The Israeli-launched "Operation Cast Lead" reminds me of the Second Seminole War of 1837-1842 in its existential dimensions. We know how that one ended eventually -- with the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida acquiring the Hard Rock Cafe chain in 2006. Seminoles still abide in Florida, along with Miami and Disney World.
Israel has nowhere like Oklahoma (aka Indian Territory) to remove many Palestinians to via a Trail of Tears. They will have to cut a deal right in Gaza, right in the West Bank. They will not destroy Hamas. The best approaches are political ones, and economic revitalization. Maybe there will be casinos there, too, one day, only with an Islamic tinge.
Here's to the Obama Administration doing better than the Bush-Cheney people. Jimmy Carter managed to help broker a sort of peace between Egypt and Israel, and Obama is undoubtedly aiming to do the same on a more comprehensive scale once he takes office. Which the Israelis obviously realize, given the timing of this military "operation."
Hamas wins 1) if they can still lob rockets on the last day of fighting; 2) more than one hundred Israelis are killed during this window of warring (as of this post, five Israeli soldiers have been killed) 3) Hamas survives as a political entity. My prediction: Hamas achieves at least two out of three of these.
Today's Rune: Warrior.
5 comments:
Israel is getting in some last licks eh?
In reading the Jerusalem Post yesterday and especially the editorial "No Apology to the World" I don't believe that the Israeli's intend to leave anything of Hamas.
I get the impression that if they felt they could do it they would further section off the land and make the entire of the place controlled by Abbas a series of concentration camps where they could control every aspect of Palestinian life.
What bothers me is that Hamas was elected in what all the world sees as fair elections, yet them who don't agree with the vote set out from the outset to destroy them elected in the democratic process they had worked to institute.
This does not bode well for anywhere that people vote in a government contrary to the availing opinion of the powerful.
Their 1982 and 2006 invasions of Lebanon were abject failures. Political problems require political solutions. On the other hand, it's hard to empathize with or respect a group that's lobbed ten thousand missiles at civilians.
Check the New York Times. They're reporting Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton dead at the age of 60.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/01/06/arts/AP-Obit-Ron-Asheton.html
I think you're probably right in those assessments of Hamas wins. "Interesting" times.
Erik, some correction here, the number of killed in Israel since Deecember 26 is 8, incluing 4 army men. As for what happened to Native Americans (as thats what I like to call them rather than what Hollywood portrays then as evil red Indians) correct me if im wrong, but I think that's why the US government find it hard to abject Israel's actions agianst the Palestinians, as almost the same happened to Native Americans.
Israel is a bully acting on its own, not caring about the world calls to end the violence and not to target civilians, its blocking media to enter the strip and refusing UN organizations and EU monitors to enter and see what is happening there since the US and some Arab regimes have given it the green light. I know that neither Hamas or Israel will win this war, no one wins in wars, the only victims are the people! dont know what to say!
Post a Comment