The main rationale for staying in the war in Afghanistan has always been that if Kabul fell to the Taliban, al-Qaeda terrorists would once again move in and use the country as a safe haven from which to plan further attacks on the United States and its allies.
Why is Obama faced with escalating the eight-year-long conflict? Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Tommy Franks blew the chance to get Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora by not mobilizing U.S. forces, and relying on Afghans and Pakistanis to prevent Bin Laden’s escape. Obama has to send a surge of troops into the Afghanistan War because the job didn’t get done on the last watch.
“The failure to finish the job represents a lost opportunity that forever altered the course of the conflict in Afghanistan and the future of international terrorism, leaving the American people more vulnerable to terrorism, laying the foundation for today’s protracted Afghan insurgency and inflaming the internal strife now endangering Pakistan.” ~ the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, John Kerry
This is a no win situation.
Holding at the current level of troops is the clearest recipe for war without end. The existing troops can probably hold the Taliban at bay and keep Afghanistan from falling apart, but little more. The war then becomes a contest of endurance that the American people will not tolerate.
If the U.S. pulled out entirely, it is a near certainty that the Taliban would march into Kabul and most other Afghan towns in a matter of weeks. True, the Taliban is not the same as al-Qaeda, but there is little doubt that they would provide sanctuary and alliance (as they did after the Soviets were ousted), and this would strengthen al-Qaeda in its struggle against Pakistan, the United States, and others. One might dispute the significance of this direct danger to the United States. Al-Qaeda can plan attacks on the U.S. from other places. It is naive to claim that leaving Afghanistan would have no effect.
Another problem with withdrawing is that it would signal victory for anti-American forces. If we left Afghanistan to the Taliban and al-Qaeda, especially after such a prolonged stay, what other embattled people would trust the United States and its allies to come in and protect them from insurgents? In order to withdraw from a stable nation, a surge must happen first. This is called “getting the job done”.
Fighting from a distance using drones to make air strikes may be appealing, but it neglects the reality that you need good intelligence to know who and where the bad guys are. To get good intelligence you need troops on the ground that are not only fighting the Taliban but are to cultivating and earning the local people's trust.
After Bush's horrible mismanagement of the war in Afghanistan, I am impressed that Obama's team seems to have given serious thought to the relationship between al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the legitimacy of the Karzai government, the lessons of the Soviet experience, how to pre-empt future demands for more troops, how to maximize leverage, and how to craft an exit strategy. According to some officials, after each of nine sessions, Obama was dissatisfied with the answers and hammered his advisors to bring back more detail the next time – on the state of the Afghan army, on the impact that various deployments would have on the state of the U.S. army, on a province-by-province breakdown of Afghan politics and security. All these questions directly, even crucially, affect calculations of the chances of success or failure. The president said he is now satisfied "there's not an important question out there that has not been asked and that we haven't answered to the best of our abilities," and, as a result of this process, he will feel "much more confident" about the orders he is issuing.
In a statement issued as Obama was announcing his new plan for Afghanistan, McChrystal said the president had provided him with a clear mission and sufficient resources. The general told the forces that the situation has improved with the commitment of additional troops, giving the mission better clarity, capacity, commitment and confidence. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, "As the U.S. increases its commitment, I am confident that the other allies, as well as our partners in the mission, will also make a substantial increase in their contribution."
I sure hope so – because it is time for the world to stop depending on America to police it.
The far right gives Obama no credit for upping the troop level and giving the troops a mission of better clarity, commitment, and confidence. Those on the far left are angry that we are not pulling out of Afghanistan immediately. But if Obama were to send far fewer troops than his commanders want – or pull out completely – and then we are once again attacked by terrorists, he would be blamed, whether appropriate or not. Regardless of politics, the United States cannot quit the war and leave Afghanistan to the Taliban – and by extension, Al Qaeda.
I am not in the least bit surprised that President Obama made the right decision. He has put the nation’s security before party and politics. Afghanistan was the country from which Al Qaeda trained and planned the 9-11 attack. This is the war that the Bush Administration should have given first priority – which is what Obama has said all along. Obama may have inherited this mismanaged eight-year-long war, but he has now fully shouldered the burden and taken ownership.
