I think that it’s naive to think that the USA or George Bush is isolated from most other governments in regard to their positions on this issue.

I wonder what everyone thinks is going on behind the scenes, with the UN Security Council for example, and why? It should be clear that government spokesmen deliver sound bites designed to appease their populaces while government to government, the talk is very different. Why?

Libya tabled the first draft resolution to the Security Council but as no mention at all was even made of Hamas it wasn’t taken seriously. But two days ago the Palestinians drafted another draft resolution which started with a condemnation of Israeli aggression. This was also rejected by the UK as well as the US (of course) and others. Does anyone here think that the PA didn’t know what they were doing? Clearly they were stalling to give Israel’s military operation more time. Practically all members of the Security Council have taken the same line. Let’s face it, most sane governments are quite clear that Hamas are a homicidal and dangerous organisation and they want them severely weakened. They know that no long term peace in the region is possible without a diminished Hamas. Furthermore, they are quite aware that Israel will perform this function in the most humane way possible (and of course they’re happy to let Israel carry the can) – given that all war is awful and that accidents and civilian casualties are inevitable, particularly since Hamas has stated that it worships death like Israel and the West worship life and uses civilians as shields and dead children as propaganda tools.

Make no mistake, the nations of the world (by and large) want to act as ‘referees’ but are pretty clear that they are happy for the ‘game’ to have taken place.

Is targeting a school knowing full well you’ll be killing innocent children acceptable?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXEx_sfjkJw&feature=dir

As Jonathan Freedland points out today in the Guardian, Gaza will now be ungovernable. Which should not please the Israelis, because it will turn into abnother Somalia, with warlords controlling small areas.

Next you’ll be saying the Palestinians are deliberately trying to get killed as much as possible to make Israel look bad, and that Israel was suckered into fighting the war in the first place.

Sorry I was mistaken. No videos of this incident have been released to my knowledge. I misread The IDF released a video taken by a UAV last week showing terrorists firing mortar shells from right outside the school.

I’m very tired.

Are you sure someone isn’t deceiving you? There is an old trick, where you make the lie big enough, tell it often enough and it becomes the established truth.

Do you have access to this video?

Just stop saving us from ourselves, why don’t you?

I’m not ‘saving’ anyone, it’s called moderation. And frankly with some of your erratic comments of late it’s much needed.

You know that most regular commentators, including your good self, can take idiots apart.

Have a little faith in us.

There has not been an idiot that has come here that has not been told where to go…

There is something, sadly, enjoyable, in seeing an idiot shown off by us, rather than by dictat.

Us, including you.

You know you can do it.

I wish Israel were smart enough not to take the bait.

I don’t, quite, understand why you and I are not bet mates. I understand why you might want to say this:

A number of them will try and skewer discussion here with inflammatory posts, it’s better to recognise what’s going on than get drawn into these idiots bullshit. Just thought I’d point that out before it gets stupid…

Of course we recognise what is going on. We are not stupid.

I think.

Correct me if I am wrong.

There is not a regular commentator on here that cannot take a stupid question or opinion apart.

You do it, ffs. As do all my friends on here….

One day

we shall surely kiss

the cheeks of seasons

All earth will then become

a newspaper

and it will carry the news

of so many happenings

one day

Yup!

Respect to you and your friend’s memory, a true poet.

I am frightened of newspapers these days

frightened

that there must be in them

somewhere

the news

that nothing has happened

You perhaps do not know

- or maybe you do -

how terrifying it is when nothing happens

when your eyes wait with baited breath

and all lies passive

like a cold woman

Even the talk of people in the village assembly

seems like a serpent

holding in its paralyzing clutch

the tree

that would sway in freedom

I am afraid

this world which looks abandoned and incomplete

like an assembly of vacant chairs

must be thinking how ridiculous we are

What a shame

that even after centuries

bread, work and death should think

we live only for them

I do not know how I should explain

to shy mornings and rallying nights

and to gentle evenings

that we have not come here to be greeted with a salute

from them

and that there is nothing to embrace

between equals

when one stands at arm’s length

from arms outstretched for an embrace

Even accidents arrive nowadays

like panting old men

on whores’ staircases

Why isn’t there anything

these days

like the first meeting

with one’s first love?

This country

the creation of great souls

- how long, after all, will it escape

the horned fiend of death?

When, at last, shall we return

to our homes

that happen to be

like happenings –

we

the exiles from life’s humble noises?

When shall we, at last, sit

around the smoke from smoldering fires

and listen

to the proud fire’s tales?

One day

we shall surely kiss

the cheeks of seasons

All earth will then become

a newspaper

and it will carry the news

of so many happenings

one day

—–

I agree, let the trolls in their dirty macs flash away. They only expose themselves to ridicule and give us a measure of how poor the debate is on the shores of HP.

As for Morgoth, he should most definitely be here. I would consider it therapy he doesn’t know he needs.

Every dead child is terrible, and avoidable. If Hamas just stop the rockets…

There is not a person on here that can’t stand up for themselves.

I should clarify that because I think you’ve missed my point. I know people can, my point is we’re getting a higher than usual level of trollish commenter’s with a smattering of bigoted idiots and the usual defend Israel at any cost types (amongst others).

A number of them will try and skewer discussion here with inflammatory posts, it’s better to recognise what’s going on than get drawn into these idiots bullshit. Just thought I’d point that out before it gets stupid…

I’m all for the community (and that includes the reasonable and respected ‘pro’ Israel regulars) looking after itself.;)