TEL AVIV -- Israeli combat jets and helicopters targeted Hamas security compounds across the Gaza Strip Saturday in a massive and bloody aerial assault, a move that Israeli officials characterized as the start of an open-ended offensive against the Islamic militant group.

 

Hamas officials claimed at least 200 dead and hundreds others injured in the attack, suggesting the highest one-day Palestinian death toll in years. It was impossible to verify those numbers.

 

Israeli officials had vowed to retaliate against dozens of rocket attacks into Israel from Gaza in recent days. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israelis should be prepared for a prolonged confrontation.

 

"We won't allow terror to hit our citizens. The time to fight has arrived," Mr. Barak said at a press conference Saturday afternoon in Tel Aviv. The purpose of the operation is to deliver "a heavy blow to Hamas, and to change the situation from its foundation," he said.

 

 

Hamas threatened to unleash "hell" to avenge the dead, including possible suicide bombings inside Israel.

Hamas is just like the punks in the schoolyard that won't quit pestering innocent people until somebody knocks them on their butt and dares them to get back up.

 

They started it, Israel needs to finish it.

 

I'm tired of all this Kumbaya crap for people who strap explosives to their own children and send them off to do the dirty work.

Hamas is just like the punks in the schoolyard that won't quit pestering innocent people until somebody knocks them on their butt and dares them to get back up.

 

They started it, Israel needs to finish it.

 

I'm tired of all this Kumbaya crap for people who strap explosives to their own children and send them off to do the dirty work.

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Hamas is just like the punks in the schoolyard that won't quit pestering innocent people until somebody knocks them on their butt and dares them to get back up.

 

They started it, Israel needs to finish it.

 

I'm tired of all this Kumbaya crap for people who strap explosives to their own children and send them off to do the dirty work.

 

Amen.

Charles Krauthammer states in his article in the Ky. Enquirer that Hamas over the last 3 years has launched 6,464 missles into Israel. No wonder Israel is on the attack.

If I were Israeli I would make the worlds largest parking lot. The only why to stop a group like Hamas is to kill em all.

cch5432 is in Israel right now.

If I were Israeli I would make the worlds largest parking lot. The only why to stop a group like Hamas is to kill em all.

 

 

I'm truely hoping there's another alternative. There are a lot of innocent people living in Gaza, the true "no-man's land". There were interviews last night on our local TV news, and even a Rabbi from Israel felt that Israel was being too forceful. He didn't say force wasn't needed, but not to this degree. There has to be a better long-term solution than killing everyone in Gaza. Many of those people are NOT terrorists, NOT Hamas, NOT concerned with anything more than living their lives, hopefully peacefully.

 

The US should NOT support Israel in unchecked retaliation. I'm all for supporting Israel, but not blindly. We need to think carefully about our support, as well as our role in a short-term cease fire, as well as in negotiating a longer-term peace resolution.

cch5432 is in Israel right now.

 

 

Have you heard from him lately? I hope he's OK. It's my understanding that the attacks by Hamas on Israel have really only penetrated the areas closest to the border.

 

FWIW, I saw some footage of the destruction in Gaza, and it breaks my heart at the destruction of historic buildings/Mosques that's being done. I know no one cares, but it's truely history that's being destroyed there.

The US should NOT support Israel in unchecked retaliation. I'm all for supporting Israel, but not blindly. We need to think carefully about our support, as well as our role in a short-term cease fire, as well as in negotiating a longer-term peace resolution.

Believe it or not, I genuinely detest violence. I will be first in line to sign up for true and lasting peace. Apart from a passionate pursuit of God, I can think of no greater goal for humanity. Unfortunately, on earth, peace without strength is virtually imppossible.

 

The concept of live and let live is despised by some. If these clowns were encamped ten miles from your home, and were lobbing bombs and missles upon you, your children, your friends and neighbors, I have to believe you would be inclined to stop the rampant destruction and killing of your innocent people first and then consider negotiating with them second.

 

It's real easy to sound philosophical and loving halfway around the world... but if one of the leaders of Hamas, sworn to your destruction and pledged to use every resource at his disposal to ensure your demise is willing to strap a bomb on his own son and send him to detonate next to your children, I cannot believe any human could take such mindless aggression passively.

 

The fact that Hamas pursues such actions repeatedly, indicates that all previous efforts have been ineffective... including all negotiations.

 

Stop them decisively, and then try to talk sense to the survivors to aviod such meaningless waste of life in the future.

