Operation Cast Lead - Day 5

Gaza War Diary II - Who speaks for the Gazans?

Gaza rocket strikes school in Be'er Sheva - Haaretz
- Israel rejects French proposal for 48-hour Gaza truce
- Air strikes in Gaza continue as IDF readies for ground pus
- ANALYSIS / Hamas racks up its first diplomatic victory in Gaza campaign
- Fatah loyalists: Gaza op is 'Allah's revenge' for Hamas actions

Cease terror, not cease-fire | Editorials | Jerusalem Post
"On day four of Operation Cast Lead, international demands notwithstanding, it is way too premature for Jerusalem to be entertaining thoughts of a cease-fire. It is Hamas that needs an exit strategy to extricate it from a devastating situation of its own making."

Editorial: Hamas's suicide mission - National Post

Before you set your own judegments...

Before you pass judgement on the situation in the Middle East and the operation in Gaza by Israel, watch this youtube clip:

Wafa Sultan on The Clash of Civilizations 1
Wafa Sultan on The Clash of Civilizations 2

This is straight from the horse's mouth. This is a women born of Middle Eastern heritage, on Al-Jazeera, talking about the fundamental problem the world faces.

From the day the situation started, I have sat with an open mind waiting for someone to come out and not take sides...Israel has been torn apart in the media world wide, and is being condemned for its actions. Little mind is being paid to the actions of Hamas and the provocation. I feel like I am watching a microcosm of a 4th grade soap opera. Whoever is bigger and is seen being the aggressor last is the person punished for the fight. Never mind the provocation of the person who threw the first punch- we would be so wrong to punish both for their heinous actions or to teach them both that they are just fueling the fire, right?

I weep for the death of civilians on both sides. No matter the number or the method, it is a travesty and a tragedy that this must occur. But until we as a WORLD community sit these two children down and correct the methodology, not just the action, we will get nowhere in this conflict.

War in Gaza hits Home

Kassam rocket fired by Gaza terrorists hits Kiryat Malachi | Israel | Jerusalem Post

For those of us who spent half our years last year on Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, a strike on Kiryat Malachi truly hits home. Not only does it confirm our home-away from-home is within striking distance of the Kassams, but the reality is that this conflict with Gaza will only get worse and strike further into the heart of civilian Israel. Let us pray this conflict ends peacefully; let us hope no more innocent lives are lost.

Developing Story: War in Gaza - Day 4

Peres: Hamas rockets from Gaza on Israel 'have no point, no logic' - Haaretz
- Israel strikes Hamas buildings in Gaza, killing 10 Palestinians
- Husband of Qassam victim: We expected Gaza rockets in Ashdod, but not this
- ANALYSIS / Hamas is hoping for an IDF ground operation
- IDF war games predict look of Gaza ground operation
- ANALYSIS / Operation Cast Lead in Gaza is entering its problematic phase
- Chicago synagogue firebombed; police probe possible link to Gaza violence
- Next EU president Czech Republic defends Israeli strikes in Gaza
- Mubarak: We'll open Gaza crossing only if PA takes control

'Coordination is putting Israel ahead in the media war' | International | Jerusalem Post
- Defense officials: Gaza op has severely weakened Hamas
- Shalev: Israel seeks to 'destroy' Hamas
- Olmert: We'll hit Hamas with 'iron fist'
- Hamas calls 'reservists' to foil attack
- IDF raises alert level in the North

Death Toll Surpasses 350 in Fourth Day of Conflict - NYTimes.com

'All-Out War' Declared on Hamas - washingtonpost.com

Developing Story: War in Gaza - Day 3

Report: Captive IDF soldier Shalit wounded in Gaza air strikes- Haaretz
- Israeli killed as Palestinian rocket hits Ashkelon
- Israel destroys Islamic University in new wave of strikes on Gaza
- Four Israelis wounded by Palestinians in stabbing attacks near Modi'in
- In response to Gaza raids, Hamas threatens to assassinate Livni, Barak
- ANALYSIS / Key Arab states hope for weakened Hamas
- OPINION/ Trying to 'teach Hamas a lesson' is fundamentally wrong
- Why hasn't Hamas responded to Gaza strikes with greater force?
- Foreign Ministry readies 'diplomatic exit plan' from Gaza

'Hamas chief of staff may be dead' | Middle East | Jerusalem Post
- 'Arab nations cooperating with Israel' - Nasrallah
- 'Obama monitoring situation in Gaza'
- IAF uses new US-supplied smart bomb
- 'Hamas looking to change picture'
- Analysis: A viable successor to Hamas is hard to find
- Analysis: Israel trying to ensure that Hamas can't become another Hizbullah