Come what may – for better or worse – the war in Afghanistan now belongs to President Obama.
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
I couldn’t walk in his shoes
America, after eight years under the weight of a horribly inept and corrupt Bush presidency, celebrated for three days in a flood of optimism and hope. It is as if the nation is undergoing a rebirth, believing the American Dream of the Founding Fathers, ignored by the Bush-Cheney administration, is once again reality.
“We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals ... Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.”
~President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address
Whatever President Obama achieves or does not achieve in the next four years, he has already changed the tone in America. People of all races are smiling more toward each other, are being more pleasant toward one another. There is joyfulness floating through the air, not just in this country, but all over the world.
America, and the world, living without an imaginative political leadership for too long, desperately wants Obama to succeed. We want him to lead the world out of the worst financial crisis and recession since the 1930s, to bring the troops home from Iraq, and to commit more troops to Afghanistan in order to defeat Al-Qaeda and the Taliban insurgency. Above all, we want President Obama to restore the United States in the eyes of the world as a beacon of democracy and liberty and justice for all.
So, I will say what many of you may be thinking: I wouldn’t want his job – couldn’t walk in his shoes – and I am fervently praying for God to guide him in his endeavor to make a world turned upside down and inside out, upright again. I pray for his success.
Here are the enormous problems he is facing:
Recession
The Bush administration finally admitted in December that the U.S. recession began a year earlier (in December 2007) and will probably extend well beyond 2009. Obama takes over a country in the midst of an ever deepening recession, with the Treasury Department and Fed still trying to repair an historic financial meltdown. For some people, 2008 was a year of financial ruin due to banks that failed, stock markets that crashed worldwide, property prices that fell, and jobs that disappeared with the resulting increase of the uninsured.
These economic woes have forced consumers to cut back. Consumers aren't spending, banks aren't lending, and factories are closing. The huge job losses are sure to continue. Many forecasters expect unemployment to hit 8.5% by midyear and over 10% by the end of the year. These numbers do not include the unemployed who once they no longer receive unemployment compensation are purged from the rolls. They also do not include the millions of underemployed workers. Long after the recession and credit crunch fade, consumers may remain more conservative in saving more and spending less – which will actually make it harder for the government to get the economy out of the hole since our economy is driven by consumerism.
The recession is too deep and has run too long for there to be a quick fix. The Obama team is planning sweeping steps to curb foreclosures and save the financial sector. If carried out quickly, such moves could give the economy a boost by late 2009. Then again, it might not, due to banks and investment firms being in much worse shape than originally stated. The recession is feeding on itself, spiraling downward, possibly too entrenched now for anyone to stop it. And this stimulus package of up to $850 billion will cause the 2009 budget deficit to balloon to $1.2 trillion. So, once the economy is stabilized, we will all have to tighten our belts and be willing to pay higher taxes to pay off the deficit now instead of passing it on to our children and grandchildren.
Health Care
In 2007, 45.7 million people in the U.S. (15.3% of the population) were without health insurance for at least part of the year. In 2000, our health care system was ranked by the World Health Organization as the first in responsiveness, but highest in cost, 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health of its citizens among 191 nations. The U.S. is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have universal health care for all citizens. Seniors must spend a much higher percentage of their income for healthcare than in any other industrialized nation.
President Obama believes that people have a fundamental right to have health care. Hopefully he can get the insurance companies and the Republicans onboard and put together a national healthcare plan that will satisfy the majority while covering everyone and bring cost down – a tall order indeed.
Global Issues
Terrorists: Obama becomes commander in chief of U.S. forces as America wages war in Iraq and Afghanistan, continues its pursuit of Al-Quaida and other terror groups, and tries to convince Iran to end its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
“As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.”
~President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address
Russia: Under Vladimir Putin, Russia remains eager to use its energy supplies as a weapon — as its New Year's Eve natural gas cutoff to Ukraine shows. Putin has also talked of creating an OPEC-like natural gas cartel. Meanwhile, he's using Russia's energy wealth to sharply boost defense spending, including building 70 new-generation nuclear missiles. Putin's attempt to restore Russia as a major player in world affairs will test Obama's skills.
