer avoid recognizing them as a common enemy.  Lest we forget, Hezbollah was responsible for the deaths of 241 Americans in 1983, when it attacked the U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut, one of the first instances of suicide bombing.  Indeed, that constituted the worst terrorist attack against Americans prior to 9/11. 

Today, Hezbollah continues to target America as well as Israel.  Its leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said that "'Death to America!' was, is and will stay our slogan" and Hezbollah's TV station has been broadcasting music videos that call for suicide attacks against American forces in Iraq. 

These are simply not distinct wars that we're fighting. 

Thwarting the Axis menace in 1941 required its utter defeat, and showing "restraint" would have merely prolonged the war, cost more Allied lives, and possibly spared Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hideki Tojo through a negotiated truce. 

Similarly, thwarting the Islamofascist menace today requires its utter defeat, and showing "restraint" will merely prolong the war, cost more innocent lives and possibly spare terrorist leaders through a fraudulent "cease-fire" or specious truce.   

Unfortunately, Americans are sometimes reluctant to acknowledge the fact that the U.S. and Israel face a common peril, and that anything other than thorough and determined action by both America and Israel is necessary to prevail. 

Just as Pearl Harbor shocked America into the reality of our grave threat in 1941, the 9/11 attacks shocked us into the reality of our grave threat 60 years later. 

For President Roosevelt or any American leader to ignore the common nature of our enemies, and to advocate "restraint" or some vague concept of "proportionality" by Britain in defending itself against the Axis powers would have struck Americans as absurd. 

Americans today should feel a similar sense of absurdity when leaders urge some vague sort of "restraint" or "proportionality" by Israel in fighting the same Islamofascist terror that America battles.  German and Japanese civilian casualties and destruction far outweighed those suffered by America and Britain, but there were no vague calls for "proportionality" like the ones that have been directed toward Israel. 

Simply put, the sooner we recognize that America and Israel face a common enemy, the sooner we can crush that enemy and once again save civilization from its gravest threat.  It's a battle that we can't afford to lose.