The Arab World Divided Over Gaza
Once upon a time, any military confrontation with Israel was a guaranteed way to unite the Arab world.
Not this time. As Operation Cast Lead wears on, it is becoming more glaringly apparent that a second campaign is concomitantly underway among regional neighbors — and the enemy is not Israel.
While protesters on the streets of Lebanon, Jordan, Ramallah, and Cairo are united in the very public outcry against the Israel machine, concurrence among Arab political leaders has been a scarcer commodity. So scarce that calls for an emergency summit to address the Gaza situation has landed Arab world leaders in a stalemate. They can’t agree on how or where to convene.
Instead of presenting its standard unified anti-Israel front, tensions are rising among Arab world leaders as a full throttle blame game gets underway.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah spread alarm throughout the Arab world by threatening to launch a renewed South Lebanon campaign if Israel launches a ground campaign in Gaza. Two days earlier, the outspoken sheikh had accused Egypt of serving as an accomplice in the “Gaza crime.”
Egypt fired back a day later during a press conference in Ankara, Turkey. Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit asserted, among other things, that Nasrallah is fostering chaos in the region.
Those are fighting words.
The region, says Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies & Diplomacy chair Professor Yoram Meital, falls into three distinct camps in the current climate: political agendas, timing, and history all play a part in who and where the players slot in.
In the first camp: Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, both of whom are coming under increasing fire for perceived complicity in the current Israel campaign and for vocal condemnation of Hamas. For its part, the Egyptian government is being driven by the threat of instability neighboring Hamas-controlled Gaza presents, and the Iranian hand behind it. Press statements by Egyptian government figures openly blamed Iran’s president for Nasrallah’s incitement.
Countries selling WEAPONS to any of these factions are just promoting war and crime. Then they intercede for PEACE. Hypocritical and amoral.
there’s nothing more amoral than antisemitic people like yourself
So, “Peace” to the Arabs means just a couple rockets into Israel a day, a suicide bomber on occasion, tunnels for re-arming the militia and reconstructing bunkers. I say let them have their “Peace”, one large “Piece” at a time
Marc Lynch is not just a George Washington University political science professor, he has also made a name for himself pimping the idea that we should work with the “moderate” Muslim Brotherhood while ignoring the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is the financial branch of Islamist terrorism worldwide, spreading wealth to al Qaeda, Hamas and other groups through petrodollar-fueled offshore accounts. It’s also fascist organization, founded by Hassan al Banna, an Egyptian acolyte of Hitler. Hamas is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
For more on the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide’s philosophy of non-violence, see the fatwa published by cleric, Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi on Islam Online, the Muslim Brotherhood website – “Contemporary Opinions on Killing Civilians” Or read about their support of the genocidal regime in the Sudan.
Saudi Arabia is not just a “moderate Arab state”, it is the hub of world terrorism and a sponsor of Hamas’ war against Israel. The majority of the suicide bombers in Iraq were Saudis. The majority of al Qaeda members are Saudis, and Saudis provide the majority of terrorist financing. The majority of 9/11 hijackers were Saudi, and that act of war was Saudi financed. After 9/11, Americans who live in Saudi Arabia report that the entire population celebrated their victory. According to polls taken in October 2001, 95% of educated Saudis sympathize with bin Laden.
In 2004, Chief Justice Sheik Saleh Al Luhaidan, went on television and demanded that young Saudis go to Iraq and become suicide bombers. The government gave its approval second act of war against the United States by promoting Al Luhaidan (a close friend of King Abdullah). Despite a few half-hearted efforts to fight Saudi terrorism, Saudi charities (like al-Haramain), which finance Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups Hamas, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, and the Abu Sayyaf Group, are still operating worldwide.
