Forget Hamas & the Palestinians. Hamas are a despicable terrorist organization with some solid grass root support within Gaza.Unfortunately, dealing with them will result in some horrendous mistakes. But then the Palestinians knew better, they could have voted for a more moderate party. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. When you advocate violence, you better not be dealing with an enemy that can obliterate you in a day. Politically, It was even necessary for Kadima & Labor (Livni & Barak) to keep the slightest of chances of winning against Netanyahu in the next elections (February). It's very likely that Bibi would start a war with Iran as soon as he gets the reins of power. Regardless, you have to admit. The US is no longer protecting its own interests, even when they conflict with those of the Jewish state. I'm in awe of how much the Jewish interests rule this land.
Didn't Hamas take virtual power by staging an armed coup in June '07, murdering and terrorizing their own people? Fatah might be the part in power on paper, but Hamas rules the streets - right? "The crucial point to bear in mind is that Hamas is not a reasonable political movement. It cannot thrive without crisis; the blood of innocents is its own lifeblood. These are not Palestinian nationalists who happen to be Muslims; they are totalitarian Islamists whose Palestinian identity is of secondary importance. They have nothing but contempt for Arab Muslim states. Instead, they draw inspiration and resources from non-Arab Iran, the most ruthless power in the region, which may well have put pressure on them to end the ceasefire. Only Iran can equal Hamas in its determination to wipe out Israel â and, eventually, every secular Arab state. " http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/...s-hand-propaganda-coup-to-Hamas-and-Iran.html
So your not concerned about global terrorist organizations increasing in size and power? You might be when their close to your door step and by that time it will be too late. I truly don't understand how Americans cannot be thankful for Israel.
traderNik, I don't know if you got the memo... but Hamas was democratically elected to be in power by the Palestinian population. But just like the Kadima party has some founding statements about keeping Palestinians outside of the state of Israel - as long as keeping in line with a so called democracy AND a predominantly Jewish state (i.e a theocracy and segregation of the two people) -- Hamas has some founding statements about croaking the state of Israel... Also - that former Mossas chick ... Lipni, said on 21st of December that if SHE was winning the election, she would invade Gaza and put an end to Hamas. It seems they got ahead even earlier - and it's political game they are playing - since fear and domination is what works for neocons and Israelis.
It worked for GW Bush post 9/11 and it's been working for the corrupt Arab leaders since , well, forever. Mubarak & Assad use their security apparatus to scare the crap out of their people all the time...and just a couple days ago, it was working for Netanyahu who was sailing ahead comfortably in the polls. The human nature is such, that Fear is very powerful motivator. We need more leaders like Chirac / Schroeder / Jean Chretien that stood up to this ideological Samuel Huntington crap.
Very true, but only in Gaza. In the west bank, Fatah rules. There is a schism among Palestinians, those who live in the west bank are ideologically flexible and have resigned themselves to the peace process. Those who live in Gaza suffer from the abused kid syndrome, they believe strictly in violence. Unfortunately, they're getting some of their medicine now. Some of the pictures are nothing short of nightmarish.
Probably because you're the basic suckass w/o convictions beyond what it takes to ...get along. "their" denotes possesion you want "they're" as in they are. See "shibboleth". The apostrophe is over there to the left of the Enter key, you wouldn't even have to shift.
There's a fair bit of evidence that the US and Israel were arming and financing elements of Fatah with a view to staging an armed coup against the elected Hamas. So much for democracy eh ? It's very possible that the hand of Hamas was forced into an infamous "preemptive strike". Without advocating support for anybody in particular, it is quite possible to see Hamas action as the work of a rational actor forced into a situation not really of their making, and making a rational choice in the circumstances. But such an interpretation runs against the usual propaganda spin that represents all opponents of the Israeli state as gun toting religious lunatics hell bent on a suicidal aim of the destruction of western civilization.
(Readers: re-read the above statement). The above statement says that Americans, while giving money, diplomatic support, providing armament at no charge, they still have to thank Israel. Tell me who should thank who? The giver or the receiver? It is like a begger asking you that you give him money, and profusely thank him at the same time? That is the type of mentality that drives some in Israel not to solve their problems. They want the Palestinians to give their lands, and thank them at the same time. Fortunately there are people in Israel who think differently, but they are not in power.
Just one instance, but I am constantly reminded of the shockingly biased coverage in the western media - In a fashion reminiscent of the famous 15 minutes until weapons of mass destruction hype preceding the Iraq invasion: "Gaza rockets put Israelâs nuclear plant in battle zone" screams the front page headline in the London Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5430133.ece And of course none of us would like to see Israel's nuclear arsenal blown up would we? At the very least it could mean nuclear fall out all over the middle east, couldn't it ? And this would indeed be a VERY BAD THING. There's no end to the evil that those terrorists are plotting is there ? A moments thought suggests that this article is just regurgitating stuff from the Israeli spin machine. Surely Israel's nuclear facitilies are hardened against significant air attack. It is impossible to believe otherwise. Perhaps something like the US airforce using conventional weapons could cause significant damage, but the puny rockets fired from Gaza ? Please be serious. In other words the story is a complete beat up, and the editor and journalist if they have half a brain cell between them should realize this. Assuming that they do indeed posses half a brain cell, publication of this stuff is no more than a cheap propaganda stunt and a complete abrogation of any responsibility for somewhat objective and truthful reporting.