By now, most of you have probably heard about the targeted elimination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the "spiritual" leader of Hamas. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was responsible for encouraging and actively supporting terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens. Israel had publicly stated on numerous recent occasions that they had switched policies in regards to how they had decided to deal with their terrorist foes. They specifically stated that they would in fact be targeting the leaders of these groups for elimination. They had taken out other leaders in the past in similar style attacks, but this was probably the most senior leader that Israel has targeted in quite some time.
I cannot in any way condemn what Israel has done for the simple reason that we in the US have done the exact same thing. If Osama Bin Laden was walking down a street in some village in Pakistan, and our military had a shot at him, you can bet your ass he would also become a stain on the sidewalk. There is little difference between the Sheikh and Osama, one had a wheelchair since age 11, one needed a dialysis machine to stay alive. Both were inciting their followers to attack innocent people through various terrorist methods. I give credit to Israel for minimizing the collateral damage in the attack (they waited until the least amount of civilians were around the Sheikh) much as I commend our US forces for doing everything they could to protect innocent lives. There is little to zero difference between these two men, and anyone condemning Israel while supporting the US is hypocritical.
Also, we hear much from the pundits and politicans in Europe concerning this action-
BRITAIN: Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary: “It is unacceptable. It is unjustified and it is very unlikely to achieve its objective. A measurable restraint is required and I don’t believe Israel will benefit from the fact that this morning an (elderly man) in a wheelchair has been the target of assassination”
The objective was to eliminate the leader of Hamas. I'd say it was quite successful, and the objective was met.
"FRANCE: Herve Ladsous, foreign ministry spokesman: “France condemns the action taken against Sheikh Yassin, just as it has always condemned the principle of any extra-judicial execution as contrary to international law. The attack bears a serious risk of increasing tensions in the whole of the region.”
Unless of course, France is the one doing it, like they did in Algeria.
FRANCE: Dominique de Villepin, Foreign Minister: “At a time when it is so important to mobilise ourselves to advance the peace process, such acts can only feed the spiral of violence”
Does anyone care what this man has to say anymore? Really, anyone? Hey Dom, pipe down. Hamas would never "advance the peace process" unless all the Jews voluntarily marched in to the sea.
RUSSIA: Alexander Yakovenko, Foreign Ministry spokesman: “Moscow is deeply concerned about the situation. It threatens a new wave of violence which could sabotage efforts to restart negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis by the ‘quartet’ of international mediators and key regional powers.”
Alex, you guys are also hypocritical- Does Chechnya ring any bells?
GERMANY: Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister: “The situation is that everything must be done so that further escalation can be avoided. The government is deeply concerned about this development.”
Ummm, methinks Germany should probably stay out of this argument. They don't exactly have the best perspective on the killing of innocent Jews and how Israel should handle it.
EU: Javier Solana, Foreign policy chief: “This type of action does not contribute at all to create the conditions of peace. This is very, very bad news for the peace process. The policy of the European Union has been consistently condemnation of extra-judicial killing"
And to this last part I link to the excellent blogger, Allison Kaplan Sommer (who will be going on the blogroll shortly), who lives in Israel and gives us this perspective from a mother who has to deal with the threat of terrorism every day- Nothing to lose. The reality, as I myself noted in the comments to her article are thus-
Give concessions to the Palestinians, stop building the wall, stop taking out the terror leaders, sign big fancy international "peace" proposals= more terrorist attacks, more innocent Israeli's slaughtered.
Screw the concessions, Build the wall, eliminate the terror leaders, tell Arafat to bite me= same if not less terrorist attacks.
And according to most reports I have read, the wall itself has prevented multiple attacks.
One cannot condemn Israel for eliminating the Sheikh and then give approval for eliminating Osama. They are one and the same.
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