China: Not only will Obama have to deal with a China that holds title to some $1.6 trillion in U.S. bonds, but a China that is set on becoming a great global power. As China builds a navy that someday may challenge U.S. supremacy on the high seas, Obama might find his diplomatic talents sorely tried.
Losing demand for its products as the global growth engine sputters, China’s industrial production has dropped, with thousands of toy factories shut down last year. Officially, China expects 8% GDP growth in 2009, but some economists say China may only grow 5% this year, with rising unemployment that could lead to social unrest.
China is now the largest holder of U.S. Treasuries, helping to finance America's soaring federal deficit. If China cut its Treasury holdings to pay for its own domestic programs, U.S. borrowing rates could surge and the dollar could tumble, sending the global financial system spiraling downward once again.
Other parts of the world: We also have had recent reminders that the world has many long-term festering problems that desperately need visionary changes to American foreign policy. The new administration will have to juggle its ties to two nuclear-armed rivals — Pakistan and India — and seek to end the ongoing genocide in the horn of Africa and Zimbabwe. The centuries old Israeli-Palestinian conflict can explode at any time, as recent events have shown, exacerbating tensions throughout the Middle East. The rogue nation of Iran is building up its nuclear capabilities – endangering the entire world.
“We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger, and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you... To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the west – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
~President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address
Energy
President Obama has pledged to develop alternative energy and fuel-efficient vehicles, creating millions of "green jobs." He also favors a cap-and-trade policy for greenhouse gases, which could have a major impact on industrial activity. Oil and natural gas production are falling and, by all accounts, will fall more sharply in the coming year. With energy futures well off their highs, and the economy in a deep recession, Obama’s plans may not be possible, at least for the near future.
Trade
During the Democratic primary, Obama promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Even if he doesn't actively push for trade barriers, many in Congress will. There has been strong support for tariffs on Chinese goods because of the undervalued yuan.
Even if Congress largely refrains from protectionist moves, the same may not be true of other nations. Already, Russia is hiking tariffs on imported cars and poultry. Argentina and Brazil are pushing to raise tariffs on textiles, wine and leather goods, while Indonesia is increasing import restrictions on over 500 products. The global downturn will likely cause other governments to adopt similar measures which will actually slow economies even more.
A patient public
According to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll, though, Americans are confident he can turn the economy around but are prepared to give him years to deal with the aggregation of problems he faces. While hopes for the new president are extraordinarily high, the poll found expectations for what Obama will actually be able to accomplish have been tempered by the enormity of the nation’s problems. Even though the campaign generated wonderful enthusiasm and high hopes for change, most Americans now say they expect progress to be slow in improving the economy, reforming the health care system, and ending the war in Iraq. Most citizens realize that it will take years to undo the mess that the previous administration created.
President Obama is facing an extraordinarily difficult four years. Although his stature with the American public appears to be high, this optimism brings great expectations. The danger is that the burden of great expectations could be the very undoing of the Obama presidency. The public has placed him on a very high pedestal from which he could take a nasty tumble.
I would not want to, could not ever, walk in his shoes.
“We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals ... Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.”
~President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address
Whatever President Obama achieves or does not achieve in the next four years, he has already changed the tone in America. People of all races are smiling more toward each other, are being more pleasant toward one another. There is joyfulness floating through the air, not just in this country, but all over the world.
America, and the world, living without an imaginative political leadership for too long, desperately wants Obama to succeed. We want him to lead the world out of the worst financial crisis and recession since the 1930s, to bring the troops home from Iraq, and to commit more troops to Afghanistan in order to defeat Al-Qaeda and the Taliban insurgency. Above all, we want President Obama to restore the United States in the eyes of the world as a beacon of democracy and liberty and justice for all.
So, I will say what many of you may be thinking: I wouldn’t want his job – couldn’t walk in his shoes – and I am fervently praying for God to guide him in his endeavor to make a world turned upside down and inside out, upright again. I pray for his success.