David T., an anti-fascist blogger at Harry’s Place wrote a very insightful essay about how Britain’s (and everyone’s) attempts to work with “moderate” terrorist/fascists to defeat “extremist” terrorist/fascist groups is doomed to fail. We ally with “friendly” sonuvabitches like the Muslim Brotherhood, Saudis and the Pakistanis, we hope that they will help us defeat the unfriendly sonuvabitches like al Qaeda, Iran and Hezbollah.
We ignore the fact that these groups are not as stupid as we believe they are. Yes, nations like Saudi Arabia and Iran are enemies, but they have also been working together all along. They are smart enough to seek to destroy us before they destroy each other.
Yet we still play the same game that is in the process of destroying what’s left of the British Empire. We mindlessly keep feeding the crocodile, legitimize terror-supporting regimes like Saudi Arabia. Britain’s anti terrorism policies actually grow and nurture local (and worldwide) terrorist groups. Britain has been feeding the crocodile, hoping to be eaten last. Unfortunately, many countries follow the British model for ‘fighting’ (nuturing and growing) terrorism. We’re all feeding the crocodile.
So who will the crocodile eat first? That decision is up to the jihadis and our ‘moderate’ allies, not us. By following the British model we give all the power to the extremists and none to us. Under these policies, our superior intelligence is no match for their puny weapons.
Just like the Israeli 1981 bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor, the world went berserk in their condemnation of Israel, but years later silently thanked Israel. So too will the world thank her for this recent assault against terrorists in Gaza.
Iran is even worse than Saudi Arabia. Iran works openly for violent chaos across the middle east, providing missiles to Hamas and Hezbollah, and terrorist training.
The mullahs of Iran must be dealt with first, along with their Syrian accomplices.
It’s a shame we can’t simply reimpose a british-style imperialism in these “countries.” All this barbarian management is absurd.
Arabs must think the rest of the world is as stupid as they are. Hamas, and by extension, Iran have pressed Israel very hard. Hamas shoots rockets and mortars, and Ame-dinner-jacket publicly talks about wiping Israel off the planet at every opportunity. Hamas has made several physical attacks and is now reaping what they’ve sown. Muslims all over are screaming their fanatic heads off with support from their oil bought and paid for sympathisers, and the rest of the world is supposed to get all emotional over it. Tough bezots hamas. And tough titty muzleem world. You’ve asked for it, now you’re getting the butt whipping you crave…….be happy! LOL….!!!!!!
Some things have changed in the past few years. The US has won its war in Iraq. That was not predictable a few years back.
Iran still maintains its bellicose stance yet there are fewer teeth in that tiger than there were then. They lost Iraq. Their displays of military prowess are derided here; rebuilt Vietnam era F-5 jets, photoshopped rocket displays, an economy in ruins and a fundamentalist regime with little popular support.
Contrast that to the US military victory of the surge.
Contrast it to Israels successful raid on the Syrian nuclear project or its ability now to conduct an air campaign in Gaza with limited civilian damage and overwhelming military and structural damage to Hamas.
Contrast that to the much publicized Israeli exercise in long distance high volume air operations over the Mediterranian last year.
“I can drop a one-ton bomb on your chief operations officers house…dead center shaped charge and you can do…what exactly about it?”
Hamas lost already. The Iranian-Syrian-Hezbolla-Hamas axis is at a tipping point.
Israel does not care what the UK government says nearly as much as they do the Egyptian one.
The Egyptians are speaking loudly now and it is quite clear where they stand. “Take a tiger by the tail if you will but beware of its teeth…you guys made this happen and we tried to warn you” (hint: Israel and Egypt are talking, the warning went out and Hamas ignored it).
So what happens next? Will the tanks stand much longer gunning their engines? Hamas might figure on a PR victory here. I hope that Israel has learned that all war is politics. I know at this point they have learned that above all the keys are in secrecy and intellegence. This was executed according to a pre-arranged plan.
The troops along that border are ready to go. Communications between the warring sides, I am sure, is happening now. This is the middle east. Not uncommon to have a tea today and fight tomorrow.
