Imad Mughniyah is as much a terrorist as Goerge Bush. I do not believe that Mughniyah has caused the death of 4000 US troups and a million Iraqis.
Bush did. The Mossad is a terrorist organization.
It is a cat and mouse game. The roles change between the various players.
Anyone defending the right and freedom of his people is a freedom fighter, not a terrorist.
Imad Mughnayah was a 1st class freedom fighter.
Was the Haganah freedom fighter org.or a terrorist
org.?
Now, do we want peace or do we get hung up on semantics? The Arabs,Israelis and their patrons
need to make up their minds now before it is too late. Quit talking and let us start working for peace

The reason Mughniyah was considered a hero and not a terrorist in the Middle East is for the same reason Israeli assassins are considered to be heroes and not terrorist in the west. One mans terrorist is another mans hero. From a proud liberal. END THE WAR IN IRAQ.

When was the land ever paid for once?

The Melman and Raviv essay seems to be right on target and suggests the difficulty of democratic states defending themselves against authoritarian terrorists. An even more unpleasant possibility strikes me as unlikely but something that cannot be ruled out: the American intelligence services will not work as hard as they might to prevent a Hezbollah attack on the US in order to push the election to a Republican who will be less likely to investigate the "dirty war" that has been carried out since 9/11. I hope I am wrong.

Why a jewish state on Arab historic Palestine-with all the "GOODIES" that came with it during the past sixty years? It is much more cost-effective to declare New York as jewish state:it has more jews than in occupied Palestine.

This opinion article by Yossi Melman is typical of the flawed reasoning behind any attempt to respond to terrorism by killing the terrorists, famous or not (Feb 25 article) . The point is that it makes absolutely no difference to terrorist aims to destroy Israel whether a leading terrorist is killed or not.. Does Mr Melman actually believe that by not assassinating the high profile terrorist that there would be a respite in their evil efforts to kill Israelis. No..absolutely not.. In fact, I would argue that it makes more sense to kill as many of the high and mighty terrorist leaders as possible to thwart their plans...Mr Melman's plea reminds me of the Juden rat, those poor misguided leaders of doomed Jewish communities during WWII who calmed their constituents into going willingly to their deaths by telling them not to make waves with the Nazis.. Dont bother them and they wont bother you.. yeah sure... To h-ll with all such appeasers..

Why would the land need to be paid for twice?

PS:

David says we should stop giving aid to Muslims and give all our support to Israel. Are you of Jewish descent per chance?

I say we should terminate our $3 Billion per annum aid to Israel and give it all to the Palestinians in partial compensation for taking their homes and land.

Oh please! As Lisa would say… It is not all that complicated. The British originally established the Israelis in the region as insurance, to help keep the critical Suez Canal open in case Egypt got other ideas again.

The US bought in hook line and sinker, always keeping in mind the idea that we might join them in their dream of establishing Greater Israel to encompass all land between the Nile and Euphrates. We all know that oil supplies, our life blood, are limited and rapidly dwindling. The final battle is looming in the not too distant future over control of the dwindling oil supply. Unless of course Barack fulfills his promise, brings our troops back home and converts us to a successful green energy society.

The right wing religious nut jobs bought in hook line and sinker, always keeping in mind the Second Coming and the End of Times.

When Israel kills one freedom fighter there comes the next.

Regardless whether you call them terrorists.

But yes, Israel only kills leaders of terrorist groups!

The lesson: aggression creates aggression!

Peaceful people show no aggression.

It is amazing to me that people are so blind to the murderous atrocities committed by Hezzbollah and Hamas. But what do you expect from Muslims. They always say "I don't condone violence, but..." and then there is a long sermon on Zionist and the Jewish plot and blah, blah. You have to deal with these people in the only manner in which they understand, and that is to kill them before they kill you. These two organizations have been responsible for every terrorist hijacking, kidnapping and bombing around the world for the past 40 years. It's not a W.A.S.P. named Smith at the top of every terrorist watch list. The U.S. should absolutely give Israel any support it needs and stop playing both sides by selling arms to Saudi Arabia and all the rest. If they want weapons let them get Russian crap. As long as there is one American soldier in any Muslim country we will be targets. The Sunnis and Shiites have been killing each other for two thousand years, I say let them continue. As for those of you who have Muslim names and want to blog and protest about the treatment of the Palestinians and continue to send them money, why don't you go back and enjoy the peace and prosperity that is so abundant over there. And yes, all this from a Centrist Democrat.

