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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Time: Israel victory in Gaza 'unrealistic'
2009-01-12
The Israeli assault on the densely-populated Gaza Strip will not reduce the angst of the government regarding its future, a report says. According to an article published in Time, Israeli commanders are worried about the outcome of the war, as the "war against Hamas grows riskier and more punishing".

Israeli politicians and generals are also aware of their inability in eliminating Hamas -- the democratically-elected ruler of the strip -- indicating that weeks and months are needed in order to achieve this goal, the report added. The assault may even cast a shadow over Israel's vaunted power of deterrence, which was once badly eroded in 2006 by Hezbollah due to the forced ceasefire, the report added.

The author of the report, Tim McGirk, argues that a brokered ceasefire in Gaza, as the result of failure in the impoverished strip, would worsen the situation as it only works as a momentary protection for Israel against Hamas rockets. He maintains that while Hamas is not the most immediate threat to Israel, the war in Gaza will sure send a "message" to Israel's other foes.

At least 890 Palestinians have been killed during the Israeli onslaught, while thousands others are reported wounded.
Posted by:Fred

#4  With enough informers, if I was Israel, I'd begin stories of a Fatah vs Hamas civil war after this current conflict is over. Then use those informers to have Israeli snipers take out the leaders of Hamas that survived. Let Fatah take credit, who cares.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2009-01-12 13:21  

#3  If you kill enough Hamas leaders the folks left will be inexperienced and probably easily outmanuevered by Fatah. If you can find evidence that Hamas is taking orders from Persian Shia you can further undercut the Jihad movement amung many Sunni Arabs. Also the actions of Hamas during this whole thing will probably do a lot to increase the number of Israeli informers.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2009-01-12 13:19  

#2  The most effective Israeli strategy is to hit Hamas in its ability to appear "legitimate", that means taking away its "perceived "power. Power consists in how it is seen by its own people the Palestinians...the base of its legitimacy is Palestinian perception.

With no tunnels, there is no economy. With no economy there is no money...for either Hamas or the Palestinians themselves. Hamas cannot supply or address the Palestinians daily needs..food, water, movement, security. What benefit to the Palestinians is Hamas then ?

No benefit, no contract, no contract, no legitimacy.

End result: a rocket sled to hell of anarchy.
Israel controls the food and security. Play nice or go hungry in sheer hell.

Four walls in Hell and its raining sh7t and the roofs gone.
Posted by: Angleton9   2009-01-12 05:51  

#1  The MSM seems to be reporting what it thinks should have happened, rather than what has happened. It looks to me like Israel is on the verge of a decisive win. International cricism has been muted. The people who matter; USA, UK, France, Egypt, Saudi want an end to a militarized Hamas.

The end game is Hamas cut off from weapons supply. Deposing Hamas militarily was always a canard.
Posted by: phil_b   2009-01-12 00:46  

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