There is no possibility of peace until Hamas is gone or integrated into the larger PA. There must be one unified Palestinian government.
Spindok
I can’t help wondering who orchestrates and benefits from this constant round of attack, retaliation, and “cease fire.” It almost seems as if both sides are getting something out of it – otherwise you would think that either the “Arab world” or the Israelis would have long ago solved the problem once and for all. I think each side has the capability to do so if they had the will. But something is holding them back. What?
There could be peace in the Mideast within 6 months.
1) The Arab and Muslim governments could repudiate the Hamas Covenant.
2) The Arab and Muslim governments could allow Palestinians to buy houses in the various countries, using their own money.
Actually, either of these moves would do it. This war was brought about by the governments surrounding Israel, and they are the ones who hold the key to peace, not some entity a continent and an ocean away.
There is no “can’t” involved, here. When the Arab and Muslim governments decide to follow Allah’s law, and to love their neighbors as themselves, there will be peace and prosperity. So long as their national policy is based on blasphemy, they will get no joy, no prosperity, no happiness, no peace, and no respect.
Iran is even worse than Saudi Arabia. Iran works openly for violent chaos across the middle east, providing missiles to Hamas and Hezbollah, and terrorist training.
No, Iran and Saudi Arabia are equally bad. Iran works openly for violent chaos across the Middle East and Saudi Arabia works quietly for violent chaos. Iran always talks about killing Americans, but the Saudis, through their al Qaeda militia, have actually done this, killing thousands of Americans in NY and Iraq. Like farts, the silent ones are the nastiest.
And, since we’re following the British model of ineffectively fighting terrorism, we call the deadliest Islamists our allies. Which means that we tend to downplay their crimes.
The mullahs of Iran must be dealt with first, along with their Syrian accomplices.
If we openly attacked Iran, Saudi Arabia would benefit, and they would use their power to create more Gazas, more Somalias and Sudans throughout the Middle East and Africa. We should deal with all of these regimes (Saudi, Iran, Syria) by severely weakening their economies and their terrorist infrastructures.
The only entity which holds the key to peace in the Middle-East is Israel. Israel is an occupying force, occupying Palestinian land. They are at present killing innocent men, women and children. The world is turning a blind eye to this massacre. Maybe, a time will come soon when those people who are justifying this action may have to face a similiar action when some evil force (more evil than Israel) attacks their country. Close your eyes and think for a moment how it would be living in a world like that. Than ask for God’s forgiveness (whichever God you believe in) and condemn this massacre in a loud voice which can be heard by people around you.
The silence is deafening. Iran is far more ominous than Israel ever was. As the author points out the Islamic fundamentalist promoters are the only ones shrieking and howling. Iran wants to rule the entire ME and if not checked they will take it bit by bit. That thought scares the ME especially the GCC. I would imagine funds for a Hamas controlled Gaza will rapidly shrink coming only from Iran et. al.
Too bad Iran’s proxies are taking the brunt of reprisal and not Iran itself but that day may be coming soon. Too bad Europe remains liberal minded ignoramuses. For all of you who think about peace be aware certain people do not want peace. All sides must want peace in order for peace to happen. Those who demand peace will only insure more war.
But something is holding them back. What?
A reasonably cogent summary is
Here
Bugs (10) “I can’t help wondering who orchestrates and benefits from this constant round of attack, retaliation, and “cease fire.” It almost seems as if both sides are getting something out of it – otherwise you would think that either the “Arab world” or the Israelis would have long ago solved the problem once and for all. I think each side has the capability to do so if they had the will. But something is holding them back. What?”
What do you want? There is no conductor orchestrating. There is no sense to this except an internal one.
A Mozart concerto has in impelling and attainable internal structure and logic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb_jQBgzU-I
The players move as one. They can understand what they are doing through a universal language and that is why they are able to do this, which has happened more times and in more places than we could possibly recount.