Here are the enormous problems he is facing:
Recession
The Bush administration finally admitted in December that the U.S. recession began a year earlier (in December 2007) and will probably extend well beyond 2009. Obama takes over a country in the midst of an ever deepening recession, with the Treasury Department and Fed still trying to repair an historic financial meltdown. For some people, 2008 was a year of financial ruin due to banks that failed, stock markets that crashed worldwide, property prices that fell, and jobs that disappeared with the resulting increase of the uninsured.
These economic woes have forced consumers to cut back. Consumers aren't spending, banks aren't lending, and factories are closing. The huge job losses are sure to continue. Many forecasters expect unemployment to hit 8.5% by midyear and over 10% by the end of the year. These numbers do not include the unemployed who once they no longer receive unemployment compensation are purged from the rolls. They also do not include the millions of underemployed workers. Long after the recession and credit crunch fade, consumers may remain more conservative in saving more and spending less – which will actually make it harder for the government to get the economy out of the hole since our economy is driven by consumerism.
The recession is too deep and has run too long for there to be a quick fix. The Obama team is planning sweeping steps to curb foreclosures and save the financial sector. If carried out quickly, such moves could give the economy a boost by late 2009. Then again, it might not, due to banks and investment firms being in much worse shape than originally stated. The recession is feeding on itself, spiraling downward, possibly too entrenched now for anyone to stop it. And this stimulus package of up to $850 billion will cause the 2009 budget deficit to balloon to $1.2 trillion. So, once the economy is stabilized, we will all have to tighten our belts and be willing to pay higher taxes to pay off the deficit now instead of passing it on to our children and grandchildren.
Health Care
In 2007, 45.7 million people in the U.S. (15.3% of the population) were without health insurance for at least part of the year. In 2000, our health care system was ranked by the World Health Organization as the first in responsiveness, but highest in cost, 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health of its citizens among 191 nations. The U.S. is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have universal health care for all citizens. Seniors must spend a much higher percentage of their income for healthcare than in any other industrialized nation.
President Obama believes that people have a fundamental right to have health care. Hopefully he can get the insurance companies and the Republicans onboard and put together a national healthcare plan that will satisfy the majority while covering everyone and bring cost down – a tall order indeed.
Global Issues
Terrorists: Obama becomes commander in chief of U.S. forces as America wages war in Iraq and Afghanistan, continues its pursuit of Al-Quaida and other terror groups, and tries to convince Iran to end its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
“As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.”
~President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address
Russia: Under Vladimir Putin, Russia remains eager to use its energy supplies as a weapon — as its New Year's Eve natural gas cutoff to Ukraine shows. Putin has also talked of creating an OPEC-like natural gas cartel. Meanwhile, he's using Russia's energy wealth to sharply boost defense spending, including building 70 new-generation nuclear missiles. Putin's attempt to restore Russia as a major player in world affairs will test Obama's skills.
China: Not only will Obama have to deal with a China that holds title to some $1.6 trillion in U.S. bonds, but a China that is set on becoming a great global power. As China builds a navy that someday may challenge U.S. supremacy on the high seas, Obama might find his diplomatic talents sorely tried.
Losing demand for its products as the global growth engine sputters, China’s industrial production has dropped, with thousands of toy factories shut down last year. Officially, China expects 8% GDP growth in 2009, but some economists say China may only grow 5% this year, with rising unemployment that could lead to social unrest.
China is now the largest holder of U.S. Treasuries, helping to finance America's soaring federal deficit. If China cut its Treasury holdings to pay for its own domestic programs, U.S. borrowing rates could surge and the dollar could tumble, sending the global financial system spiraling downward once again.
Other parts of the world: We also have had recent reminders that the world has many long-term festering problems that desperately need visionary changes to American foreign policy. The new administration will have to juggle its ties to two nuclear-armed rivals — Pakistan and India — and seek to end the ongoing genocide in the horn of Africa and Zimbabwe. The centuries old Israeli-Palestinian conflict can explode at any time, as recent events have shown, exacerbating tensions throughout the Middle East. The rogue nation of Iran is building up its nuclear capabilities – endangering the entire world.
