Having been in Israel just a few months ago, I feel like I should have something intelligent to say about the current conflicts over there. For the most part, though, I don't have anything. Perhaps if I added a few expletives to my thoughts on the matter ... :-)

I was thinking, though ... what if we had a conflict between Ohio and Michigan? Goodness knows we have years of bad blood between us. Don't misunderstand me ... I am not making light of the Israel conflict. In fact, quite the opposite. Ohioans and Michiganders work together and play together all the time. There are even many mixed marriages.

Think about the pain, though, if the leadership of our two states had such ill feelings toward each other that they could go to war against each other? What if Michiganders kept sneaking across the border and kidnapping our linebackers? Would we actually attack and fight each other in retribution? Fact is, I am sure we could. Imagine living with the reality that, at any second, the building you're in could be blown up by a missile launched from a hundred miles away.

Ultimately, those who would be hurt would be the commoners -- us "little folk" with family members in our respective national guards. The leadership could go on, warring, disputing and refusing to come together at the same time. Would they feel the full pain of those being hurt by the conflict?

That is much the same with Israel and Lebanon or Palestine. The folks getting hurt are the families that ran the shops and hotels I visited when I was there. Good people who don't deserve such ongoing pain. Families with sons and daughters in the military. Families that depend upon tourism for a living.

Like I said, I don't have anything intelligent to say but world leaders need to remember who they report to.

Maybe I will have more to say another day. I might even throw in a swear word or two.