The International Fugitive Gazan Law

     Whereas it is unlawful for any Gazan to leave the Gaza Strip, and

     Whereas it is possible, even likely, that some perfidious Gazans have escaped,

     Be It Therefore Resolved that any Federal Officer, of any of the Nations of Earth, who does not arrest and return a Fugitive Gazan shall be fined $1,000, and that the testimony of a single Israeli shall be proof that someone is Gazan and needs to be returned,

     Furthermore, Officers that do return Gazans to their just bombing shall be rewarded.

---

The 1850 Fugitive Slave Law in America fined federal officers $1,000, and were obliged to arrest and return any person to the South, to slavery, on the affadavit of a single slaveholder.

Bush Trying to Usher In Rapture

     Legacy to include unqualified support for one more war, this time in the Holy Land.

     which really sucks, because I have just moved into this apartment and am cleaning it up sweetly.

What do Military Planners Call This?

     The Israelis, who control most of the borders around Gaza, are not letting any Palestinians leave during the aerial bombing and artillery shelling.

     Is there a word for this? America did something similar in Fallujah in 2004, although America let women and children leave before the seige that cut off water and electricity.

     Is it called a Turkey Shoot? Shooting Fish in a Barrel? Inscribe and Conquer? I have to say, it doesn't seem very sportsmanlike.

What do Military Planners Call This?

     The Israelis, who control most of the borders around Gaza, are not letting any Palestinians leave during the aerial bombing and artillery shelling.

     Is there a word for this? America did something similar in Fallujah in 2004, although America let women and children leave before the seige that cut off water and electricity.

     Is it called a Turkey Shoot? Shooting Fish in a Barrel? Inscribe and Conquer? I have to say, it doesn't seem very sportsmanlike.

The Timing Of These Israeli Strikes

     About 120 killed by Israel.

     We know, for a fact, that there is no pressing need for these strikes to occur now.  The rocket attacks, while harmful, occur at roughly the same degree of lethality as they always have.  Jay, earlier, commented that no one should have to accept such rocket attacks.  Of course, if we played by those rules, there would be nearly endless wars on Earth. The Burmese and Thai would have to go to war. The Thai and the Malaysians would have to go to war. The Venezuelans and Colombians would have to go to war. The Indians and Pakistanis would have to go to war.

     The Israelis are using the annual media lull to get away with vengeance killing.  120 people dead?  Does anyone think these airstrikes hit 120 rocketeers? 

     My policy suggestion is to, for all intents and purposes, stop helping either side.  We do send lots of money (100s of millions?) to the Abbas government, and billions (including military aide) to the Israelis.  Cut them both off.  Pronto. 

     WHY DOES THE MUSLIM WORLD HATE US? It isn't because we are free, as Senator Schumer (D-NY) said on September 12th, 2001, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, it is because no matter what atrocity or treaty breaking the Israelis do, we keep sending them guns and money.  U.S Foreign Policy is Dead! Love Live U.S. Foreign Policy!

Christmas Attack Planned?

     Those who follow the news might heave learned that Friday evening is the time to break "bad" news, because fewer people are paying attention.  If you get to wait as long as you want, between the celebration of the birthday of dead Jesus and the end of the year in the calendar based on dead Jesus's birth is the time to bury a news story.  This sort of thing is surprisingly common, no matter the location. 

     Certain people in the Gaza strip (total population > 1,000,000) fire small rockets into Israel.  I think three people have died, and another dozen have been injured, in the 1000s of rocket attacks launched since Hamas took over Gaza.  Israel is now threatening to invade Gaza, perhaps during this news lull, because of the (relatively) meaningless acts of a few.  Of course the rocket attacks should not be ignored, but many, many suicide bombers have done more damage over the years.  What's more important, and what the Isreaelis have always done is allow the actions of a few to justify retaliatory strikes against the many.  For example, it has been alleged that a Corporal (G. Shalit) in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) was kidnapped.  Israel, in retaliation, bombed the electricity power generation facility that served 600 to 900 thousand people.  I don't deny there is a strong possibility that the kidnappers were on that electric grid, but, we all know damn well that the other 599,995 to 899,995 people had nothing to do with it, but paid anyway.  I've said for a long time that Israel is being very stupid in expecting the Palestinian governments preventing any single Palestinian attacking any Israeli.  No offense, but if Israel can justify aerial bombardment with expectation of civilian casualties with any single attack, then certainly they are expecting the Palestinian government to control 100% of its citizens.  I expect better of Israel.

Obama Preferred by International Audiences

PIPA did a poll of 23 countries concerning the 2008 US Presidential election and their results showed that in 22 of the 23 countries it wasn't even close, Obama was preferred.

The one country where it was close?  America.  I kid you a little.  They didn't actually poll Americans on that question, but at the time, July-August 2008, the race was very close in America.

It must be noted, however, that in Russia, Egypt and Turkey, most people didn't think either would be better.  I strongly suspect this is because of Obama's idiotic rhetoric concerning aggression in Georgia and South Ossetia, and his volte face of policy concerning Israel and Palestine.