Gaza is another matter. There is no unity or reasonable polity there. No common language and not at all with Israel – the key nation to their survival in the long term.
There is nothing like democracy or law in Gaza as most of us know it. There is no nation united after a fair election as we saw here this year in the US.
Maybe what needs to happen is from the ground up. How many people buy stuff ‘Made In Gaza’? I used to be able to find great hothouse cherry tomatoes from there.
I think a lot of folks have grown weary dealing with Hamas. The narrative now runs that there was a ‘ceasefire’ (is that less than 50 rockets/month or more?) after which the barrage stepped up to the point of intolerability. Israel has now launched an intense offensive aimed at critically imparing Hamas’ military and political ability and influence…
UK again regrets anything it had to do with the creation of the state of Israel…etc.
I suppose a pragmatist would say that what Israel needs to get out of this is a longer term deal with Hamas. That is probably already on the table now.
Meanwhile the infantry is waiting for orders. We all know that they now have their attack laid out against a well placed line of defense. Nobody should want this to happen.
Shalom,
Spin
Response to FAISAL #13
My Muslim Brother, surely you must admit that Islamic Arabs are the biggest occupiers of the Middle and Near East. How many civilizations have we conquered by the sword, under the aegis of spreading the word of Mohammad the prophet, blessed be his name, while plundering the cultures of the vanquished and calling them our own. Our shame is the Arab shame, and we should work for the next 100 generations to beg for forgiveness.
Islam has converted millions under the threat of death, from the great Persian Empire, through the middle and near east, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Of course, Islam offered nothing new but subjugation and blood, while we stole the wealth of others and controlled trade routes. Stop living in the dream and open your eyes. We are fortunate that the world is not trying to kill us.
Peace be upon you.
faisal, the only entity which holds the key to CIVILIZATION and HUMAN PROGRESS in the Middle-East is Israel.
fixed for you
faisal,
Rather than parroting rote Palestinian/Leftist political phrases, how about saying something to convince me (and others) that what’s happening in Gaza isn’t just the latest act in an ongoing farce? The little play continues, everyone acts his part, the audience knows it’s all made up. But always we pretend to believe play’s central premise: that it’s all just too complicated for human minds to take in, that after 60 years the top political minds in the world are no closer to resolving this intractable dispute.
Get it through your head, Faisal: Somebody wants it this way. They want Palestinians to remain militant victims and they want Israelis to remain ostracized aggressors. It’s not the average Israeli and it’s not the average Palestinian that wants this – they are being used by Hamas and other entities for purposes other than achieving justice and peace.
Bugs,
How about nobody “wants it this way”? Perhaps the central premise is true. You still seem to think that there is a man behind the curtain directing all of this.
I propose that there is none.
Right now there is war and the stakes are getting higher as we speak. Hamas and Israel are digging into their trenches, considering lines of fire, and setting up for the assault to come. They are not thinking about anything more now.
You are right. The best and most able political minds have not been able to solve this but there is no big daddy ‘somebody’ directing things from the top. Direction now comes from the ground forces waiting for their artillery barrage.
The choice for Hamas is that simple.
Spindok
There is no “big daddy.” I’m not a conspiracy theorist. I’m simply saying that the main people involved – Palestinians, other Arabs, Iranians, Muslims, the world’s Leftists, and possibly the Israelis – have an interest in NOT solving the problem. It’s not that one guy, one country, one side is pulling all the strings. It’s that the situation gives one or more guys something that’s worth more to them than peace in the Middle East.
My entire life, newsies and pundits and politicians have claimed to be striving for that goal – peace in the Middle East. As each year passes, it becomes more and more apparent that Middle Easterners – as well as others involved in the issue – DO NOT WANT PEACE! They want to wage war on each other until they reach their goals.
