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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel Launches Unprecedented Series of Strikes on Gaza |
| 2008-12-27 |
 Israeli aircraft struck Hamas Among the dead was the Gaza Israel confirmed it carried out a series of air strikes on Hamas installations, but did not provide details. Israel has warned in recent days it would strike back hard against continued rocket fire from Gaza on Israeli border towns. There was no sign of an Israel ground offensive, in parallel to the air attacks. |
| Posted by:Scooter McGruder |
| #34 Happy Hanukkah, liberalhawk! I hope you didn't lose too much Hanukkah gelt playing dreydl with the little ones... and that this time Israel makes all our fondest dreams come true. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-12-27 23:23 |
| #33 :) still, liberal, still a hawk. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-12-27 22:37 |
| #32 ahem.... who is this Liberalhawk person? I seem to remember his name? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-12-27 22:20 |
| #31 17 - at least they didnt call it "operation latke" |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-12-27 22:16 |
| #30 20 - they are destroying Hamas security compounds, so I think that is effectively the same thing :) |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-12-27 22:15 |
| #29 Mike N - yeah, they are being realistic. In 2006 they said they were going to crush Hezb, and so they looked like they had lost even after doing considerable damage to hezb. A lower bar gives them much more flexibility, both operational and propagandistic. I think what Glenmore is referring to as the real problem is Iran. Hamas is an ally/puppet of Iran, and weakening Hamas, or even just forcing i it to step back from the brink for its own survival despite that not being in Irans interest, is a way of demonstrating Israels strength relative to Iran. Doing so when oil is low, is a good idea. Arab reaction? Word from Israel is that they got a wink and a nod from Egypt and Jordan (Livni was in Egypt a couple of days before) neither has withdrawn its diplos from Tel Aviv. The usual arab street elements will make faces. So far the targets of value vs the collateral damage ratio seems to have been exceptionally good. Advantage of tactical surprise. I dont know if they will go in the ground in a big way. Im inclined to think they wont, but I dont really know. I note that PA officials are said to have said they are ready to go back into Gaza if Hamas falls. I dont think Israel would object if that happened, but I dont think they are counting on it, and its very good that they are NOT announcing that as a goal. If Hamas survives but is severely chastened, that would be good too. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-12-27 22:13 |
| #28 It's a good start. Good for you Israel. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2008-12-27 19:21 |
| #27 The only thing that'll reform them is another spin on the wheel. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-12-27 17:55 |
| #26 I'm having a hard time getting the warm fuzzies over this. Sure, I like seeing Israel pound the Paleos, but nothing meaningful will come of this. It's not brutal enough to make the Paleos change their thinking and it does nothing to reform Gaza. Take, hold, reform, rebuild is the solution. And the reform process will spill enough Paleo blood for us all to have something to cheer about. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2008-12-27 17:47 |
| #25 Payback's a bitch, Paleos, and you've got a LOT of it coming to you. Every bit of it thoroughly deserved, BTW. |
| Posted by: Jolutch Mussolini7800 2008-12-27 17:42 |
#24  |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2008-12-27 15:22 |
| #23 I hope they go back at them again tonight. And make sure government/terrorist/clerical officials don't live a life with any of the modern conveniences whatsoever. A condition that for sure will go away after a short but obligatory period of resistance marked by those same officials living the lifestyle they should be living. Make their privileged lifestyles contingent on peace being maintained - both in practice and rhetoric. They can start the process by bombing every one of their government buildings and personal villas. With them in it. |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-12-27 14:45 |
| #22 Why isn't every mosque on the target list? |
| Posted by: ed 2008-12-27 14:42 |
| #21 How long do you think it would take for the Israelis to systematically push all Gaza Paleos into Egypt, then slam the door shut behind them? Moose, the 'Gyptos aren't buying ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2008-12-27 13:49 |
| #20 I would drop one on the sewage plant, too, just a symbolic exclamation point that the shit did hit the fan. |
| Posted by: Spike Uniter 2008-12-27 13:32 |
| #19 Military officials said more than 100 tons of bombs were dropped on Gaza by mid-afternoon. Cast ye stones up on deh water... Is return manyfold. Trollz, send in the trollz. |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-12-27 13:08 |
| #18 This action will only cause more Palestinians... No... wait... |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-12-27 13:05 |
| #17 All police HQs in Gaza destroyed The wide-scale offensive on Hamas installations in the Gaza Strip was codenamed 'Operation Cast Lead,' after a Hanukkah poem by H.N. Bialik referring to a "dreidel cast from solid lead." Methinks, there's a better poem "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, hearken to what I say: I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-seven fold." Barak: We'll deepen and widen operation as much as needed World leaders call for halt to violence Vatican calls for end to Middle East violence The Vatican's spokesman has urged Israelis and Palestinians to renounce violence and seek a peaceful solution to their conflict after Israel launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire. Don't dis the boss' relatives, Ratzinger. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-12-27 12:51 |
| #16 This Article which was linked to RB on XMAS is worth re-reading again. How's that for "In your face". |
| Posted by: Penguin 2008-12-27 12:39 |
| #15 baboom! |
| Posted by: Wolverine 2008-12-27 12:12 |
| #14 Gaza's not the rel problem & the Gazans have always just been pawns in the game. Indeed. The real problem is Jooooooooooos breathing Arab air... or just breathing... depending on if you're talking to a moderate or a stone cold whabi saucer. |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-12-27 12:11 |
| #13 oh it was more than deserved, and i think they have learnt from the past the Arab assault doesn't go over too well for the arabs |
| Posted by: rabid whitetail 2008-12-27 12:08 |
| #12 Unprecendented? Maybe. Undeserved? Hardly. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2008-12-27 12:04 |
| #11 192 deaders now |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-12-27 11:29 |
| #10 Gaza's not the rel problem & the Gazans have always just been pawns in the game. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2008-12-27 11:25 |
| #9 How long do you think it would take for the Israelis to systematically push all Gaza Paleos into Egypt, then slam the door shut behind them? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-12-27 10:34 |
| #8 It would not surprise me if 'international outrage' over this escalated for a few weeks, to be followed by an Arab assault. It would time well as an introductory test for Obama. It would work to boost oil prices. It would divert internal attention from economic woes of the neighboring states. The two things those neighboring states have to fear are 1) getting whipped again, and 2) what might be worse, winning, and no longer having Israel to blame or to provide regional economic activity. That would lead rational governments to make noise but do nothing, but the Arab governments (and Iran) have often been lacking in the 'rationality' department. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2008-12-27 10:23 |
| #7 Play it again, and again, and again Sam. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-12-27 10:05 |
| #6 bout friggin time. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-12-27 09:55 |
| #5 Expecting UN and EU condemnation shortly. It's fine with the UN / EU as long as it's Paleos killing Jews. When Israel finally responds, well that's simply not permitted. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2008-12-27 09:29 |
| #4 Good. It is a start. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-12-27 09:28 |
| #3 ...in an unprecedented series of simultaneous strikes. Like Israel has never [thus unprecedented] retaliated before? Someone is making stuff up again [memory hole history]. |
| Posted by: P2k on holiday 2008-12-27 08:05 |
| #2 140 dead after missile attacks on Gaza |
| Posted by: tipper 2008-12-27 06:50 |
| #1 About time. Hamas has needed a rocket for rocket exchange. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-12-27 06:45 |