My esteemed editor, Thomas Lifson, got it wrong in his article, Determination, when he said there was no atonement in Israel on Yom Kippur, with the Damascus car bombing of a Hamas mass murderer.

Actually, Thomas, the Damascus car bombing was an act of Atonement for Israel —— although only partial —— for not exercising enough vigilance and force in preventing Hamas attacks. The Hamas victims are dead, never to be replaced; Hamas, hydra—headed evil that it is, will soon announce a replacement for Khalil. 
And of course this act was only a slight atonement for  that awful Yom Kippur 31 years ago when the Arabs launched their devastating attack against a praying, complacent Israel. 
 
Other than this different perspective I was slightly comforted by your historical comparison that higher American casualties often signal an impending enemy defeat.  Oh how I hope you are correct. 

Ethel Fenig   9 27 04