“We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger, and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you... To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the west – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
~President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address
Energy
President Obama has pledged to develop alternative energy and fuel-efficient vehicles, creating millions of "green jobs." He also favors a cap-and-trade policy for greenhouse gases, which could have a major impact on industrial activity. Oil and natural gas production are falling and, by all accounts, will fall more sharply in the coming year. With energy futures well off their highs, and the economy in a deep recession, Obama’s plans may not be possible, at least for the near future.
Trade
During the Democratic primary, Obama promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Even if he doesn't actively push for trade barriers, many in Congress will. There has been strong support for tariffs on Chinese goods because of the undervalued yuan.
Even if Congress largely refrains from protectionist moves, the same may not be true of other nations. Already, Russia is hiking tariffs on imported cars and poultry. Argentina and Brazil are pushing to raise tariffs on textiles, wine and leather goods, while Indonesia is increasing import restrictions on over 500 products. The global downturn will likely cause other governments to adopt similar measures which will actually slow economies even more.
A patient public
According to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll, though, Americans are confident he can turn the economy around but are prepared to give him years to deal with the aggregation of problems he faces. While hopes for the new president are extraordinarily high, the poll found expectations for what Obama will actually be able to accomplish have been tempered by the enormity of the nation’s problems. Even though the campaign generated wonderful enthusiasm and high hopes for change, most Americans now say they expect progress to be slow in improving the economy, reforming the health care system, and ending the war in Iraq. Most citizens realize that it will take years to undo the mess that the previous administration created.
President Obama is facing an extraordinarily difficult four years. Although his stature with the American public appears to be high, this optimism brings great expectations. The danger is that the burden of great expectations could be the very undoing of the Obama presidency. The public has placed him on a very high pedestal from which he could take a nasty tumble.
I would not want to, could not ever, walk in his shoes.
Monday, January 12, 2009
No – we are not all Hamas now
Marchers in the streets of Europe and the US chant, “We are all Hamas now.” They feel pity for the Palestinian civilians who are being maimed and killed due to the new Israeli-Hamas war. I feel sorry for the innocents, too, but where have these marchers been for the past many years while Hamas, working from within Gaza, sent thousands of missiles into Israel, aiming at schools, homes, and hospitals? Where have these marchers been while Hamas sent suicide bombers into Israeli shopping malls and restaurants, and onto buses full of Israeli children?
Virtually every aspect of Hamas’ operations is illegal under international humanitarian law. They have committed horrendous war crimes, yet the U.N. reserves its accusations of war crimes for the Israelis.
The Israelis have been attacked from every piece of land that they have returned, after acquiring the land through wars that were instigated by its Arab neighbors. They have forcibly removed their own settlers from Gaza and West Bank and have done everything they can to live in peace. In return, they have asked the Palestinians to recognize Israel’s right to exist and be allowed to live in peace.
D. Lawson, a correspondent with the UK Times, reports that he was recently in the town of Sderot, Israel, which is just across the border from Gaza, talking to an Israeli nurse whose home had been hit by one of the thousands of Qassam missiles that have been fired by Hamas into Israel over the past few years – ever since Israel withdrew from Gaza. She has shrapnel lodged, irremovably, just below her brain. These missiles have been fired into Israel in defiance of the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel.
Lawson writes: “The nurse said she constantly tells her four-year-old son, who was also injured, that “there are so many good people in Gaza who are not trying to kill us”. Her anger was principally against her own government: “The day Israel withdrew from Gaza, I knew it was a terrible idea, I knew we would be a target. And I know my Arab friends will suffer when the IDF [Israel Defense Force] goes back into Gaza.”
...All the same, even the majority of those Israelis who passionately believe that the Palestinians should have their own state, and that the West Bank should be handed over to them, are convinced there was no choice for their government but to act as it has over the past fortnight. These Israelis were bitterly opposed to the military campaigns against Lebanon, but see this [Gaza] campaign as much closer to the spirit of the six-day war and the Yom Kippur war. “Ein brera”, they tell me, which is Hebrew for “no choice.”
It was no longer just Sderot which was taking hits from the Qassams, and where parents would not let their children play outdoors. The Iranian-supplied Hamas ordnance was becoming ever wider in its range. Ashkelon (which incidentally supplies all of Gaza’s electricity) and even the city of Be’er-sheva are now reachable targets, and more than 800,000 Israelis are potential victims.”
