<p>Well, we don’t treat them them all as POWs either…so we can’t say nuttin</p>
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<p>This is not a cycle. This is one-sided aggression. “Palestinians” have had countless offers of peace and statehood from Israel and have instead opted for violence. Gaza is free, and yet Gaza still wages war. This only proves that Palestinian militants have a singular goal: the destruction of Israel. </p>
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<p>Are you honestly an adult? You put forth some of the most irrelevant, incoherent arguments I’ve ever heard. </p>
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<p>Since when was Israel bombing an “entire country”? Israel goes after selective targets, whereas savages like Hamas and Hezbollah target innocents. There is no moral equivalence.</p>
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<p>Another idiotic comment. Of course we treat POWs as they are to be treated. The gray area exists only in the definition of a POW.</p>
<p>I am an adult, and I bring up things showing that ALL countries do crappy stuff, and if we were all bombed for what we did, the world would be gone…</p>
<p>ONE soldier was taken…one…and all hell broke lose…we have people in our gulags that we have taken from other countries, that we have in secret prisons, that we have killed, that our soilders murdered</p>
<p>We had one section of our country attacked, and we say our entire country was under attack</p>
<p>And Israel is not just killing the guilty, believe me, no matter what is claimed</p>
<p>Arrogance runs on both sides, and Israel is not a total innocent in the mess</p>
<p>Ah, that swell gray area, either we are at war or we are not at war, if we are at war, they are POWs, if we are not at war, they are civilian detanies that have the same rights as our prisonors in our own jails, pick one</p>
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<p>When have we launched rockets into neighboring countries and actively sponsored suicide bombings of civilians?</p>
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<p>Ummm…if there was reason to. That’s a ridiculously stupid point though, because it is not Iraq that we are discussing. We are discussing one of the only democracies in the Middle East that is fighting for its life against swarms of fascist thugs. </p>
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<p>Oh, thanks for the insight. The difference, however, is that Israel TARGETS the insurgents, while the terrorists target civilians.</p>
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<p>Do you have any idea what you are talking about?
The gray area is not whether we are at war. The gray area is whether non-military insurgents are granted the same rights as soldiers during a war. Please inform yourself.</p>
<p>Targeting but missing…same difference btw…dead is dead</p>
<p>We have killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq right now…we have… we have killed babies, moms, grandmas, old men, daily…our soilders have murdered people…we have black ops…please we are no innocents either, and to claim such is naive</p>
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<p>Do you believe in objective morality? Can you think critically? The fact that as an adult you are still unable to make even the most basically fundamental moral distinction is quite troubling. The terrorist who targets innocents is by no means on the same moral footing as the army that targets terrorists.</p>
<p>Um…non military insurgents…they are soldiers in their minds…we just have destroyed their country…no gray area…we call it gray so we can do whatever we want</p>
<p>We NEED to not have a gray area…to still have one after years is absurd…if they are not POWs…and didn’t we go in saying we wouldn’t have any recistance? </p>
<p>it is interesting that we just put people away with no status whatsoever…we have civilians all over that country…civilian “contractors” ie mercenaries. who are along side our soldiers…guess when they are captured…they can go into that gray area too</p>
<p>LOL. Have you read a newspaper lately?</p>
<p>The Supreme Court ruled that they are considered POWs.</p>
<p>Cheers posted: "mini, I have many dear Iranian friends. None of them support your statement that Iran is a functioning democracy. How can you read books such as ‘Reading Lolita in Tehran’ and suggest such a thing? "</p>
<p>I showed that post to my coworker who is married to an Iranian man. They went back to Iran in April for a family wedding with their two kids. The son had turned 18 since the last visit and the Iranian government decided that even though he was born and raised in the US, since his father is Iranian and so many family members live there, he is required to complete military service in Iran. So the parents and daughter left in April, but fought to get the son out the last week in June. Needless to say, they won’t be going back. Anyway, her response to that post was “money is tight for us, ask that lady if she has any interest in purchasing a really lovely bridge.”</p>
<p>Cheers asked: “However, why does everyone assume it is Iran escalating the violence? Isn’t there another country which would dearly love to switch the channel from it’s failings at the moment? Isn’t there another country with a determined agenda for the Middle east?”</p>
<p>With Iranian issues before the UN and the “coincidence” of the response date to the package of incentives being the day of the raid, it’s not likely that the aggressor is other than Iran. Particularly since Syria and Lebanon are client states. The statements by the Iranian government yesterday are pretty telling, IMO.</p>
<p>Palestinians traditionally have not had the resources to fight ‘fairly’ and launch rockets into enemy territory and bully civillians with their military flex as Israel has. This lack of weaponry is very much do to Israel and friends making sure they can’t get any. This has led to people fighting with what they have left, their bodies. Then they are labeled ‘savages’ and ‘terrorists’ for doing it. Then when resources become available to them via mysterious benefactors to fight as Israel has been fighting, it is an ‘act of war’. It’s only an act of war because Israel got a taste of what it’s been launching against Palestinians for decades. And offers of peace always include the clause where Palestinians accept Israel’s inherent right to exist, something Palestinians will never accept and Israel knows it but it still makes them look good.</p>
<p>So can we now lay to rest forever after the fallacy that the “intifada” was caused by the “occupation?”</p>
<p>citygirlsmom, you complain about a millitary opporation to try to get back a few soldiers. If, say, North Korea snuck across the border, grabbed a few American troops, took them back to North Korea, and shipped them to who knows where, would you shrug and say, “Oh well”?</p>
<p>Red_Dragone posted: “Then when resources become available to them via mysterious benefactors”</p>
<p>Is this really a mystery?</p>
<p>Red_Dragone also posted: “And offers of peace always include the clause where Palestinians accept Israel’s inherent right to exist, something Palestinians will never accept.”</p>
<p>What is the alternative? How would a two state solution be possible without acceptance of the state of Israel? This is a serious question. What would you do as an alternative to that clause?</p>
<p>that tiny little issue of not allowing the other a right to exist always seems a rather critical shortcoming in my mind when it comes to negotiation. But there is hope. ‘We will allow you to exist so that later we can have the pleasure of destroying you’ might represent a reasonable start. There’s something to work with in that concession.</p>
<p>This is the big elephant in the room, and the reason that my pessimism is so deep about there ever being peace in the region.</p>
<p>The ongoing conflicts began in the 20’s and haven’t ceased in 80 years. The conflict didn’t start with in 1948, or in 1967. The conflict isn’t because of occupation, but the very existence of the state of Israel.</p>
<p>Because the Arab nations refuse to accept Israel in their neighborhood, the middle east is a festering pot of escalating violence. Every neighboring state would take Israel out in a second, had they the capability. Most make it part of their charters and national rhethoric. These countries are seething with hatred towards Israel and Jews. All it takes is one look at their textbooks and media.</p>
<p>So, I don’t think there is a possibility for peace in any of our lifetimes (unless Israel packed up and left, which isn’t happening), but a continuation of war and loss of life. It is beyond sad and pitiful.</p>
<p>And Zoos, thanks for the good wishes for my relatives. I pray for all those in harm’s way.</p>
<p>From Allmusic: “So, I don’t think there is a possibility for peace in any of our lifetimes (unless Israel packed up and left, which isn’t happening), but a continuation of war and loss of life. It is beyond sad and pitiful.”</p>
<p>This breaks my heart.</p>
<p>“And Zoos, thanks for the good wishes for my relatives. I pray for all those in harm’s way.”</p>
<p>Me too.</p>