All attempts to negotiate or impose peace on that region are just empty gestures. Truces and cease-fires do actual harm by giving the respective parties time to lick their wounds and rebuild their arsenals. Everyone sees that stupid cycle repeating itself, everyone knows it happens, yet we all pretend that each new peace initiative is some sort of fresh start – that maybe *this time* it will finally last. It’s insanity. It’s a little game we play with ourselves – so we can continue to see ourselves as moral, civilized people. Every American president is pretty much expected to do his little ritualized thing for peace in the Middle East.
I know I’m not the only person who views this as some kind of con job. I just wish the powers that be had the guts to treat it like one.
@Faisel, I don’t think you read the blog post at the top of this page. The govt of Egypt and the Palastinian govt in Ramallah don’t agree with you. Did you notice that?
The topic of the blog post isn’t which of the sides is (more) correct. The topic of the blog post is that this conflict has underlined differences among the Arab and Muslim countries. Did you notice that those Arabs physically closest to Hamas are the ones that hate them the most?
This conflict has brought to the surface some of the inconsistencies in the Arab world. The people hold views different from their rulers. The rulers for decades have used hatred for Israel as bread and circuses to entertain their populations. Arab media outlets like Al-Jazeera continue to inflame their watchers with hatred and with exaggerations of the events in Gaza. The people riot in the streets and the govts take sides now in ways that they certainly couldn’t or wouldn’t do in the past.
These fault lines were revealed during the 2006 Leb war but seem to be more in evidence today.
Ecxept right now nobody is asking American presidents to do anything. No ‘ritualized thing for peace’. None of that.
Maybe there is talk going on but the parties on the ground are not thinking much about the ‘powers that be’ this night. None of them ever thought that any of this would last.
I understand the need for people to get this over with. Too bad that the world has to deal with this over and over again. Nobody willing to finish the other side off. ‘Der Wille’ may be lacking now but you are not in danger.
No katyushas here in flyover America. We sleep safe in our beds tonight.
Spindok
You would think that the Arabs would be able to learn cause and effect. If they had accepted the Jews in their midst, they would be leading wonderful lives today instead of suffering caused by evil leaders. I hope that they will awaken to their free will.
I did not write my comments because I am a muslim, you guys are getting it wrong. This is not a Muslims vs Jews thing. This is about humanity. How can anyone justify killing 3000 innocent people on 9/11/2001. Also, there is no way anyone can justify the killing of innocent women and children. Barbarians deal with an issue in one way and civilized humane people deal with it in another way. People justifying Israel’s attack are doing it without thinking about what is happening. They are letting their national or religous emotions take over their humane side.
I agree wholeheartedly with Valerie at #11, that the Arab and Muslim Governments could repudiate the Hamas Covenant which calls for the Destruction of the State of Israel and an Islamic ‘Palestine’ created in its place. Furthermore, the Arab League should also repudiate its resolve of 1950 wherein the Arab League would not allow any Arab Government to give Citizenship to ‘Palestinian Refugees’ leaving them in limbo for over sixty years and in the hands of the Jewish State. It is known that other than the Arabs who lived under the British Mandate of Palestine and fled their homes and gardens after the Arab/Israeli War of 1948, there is also together with them a group of Arab Emigreits from different neighbouring Arab Countries who were sent to Palestine to work there and among this group was a Criminal Element which those Arab Countries sent out only too happy to get rid of them. Together they were known as the ‘Homeless and Displaced Arabs’ later known as ‘Palestinian Refugees’, adopting the name of being ‘Palestinians’ in order to claim land in the region of ‘Palestine’ formerly the Land of Judea . Israeli tanks now lie in wait to fight for Survival… Is this ‘The Beginning’ of what the whole world was fearing?
I agree wholeheartedly with Valeries at #ll, the Arab and Muslim governments could repudiate the Hamas Covenant which calls for the Destruction of Israel. In addition the Arab League should also repudiate their resolve of 1950 wherein they would not allow Arab Governments to give Citizenship to ‘Palestinian Refugees’ leaving them in limbo for sixty years and in the hands of the Jewish State. Today comes the Time of Reckoning and could it be just ‘The Beginning…..’
