Comments on: Comments on 18914

Post number 18914

specialk420 — Sun, 04 Aug 2002 21:46:35 -0800

Israel weighs response to attacks after the strike on the hamas leader and the collateral damage caused in that attack - a friend of mine and i discussed that it seemed like the people who should be most upset were the relatives and friends of the as of yet undead/injured in the next retaliatory attack... when is the senselessness of the cycle of violence going become clear?

By: timyang

timyang — Sun, 04 Aug 2002 23:40:16 -0800

Sharon: "Ok, who's in favour of a retaliatory strike on the West Bank for the last bus bombing, raise your hand. [raises hand] Hmmm. Let's see, 12 million to one.... I WIIIINNN!!!!!"

By: owillis

owillis — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 00:51:56 -0800

when is the senselessness of the cycle of violence going become clear? Look, I'm going to assume you earnestly believe this - but for someone to make a totally dispassionate decision in a case like this is not only unbelievable -- it just ain't human. Does Israel have the higher moral burden to not target civilians? Yes. Does Israel have a right to defend itself against terrorists? Yes.

By: Bixby23

Bixby23 — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 02:08:46 -0800

"The bombing flew in the face of increased military action in the West Bank, which Israel said was to deter future attacks." Much of this article can indeed get one thinking about cycles of violence, how nonsensical they are, and why the participating sides seemingly fail to see the futility of blowing more people up. I am gratified by the inordinate number of passive verbs and what I would call sanitary words used to describe killing & violence in this article, though. One could argue that they are just a mechanism for masking the true horror of what's happening (and it would be hard to argue that they don't do that), but I think they also hint at how unpalatable the quoted speakers and the writer find this topic. Just to talk about it in rational terms requires a special language.

By: Postroad

Postroad — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 03:40:10 -0800

I pass.

By: sgt.serenity

sgt.serenity — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 04:27:50 -0800

what postroad said.

By: adampsyche

adampsyche — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 05:10:03 -0800

what sgt.serenity said.

By: ninthart

ninthart — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 05:17:36 -0800

History shows that 'never' would be the most likely answer, unfortunately. In other words, what adampsyche said.

By: sic

sic — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 05:22:34 -0800

well I don´t pass. I think that Sharon's endgame has only ever had one aim: the eradication of not only the palestinian state, but also the palestinian people. I think that he sees the damage that the suicide attacks of the palestinian freedom fighters cause to his own people as acceptable if he achieves his goal in the end. And yes one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

By: crunchland

crunchland — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 05:23:06 -0800

what adampsyche said.

By: timyang

timyang — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 08:49:58 -0800

I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. That's the only way to be sure.

By: thirteen

thirteen — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 10:03:37 -0800

What sic said.

By: specialk420

specialk420 — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 11:02:24 -0800

i highly recommend last weeks program of "This american life" - www.thislife.org . not yet posted via real audio but worth a listen when it is. the vitrolic statements by the 15 year jewish settler from the US are startling. apologies for the poor syntax in the FPP.

By: Perigee

Perigee — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 11:17:34 -0800

It's a couple more Israelis out of the vey.

By: ParisParamus

ParisParamus — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 11:27:10 -0800

I think the Israelis are on the right course. It may just take some time before it proves effective. Take out a dozen or more Hamas leaders; let Arafat die of natural causes, and things will simmer down. You have to remember that Israel, from the time of Oslo, until about 6 months ago, was acting as if the Palestinians were the Swiss or Belgians. The munitions and explosives which got into the territories were, obviously vast in quantity. So lets give it some time.

By: beth

beth — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 11:47:37 -0800

Killing begets killing. No offense, but "duh" on this one to any student of history (even a casual one like me). When the last people willing to kill die off, then and only then will there be peace. Unless they by some miracle learn their lessons before then... (don't hold your breath). I feel sorry for the Palestinians. They're basically backed into a corner where they have nothing to lose. It's not really that surprising that their tactics are so vicious and bloody, considering that. Few entities are as dangerous as those which have nothing left to lose.

By: inpHilltr8r

inpHilltr8r — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 12:01:13 -0800

So lets give it some time. So all you are saying, is give war a chance? [runs & hides]

By: ParisParamus

ParisParamus — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 12:03:03 -0800

Yes. Give war a chance. (Also, John Lennon was a musical genius, but a political dick.)

By: black8

black8 — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 12:40:08 -0800

what timyang said.

By: vbfg

vbfg — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 13:30:44 -0800

Define victory as peace. Confront an enemy that doesn't want you to have victory under any circumstances. Hilarity ensues. Define victory as the return of lands the other side is living on. Confront an enemy that doesn't want you to have victory under any circumstances. Hilarity ensues. Post to Metafilter about Israel / Palestine. Paris posts. ...

By: ParisParamus

ParisParamus — Mon, 05 Aug 2002 13:34:13 -0800

We now have peace with Japan. And Germany. We also have peace in the Bronx (largely). Israel sort of has peace with Egypt. And Jordan. Nice Haiku, by the way.