Israeli “excesses”
This from Associated Press: “Israeli warplanes rained more than 100 tons of bombs on security sites in Hamas-ruled Gaza Saturday and early Sunday, killing at least 230 people in one of the Mideast conflict’s bloodiest assaults in decades.” [More]
Now, I’m no military expert, but it seems to me that if 230 people died from 100 tons of bombs in an area as densely populated as Gaza, then either the Israelis were shooting their firepower into the desert, or were making truly extraordinary efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
Nevertheless, all the usual suspects in the “international community” — the same folks who said zilch when Hamas was butchering innocent Israelis — piously urged Israel to “show restraint.”
Collective punishment is a war crime.
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Obviously some of those bombs were of the heavy-duty non-explosive type. The only restraint that Israel ought to be showing is to be careful not to miss so many Hamas supporters with the next bombs.
Since we only get the Israeli side of the story here in the land of the free, I don’t suppose it would do any good to remind you to look to the roots of terrorism (powerlessness), the Geneva Accords regarding collective punishment, and that fact that Hamas rockets can’t begin to compete with U.S. warships and bombs. That you think that 230 people is a reasonable price for them to pay is merely a sign of your own imperial arrogance.
If Israel were to behave like a civilized country, end it’s apartheid and take its boot off the neck of the Palestinians, peace would break out.
“If Israel were to behave like a civilized country, end it’s apartheid and take its boot off the neck of the Palestinians, peace would break out.”
Because of the USS Liberty, I’m no fan of Israel, but I don’t believe that quote for a second.
I may be just another ignorant American in Mr. T’s view but firing goverment sponsored weaponry across a border is not terrorism. It’s an act of war. The idea that Israel should respond with equal force to Hamas aggression because Hamas can’t militarily compete is just plain silly. It’s easy to magnanimous with restraint when it isn’t your children being bombed.
Anonymous:
It seems a little harsh to judge an entire nation based on a single incident of the kind that often happen in war — and over 40 years ago, no less.
However, your conclusion regarding the chances for peace if Israel were to change policies is undoubtedly correct.
The only collective punishment going on is reading Mark T’s moronic posts.
Abe Lincoln said it best:
‘Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Mark T:
I have never blocked or deleted your posts or anyone else’s other than my own. Honest.
The question that should be asked it “what took Israel so long?” They should have blasted those stone aged woman wranglers to hell years ago. Israel was strong armed under Clinton, Bush & Company to go the Jimmy Carter/Mark T way. Knowing the Messiah Boy Genius is no friend, time is wasting. Give the non-combatants 24 hours to leave and then bring in the bulldozers and push those Hamas rats into the sea.
It’s Israel’s country now, tough dung Palestine. Go cry to the Useless Nations. No more pandering.
This Blog has, what seems to be, a very aggressive s-p-a-m filter: my comment to Mark T’s “Have a Nice Day” comment about the last 6 Commandments took about 20 hours, from the time that I posted it, to appear.
That’s not to say that Gregg has never screened comments; he’s the site administrator, and can properly do so.
Wow. Larry made it back. With his ball.
Yes, Walter Greenspan it does have a very aggressive spam filter, Gregg has to normally allow my posts to go through as we have tried everything to get “the system to learn” this is why, although I read the articles and posts everyday, I very seldom submit a post.
Missing a bunch of my comments on a few thread, I’m missing them, you probably aren’t…although I’ll claim the anonymous one referrring to the attack on the USS Liberty.
I knew a marine aviator who sent me, as a member of his email group, the first week of june, every year, a reminder of the Liberty…never to forget, he said. He died a few years back, but no, I don’t forget.
We were at war with no one, it was not a mistake, but an intentional act by the Israelis, the worst attack on the US Navy since WW II. Do we forget the lebanese attack on the Marines or 9/11?
So no, I don’t consider it harsh at all, but a recognition and warning of just how far the Israelis will go.
A more libertarian Israel could not afford American-made tanks, planes or bombs. Cutting off military subsidies would begin the long political march toward resolution.
In the middle of an Associated Press account of the bombing was this gem:
“Militants often operate against Israel from civilian areas. Late Saturday, thousands of Gazans received Arabic-language cell-phone messages from the Israeli military, urging them to leave homes where militants might have stashed weapons.”
Maybe the people of Israel stole their land, and their cell phone minutes.
It’s entirely possible innocents might not have known which homes had weapons stashes. Or maybe they had no cell phone, no food, and nowhere to go if they left their home. Such compassion.
I don’t think the main point of bombs is to kill people… it’s also to break things. That is why the tonnage is so large and the death rate so low. Rockets exploding in one country, launched from another is more cause to declare war than most other wars in history. WWI brokeout because 1 person got shot. One. Hammas always promises peace and never honors their word. What reason does Israel have to trust them? The rest of the Arabic world needs to tell their ‘buddies’ in the Gaza strip to knock it off. They won’t listen to anyone else. And the rest of the Arabic world is too busy crying foul to do anything to help. The only one standing up for their side is us. Israel is our ally and we support them. We’re the only two acting honorably here. I laughed outloud when I read that the UN condemed it. Of course they did.
Lbug, US provides about one third of the 1 billion plus foreign aid that Palestine receives. Are you suggesting that we cut them off too?
A picture tells a thousand words.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3QqO8EXd-II/SVib4cfIM2I/AAAAAAAAk6g/UXrz6L9QcCs/s1600-h/palestinian_way_of_war.gif
“It seems a little harsh to judge an entire nation based on a single incident”
Yeah, imagine what we would have done to Iraq if they had attacked a US Naval vessel without warning and strafed and machine gunned our sailors in lifeboats .
Indeed. I don’t know what history books people are reading to make them expect a bloodless war. In what war were there not civilian casualties? Plus, a rocket attack is plenty of reason for a war. There have been wars over far less. WWI was started because one person was shot… one. I think the Israelis have plenty of justification.
Mr. Big,
I thought I said “military subsidies.” You said “foreign aid.” Yes, that would include Palestine, if what I said were true. They must be hiding all those planes and tanks because all I have seen is hand-thrown rocks, Molotov cocktails, and home-made rockets. I am unaware of any weapons (rocks or rockets) supplied to Palestine by the U.S.
LB, You’d think if we were sending them (Palestine) over 300 million dollars that some may actually filter down to its subjects?
Or is the greatest threat to Palestine is its leaders, who keep them starving and wanting to blame someone for their misfortunes?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/11/international/middleeast/11arafat.html