The Israeli response has been described by some as disproportionate because the consequences for the people of Gaza is far worse, in numbers of innocent dead, and more intense than anything the people of Israel have recently suffered. But Hamas targets civilians on purpose and with open expressions of bloodthirsty delight when successful. Hamas deploys suicide bombers, including women and children, and rigs up schools and houses with booby-trap explosives.
If Israel had no regard for civilian lives, it would not shower leaflets from planes and make telephone calls to residents in Gaza to warn them ahead of time that an attack is about to commence in their area because this also gives Hamas notice. This is not the act of an army devoted to military victory at all costs. The Israeli Army’s commitment to a daily three-hour one-sided ceasefire to permit the evacuation of casualties, and for the passage of humanitarian aid, during which time Hamas continues to fire their missiles into Israel. It also gives Hamas time to regroup and redeploy for future attacks.
There are people who cite the Lebanon war of 2006 as a terrible precedent because it left Hezbollah unconquered and elevated in prestige among many Arabs. It seems that few have noticed that since that campaign no Hezbollah missiles have been fired on northern Israel. In fact, when three rockets were recently fired from Lebanon, Hezbollah rushed to reassure the Israeli government that it was not involved and that the rockets were not the sort it even possessed.
Like the war with the Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Israeli attack on Gaza is sad but necessary. If the process towards an independent Palestinian state is to have any kind of future, the terrorist groups among the Palestinians, such as Hamas, must stop their terrorist acts and declare Israel’s right to exist. Until the people of Israel believe that a Palestinian state – including the heights of the West Bank, which overlook Tel Aviv – is not a threat to their own existence, the battles will continue to take the lives of innocents caught in the middle.
Hamas knew that a continuous firing of missiles into Israel would eventually lead to retaliation which would, in turn, lead to Palestinian civilian casualties. It’s what they want – so that they can say Israel is evil. If I had been the leader of Israel, and Hamas had fired the first Qassam missile into my country, into my home or the home of my neighbor, I would not have waited two or three years to see if the “talks” were successful while thousands of missiles were fired upon my people; I would have suspended “talks,” sent troops in to destroy Hamas, and reoccupied Gaza immediately.
The nations of the world should have never cut off aid to the Palestinians because it made them vulnerable to Hamas. But the people of Gaza are not totally innocent in this situation since they elected Hamas as their government instead of the Palestinian Authority. They elected Hamas, a terrorist group, because Hamas gave them food, medicine, and clothing when the rest of the world did not. It is time for Gazans to reject Hamas, and re-elect the Palestinian Authority, the legitimate authority, who has recognized Israel and wants peace.
None of these arguments seem to penetrate the dense brains of the idiots in Europe and the US who hold marches in the street while chanting, “We are all Hamas now.” These people are evidently not informed that Hamas has legalized crucifixion as a punishment for those who “weaken the spirit of the people” (passing this law on Christmas Eve), and have been shooting political enemies in the head when they find them lying in hospitals conveniently injured by Israeli bombing raids.
No, we are not all Hamas now. If there is to be no peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors, then I take the side of Israel – as does the majority in my country.
Virtually every aspect of Hamas’ operations is illegal under international humanitarian law. They have committed horrendous war crimes, yet the U.N. reserves its accusations of war crimes for the Israelis.
The Israelis have been attacked from every piece of land that they have returned, after acquiring the land through wars that were instigated by its Arab neighbors. They have forcibly removed their own settlers from Gaza and West Bank and have done everything they can to live in peace. In return, they have asked the Palestinians to recognize Israel’s right to exist and be allowed to live in peace.
D. Lawson, a correspondent with the UK Times, reports that he was recently in the town of Sderot, Israel, which is just across the border from Gaza, talking to an Israeli nurse whose home had been hit by one of the thousands of Qassam missiles that have been fired by Hamas into Israel over the past few years – ever since Israel withdrew from Gaza. She has shrapnel lodged, irremovably, just below her brain. These missiles have been fired into Israel in defiance of the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel.