Sorry Faisal @ 13…. who was it who said the Region is ‘Palestinian Land’? If you would look up the Encyclopeadea of Ancient History you may learn that the region was formerly known as Judea, the 4000 year old Homeland of the Jews since the Time of the Kings, from David down the line. Only when the Romans were ruling the region during the Christian era 2000 years ago was the region renamed ‘Palestine’ or Filistine after the Philistines the formidable enemy of the Jews until David the shepherd boy killed the Philistine Hero Goliath with his sling-shot. Centuries later when the region belonged to Egypt it was a barren land with tents and candlelight only and when the 1967 Six Day War broke out, Gaza was captured by the Israelis and Egypt did not even want the land back finally and it became DISPUTED and Israel the caretaker. If on the other hand you may be talking about the homes, gardens and groves which Palestinian/Arabs owned during the British Mandate, that may be another matter altogether. If those Arabs had the the Title Deeds to prove that the land was theirs, a good idea for them is to approach the Israeli Government on this very subject.
Faisal @ 25 – Amazing. Would you perchance be accusing Israel of being guilty of the barbaric killing of 3000 people on 9/11/2001??? Sorry but you must be forgetting that Osama bin Laden has already congratuled himself on the success of 9/11 and his 19 Hijackers most of whom were of good Saudi Families. Here now it is Pay-back time perhaps for Gazans who have asked for it. A ‘Peace’is no Peace when Hamas have been rearming with dangerous weapons and arms during a supposed ‘lull{?] and at the same time shooting 7000 quassams and rocket mortars into Israel since turning over the land to Palestinian Hamas, while they threaten its citizens for having given only the land of Gaza for a new Palestinian State, and not the Whole of Israel.
“I did not write my comments because I am a muslim, you guys are getting it wrong. This is not a Muslims vs Jews thing.”
your “prophet” beheaded a tribe of jews, how many people jesus beheaded? or buddah?
“How can anyone justify killing 3000 innocent people on 9/11/2001.”
many reports from around the world showed us muslim people cheering. Routinely on 9-11 every year in many western countries there are muslim communities celebrating.
You don’t know it because you are muslim and the main thing is protect your peers. The majority of muslims in western lands always find a way to justify things like 9-11 blaming anything but their cult.
18. susan:
“faisal, the only entity which holds the key to CIVILIZATION and HUMAN PROGRESS in the Middle-East is Israel.”
Your jewish EGO is so big it looks like a clown’s balloon.
Mary Madigan is right. Saudi Arabia is worse, and it can be seen by the fact that they have 1.No elections 2. No moderates like Iran’s former President Khatami 3. No one like Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi etc I can go on and on, but this should suffice.
Ths Saudi’s are the biggest financers of all Islamic Terror outfits.
They teach their young ones to hate all non muslims. See Hudson Institute’s Centre for Regigious Freedom’s website. This ensures that fanatics willing to die for thier cause are available in every age group, at all points of time.They finance all madarasas world wide who toe their line.So that fanatics are available in every coumtry where even one madarsa financed by them operates. In future this would provide them with fifth coloumnists.
Why do they do it? Simple this allows them an absolute monarchy in their own kingdom. And they dream that if they are lucky in future they may become The Khalifa (Supreme king & religious head) of the whole world.
31, you must be proud of yourself that you are antisemitic material of the lowest scum
compliments, now we know how stupid and groundless were your accusation that republicans were racist for not voting zerobama, you vile antisemitic scum
The Saudis are not the financiers of this particular terrorist outfit. Hamas is having trouble getting financing anywhere. They have outsourced to the Iranians for more advanced weapons, which have proven near useless thus far.
The people are fed by ‘humanitarians’ from the West yet Israel and Egypt control that pipeline. The population will neither starve nor prosper under the current arrangement. Gaza cannot provide its own anything at this point.