Israeli commandos already fighting behind Gaza lines - DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

Israeli Troops Mass Along Border; Arab Anger Rises - NYTimes.com
- News Analysis - With Strikes, Israel Reminds Foes It Has Teeth - NYTimes.com

As It Continues Attacks on Gaza Strip, Israel Is Poised for a Long Fight - washingtonpost.com
- Jackson Diehl - Olmert's Final Failure - washingtonpost.com

Developing Story: IAF Strikes Gaza - Day 2 Continued

Hezbollah: Israel may take this opportunity to attack Lebanon - Haaretz.com
- Gazans breach Egypt border; Israel bombs 40 smuggling tunnels
- In protest of Gaza attacks, Syria halts indirect talks with Israel
- Anti-Israel protests over Gaza raids draw thousands across Europe
- ADL slams UN condemnation of Israel Gaza op as 'sheer hypocrisy'
- Suicide bomber kills 1, wounds 16 at protest against Gaza raids in Iraq
- Saudi cleric issues fatwa urging Muslims to avenge Gaza raids

IDF predicts Hamas will renew rocket attacks within 24 hours - Jerusalem Post
- Nasrallah: Egypt wrong in blaming Hamas
- Protests flare up in Arab Israeli sector

The Hands of a Terrorist - Talia Shmuel

A Personal Story by a friend of mine, in the current times this is pretty important to remember...

When you see a bad person- a truly bad person who believes they have the right to take another's life- or many, you naively believe that they will look different. Something about them will give them away- the glint in their eye or the scowl on their face. Their hands will be soaked in blood and all they will do is glare.
The hands soaked in blood is true- but that is an external adornment. A terrorist's hands look just like any other person's hands once they have been securely fastened above their head in hand cuffs.
I worked my first "Pegua"-(terrorist attack) a while ago while on shift and we saved the life of a terrorist. A man stabbed and killed one man, and attacked armed police officers when he was stopped for questioning. The police believe that he had been about to execute an attack against a school, 30 meters from the incident. He was armed with a long knife and anger. His hands became covered in blood.
He lay on the ground – 200 meters away from his victims of rage, running for his life after taking another's. A passerby had become involved- tackled him to the ground, and held him at gun point, refraining from shooting the bastard who was lying on the ground, drained by the bullet hole that the wounded police officer had heroically managed to place in his abdomen to save himself and the life of his partner.
When we arrived, he was handcuffed and the only the blood soaked hands indicated the blood he had drawn, separating him from his victims. We saved his life because we hold life to be important.
I did not expect my first "Pegua" to be like this. I expected to save the life of the good guys, not the bad. I expected to prepare an IV for some innocent 86 year old passer by who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I expected to cuddle a child who was crying from fear. I did not expect to stand there as they cut off the clothes of a man who had made the child cry or the 86 year old man die and hand the paramedic medicine and bandages.
I wanted to do more than stick the IV needle in his arm- I wanted to stick it into his heart. But we value life and so we save it. We arrive with sirens blaring and if a person is hurt we treat them. It doesn't matter who they are or what they did. They become a face of pain in our eyes and we treat them accordingly.
Afterwards, people who help the bad guys don't talk about it to each other. We did our job, and the shame that goes along with it burns into our hearts. We know we will do it again on the next shift that a "Pegua" occurs. And we know that shift will arrive. It always comes back again here. We will arrive on the scene, and we treat- blood soaked hands or clean.
What do hands tell you about a person? They tell you if they work hard labor or a desk job. They tell you the ethnicity of a family. They tell you the basic personality of a person- well kept clean nails or chipped paint. What can you do with your hands? Anyone can stab people- but the head and heart tells you not to because you are a good person. What did he do with his hands? He took life.
The terrorist will survive. He will go to jail while his victim is put in the ground. He will continue to use his hands because we respect human life.

By Talia Shmuel

Developing Story: IAF Strikes Gaza - Day 2

IAF strikes target Hamas TV, mosque | Israel | Jerusalem Post
"At least five Palestinians were killed as IAF aircraft continued to hammer Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip late Saturday night and on Sunday morning."
- Rockets land near Ashdod in farthest-reaching Gaza attack yet
- Israel defends Gaza op to UN chief
- Hamas accuses PA, Egypt of collusion
- PA 'ready' to take Gaza if Hamas ousted
- A year's intel gathering yields 'alpha hits'

IDF to mobilize 6,500 reservists for Gaza operation - Haaretz
- Hamas: Time for a third Intifada - Haaretz
- Two rockets hit Ashdod area, as IDF ground troops prepare to enter Gaza
- UN Security Council calls for immediate halt to Gaza violence
- GOC Southern Command: IDF will send Gaza back decades

