The State Department's daily press brief focused on Gaza again.
So the U.S. State Department doesn't want Israel to stop unless they know the rockets from Gaza will stop and they can begin a political dialog. The best way to stop the rockets is to let Israel continue the ground campaign and wear Gaza out, at which point a political remedy can be worked out.
The problem with this is, if the world's strongest power, by definition a requisite mediator in an international humanitarian crisis, stands by idly (which perhaps is a complicit sort of support), the Palestinians are never going to come to the table. The other side will be further marginalized, much of the population radicalized. If the Israelis are using cluster bombs and depleted uranium -- war crimes -- we will have a severely weakened ability to negotiate later on.
Hamas may be spent, their threat perhaps extinguished, but that will mean almost nothing for lasting peace, or what McCormack keeps calling a "sustained, durable" solution.
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tetstestset
ReplyDeleteAre they really using cluster bombs? Those are the most inaccurate bombs I've ever read about, post WWII. And to use them in one of the most densely populated areas in the world...yikes. Truth to this or rumors?
ReplyDeleteThere was a question raised about their use, along with explosives with depleted uranium (radioactive), both of which are war crimes, at the state department's press briefing. I don't know who asked or where the information came from, and McCormack obviously didn't respond.
ReplyDeletethe israelis are not using cluster bombs. if they did they would have leveled all of gaza. they are using the white phosphorus munitions. which may severely burn people but not level their homes. http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/01/its-still-not-c.html
ReplyDelete"With the media blackout over Gaza, detailed knowledge of what the Israelis are doing is in short supply."
ReplyDelete-So basically the blog is as reliable as this one. No one knows, reporters are not allowed in Gaza right now. It's all speculation. My point remains that this is not going to promote a durable cease fire. At the same time Israel was getting shelled by rockets, so something had to be done. It's a terrible situation.