In an agitated region, Israel-Gaza conflict has dangerous potential; U.S. leadership needed
While we sort out who in our national security and defense hierarchy has been sleeping with whom, it appears Israel and terrorists in the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip are heading into a full-fledged war. As night falls in the region, Israeli officials have confirmed the first rocket attacks on Tel Aviv since the 1991 Gulf War. The Times of Israel has a running live blog of the action.
Those attacks followed yesterday’s Israeli strikes on terrorist targets in Gaza, including one that killed the leader of the military arm of Hamas. Both Hamas and another group called Islamic Jihad previously had ramped up their sporadic firing of rockets into southern Israel; as of mid-October, Israeli officials said there had been more than 800 rocket attacks on their country from Gaza this year.
Given the civil war in Syria, to Israel’s east; the new Egyptian government’s support of its fellow Muslim Brotherhood affiliate, Hamas; and Iran’s ties to both the Syrian government and the Gaza-based terrorist groups, it doesn’t seem likely that this conflict will be as contained as in previous flare-ups in recent years.
One thing is certain: The various actors in this conflict will be looking to see what the U.S. response is. President Obama’s initial engagement — voicing support for Israel’s right to self-defense, and urging the Egyptian government to work to de-escalate matters from the Palestinian side — was good. He’ll need to hold that line in the days to come and give stronger measures of support for Israel. I very much hope that stops short of involving our own military, but anything less than absolute support for Israel could trigger a war that engulfs the entire region.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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351 comments Add your comment
carlosgvv
November 15th, 2012
4:33 pm
cc
Clueless, as always.
Bobo
November 15th, 2012
4:37 pm
Also, Wingfield, I abstained from the free-for-all yesterday on secession, but I found your viewpoint to be pretty insulting and demeaning to anyone who doesn’t have ‘New World Order’ type ideals who doesn’t think Obama is the 2nd coming of Lincoln. I am personally 100% in favor of secession because our situation now is the SAME as what it was when the U.S. declared its independence.
We have no real REPRESENTATION, but we have more TAXATION than at any time in our history. I don’t care which side of the aisle you’re on, you can’t honestly say that there is a single Senator or Representative that gives a rip about you if you aren’t a millionaire, the leader of a special interest group, or able to do something to help them get theirs. Modern politicans are almost exclusively disgustingly corrupt criminals who re-write laws to criminalize and marginalize true Americans who work by the sweat of their brow honestly. The problem is that these days the phrase is “Give me Liberty or Give me Cable Television and Government Benefits”. No one is willing to die or be inconvenienced for what is right anymore. Secession IS the right thing to do unless you want to go on being a ‘useful idiot’ to the present regime.
Odis
November 15th, 2012
4:42 pm
The US should stay out of the Middle East.
Bobo
November 15th, 2012
4:42 pm
A final comment and then I’ll go do something else. Wingfield, you seem to have the thinnest skin of any blogger on the newspaper staff. Your banning people is kind of weak sauce and sad. It kind of reminds me of the kids you used to know growing up who claimed that they were ‘Dungeonmasters’ or ‘Magic the Gathering’ experts and everyone else was subject to their rule. Are you really so sensitive that you have to bother with banning people? Also, do you really think they care that much? All they have to do is sign on with a new name from another computer and continue insulting you. Dude, this is a column in a newspaper. It’s not your private tree house club.
Matz
November 15th, 2012
4:43 pm
It seems like these folks are heck-bent on killing each other, for reasons I cannot understand, but which are their own and not about us, and upon which our words and actions have historically had little or no affect.
Why then would it be OUR responsibility to insert a dose of common sense into a realm perfectly capable of comprehending and acting upon common sense if they so choose, but which they repeatedly refuse to do?
They don’t appear to WANT peace, democracy, equality, or basic human decency, but I would very much like to have those things here at home. Can we do that please, and get our own house in order before trying to clean someone else’s? Thank you. Thankyewsomuch.
skipper
November 15th, 2012
4:48 pm
@Glenn,
Don’t act like there was an open-armed invitation by the middle east after WWII to the Jews…there was not. We see just how much the middle-east has “taken them in.”