Next: Israel prepares Gaza ground incursion, Hamas gears for suicide terror - DEBKAfile Special Analysis
- Gaza Operation Day 2: Three rockets near Ashdod, Hamas government center struck
- Israeli killed in Netivot by Gaza missile. Fifty-three fired Saturday night
- Hamas misled, surprised by Israeli air offensive

Israelis Say Strikes Against Hamas Will Continue - NYTimes.com
"Israeli officials said the Gaza airstrikes, which killed more than 225 on Saturday and continued Sunday, were the start of what could be days or even months of an effort against Hamas."
- White House Puts Onus on Hamas to End Escalation of Violence

Israeli Warplanes Pound Gaza - washingtonpost.com
"JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 -- Israeli warplanes pounded Hamas installations across the Gaza Strip on Saturday and early Sunday in retaliation for rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel."
- Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza Strip Imperil Obama's Peace Chances - washingtonpost.com

World Leaders React to Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza - GlobalSecurity.org

Preparing for a wave of anti-Israel bias: Blog Contributor from Haaretz

Bradley Burston / The worst anti-Israel charges you'll hear in wartime:

In Summary:
In this Part 1 of 2 article, Mr. Burston provides a real thorough outline of some of the most common Leftist arguments against this latest incursion and IDF operation into and on the Gaza Strip. His explanations and discussion on said arguments are very centered. An article very much worth reading.

Developing Story: IAF Strikes Gaza - Day 1

Hamas: Over 140 killed as Israel strikes police compounds | Israel | Jerusalem Post

- IDF masses forces near Gaza ahead of possible ground op
- Olmert: Israelis' lives are not forfeit
- Mashaal: We still want cease-fire
- One killed as Kassams rain on Negev
- World leaders call for halt to violence
- Israeli Arabs foment over IAF Gaza op

"Just days after the cabinet gave the military final approval to counter ongoing Palestinian rocket fire against communities in the western Negev, the IDF launched a massive operation, striking Hamas installations throughout the Gaza Strip on Saturday."

Israeli Airstrikes Across Gaza Target Hamas Police - NYTimes.com

"Israeli aircraft attacked Hamas security compounds across Gaza, killing at least 120 people, according to Hamas and Israeli officials."

Israel launches air strikes on Gaza, 120 dead - washingtonpost.com

"GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Israeli aircraft struck Hamas security compounds across Gaza on Saturday in unprecedented waves of simultaneous attacks, and Hamas and medics reported dozens of people were killed."


As always I've provided the NYTimes and Washington Post. Ironically the Post has included the Associated Press's anti-Israel biased report in it's story. Unsurprisingly the Times uses only that report...

Here are some more centered reports:

Palestinians: At least 155 dead, over 200 hurt in IAF Gaza strikes - Haaretz.com
- One Israeli killed, four injured by Palestinian rocket in west Negev - Haaretz.com
- Hamas: Gaza war is like Second Lebanon War - Haaretz.com
- ANALYSIS / Israel wants to teach Hamas a lesson, but not to reconquer Gaza - Haaretz.com
-After IAF strike kills 225 in Gaza, Hamas chief vows third Intifada has come
- Disinformation, secrecy and lies: How the Gaza offensive came about
- ANALYSIS / A hard look at Hamas' capabilities

Israel air strikes kill 155 in Hamas Gaza compounds. Israel will expand operation if needed- Debka.com

- IDF opens emergency war room, Ashkelon is bombarded - December 27, 2008, 1:41 PM (GMT+02:00)

Bibi or Livni?

TWO PEAS FROM THE SAME POD? Will Bibi or Livni Be Any Better?

Few are taking seriously Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to pass himself off as a “moderate,” while Tzipi Livni (illustrated here) has made some unbelievably shocking remarks last week when speaking before Israeli high school students. (Illustration via Newscom)

The article seems to provide a very nice overview, not too biased toward any given side in the initial reporting, of the current political situation in Israel and what we might be able to predict for the future of Israeli government. However, it's only in the end that the author falls short of any real scholarly insight or factual rhetoric.

"Israeli intolerance has once again been manifested by an unprecedented brief detention and expulsion of a visiting United Nations human rights envoy, Richard Falk, an American Jew and a former professor emeritus at Princeton University, at Tel Aviv airport because of his past criticism of Israeli policies, particularly in the Gaza Strip which is under Israeli siege."