Israelis have been floating the idea of a long term cease-fire with international moniters. You see hints about that in the press lately.
Maybe that would be in the best interests of everybody. Gazans need time to develop an economy and have something to hang on to. Israel needs a break from the rockets and a new government. Hamas needs to become a minority party in a larger civil authority.
I do not know if Israel has changed the reality yet. Maybe there will be ground fighting because both sides seem to want that. They both worked so hard at preparing for it. Both know that it will resolve nothing.
Meanwhile I dont see Fatah taking back control in Gaza. This would be the time for that. Hamas is severely damaged right now. If they have the manpower Fatah could ‘liberate’ Gaza, impose civil control, and work out a deal with Israel. Perhaps they do not have that anymore.
Spindok
spindok – I guess we just have different views of the situation. I don’t subscribe to the tragic view anymore. It was tragic for fifty years. After that it became ridiculous.
BTW – I don’t live in fly-over country. I live in Northern Virginia and I work in Washington DC. No “katyushas,” but I do have a gas mask in my desk drawer. Also, employing German to equate anything I’ve said with Nazi ideology is witty but pointless. I’m not interested in “final solutions” as Hitler defined them.
Read all about it in “patriotsquestion911.com”
My attempted German quote was a Nietzsche reference from his famous and often misunderstood ‘will to power’ – “Der Wille zur Macht”.
It is not a Nazi reference in my book although some of them did take his work and used it for their own ends. Mostly I end up with more questions than answers when I try and read him.
Take him or leave him. Why does anything German become a Nazi reference? I have no problem with Germany. My wife was born there. I spent a good portion of my youth there losing soccer matches against the locals (I was an Army brat). Some things are just best said in the original language.
Maybe Virginia/DC isnt flyover country. I live in the middle land of steel mills, football, religion and chain restaurants. Still neither of us need to worry about Katyusha rockets. You keep a gas mask. I keep a 9mm Browning. To each his own paranoia.
I dont have much more point about that except that perhaps the line between tragic and ridiculous is not so bright.
You asked for an explaination. I gave you mine. This is no farce and no con-job. Those require some sort of plan to decieve. I think what is happening now is exactly the opposite. All cards are now on the table and both sides are deadly serious.
Israel has reacted with unexpected violence this time. They have not played by the rules. The UN and major governments are screaming for a halt. Why?
I am waiting for something to change in the midst of this. What was once chaos has become the status quo with ‘acceptable’ levels of violence from both sides.
So Bugs, maybe you can help me to untangle this a bit more. Where do you think this should go? Should the US act as mediator now or wait until things unfold a bit more?
Spindok
faisal, nobody wants to read your links.
time to clean up your cult, is there a muslim country where the religious minorities can freely and proudly claim to be non-muslims?
Obviously not.
Absolutely not. The US should do absolutely nothing, except insist that there be no peace without Hamas’ unconditional and total surrender. Oh, and we should warn any Islamic nation that may get involved that an attack on Israel will be considered an act of war against the United States.
#38: Sure there is, try Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan (although that one’s a little more dicey)…
Somalia was formerly more open before it broke down, Iraq before Saddam and is currently returning (see: Christmas official holiday)…
There are more predominantly muslim countries that I could list, but it doesn’t matter because you won’t pay attention or care anyways.
#39 said, “Oh, and we should warn any Islamic nation that may get involved that an attack on Israel will be considered an act of war against the United States.”
???? I didn’t realize Israel was a NATO member?
Why would we commit our military forces or speak in such a manner?
Dont read my link if you do not want to. However, the truth will not remain hidden for long.
Israel has for long controlled the US foreign policy. The Obama/Osama regime is going to be another “Israel” era. So tighten your seat belts and put on your helmets. You are in for a bumpy ride. As Israel is finally going to come out of the box with its expansionist policy. The world may have to see more bloody wars on account of this.
