I’ve noticed that terrorist acts in Israel seem to be increasing, instead of the other way around. This CNN article is merely about the most recent terrorist attacks, leaving 28 dead and many more wounded. There have been several other attacks before these two as well.
The US and Israel are pretty close bedbuddies. Whether or not you agree with our policy towards Israel is correct or not is the matter for a different topic, and I don’t want this debate to go into that.
Rather, I want this thread to be focused on two main questions: Will the US consider targeting Palestinian terrorist groups for elimination? Should the US follow this course of action? (Since these questions are answered mostly with opinions, please try to offer some cites/explanation as to how/why you came up with your opinion).
Personally, I don’t know what I think. On the one hand, Palestinians have been fighting for more freedoms and such for a long while, and Israel hasn’t exactly tried the most peaceful methods to solve the situation. Yet on the other hand, these people are ruthlessly murdering innocents simply because they’re Israelis, whereas the Israeli military tries to target the terrorists themselves, and the Palestinian support base for the terrorists.
The US appears to be stuck in a pickle on this issue. We’ve said repeatedly that we are dedicated to fighting terrorism worldwide, but doing so against Palestinian terrorists would most likely not be tolerated by the coalition, and the US would risk losing serious face around the world. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t, I guess.
I think the waters are too muddied to have the US intervene, a la the Taliban. I think we’ll chase after Iraq first. Just my opinion, but I’ll stick my neck out by giving it here.
WTF do any terrorists hope to gain by such an act. I think in the case of the WTC and this latest Jerusalem/Haifa attack both terrorist groups bit off more than they can chew. Even Arafat seems to think so. At least he’s have to do something more than just move his mouth.
As far as the US, hell yes, they should assist Israel all they can to wipe this terrorist scum off the face of the earth.
I think and hope the U.S. goes after Iraq next, and warns the Palestinians to stop their terror attacks unless they want to meet the same fate as the Taliban. The Palestinians are skating on thin ice right now because of their policy of choosing obvious civilian targets to terrorize. They’d better rethink their tactics. JMHO
Nope. The Palestinian terrorists will be Israel’s next target. Arafat can’t really go after the terrorists full force, because he will be their next target. Israel needs him alive in order to be the focal point of negotiations, because, frankly, they don’t trust anyone else. And it is not as if they trust Arafat either. Look for Israel to wipe out the last of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Going after Iraq will be a lot more problematic. If the US pledge solidarity to the Kurds, Turkey will not like it one bit. And Iran will think that the US will strike at anyone to settle old scores, and Iran has long been a sore spot to the US government.
Easier will be to help out in allied countries such as the Phillipines. Or maybe go after the faction in Somalia.
Nope. There is enough public sentiment in the US to support a Palestinian homeland. Attacks like the one yesterday (my time) merely serve to put more pressure on both sides to reach an agreement. Israel is now talking about a plan to depose Arafat, because the attack came from a faction in his organisation. Arafat though is a bit of a sacred cow when it comes to US policy makers. Events in Israel over the next few weeks will be interesting to watch.
I grew up not far from where the bus blew up today. All my family and friends are OK - no need to ask - but everyone’s pretty shaken. This isn’t supposed to happen in my hometown.
So I’m hardly objective, to say the least.
Still, there’s no need for the U.S. to get involved. All we’re asking is for America to accept that we have to act the way America would act if these attacks happened on American soil. That’s all, for now.
For now.
Because God help me, I fear that George W. Bush is wrong and Osama Bin Laden is right, that we are at the threshold of a war between Islam and the West, and I don’t think there’s anything we can do about it.
I have actually thought that for a while. Certainly, the leaked plans (reported in todays’ Observer in London) to target Iraq next suggest a Western crusade against Islam.
I hope, on a personal note, your friends in the area are ok.
IMHO, I think they should be.
Israel is not the aggressor or the bad guy in this conflict.
The palestinians only want one thing: The total destruction of Israel.
IMHO, I think Israel can handle any direct action on this one, but if we in the U.S. are serious about a “war on terrorism”, then we had better have more than just strong words about the Israel-Palistine conflict. I don’t have a solution, but I think we need to move beyond just negotiating the next cease-fire.
Dave, do you mean that you believe the United States fully intends, right now to take military action against any and all Islamic nations worldwide, regardless of all other factors, just so long as the nations are Islamic? For example, do you believe that Turkey, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Indonesia will be certain targets of some dubious, amorphous American anti-Islamic wrath in the near future?
Or do you mean that from the point of view of the average Arab that an incursion into Iraq will appear to be an anti-Islam crusade? IOW, are you speaking for yourself or for a hypothetical Arab man-on-the-street?
