GG. This attack and invasion make little sense even from an aggressive Israeli point of view. Surely, they understand that Hamas' rocket launchers are probably located in the middle of civilian populations, making it impossible to eliminate them by conventional military means without unacceptable, even from the Israeli point of view, loss of civilian life. (Obviously, I don't know their location but no other location makes sense given the whole history of the Middle East conflict and Hamas). Because of the civilian casualties, the Israelis will have to stop without achieving their stated goal of silencing the rockets. Surely the Isrealis must have known this as well.

All of this makes me wonder if there weren't purely political reasons for this whole mess. Specifically, was the government having political problems at home? We all know there's nothing like a war to boost a government's popularity in the short run. Also, did the Israelis do this now because they figured they might not have the same blank check from Obama that they have always had from Bush? What political considerations really motivated the Israeli government to do this now?

Except that Israel in good faith gave up territory in Gaza and has been willing to acknowledge a palestinian state.

Feel free to defend hamas.

Typical Passive Aggressive Behavior

Jebbie, while your attempts at being the UT Hall Monitor are likely appreciated by the Allahu Akbar masses that chant for Israel's destruction on this blog, I must respectfully disagree with your deeming me a "troll."

You see, dear lad, I hold an opinion different from yours as well as Mr. Greenwald's, and I'm merely expressing said opinion my way. Obviously, my way is not your way, but regrettably I remain an individual who arrives at his own conclusions -- unlike you, it seems, who are yet another nodding minion of the Great Liberal Hive Mind and appalled at the very idea that Israel would have the audacity to defend itself.

-- Lab2112

Which one of you, Lab2112 or The Satanic Asshole of Hollywood, is the sockpuppet?

Troll or Sockpuppet, you aren't even a good one. It on;y took one post to confuse your already addled mind.

Folks, ignore this asshole, also. Even he doesn't know who he is.

Better trolls, please.

Feel free to defend hamas.

*blows whistle*

FOUL!

That is -1 points for using the "If you don't 100% support Israel, you support Hamas" Fallacy. Care to try again?

Funny, that is exactly what the Nazis said about the Jews, isn't it? How many quotes would you like on that?

I have never seen Jews who love and admire the Goyim as much as Zionists. They figure once the Goyim are on their side, they got it made.

But they reserve the right to start blubbering "Persecution! Persecution!" at a moment's notice.

Oh, I forgot! If the Goyim, the US, ever turns on Israel, they have their atom bombs! Now there's exactly the relationship I want my religion to have with the world. Whoopee!

Excellent post. One additional point concerns the role of the U.S., which, since I'm an American, is actually paramount for me. In addition to all the complicating factors you mention, one of the fundamental problems is that the Muslim world -- writ large -- is as vehement as it has ever been, largely, I think, because of what the U.S. has done over the past 7 years. We must recognize that Hamas, which still advocates for the destruction of Israel, was ELECTED by the Palestinian people. Frankly, I don't see a solution unless Hamas renounces its position (or at least, tempers its behavior) or the people turn against Hamas. Whether what Israel is doing right now gets anyone closer to that goal is, I think, quite doubtful. What the U.S. has done in the Bush years surely hasn't helped matters.

when I suggested we continue chanting, I was not seriously suggesting we continue chanting. I was trying to point to the futility of chanting. we know all the chants. they don't work.

I said "defend" not "support". I don't know if casual supports Israel or not.

I know I don't support hamas.

So until Glenn or the US or someone works out a mechanism to get the missiles to stop then I do not see how Israel can do anything but finish this battle.

This is what I do not get, and I am not being willfully obtuse: how does Israel "finish this battle?" How do they "get the missiles to stop?" Can they occupy every square meter of Gaza and interdict every shipment coming in? Even given a 90%, 80%, 70% success rate... how long can they continue to occupy and blockade Gaza. And what happens when they leave?

I'm not trying to attack you personally, I'm just getting increasingly frustrated with the repeated and repeated and repeated rejoinder that "Israel has to stop the missiles." It's not at all clear that they can even do that, let alone do that and have it last one minute past the withdrawal.

I'm a broken record. Negotiation or stalemate. There's no Option C.

A Quassam "rocket" or "missle" is a capped pipe (3-6" dia.) fueled with fertilizer and sugar. It has no guidance system whatsoever, nor can it carry much of a payload. They are home made.

They bear no resemblance at all to the weapons we call rockets and missles.

It's not a chant. It's a point of view. You have to have one.

Sitting and yelling that everyone is wrong and right at the same time is an empty chant. You do it well.

Paul, you may well be right. As I said I am not sure that Israel should have started this war or that it can have a good end. I can only hope that since it has started they have an endgame. But you may well be right.

I do support Israel, at least in the sense that my tax dollars help purchase the munitions and the machines that deliver them, into Gaza. What is it--3 Billion bucks? Highest per capita recipient of US free money?