Great moments in fund-raising

As Israel vows to continue its offensive until its kidnapped soldiers are returned and Hezbollah vacates southern Lebanon, the region and the world prepare for more heavy military activity in the Holy Land.

Israel has an ace-in-the-hole. If the fighting escalates they know they can turn to a certain former president. Not as a negotiator or broker of peace -- like many before him Bill Clinton has tried and failed in that role -- but as an IDF grunt.

President Clinton said in 2002:

"The Israelis know that if the Iraqi or the Iranian army came across the Jordan River, I would personally grab a rifle, get in a ditch, and fight and die."

Of course, Bill Clinton wouldn't really pick up a rifle if Iran joined the fray -- his cardiologist would never allow it.

But seriously, both news reports I could find about his speech to a Jewish group in Toronto claim the crowd stood and cheered wildly in response to Clinton's bold declaration.

This is testament to what a rousing speaker Clinton must be. I would have imagined it would have gone more like this:

The crowd instinctively rises, when it is reveled such a great and powerful man shares their passion and concern. During their ascent they are overcome with laughter, as they realize the absurdity of what they have just heard. By the time they reach the standing position there is only the stunned silence of shock and awe.

It is then I like to think Clinton cracked a joke involving checkbooks.