Israel preps to invade Gaza...again Edit: Israeli forces moving into Gaza

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While it's easy and perhaps justifiable to criticize Israel, it's worth keeping in mind that this is a country that is literally surrounded by enemies on all sides. Obviously, this would encourage a policy of aggressive and pre-emptive action against any perceived threat as a matter of survival. Israel doesn't have the luxury of taking a passive approach.
 
Yeah dopa, I wouldn't be opposed to my tax dollars going to Israel to fund a strong defensive military. Sort of a charity, the way I wouldn't mind tax dollars going to fund mosquito nets for Africans, etc. But the U.N. has gone after Israel time after time now for being the aggressor.
 
Best defense is a strong offense. You have to hit them every once in a while so they don't start thinking that you're just sitting there ripe for the picking.
 
Last weeks newsweek had some good articles and columns on the situation.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/177840
That one's a good article laying out a plan for peace which outlines what the author sees as the main issues: Territory, Security, Jerusalem and Refugees.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/177716
Column arguing that if Obama is serious about peace in the region he must get tough with Israel.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/177757
Column arguing that a key is giving Israel's Arab population more political power and influence.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/177713
Article talking about 3 recent books on the US involvement in this mess, that outlines how we got to where we are.
 
We never bombed a U.N. headquarters. We never bombed a warehouse full of humanitarian aid. Did you read the article? An entire warehouse filled with humanitarian aid! No rockets, no hamas, just aid for the civilians of gaza who were seeking shelter in the U.N. HQ. And then THAT got bombed, too!

And we are basically terrorists since we fund Israels shenanigans, yes. But are we terrorists for being in Iraq? I don't think. But, should we be in Iraq at all in the first place? No. So, that makes the first question's answer blurry. We certainly think we are the "world police". Does that translate into terrorist? Or just nosy neighbor?

Here's a short article with Israels excuse as to why they bombed the UN HQ. And, also, states they shelled a school. All of which is a violation of international law. So, at the very least they are war criminals.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/15/mideast/mideast.php
 
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Still it's not like the targeted the UN headquarters or school or hospital. Just shitty mistakes, just like we made when we've bombed schools, hospitals etc. in Iraq by mistake.

Just making sure you were consistent in your thinking, and not just an Israel hater.

I agree on the world police thing as well. We need to get off foreign oil dependency as quickly as we can (will be decades) and just leave that region of the world to fight it's own battles.
 
They did target the UN headquarters, because there was anti-tank fire coming from it.

It's just like how they always stockpile their weapons caches in hospitals and mosques, because they know when they are destroyed, people like HowStern react the way he is. It's obviously a very powerful propaganda tactic.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']They did target the UN headquarters, because there was anti-tank fire coming from it.

It's just like how they always stockpile their weapons caches in hospitals and mosques, because they know when they are destroyed, people like HowStern react the way he is. It's obviously a very powerful propaganda tactic.[/quote]

Yeah, I'm sure the UN workers said "Sure, hamas, come on in with your rockets! You can stockpile your weapons in the red cross' aid supply warehouse." Please. They might purposefully hide weapons in hospitals but the UN sure as hell isn't letting them hide wepaons in their HQ or aid supply warehouse...

hehe dmaul "skimmed" I knew you didn't read the article :p XD
 
Yeah, that's the trouble no one is afraid of the UN. heh. They need to start hiring mafia hitmen to work for them or something. XD
 
They're firing white phosphorous into Gaza City, which is against the rules of war. Nasty stuff, it burns everything it touches, it'll burn you right down to the bone and it won't stop until there is no oxygen or nothing left to burn. It can't be put out with water. Not something you want to be using indiscriminately in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. This is also what they used to attack the UN headquarters, its still burning. Ban Ki-moon was in Israel when it happened and he was pissed.

Some of the UN schools were targeted specifically by Israel after mortars were fired from nearby streets. These are places that some of the more radical groups had wanted gone, and Israel took the bait. But what possible explanation is there for this? They know exactly what this building was and who was there. If there were some militants in the area (which the UN insists is bullshit), I'd expect some bombs to go their way. But to use white phosphorous? Theres no reason for that whatsoever unless they wanted to be absolutely certain that the UN HQ and everything in it was burned to the ground.

Israel hasn't been strictly targeting only Hamas or militant related targets since this started, they've been systematically destroying civilian infrastructure. The way they've conducted this war is completely unacceptable, they're determined not to get bogged down like they did in Lebanon and they don't care how many civilians get killed.
 
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[quote name='depascal22']Best defense is a strong offense. You have to hit them every once in a while so they don't start thinking that you're just sitting there ripe for the picking.[/quote]

Wow...I don't even know what to say to this. "Yeah, you need to kill some people in a while. You know...just to show who's the boss around here! Make the majority of them women and children while you're at it!"

Hamas did not start firing rockets at Israel unprovoked. Israel has been blocking important food and medical supplies from the citizens of the Gaza strip. They have such a strong hold on that particular region that nothing can be transported there. If you think that these people are firing just because they love violence and want to see their families die due to white phosphorous (the poster above me explained just what this horrible chemical does) and rocket blasts, you need to stop watching propagated media and start thinking for yourself.

Oh and also, this strike that Israel's been pummeling the gaza with has already accumulated over 1,000 dead bodies and over $1.4 billion in damage. Something to think about...
 
[quote name='dafoomie']They're firing white phosphorous into Gaza City, which is against the rules of war. [/quote]

Well you know what the U.S. should tell Israel to not use white phosphorous. Oh wait. Hahahahaha......yeah...

EDIT:probably one of the few things still made in the U.S.A.
 
[quote name='Frogurt.man']Well you know what the U.S. should tell Israel to not use white phosphorous. Oh wait. Hahahahaha......yeah...

EDIT:probably one of the few things still made in the U.S.A.[/QUOTE]
M825A1, though we haven't actually manufactured any in 10 years. We're sitting on about half a million of them. Its a useful tool for illumination, for smoke, and to attack combatants in caves and trenches. Its not for use inside a city. I also wouldn't recommend using it on the UNRWA headquarters.
 
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