The middle east, idealogy notwhithstanding, has become a putrid cesspool. “Hamas” and other b.s. organizations have sprung up because they have been allowed to, and Muslim terrorists have caused trouble world-wide….with MUCH of the problem originating in the middle east. So, back to my original point. LBJ stopped the Israelis during the six-day war when they had the troops, means, ammo, plan, and everything else to put a stop to many of those animals over there. Egypt dropped billions (not millions, billions) of $ worth of stuff on the side of the road as they ran….they left enough arms to that Israel could have used what they captured to finish the job and put their own stuff in storage. Syria, as well as Iran and another few places need to be wiped out as nations and started over for the common (no, not U.S.) but the common good. Israel has shown more restraint over the years than many would………..and they can take care of that (once-again) putrid cesspool over there. I’ll get a few folks mad, but deep down, if tomorrow there WAS no Syria, Iran, and a few others the world would breathe a little more easily!
iggy
November 15th, 2012
4:56 pm
southpaw
November 15th, 2012
2:30 pm
Nah…no freakin over such a statement from the ill-informed. I will state, however, this blind faith in Obama, sooner or later, is gonna leave many a liberal extremely depressed if not suicidal. But worry not…The Angel Of Peace will make Its All Good!!!
Del
November 15th, 2012
4:58 pm
Bobo,
It’s Kyles blog he makes the rules if you don’t like it you can hang out next door or elsewhere.
Georgia
November 15th, 2012
5:01 pm
Kyle’s right. There’s no way to tell which militia to arm in Libya. You just pick one. Obama did not want to get involved in a civil war, and used the role of commander in chief to employ CIA managed involvement in Libya. That’s why Benghazi broke well after the five seconds it took for the tape to self destruct. It does appear that the Islamic Governments now surrounding Israel are postioning themselves for a new negotiative stance. To think that Obama, or any commander in chief can assuage this ten thousand year old passion is whistling past the graveyard. The Islamic Radicals pressing hard both militarily and via their own electoral process are comprised of a tangle of ethno-sectarian intersects that are as old as their hatred for Israel. So which one do you pick? We never knew in Iraq, we still don’t know in Afghanistan, and we’ll never know in the forming ring around Israel. Libya’s electoral process: I guess both sides have hanging Chads.
Bootsy
November 15th, 2012
5:01 pm
“I will state, however, this blind faith in Obama, sooner or later, is gonna leave many a liberal extremely depressed if not suicidal”
And seeing that you are still distraught over last week, it is evident that you know much about “blind faith” and becoming “extremely depressed if not suicidal”
just saying
md
November 15th, 2012
5:10 pm
“I wonder if the league of nations knew what they were doing when they gave them that parcel of land..”
Gave them?
That’s a bit like saying we “gave” the Indians a few reservations……..
Bye Bye Cheesy Grits
November 15th, 2012
5:13 pm
Kyle–when you say leadership is needed from the White House–is “Lead from behind” really the strategy the world needs at this time?
Ask Osama bin Laden if Obama leads from behind.
pogo
November 15th, 2012
5:17 pm
Kyle, it seems that our Intelligence agencies, our military leaders, the Secret Service and even the FBI are adopting the operational standard that has been established for them from the Obama Whitehouse. Obama has no real desire to enter into the foreign relations arena because if he makes a mistake there, it is on display for the whole world to see and that may tarnish is much worshipped image. His tactic is to maintain the status quo (which is non-intervention and non-confrontation with our enemies) and if possible placate them with our money or treaties such as the nuclear weapons drawdown treaty with Russia that he agreed but to which Russia did not adhere to. Putin is laughing over our present leadership and the fact that our country has become so weak. Obama’s bowing to the muslim extremists in the mid-east is about to come back to haunt him though. The Muslim Brotherhood (whose leaders have repeatedly visited the Obama Whitehouse) is a force that will soon have to be reckoned with as it gains more and more power in the muslim world. It does not have the best interest of the US in mind. It’s only purpose is to propagate Islam worldwide and to destroy those who will not be converted and to destroy Israel (which Obama has abandoned). Sharia law is the Brotherhood’s bible and its constitution.
The mid-east is about to explode and the US economy is about to go from bad to worse. Soon Obama’s “tax the rich to cure all of our ills” ploy will be revealed as the lie it is and Obamacare is about to come into full bloom and all of the medicare cuts included in it are going to come to light for all of those old people out there to see. It is going to an interesting next four years for Mr. Obama. There is no light at the end of the tunnel and he fully owns his own policies of the last four years.
Bootsy
November 15th, 2012
5:19 pm
pogo
You did a great job on that “preppers” show
Bobo
November 15th, 2012
5:25 pm
Del is a member of Kyle’s secret police.
Linda
November 15th, 2012
5:28 pm
Bobo@4:32, Nice post.
@4:37, Nice post.