Lawson writes: “The nurse said she constantly tells her four-year-old son, who was also injured, that “there are so many good people in Gaza who are not trying to kill us”. Her anger was principally against her own government: “The day Israel withdrew from Gaza, I knew it was a terrible idea, I knew we would be a target. And I know my Arab friends will suffer when the IDF [Israel Defense Force] goes back into Gaza.”
...All the same, even the majority of those Israelis who passionately believe that the Palestinians should have their own state, and that the West Bank should be handed over to them, are convinced there was no choice for their government but to act as it has over the past fortnight. These Israelis were bitterly opposed to the military campaigns against Lebanon, but see this [Gaza] campaign as much closer to the spirit of the six-day war and the Yom Kippur war. “Ein brera”, they tell me, which is Hebrew for “no choice.”
It was no longer just Sderot which was taking hits from the Qassams, and where parents would not let their children play outdoors. The Iranian-supplied Hamas ordnance was becoming ever wider in its range. Ashkelon (which incidentally supplies all of Gaza’s electricity) and even the city of Be’er-sheva are now reachable targets, and more than 800,000 Israelis are potential victims.”
The Israeli response has been described by some as disproportionate because the consequences for the people of Gaza is far worse, in numbers of innocent dead, and more intense than anything the people of Israel have recently suffered. But Hamas targets civilians on purpose and with open expressions of bloodthirsty delight when successful. Hamas deploys suicide bombers, including women and children, and rigs up schools and houses with booby-trap explosives.
If Israel had no regard for civilian lives, it would not shower leaflets from planes and make telephone calls to residents in Gaza to warn them ahead of time that an attack is about to commence in their area because this also gives Hamas notice. This is not the act of an army devoted to military victory at all costs. The Israeli Army’s commitment to a daily three-hour one-sided ceasefire to permit the evacuation of casualties, and for the passage of humanitarian aid, during which time Hamas continues to fire their missiles into Israel. It also gives Hamas time to regroup and redeploy for future attacks.
There are people who cite the Lebanon war of 2006 as a terrible precedent because it left Hezbollah unconquered and elevated in prestige among many Arabs. It seems that few have noticed that since that campaign no Hezbollah missiles have been fired on northern Israel. In fact, when three rockets were recently fired from Lebanon, Hezbollah rushed to reassure the Israeli government that it was not involved and that the rockets were not the sort it even possessed.
Like the war with the Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Israeli attack on Gaza is sad but necessary. If the process towards an independent Palestinian state is to have any kind of future, the terrorist groups among the Palestinians, such as Hamas, must stop their terrorist acts and declare Israel’s right to exist. Until the people of Israel believe that a Palestinian state – including the heights of the West Bank, which overlook Tel Aviv – is not a threat to their own existence, the battles will continue to take the lives of innocents caught in the middle.
Hamas knew that a continuous firing of missiles into Israel would eventually lead to retaliation which would, in turn, lead to Palestinian civilian casualties. It’s what they want – so that they can say Israel is evil. If I had been the leader of Israel, and Hamas had fired the first Qassam missile into my country, into my home or the home of my neighbor, I would not have waited two or three years to see if the “talks” were successful while thousands of missiles were fired upon my people; I would have suspended “talks,” sent troops in to destroy Hamas, and reoccupied Gaza immediately.
The nations of the world should have never cut off aid to the Palestinians because it made them vulnerable to Hamas. But the people of Gaza are not totally innocent in this situation since they elected Hamas as their government instead of the Palestinian Authority. They elected Hamas, a terrorist group, because Hamas gave them food, medicine, and clothing when the rest of the world did not. It is time for Gazans to reject Hamas, and re-elect the Palestinian Authority, the legitimate authority, who has recognized Israel and wants peace.
None of these arguments seem to penetrate the dense brains of the idiots in Europe and the US who hold marches in the street while chanting, “We are all Hamas now.” These people are evidently not informed that Hamas has legalized crucifixion as a punishment for those who “weaken the spirit of the people” (passing this law on Christmas Eve), and have been shooting political enemies in the head when they find them lying in hospitals conveniently injured by Israeli bombing raids.
No, we are not all Hamas now. If there is to be no peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors, then I take the side of Israel – as does the majority in my country.
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