The Saudis are not the financiers of this particular terrorist outfit. Hamas is having trouble getting financing anywhere. They have outsourced to the Iranians for more advanced weapons, which have proven near useless thus far.
Saudis have been supporting Hamas for years. According to the US state department:
“Hamas primarily relies on donations from Palestinian expatriates around the world and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.”
Saudis have recently increased their support for Hamas(via the Tribune):
GAZA CITY — The Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip has been divided between rival factions and foreign sponsors.
Palestinian sources said the division pits supporters of Iran against those of Saudi Arabia. The sources said after a decline of more than five years, Saudi supporters were making a comeback in Hamas.
“The Saudi faction is really the Sunni faction that opposes Iranian domination of Palestine,” a Palestinian source said. “They are starting to gain power in the local Hamas leadership.”
Saudi charities have also been supporting Hamas in Jerusalem:
July 5, 2007 – Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) – A charity based in Saudi Arabia has been funneling money to Hamas members in Jerusalem who have been working quietly to establish a presence on the Temple Mount, Israeli security sources said.
The Saudis also fund Fatah/Palestinian Authority, because they want Hamas and Fatah to work together to present a united front against Israel.
faisal what expansionist policy of Israel?
Pretty much every continent has been plagued by the islamic imperialism and expansionist and unlike the western one didn’t bring any prosperity or wealth, just poverty and moral decay.
The land Israel is on was desert before and would have remained desert if left in the hands of a bunch of bedouins.
The only truth that is coming out is that nobody wants to deal with you ignorant bedouins anymore. Wherever you immigrate you bring your inner racism, mysoginy and honor killing. EVERYWHERE you go you manage to fight the local population, no matter if they are hindu, jews, buddist, atheist, christians, animists.
and flashoverride, EDUCATE YOURSELF before writing to ME
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan are always under watch for their systematic disregard of human rights, sometimes their leaders are brutal dictators, and islamic integralism finds ways to create political parties. Al quaeda is there too.
The other imaginary islamic countries that you want to list are a fragment of your imagination.
Islam mandates muslim supremacy, not different than hitler talking about race superiority.
Educate youself before talking to me n 41
the us dept of state makes a report on religious freedom and muslim countries that allow freedom of religion (the way we define it in the west) are just a fragment of your imagination
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108509.htm
faisal what expansionist policy of Israel?
Pretty much every continent has been plagued by the islamic imperialism and expansionist and unlike the western one didn’t bring any prosperity or wealth, just poverty and moral decay.
The land Israel is on was desert before and would have remained desert if left in the hands of a bunch of bedouins.
The only truth that is coming out is that nobody wants to deal with you ignorant bedouins anymore. Wherever you immigrate you bring your inner racism, mysoginy and honor killing. EVERYWHERE you go you manage to fight the local population, no matter if they are hindu, jews, buddist, atheist, christians, animists.
between 2005 and 2009 no jew lived in gaza there was no occupation.
ask the trees and rocks if there were jews there?
@abdullah-I certainly hope you are genuine.I have no fear of Muslims as the ones ive met in canada are peaceful ,have loving families and even wish me happy Hannukah.That tells me they are educated and dont believe all the BS spouted by groups like Hamas and Iran.ON the other hand the recent protests in canada also tell me that some of these muslims dont have jobs and that is a problem.Just ask Jordan with about 7 million unemployed.
#41 flashoverride-Nato.Sure lets talk about how Canadians are paying a heavy price in Afganistan compared to other NATO members except the US.Our casualities are approaching British casualities in Iraq and we have a smaller population.Yet our resolve remains strong.We know we are in a global battle here for all the marbels.Israel is a natural ally of the united states and Canada.It was Canada(unofficially) that got weapons to Israel so they could defend themselves in 1948 while the rest of the world imposed an arms embargo.No,my support is with Israel and i will never support terrorists nor vote for those who do.