@4:42, Whoooooooo! You have no idea what has been going on here on this website for months. This is a blog, not a porn site. It’s Kyle’s participants that he is trying to respect.
Michael
November 15th, 2012
5:48 pm
Poll it Kyle. More Americans think Obama has leadership qualitites that any Repulican. The only country that wanted Romney to win was Poland. Go figure. Obama even won the Jewish vote so it is just your right wing readers who have” no faith.”
@@
November 15th, 2012
5:51 pm
Fans of the Grand Slam breakfast, fear not. The Denny’s franchise owner who told a reporter that he would be adding a 5 percent “Obamacare” surcharge to diners’ meals has walked back that statement.
What was HE thinking?
Other business owners won’t be making a public announcement. They’ll just pass the cost on to the consumer.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
November 15th, 2012
5:53 pm
Michael, doing nothing, in and of itself, isn’t leadership. Playing it safe isn’t leadership.
Don’t confuse policy with leadership.
Rafe Hollister, dreading the eventual decline caused by Obamanism
November 15th, 2012
5:57 pm
I believe it was the United Nations in 1947, that established Israel, not the obsolete League of Nations.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
November 15th, 2012
5:58 pm
Were the Twinkies people still kicking union a$$ as of this afternoon? Would hate to see Hostess go under, but I’d close any business before I knuckled under to union demands.
Jefferson
November 15th, 2012
6:09 pm
Israel should simply succeed from the middle east.
Banderson
November 15th, 2012
6:10 pm
Since we’ve digressed to Twinkies, did Georgia Republicans really have a recent closed door meeting to discuss their belief that Obama was using “mind control” to advance UN agenda item 21 (conspiracy du jour)? Just saw that one on the local news. You can’t make this stuff up. Well, I guess you can, because you did.
cc
November 15th, 2012
6:14 pm
“Israel should simply succeed from the middle east.”
Israel has been succeeding since 1947, and they will continue to do so.
mike
November 15th, 2012
6:16 pm
I’ve read all of the posts here back to about 3:00 p.m. and I found one post by someone I don’t usually agree with to be the most truthful.
md
November 15th, 2012
5:10 pm
“I wonder if the league of nations knew what they were doing when they gave them that parcel of land..”
Gave them?
That’s a bit like saying we “gave” the Indians a few reservations……..
___________________________________
If those Palestinians had any sense at all they would just accept that “Israel” stole their land and “play nice.” What’s wrong with them?
independent thinker
November 15th, 2012
6:19 pm
Kyle and all the butt-whipped cons on here- despite Romneys pretense of being staunchly pro-Israel and best buddy with Natanyahu and despite that Obama had a middle name of Hussein and a history of being raised as a Muslim and despite having attended Rev. Wright’s church,— 70% of all Jews voted for Obama. What does that tell you?
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
6:21 pm
Bye Bye Cheesy Grits: Ask Osama bin Laden if Obama leads from behind.
—————————–
Or Ambassador Stevens.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
6:22 pm
70% of all Jews voted for Obama. What does that tell you?
—————————-
That they put party above their faith or Israel.
Or maybe they’re just tickled to finally have a Messiah of their very own.
Michael
November 15th, 2012
6:24 pm
Tiberius,
Only in your eyes is he doing nothing. He is as sharp as they come, and he just handed Romney his head on a platter. A Black president with a bad economy, who would have thought.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
6:26 pm
Obozo’s voters barely participate in the real economy and did not vote based on the economy. They voted based on who would hand out the most goodies.
Rafe Hollister, dreading the eventual decline caused by Obamanism
November 15th, 2012
6:26 pm
would just accept that “Israel” stole their land and “play nice.”
So the UN creating Israel is stealing land from the poor ole Arabs. Why is it that the UN is so good for the world, except when they do something to help the displaced Jewish people? Libs always are hypocrites.
BTW what happened to Obama’s vaunted Iron Dome, is it like Obama, not working out as well as advertised.
Banderson
November 15th, 2012
6:28 pm
LBB – upset that Koch, Murray and Adelson aren’t getting their goodies? Poor things.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
6:30 pm
I’m quite sure the productive are still getting their goodies, Banderson, and the Obozo voters are still getting their scraps.
cc
November 15th, 2012
6:30 pm
To all who disagreed with my post at 3:57 PM:
Yes, the U. S. participated jointly with Israel in military exercises, and I’m sure those were arranged by the Pentagon. Yes, Israel still receives financial aid from the U. S. at about the same level as before Obama took office, that money appropriated by Congress.