Believe it or not, I genuinely detest violence. I will be first in line to sign up for true and lasting peace. Apart from a passionate pursuit of God, I can think of no greater goal for humanity. Unfortunately, on earth, peace without strength is virtually imppossible.

 

The concept of live and let live is despised by some. If these clowns were encamped ten miles from your home, and were lobbing bombs and missles upon you, your children, your friends and neighbors, I have to believe you would be inclined to stop the rampant destruction and killing of your innocent people first and then consider negotiating with them second.

 

It's real easy to sound philosophical and loving halfway around the world... but if one of the leaders of Hamas, sworn to your destruction and pledged to use every resource at his disposal to ensure your demise is willing to strap a bomb on his own son and send him to detonate next to your children, I cannot believe any human could take such mindless aggression passively.

 

The fact that Hamas pursues such actions repeatedly, indicates that all previous efforts have been ineffective... including all negotiations.

 

Stop them decisively, and then try to talk sense to the survivors to aviod such meaningless waste of life in the future.

 

Where did you come from, you've been gone for ages.

Believe it or not, I genuinely detest violence. I will be first in line to sign up for true and lasting peace. Apart from a passionate pursuit of God, I can think of no greater goal for humanity. Unfortunately, on earth, peace without strength is virtually imppossible.

 

The concept of live and let live is despised by some. If these clowns were encamped ten miles from your home, and were lobbing bombs and missles upon you, your children, your friends and neighbors, I have to believe you would be inclined to stop the rampant destruction and killing of your innocent people first and then consider negotiating with them second.

 

It's real easy to sound philosophical and loving halfway around the world... but if one of the leaders of Hamas, sworn to your destruction and pledged to use every resource at his disposal to ensure your demise is willing to strap a bomb on his own son and send him to detonate next to your children, I cannot believe any human could take such mindless aggression passively.

 

The fact that Hamas pursues such actions repeatedly, indicates that all previous efforts have been ineffective... including all negotiations.

 

Stop them decisively, and then try to talk sense to the survivors to aviod such meaningless waste of life in the future.

 

Historically speaking, how often has that really produced a lasting peace anywhere?

 

Violence, particularly violence that is indiscriminate, begats more violence. Particularly when the count is probably closer to 5 to 1 casualties for the Palestinians vs. the Israelis.

 

In this case Israel has seemingly attempted and targeting the places where they feel the terrorist activity is perpetrated or supported.

Historically speaking, how often has that really produced a lasting peace anywhere?

I guess it all depends upon what you define as "lasting" peace.

 

I'd say the past 60 years have been pretty peaceful between the U.S. - Japan, Germany and Italy.

 

Of course it required the total crushing of their ability and willingness to wage war before we could safely call them allies. We had no "smart" bombs at that time. We nuked and firebombed entire cities. I realize that a lot of compassioate revisionists now look back and consider our actions in 1945 as heavyhanded. The fact is, those blankety-blanks started it. They attacked us, and if we didn't respond definitively they were going to take us over.

 

Vietnam and the Korean conflict have clouded the moral clarity this great nation once understood fully.

 

If you examine the histories of Japan and Germany it could be argued that the best thing that could have happened to them was getting defeated by the U.S. The most compassionate victors at war in the history of the world.

 

As far as Hamas or any other aggressor, where does it say that both armies in a war have to be equally armed? Why should we feel sorry for the idiot with a peashooter picking a fight with guys with slingshots?

 

Violence, particularly violence that is indiscriminate, begats more violence. Particularly when the count is probably closer to 5 to 1 casualties for the Palestinians vs. the Israelis.

One would think that the idiots insisting upon picking fights by lobbing missles at the Israelis would eventually conclude that they are pursuing a foolish plan. Maybe if the count climbs to 10 to 1, or 20 to 1 they'll figure things out.

 

Are you seriously suggesting that any of us have compassion for the jerks that keep starting the fight time after time?

 

In this case Israel has seemingly attempted and targeting the places where they feel the terrorist activity is perpetrated or supported.

I think there may be a typo or something on this point, as I am unable to fully grasp your intention if you are disagreeing with Israeli strategy here. Otherwise, I have to say this strategy makes the most sense for the Israelis.

Where did you come from, you've been gone for ages.

I think Santa must've hit our chimney two or three times this year, but he left me all the bills. I've been busy working. I also lost some steam after the election, and just now wandered back. :lol:

 

How's it been going?

Israel has moved into Gaza.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/03/israel.gaza/index.html