Strength alone is not the answer, but I would submit that neither is appeasement to the Arab world.
Who said anything about appeasement?
These folks seem to think that if we'd be willing to let them massacre Israel, then the world would be a better place. Again, the final solution... Again, the hypocracy of the religions that sprang from the same well - judaism.
Flip side of the coin - just because the religions sprang from judaism, are we to tolerate their behavior no matter what?
We flip out that China gain Nuclear Weapon information through espionage...yet Israel did the same thing. When was the last time China attacked one of ships? Killed our men? (Compare it to Israel)
In the middle east, as far as the US is concerned, there are two jewels. One is Israel, who can do no wrong. The other is Saudia Arabia, who, as long as it behaves itself, we'll tolerate for oil.
Frankly, I do not consider that to be a well-balanced foreign policy.