Moving from Israeli politics, Hishmeh simply moves to criticizing a single incident as a means of defining what he considers "Israeli intolerance". Furthermore, I didn't know Gaza was still under Israeli siege. Are there tanks and military personnel still within the borders of the rogue territory? If by siege you mean security forces in place to prevent the illegal crossing of possible Hamas terrorists into Israel...

Mr. Hishmeh, tell me your thoughts on the hundreds of Hamas Kassam rockets falling on innocent civilians in the Israeli south and then we can discuss your ideas on "intolerance".

IA Focus: Guinea

Military Coup Succeeds Easily in Guinea - NYTimes.com

Most of the top politicians in the country surrendered themselves to the cadre of junior officers who began seizing power on Tuesday.

Give me a Break: And I thought the Saudis were making progress...

Turki al-Faisal - A Path to Middle East Peace - washingtonpost.com

Just when I believed the Saudis were making progress in the international scene, which to me means simply staying quiet and not causing trouble, this former, self-important excuse for a diplomat thinks it wise to lend his intelligent voice to the discussion on how President-Elect Obama can finally reach peace in the Middle East. Beyond the initial argument that the Saudis should have no say in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict simply because they are not one of the direct neighbors of Israel or have ever truly been concerned with the plight of the Palestinian people, Turki al-Faisal feels it necesarry to voice his opinion on how the United States can become further involved in the inter-state politics of the current Middle East. Not that Afghanistan and Iraq were enough for the Saudis to "lament" over.

"There is universal agreement that the Palestinian people are under occupation and have been deprived of their land. It is beyond debate that their rights -- which derive from divinely inspired texts, international law and the basic principles of justice and equity -- have been ignored, as have all attempts to seek redress."

Let us examine this argument piece by piece. First, Faisal uses the term occupation to describe the current situation of the Palestinian people. Occupation however implies military control and law in a given area. If this is in reference to the West Bank then we can say there are in fact Palestinians under occupational forces and law. Yet we cannot ignore the thousands of Jews and Israelis under the same occupational force and law in the West Bank. Muslims, Christians, and Jews all fall under the same letter of the law in the West Bank. It is the definition of citizenship, whether Israeli or Palestinian that become the true nature of the problem. A problem that the former ambassador does not seem to address.

Yet perhaps Faisal means the Gaza Strip. Well, the Israeli military and government unilaterally disengaged and left the Gaza strip back in the summer of 2005. I would argue Faisal is correct in one respect in terms of occupation, the Palestinians of Gaza are being occupied by a recognized terrorist organization. Hamas is preventing progress in the same peace process that Turki al-Faisal wishes Obama to pursue. No where in his article does Faisal even mention the hundreds of Kassam rockets this "democratically-elected" government in the Gaza Strip showers on the innocent civilians of the Israeli south. No where does he condemn these senseless acts of war against a peaceful nation; a state that has been willing to negotiate for peace at any chance it is given.

The Saudi diplomat then has the nerve to go on about "divinely inspired texts", without giving any credence what-so-ever to the other side, the Jewish side. Are the "divinely inspired texts" of th Jews any less significant? Turki al-Faisal, what you say here is not a valid factual argument in any respect. You would defend the religious basis for ownership of the land from YOUR religious point of view, but for others, not even Jews perhaps maybe Christians, it isn't an issue. We are simply wrong because our religions are wrong. If you can't overcome the religious agenda and barriers Mr. Ambassador then perhaps you can't even begin commenting on how "[Obama's] presidency could have a marked impact on world affairs". As I understand this recent election season, it is the prospect of overcoming racial and ethnic walls that has led to this historic achievement. A country that had one of the bloodiest civil wars over slavery of African Americans has elected an African American to its highest office.

Finally, Mr. Faisal can you defend the fact that in calling the rights of the Palestinians "which derive from divinely inspired texts, international law and the basic principles of justice and equity" you simultaneously disregard and trash the same idea that the rights of Israelis derive from the same sort of texts, international law and basic principles of justice and equity? By making such statements you are not only being hypocritical, you're being a down-right bigot who doesn't care for anything or anyone but his own concerns and people.

Sir, you mention Jimmy Carter, for whom I for one have no respect for at all; whose book has only fanned the flames of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel bias and rhetoric. You say that the day Israel was established was "a day when the idea of a world built on equality, freedom and self-determination died." There is no other way to interpret this than also meaning that you firmly believe Israel should not and cannot exist in an ideal peaceful world. If you truly want to pursue a policy of peace, these statements and remarks are not the means to that end.

Mr. Ambassador get off your high religious horse, tell your government that if they want to help in the Middle East maybe stopping funding of terrorist activities could be a good start, and as for the initial reasons for the Palestinian conflict, look at your own country's historical blunders and you may find some interesting facts. If your country had stepped up then, we may in fact have peace now.

