benzonar

Well the targeting strategy for the Pact's nukes would probably have meant single mission status anyway. My godfather was a Vulcan pilot and he told me once that the fueling strategy at the time was for a no return mission.

highways

the real extremists and terrorists are the israelis.Look how many innocents including doctors and children they have killed in 5 days.

Norm_uk

I always find it interesting when Hitler and Stalin are mentioned in the same sentence...despite being from two very different points of view and backgrounds. Same goes with Pol Pot.

I suppose those names have been thrown around enough that people just use them without actually knowing a lot about those men and what they were actually after and all about.

What makes the mention of Hitler more interesting is that people like the former Grand Mufti of Palestine were active in recruiting for Hitler's army from their religious kin in the Balkans...

Fact is no one's hands are clean and if you look at the bigger picture things are often completely different.

N.

Norm_uk

There are extremists and moderates on both sides...and their are killers of innocent people on both sides.

I think you statement is misinformed and unbalanced.

N.

shiva

i am well aware of the differences norm, i am also well aware that most dictators and oppressive regimes share a similar view when it comes to an opposing opinion. That view being very similar to the one you expressed

AnotherWorld

Dunno how anyone can blatantly support Israel government knowing that they and Egypt have locked down Gaza and noone is allowed to come or go. Please explain to me how that is humane?

Having said that, Hamas are a bunch of *****ing terrorists.

Confucius

In order to have peace, war should be waged...

(Get ready to attack me, people...)

highways

Until now over 400 palestinians were killed and over 2000 were injuried in 6 days (including civilians and children). Is this acceptable for you?

Charismatic

Luckily Israel is showing great restraint currently or the casualty rate could be much higher. Obviously the casualty rate is tollerable to Hamas as they are still firing rockets into Israel .

benzonar

Has anyone here blatantly supported Israel?

Worldismine

By Tony Benn 1/01/2009 ( An ex RAF pilot who was serving during the establishment of Israel, when the 'world' except for the Palestinians who actually lived there decided to give the Zionist a state)

The bombing of Gaza, with the mounting loss of civilian life, is only the latest chapter in a tragedy that began 60 years ago when the state of Israel was established.
It can only be understood in its historical context. And it can now be seen as the greatest problem which must be resolved by international action.
Britain acquired a mandate over Palestine after the defeat of the Turks in the First World War. And the Zionists demanded a home for Jews.
In 1945 as an RAF pilot, I was in Palestine on leave in a Jewish settlement by the Sea of Galilee where I celebrated with them the night that Germany surrendered.
Like many people who had been shocked by the Holocaust, I had great sympathy for the Jewish refugees and their aspirations for a homeland - but what followed imposed a gross injustice on the Palestinians. Many tens of thousands who lived in the villages were driven out and never allowed to return.
Armed by successive American governments, Israel now occupies the Golan Heights belonging to Syria and land allocated by the UN to Palestine, including East Jerusalem and for many years the Gaza Strip itself.
In 1956, Britain and France in collusion with Israel launched an attack upon Egypt.
And in the 1967 war, Israel extended its frontiers again.
Israel attacked the Lebanon two years ago and both Bush and Blair failed to demand a ceasefire, although 1,000 Lebanese died.
This latest attack has been planned for months and Bush would have known about it from the beginning.
There can be no peace until Israel withdraws completely to 1967 frontiers and the US insists upon that.
The worldwide demonstrations, including another in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, must be the basis for a campaign to secure this.
Apart from anything else, the only security for Jews must lie in peace with their neighbours.
The socalled road map is a fraud because of American support for whatever Israel does.
Palestine has been wiped off the map, denied membership of the UN and its elected government made the object of persistent Israeli attacks.
We should demand the British government takes a clear stand on this and remember it was former US President Carter who described Israel as an apartheid state based on race.
Years ago when I visited Dr Martin Buber, the distinguished Jewish philosopher said he thought a single state with Jews and Arabs living side by side was the only viable alternative. It was a powerful argument.

Considering this is the context within which Hamas was formed and fight, I find in hypocritical that they are renounced by westerners and their supporters are deemed terrorist sympathizers. Lets look at the British or American army they invaded Iraq in a non defensive war, yet how many of you guys will call them terrorist? or when they get killed by occupation resisters do you say ohh well they went to a place 1000s of miles away invaded it and occupied it so their getting what they deserve? None and no. So why the hypocrisy with Hamas? Especially when they have more of a justification for fighting Israel, then the west does for any of its 'military' operations in far away lands where Brits or Americans are not native or being displaced, massacred, oppressed etc.

commander

Well over the last few days another couple of young royal marines have been killed in afghanastan.

There are a few mutants on here who no doubt smiled at this news..

This is more concerning and upsetting to me as a brit than the palestine situation.

still.unsure

steady on commander, i doubt there's anyone here who would take any degree of disgusting satisfaction in a couple of young lads being killed doing their job. it's a bloody big gap between disagreeing with the political motivations and conduct of the commanders to the poor mugs that have to carry out the orders and, ultimately, pay the highest sacrifice for it. whether or not you agree with the decision to be in iraq, afghanistan, or even the israeli's current attack, you can still have sympathy for the soldier and their family when they get killed or seriously injured.

W10

This is one of the best pieces I've seen written...

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion...t-1218224.html

commander

Good post stillunsure but ill stand by my point that I bet a few of the anti brit poster on BE (go figure) stiffled a little snigger.

Your post speaks for the majority, I refer to a minority, the type that states that we CANNOT support israel, etc.

Ill support who I bloody well like. The response from Israel in my opinion is way OTT on this occassion.

However Hamas reap what they sow.

Unfortunately it is civilians who sometimes end up on the receiving end.