Goodnight Quinn. It's way past my bed time.

Rick Jones digs Karl Marx. Like revolutions huh Rick ? Are you still manufacturing those zombie vests for the folks in Gaza ? Gee Rick can you help me find the alliance agreement between the Zionists and the Crusaders ? I thought the Crusaders butchered those Zionists AND Muslims during the middle ages. Good night, Rick.

As for being a good strategy, as Yossi says, assassinating leaders is a two-edged sword. Taken with the betrayal of the people by the corrupt Arab leaders, by siding with the Crusader backed Zionists in abandoning the Palestinian people, in indulging in opulent greed at the expense of the people, they may just ignite Whirlwind II patterned on the uprising that brought Revolution to Iran.

Here is a reporter’s narrative who accompanied President Bush on his recent trip to the Middle East.

During President Bush’s recent trip to the Middle East Arab TV offered an uncomfortable juxtaposition: Al Arabiya running the wretched saga of Gaza children suffering from a lack of food and medicine during the Israeli blockade, blending into the wretched excess scenes of W. being festooned with rapper-level bling [elaborate, gaudy jewelry and other accouterments, and a lifestyle built around excessive spending and ostentation] from royal hosts flush with gazillions from gouging us on oil…the president and his advisers Elliott Abrams and Josh Bolten went native, lounging in floor-length, fur-lined robes…

In Abu Dhabi, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan gave the president a gigantic necklace made of gold, diamonds, rubies and emeralds, so gaudy and cumbersome that even the Secret Service agent carrying it seemed nonplussed. Here in Saudi Arabia, the king draped W. with an emerald-and-ruby necklace that could have come from Ali Baba’s cave.

Time’s Massimo Calabresi described the Kuwaiti emir’s residence where W. dined Friday as “crass class”: “Loud paintings of harems and the ruling Sabah clan hang near Louis XVI enameled clocks and candlesticks in the long hallways.”

In Abu Dhabi, the president made a less-than-rousing speech about democracy while staying in the less-than-democratic Emirates Palace hotel’s basketball-court-size Ruler’s Suite — an honor reserved for royalty and W. and denied to Elton John, who is coming later this month to play the Palace.

The president’s grandiose room included a ballroom…The $3 billion, seven-star, 84,114-square-foot pink marble hotel — said to be the most expensive ever built — would make Trump blush. It glistens with 64,000 square feet of 22-carat gold leaf, 1,000 chandeliers, 20,000 roses changed every day, 200 fountains, a dome higher than St. Peter’s, an archway larger than the Arc de Triomphe, a beach with white sand shipped in from Algeria and a private heliport. The rooms, scattered with rose petals, range from $1,598 to $12,251.

Rick Jones,

You are one sick little pup. You are a stain on America. You want to support the f@ck who killed our soldiers, that is your watch. Tell you what, if you take your fight to Iraq, my brothers will be happy to help you die for your principles.

You are a traitor.

Pathina,

The Israelis are defending themselves from evil animals. If you had kids you would want to stop some rag head from blowing them up too.

As to your history, where did you get that crap? Some revised Islamo-Marx reader? I know there is no point in hoping a shrill little fool like you will study actual history, so I will only suggest that you try to lay off the drugs.

I don't get it. Who did Sadr side with that supports Israel?

Of course Sadr's reasons are political, whose aren't? But you can't ignore that he picked a side with Israeli supporters against Muslims.

You must see that targeting leadership is a basic military strategy, not a simple-minded argument. Israel doesn't intend to scare Imad's replacement out of taking the job and no one of importance believes that's the case. There are moral, organizational, and strategic consequences when the top guys fall. Top leadership will have to invest more time in evading capture or death, which will take away from planning time and ease. Smaller fish have less intrinsic value and are more easily replaced.