For this nation to involve itself in a war or military action, the President takes the lead, and with Congressional approval, can commit military forces. Should Israel need assistance, I don’t trust Obama to take the necessary action. Obama has shown his disrespect, if not outright disdain, for Israel and Netanyahu in the past.
Obama lies, and a man who lies with the ease Obama has demonstrated cannot be trusted. I won’t go into the many lies in which Obama has been caught, but will remind you of Benghazi.
These are perilous times and demands a true leader. Too bad we don’t have one.
mike
November 15th, 2012
6:32 pm
Rafe: “the UN creating Israel”
That is a euphemism for rounding up the Palestinians and herding them into the Gaza Strip. That is a euphemism for stealing their land, their homes, their livelihoods and force-marching them into the tiny enclave in which they live today.
Linda
November 15th, 2012
6:33 pm
Kyle@2:59, You banned that word that started with an “l” & ended with a “d,” which I have never used. What about that word liberals use for us conservatives/Republicans: cons. Not that it really bothers us conservatives/Republicans, but it must certainly bother those real cons, you know, those folks in the penitentiary who committed burglaries, robberies, carjackings, etc. because they felt entitled. Wouldn’t you think that they, the real cons, are getting their feelings hurt by being associated with conservatives/Republicans? We all know that all felons vote for liberals/Democrats, as do dead people.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
6:34 pm
But the UN did it, so it’s all gooooood.
Jefferson
November 15th, 2012
6:34 pm
Apathy from a republican the new norm.
cc
November 15th, 2012
6:37 pm
Kyle:
Ditto Linda@6:33 pm.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
6:38 pm
Don’t sweat it, Linda. The word that I can’t use any longer had a good run and accomplished much good. The fact that Rule No. 2 was completely powerless against it underscores its effectiveness.
iggy
November 15th, 2012
6:39 pm
“Would hate to see Hostess go under, but I’d close any business before I knuckled under to union demands.”
Agreed. Close em down, then after those union employees have been out of work for a day or two they will come running back for their jobs only to find squat. Which is what they would deserve.
cc
November 15th, 2012
6:41 pm
“We all know that all felons vote for liberals/Democrats, as do dead people.”
Dang! I wish I had thought to wuite that! That’s GOOD! LOL!
Banderson
November 15th, 2012
6:48 pm
Now, now, Linda. The country club prisons are full of Republicans.
ld
November 15th, 2012
6:48 pm
Sanctions against Iran or any other country without serious international cooperation are useless and it has taken most of the Obama term and his re-election to undue a portion of the damage in US international relations to get other nations to follow US “leadership” on that long-standing and ongoing problem — (you do remember the rebuilding of the relationships being called an apology tour?). We can only hope that the right wing-nut public statements during the recent election has not damaged the “realtionships” the current administration has been building. Otherwise, American efforts at “leadership” in resolving this and future problems could be about as effective as getting someone’s attention as a wink in the dark.
Banderson
November 15th, 2012
6:54 pm
At the risk of being simplistic, sanctions worked on South Africa in helping to end apartheid. On the other hand, sanctions against Japan led to Pearl Harbor. It helps to have a semi-sane opponent. Still, you’ve got to try sanctions before you actually start dropping the bombs.
cc
November 15th, 2012
7:00 pm
“right wing-nut”
Yet another derogatory term used by liberals . . .
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 15th, 2012
7:01 pm
Obozo’s just running out the clock until Iran gets the bomb. As far as Obozo is concerned, Islamists with nuclear weapons is mission accomplished.
Banderson
November 15th, 2012
7:07 pm
Lil’ BBO, Did you know, or maybe you didn’t, that Pakistan has nukes? How can we take you seriously if you aren’t going to keep up with current events (where “current” means anything in the 21st century).
Dusty
November 15th, 2012
7:12 pm
Well, I think we should have a POLL to help us make decisions. Suppose we had this situation: Mexico shoots 800 missiles into the USA killing many Americans. FICTIONAL OF COURSE but… What would you do?
#1-Fire 800 missiles into Mexico and bomb Cuba for helping?
#2-Apologize to Mexico and demand PEACE?
#3-Castigate the CIA for not telling the president about the 800 missiles.
#4-Cut defense spending because it is making only a few people rich..
***Tally comes later***. Now go for it.
Linda
November 15th, 2012
7:34 pm
Redcoat@4:32, Wrong! Obama was defeated in 2001 in Chicago.
http://www.richsamuels.com/nbcmm/obama/bfirstcong.html
He was a loser then & he’s still supported by losers.