I'm afraid this sounds all too likely. But if a country's leader takes that country into the horrors of war for any reason, he or she has a duty to carry it through to a successful end, an end that makes sense of all the suffering on both sides, that genuinely changes matters - and changes them as far as possible in a positive direction. Otherwise all the suffering, expense and bloodshed have been simply wasted. And here they seem to me to have been wasted. If and when Tsahal withdraws, Hamas, however badly mauled, will still be in control of Gaza. Men killed in battled will be replaced; tunnels destroyed will be dug deeper; and in a year or two we will all be exactly where we were before the campaign. I hope Israeli citizens remember this at the election.
If and when Tsahal withdraws, Hamas, however badly mauled, will still be in control of Gaza. Men killed in battled will be replaced; tunnels destroyed will be dug deeper; and in a year or two we will all be exactly where we were before the campaign. I hope Israeli citizens remember this at the election.
I hope they do, too.
A firm Israel may actually make gains under Obama, because though his and especially his advisors' expressed sentiments are pro-Palestinian, all I've seen so far indicates that he is a mendacious weakling. Faced with a choice between disappointing his advisors and actively damaging America's position in the Mideast by antagonizing our most important ally in the region, he may very well choose to disappoint (or even "throw off the bus") his advisors.
Dubya wouldn't have done this, but then George W. Bush is a much stronger man.
At first, I thought they called for a unilateral ceasefire just to show that even when the IDF wasn't attacking, Hamas was still launching rockets (as an excuse to go back and continue the fighting) but... it seems that isn't so.
Hearing Olmert say that all of the objectives have been met is absurd, though. And the army clearly disagrees.
I'd also been operating under the... delusion, I suppose, that when Israel negotiated a ceasefire with Gaza, they'd at least get Gilad Shalit back, in whichever form...
Yes, I had forgotten about poor Corporal (was it?) Shalit. I am glad to see you haven't.
I would not be surprised if the army knew where they can find him, alive or dead, but that they have obstacles in the way. There is a rumour that they know where the whole high command of Hamas is holed up - but that it happens to be, in their own despicable way, in a bunker dug directly under a hospital full of women and children. Repulsive. I am reminded of an old war story: Field-Marshal Rommel was having serious problem with fuel supplies - indispensable to a desert tank army - because the British were sinking too many Italian transports. A particularly uninspired Italian officer had the bright idea of passing the oil in ships disguised as Red Cross transports. Rommel exploded: "I am doing everything in my power to keep this war within the bounds of law and custom, and you give the English such encouragement to attack Red Cross transports?" The order, of course, was swiftly countermanded. Rommel later died for his part in the July 20 plot against Hitler.
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Date: 2009-01-19 07:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-19 08:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-19 01:47 pm (UTC)I hope they do, too.
A firm Israel may actually make gains under Obama, because though his and especially his advisors' expressed sentiments are pro-Palestinian, all I've seen so far indicates that he is a mendacious weakling. Faced with a choice between disappointing his advisors and actively damaging America's position in the Mideast by antagonizing our most important ally in the region, he may very well choose to disappoint (or even "throw off the bus") his advisors.
Dubya wouldn't have done this, but then George W. Bush is a much stronger man.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-19 05:18 pm (UTC)Hearing Olmert say that all of the objectives have been met is absurd, though. And the army clearly disagrees.
I'd also been operating under the... delusion, I suppose, that when Israel negotiated a ceasefire with Gaza, they'd at least get Gilad Shalit back, in whichever form...
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Date: 2009-01-19 05:53 pm (UTC)I would not be surprised if the army knew where they can find him, alive or dead, but that they have obstacles in the way. There is a rumour that they know where the whole high command of Hamas is holed up - but that it happens to be, in their own despicable way, in a bunker dug directly under a hospital full of women and children. Repulsive. I am reminded of an old war story: Field-Marshal Rommel was having serious problem with fuel supplies - indispensable to a desert tank army - because the British were sinking too many Italian transports. A particularly uninspired Italian officer had the bright idea of passing the oil in ships disguised as Red Cross transports. Rommel exploded: "I am doing everything in my power to keep this war within the bounds of law and custom, and you give the English such encouragement to attack Red Cross transports?" The order, of course, was swiftly countermanded. Rommel later died for his part in the July 20 plot against Hitler.