And this Saudi believes he knows how Obama can properly handle the situation in the Middle East?

Give me a break.

Where Do We Go Now?

The Reckoning: White House Philosophy Stoked Mortgage Bonfire

“We can put light where there’s darkness, and hope where there’s despondency in this country. And part of it is working together as a nation to encourage folks to own their own home.” — President Bush, Oct. 15, 2002

The economy is in the tank after a housing market collapse took the rest of Wall Street with it. Now, the American and Canadian governments are ponying up the big dollars to save the already tail-spinning auto industry and the DOW continues to plummet. At an Oval Office meeting to discuss the impending crisis, (Might-As-Well-Be-Former) President Bush begged the question, "How did we get here?" Good question, Mr. Bush. Maybe reading this article 8 years ago could have changed the way you and your government ran things. Is this the death of Laseiz Faire, or just the beginning of stupidity? I report, you decide...

Previous Article Listings

Prior to the creation of this blog I would post articles on my Facebook wall with simple comments. Here are some of those articles I found interesting.

The Spoils - Battle in a Poor Land for Riches Beneath the Soil - Series - NYTimes.com
"A fight over deposits of uranium is unfolding in northern Niger between a band of Tuareg nomads and the army."

Really interesting piece about another resource war in Africa and how it is costing the innocent civilians of Niger not only wealth but too often their lives.

Jimmy Carter - A Human Rights Agenda for the Obama Administration - washingtonpost.com
"We have the opportunity to restore the moral authority behind the movement."

Carter rambles on about the failures of the Bush Administration and how Obama needs to fix America's stance in the world through the method of Human Rights Activism...I love how Carter can in one instance condemn the war in Iraq, which removed one of the world's worst Human Rights violators from power, yet in another instance praise Palestinian upheaval against Israel because he believes Israel is a Human Rights violator. This coming from a man who perverts the use of the term "Aparteid" for his own egotistical and radical gains. Give me a break.

Op-Ed Contributor - The Terrorists Want to Destroy Pakistan, Too - NYTimes.com
"The president of Pakistan says the Mumbai attacks were directed not only at India but also at Pakistan’s new democratic government and the peace process."

The President of Pakistan presents his side of the story when it comes to the recent attacks in Mumbai and how Pakistan is also a victim of terrorism. His words resonate a prospect for a positive future between the once waring nations of India and Pakistan, stressing calm and restraint in the face of increased tensions between the countries. Although he speaks on behalf of himself and his nation well, displaying a desire for peace and stability, I am skeptical he alone can solve the problems that region of the world is now facing. I am hopeful though that strong leadership will endure and he can back up his talk with positive action.

Senators Speak...or write...

John McCain, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham - A Chance for Consensus on Iraq - washingtonpost.com

"After our visit to Iraq this month, it is clear that what was once unthinkable there is now taking place: A stable, safe and free Iraq is emerging. Violence has fallen to the lowest level since the first months of the war. The Sunni Arabs who once formed the core of the insurgency are today among..."


Senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham offer a very fascinating and thought-provoking point of view on the prospect of new success in Iraq. The article offers a series of recommendations for both the incoming and outgoing Presidents. Often echoing the tone and voice of his campaign run, McCain and his allies describe the necessity for political change in Washington. They emphasize the removal of petty partisan politics in favor of bipartisanship, and required efforts on both sides of the aisle to accomplish tasks and goals. I think it is admirable that Senator John McCain in particular makes no allusion to his loss in the Presidential Election. He and his allies return to business as usual, and surprisingly take further steps to praise President-Elect Obama, as well as return to the fight for change in policy. Their endeavor displays a fundamental quality needed now more than ever. We need to break the gridlock that has held Washington for so many years in order to push through policy that will bring our country out of recession and reinvigorate the low and depressing spirits of our people.

Introduction

Greetings and welcome to the "Tripod Report". This blog is an experiment of sorts, namely if I can keep up with posting and continue to provide interesting articles and opinions for any of you who may in fact be reading this. Most important, however, is the fact that knowledge is truly power and if I can help even one person realize some unknown piece of fact then I've accomplished my mission. Take what I say here with a grain of salt but also remember that the greatest human freedom we have is speech and the ability to voice our opinions without being silenced. This blog is a testament to that freedom in the United States and other democratic and free nations, as well as a pillar for those who do not have such freedoms.

This blog has been updated and now has three authors. Eric J. Schorr - your friendly Right Wing Nutjob. Seth Kennedy - your neighborhood Pinko-Commie, and Zachary N. Trupp - the Political Everyman.