Point of information

[unixronin]

If you're Hamas, and you can't find a place in the north-eastern end of the Gaza Strip (see satellite view here) from which to fire rockets into Israel that does not put a school, a hospital, an apartment building etc. within the target zone for counterbattery fire, it's because you're not even trying.

Comments

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

Of course they're not even trying. They want hospitals and schools to get hit on the counterstrike so that they can run around a wail and cry and do their "why? why?" drama queen thing for Arabic television.

Yes, in my experience, most Arabs are total drama queens.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Of course they're not even trying. They want hospitals and schools to get hit on the counterstrike so that they can run around a wail and cry and do their "why? why?" drama queen thing for Arabic television.

My point exactly.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

It's kinda comical, really, and whereas the US falls for it every time because we're running dual military/PR campaigns constantly, the IDF just doesn't give a shit, having lost the "hearts and minds" campaign ages ago.

My fascination with the IDF probably stems from the fact that they are, in many ways, such a "pure" combat force. No pacification, no "hearts and minds", no complicated ROEs...just their A-game in full blitz mode.

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

No pacification, no "hearts and minds", no complicated ROEs...just their A-game in full blitz mode.

Nah. If that were true, the problem would have been solved 40 years ago.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

Well okay, they haven't busted out a nuke yet, but that wouldn't exactly be wise given the close quarters of the parties involved. And population wise, there's only so much they can do.
But the wars of 1948, 1967 and 1972 were a pretty good indication of the type of thrashing you can expect if you push it too far.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Well, if the Knesset would turn'em loose, yeah....

[Knesset] "We'd like you in Damascus in three days. Weapons free."
[IDF] "We're on it."

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

It also allows the claim that the counterstrike is a "war crime". The Geneva Convention being the thing the other side has to adhere to.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

Doesn't matter. The United States is a permanent members of the UN Security Council and always votes no on any resolution against Israel.

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

{Must remember to use sarcasm tag...}

If countercharges are allowed, I am not sure how Hamas can avoid prosecution for violations of the Geneva Conventions. Have you seen the way they indoctrinate the children in Gaza? Preschoolers practising with guns wearing green headbands. How can there ever be peace?

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure they're being "prosecuted" right now by superior air and land power.

:P

As for the other part of your comment, yes, and it's disgusting. Using UN marked ambulances to transport militia, waging firefights surrounded by civilians, etc etc etc.


Classy!

On the up side, it's encouraging to see US-built F16 Falcons, F15 Eagles, AH64 Apaches and M1 Abrams tanks perform so well in urban environments.

Maybe we could move those assembly lines to Detroit and other Rust Belt regions as an economic pick-me-up. God knows California has other forms of income.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

California, I understand, is going bankrupt. Word is they'll be sending out IOUs for 2009 state tax refunds, and the state unemployment fund only has enough money for one more week of benefit checks — then either the state stops paying unemployment, the state borrows money to back them with, or the checks start bouncing.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

*as a person who grew up there and moved to Colorado 16 years ago*


HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA


failed state

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Huh. It was 16 years ago (well, 16 years last June) that cymrullewes, the Silly Goose, and I left California. Right as we crossed the bridge and the state line into Arizona, we turned round and directed resounding raspberries behind us.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

Weird.

I took an Amtrak from somewhere in eastern Orange County in December of 1992.

DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Excuse me. cymrullewes has just pointed out that I can't COUNT.


2002 was SIX years ago.





(Off-by-one error. It was an off-by-one-error, that's all.)



(....OK, so the one was in the frelling TENS column...........)

Re: DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

I think you confused it with when you moved TO California.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

Not the UNSC could enforce a parking ticket, let alone a war crime, that is...

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

A launch site must have sufficient population for the launcher's to fade back into so that they cannot be identified thereafter. Wearing civilian clothes is such a benefit to a soldier...