I have to agree completely with Phobos. If we are going to have a War on Terrorism we need to wage that war very tactfully and at the same time very forcedly.
I do not think we will enter the Palestinian war with Israel. I mean we are the ones who supplied Isreal with all their missiles and gun ships anyway. I doubt we will enter that war until we visit Iraq for a brief construction project in the deserts outside of Baghdad. I think Iraq is our next move, it would be the natural progression in this war on Terrorism. I see the US entering Africa before we enter Israel…Apparently, right now the US is saying to Israel: “We’re not coming in and you should do what you deem necessary…”
If Arafat doesn’t do something quick, if he doesn’t act on his words, things are fixing to get a lot bloodier in Israel. Its not good thats for sure…
I do not think that Dave means that the US is waging a war against all Islamic States. If and when we go into Iraq, that does not in any way mean we are fighting against
Islam. This is not Jihad. They may want to call it that but that is not at all what this is, they only say this to recruit Islamic peoples who are teetering on fanaticism and simple practice of Islam. Some of the powers that be in the fundamentalist Islamic movement would love for this to be called Jihad, so they can possibly get more peoples to fight. I hope it does not go that way.
I’m from NYC and I have no problem with Israel doing whatever is necessary to secure their country.
The problem is that while going after the terrorists is fine, Israel and Palestine still need to resolve the issue of how two countries can exist in the same place. IMHO everytime Israel tries to discuss peace, these terrorists try to screw it up. There’s a reason we don’t nnegotiate with terrorists.
Right, wrong…Osama is the one hiding in a cave in the desert ducking 15,000lb ‘Daisy Cutters’ and Tomahawk missles.
Frankly, I think it’s going to be very difficult for the United States to “win” this war of ideas and simultaneously tolerate terrorism in the very place from which the concept spawned. However, it will be Israel which takes the heat for what is about to happen.
I think there is going to be a dramatic change in the way America deals with terror and those who support the use of terror as a political tool. We’re trying to say, “no more,” and the way we’re going to get that message out isn’t pretty at all.
Sadly for the Palestinians, they are without question the most visible and consistent proponents of the use of terror. They are also one of the easiest targets for the new tactics which I think we are about to see.
I suspect that Palestine is going to discover two very serious things in short order. First, that the tools of terrorism have been suddenly turned against them by professionals, and second, that their position at the negotiating table will be steadily and consistently eroded until they learn that the key to existence is to effectively control themselves.
I don’t have a lot of hope that they will learn either lesson fast enough to prevent a lot of suffering, but hey, they named the game. What they’re about to find out is that two can play it.
Very good question. I had problems from the first time W described his mission against evil. Not criticizing any efforts so far. Just observing that that’s a mighty big task.
It will be very difficult to claim we are at war against terrorism, and not at least strongly express our support for whatever can be done to try to stop attacks such as have occurred in Israel over the past week.
It does not look as tho Arafat is able or willing to control Palestinian terrorism. It should not be a surprise that Israel would be willing to give it a shot.
I’m gonna risk getting flamed for this, but why do I suddenly get the image of some angry and outraged Palestinian out there who’s thinking, “The Jews only want one thing: The total destruction of Palestine”?
Personally, I think both sides in this mess are being a bunch of doody-heads. I’m just torn between whether I’m more annoyed by Sharon’s hard-nosed tactics or Arafat’s limp-wristed “control”. And George W. Bush wagging a finger at Arafat (and not Sharon) is definitely not going to win any friends in the rest of the Middle East.
Turn the whole thing over to Disney and let them make it into a theme park, I say. You pay to pray, and misbehavin’ gets you bounced by Donald and Goofy.
Unfortunately, rjung, vanilla’s observation is more-or-less correct. The Israelis may collectively wish a similar fate upon the Palestinians, but only the PLO had the balls to come straight out and say it right in their charter:
Arafat claimed eight years ago that that section of the covenant was no longer valid and would be removed, but lo and behold, the Palestinians just haven’t quite gotten around to removing that minor sticking point from the official document yet.
Kind of makes you wonder why there’s even a debate about the situation, doesn’t it?
If the US goes after the Palestinians next then they can expect much less support from other Countries (IMHO). As a Brit, I am ashamed of my Country’s part in the creation of the problem, but taking sides in such a way is not the answer and (again IMHO) will just increase resentment and compound the problems that the involvement of the US and UK caused in the first place.
The Israel/Palestine situation is far from clear cut. My country would get no support from me if they sent a single bullet to help any military action against either side.