It is perfectly understandable that Israel will pay almost any price to get their own back, but dealing with terrorists is like dealing with the Devil. The Devil always demands more...

Most countries follow the U.S. lead, no dealings with terrorists. You don't lose any more than if you did and it really cramps terrorists style. No negotiations always frustrate them IMHO.



@Cedar,

Don't take your home problems to the Boards, vent but don't attack others. It will be less stressful on all concerned. We realise things in Lebanon are bad. We also realise that women in Lebanese society are subservient to men. You are equal here and you don't have to overcompensate.

I agree with Cryptomaniac that the U.S. and the West should engage Iran and it's people diplomatically. At present, there is an ongoing trade between Iran and the West, so there is some common ground already.

Gen'ral mate, Israel has a good 'seed'. 

Neo, there seems to be an about face in U.S. policy towards Iran, movement to more dialog and to engage Iran diplomatically, talk of a U.S. 'Interests section' as well as continuing trade (export/import) with Iran. It seems both sides have come around to seeing that mutual positive relations would vastly benefit not only the U.S. and Iran, but for the Mid-East in general. All this is good to see and I hope it continues. Do you think the tide has turned for the best?

Note:

International law is useful only when it benefits someone. Otherwise, they are a sham and broken frequently.

As I posted earlier, there will be no war involving Iran. Too many positive and/or costly things would be affected. There simply is too much to lose on all sides for a war. 

This: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jkKFU8CvHoLV5ont_58iLTVBWLVQD921MIRG0


... was an entirely different event than what I had posted before.

Birds of a feather, flock together.   

There is a breath of fresh air going on between Iran and the U.S. The U.S.already trades with Iran, there is talk of at least an 'U.S. interests' (read embassy?), there was direct communication in Europe at a nuclear weapons meeting with Iran and perhaps some 'backdoor' and hidden exchanges between Iran and the U.S..

The bottom line is that it is in both nation's interest to grow closer and start forming normal relations. I think all would agree with that (except McCain).


There will never be a war involving the U.S., Iran, or Israel. There just are too many negatives even to think about it.


EDIT: I even found this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/world/middleeast/19iran.html?ref=middleeast

I think a lot of times the terrorists claim that civilians were killed when in fact they were terrorists. Given the fact that the airstrike was at least 13km away, it would have been to the terrorists advantage to claim civilians were killed, hoping for better press and sympathy from people all over the world.

The ISAF (read U.S.) usually is pretty truthful about such things.

Hear! Hear! 

mdma, STFU.

If you have nothing to say on a topic it is really moronic to post "No comment". Your quote above has nothing to do with the topic either and I hope Abraxas PM's you at the least. Insulting a Mod is not acceptable behaviour, but you probably won't last too long here in any event.   


I do apologise to Abraxas for going off topic. Let's get back on the subject.

Some well made points Zenter... but this is the Mid-East, where nothing seems to make sense.

I do applaud the Bush administration for following Barack Obama's position of engaging Iran in diplomacy. It's like the current Administration has run out of ideas and is slowly sinking into deep water.

As per usual, Israel seems to have to give up the most to get their own back. Next time, if I were to act like Hezbollah, Israel would kill all the live ones involved before the exchange.

... But Israel isn't Hezbollah and has the bitter moral high ground.   

Nothing about Hamas I note. You must support them?

...Targeting Hamas who are attacking Israel is the job of the Israeli military. If the people in Gaza were smarter, they would kick out and/or not support them. The fact is that since they don't tells me they don't mind dying for a terrorist group.

It really is simple... Don't attack Israel. Surely that is a concept that is easy to grasp.

Then negotiations would proceed, checkpoints would be opened and so on...

A lasting Peace would be nice. A 'truce' is still in effect even though groups 'other than Hamas' are still attacking Israel, albeit at a lesser frequency.

And you bleat about "International Law"! That is pretty feeble and not reality.