The creation of Israel for European colonisers was a geographical, financial and moral mistake. The indigenous native population were either masscred, driven from their land into refugee camps in other nations or occupied by the colonial power.
Yes, colonisation occured in the past; at this time in our world history only Israel and Indonesia in Ache, are still occupying and persecuting a native people for their own benefit.
The fact that Israel kills about 10 indigenous people a week with impunity is monstrous. It is not just the indigenous people who are being killed by these occupying thugs....Rachel Corrie's murderer is still in the occupying military and free to kill again.
ISRAEL'S STATE TERRORISM IS FAR MORE DEADLY AND HORRIFIC..HOW ABOUT AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS????

The alternative is to end our addiction to Middle East oil. If we had spent the last seven years and $1 Trillion dollars that we have squandered on an ill advised invasion and occupation of Iraq, on investing in alternate energy sources instead, we would be well on our way to energy independence. If we had spent the last sixty years and hundreds of billions of dollars that we have squandered on an ill advised invasion and occupation of Palestine, on investing in alternate energy sources instead, we would be energy independent.

As for Sadr, he is not cooperating with US forces. He is just lying low until we pull out next year, and then he will make his bid for power. The Sunnis and Shiites will eventually duke it out to settle old scores and new spheres of control.

The crazy argument among these war-mongering folks goes like this:

If we find and kill off all important leaders, those below them would think much harder before they move in to fill those positions, and plan out attacks against us again in the future.

This is a 5th grade argument, where those engaging in the argument have no mental capacity for stringent argumental algorithms based on both valid and sound premises.

Of course, if you point out such flaws to them, these moral and ethical people --- who are almost always those who want people friend, hanged, injected with drugs, or electricuted too --- they turn on you:

What? Do YOU prefer to let those monsters go? Are you just scared? Or perhaps you are not as patriotic?

I tell you: arguing with 5th graders is indeed a sword that cuts both ways:

you think they are not as sophisticated; don't know much about the world and circumstances.... They think you are too stupid, too uncool, too this or that personally to know that they KNOW what the real and the good answers are. They already know them all!

You can not fight terrorism with terrorism.

What use is an oil-free nation as an ally if that is what we crave? Egypt and the Saudis, on the other hand, are a different story. Our arrangements with them are driven purely by thirst and were difficult to accomplish because of our ally. Israel serves as a tactical friend providing invaluable intelligence in a precarious region which is vital to our interests considering the CIA is, well, useless.

As for uniting under an anti-American/Israeli banner, look no further than Iraq to rebuke such a notion. Sadr is a perfect example if why it won't ever happen; cooperation with US forces is apparently more attractive than with their Muslim brothers, Al-Qaeda in Iraq. This is a perfect microcosm that encapsulates most of the political movement by the Arabs (term used loosely for practicality) since 1947. I believe an indisputably dominant Iran is a worse option than cooperation with Americans for most countries in the Middle East.

And the alternative is...what?

I think oil is a big reason why we are allies. Britain wanted to establish the Israelis in Palestine initially as an ally to help them keep Egypt from blocking the Suez Canal.

We wanted an ally in the Middle East because of our thirst for oil, and this is the main reason for our enormous investment in Israel.

Yes the Arabs and Persians, Sunnis and Shiites, do have many problems getting along with each other. But the continued US and Israeli arrogance and aggression may just serve to unite them against the greater evil.

It looks like the neocons have managed to deliver Shiite Iraq into the arms of Iran. Now we are trying to drive Syria and Lebanon to complete the Islamic Crescent surrounding Israel and its two treaty cosigners, Jordan and Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, which spawned Hamas in the first place, may join with Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, the Palestinian refugees who make up half the population of Jordan, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq and Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Israel’s Olmert, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egypt’s Mubarak are probably beginning to feel like Custer surrounded by the Sioux in 1875 at the Little Big Horn.

Imad Mughniyeh must have been some sort of super-terrorist, or perhaps he was born with a bomb. He is blamed for the bombings of the US and French embassies, the US Marine barracks, the highjacking of a TWA flight (all of these impressive feats while still in his teens!), the bombing of the Khobar Tower in Saudi (blame for this attack alternates between Hizballah, ala Mughniyeh, and Al Qaeda, depending on who the terrorist du jour is, and sometimes both in cahoots), the bombings of the Israeli embassy and a Jewish cultural center in Argentina (which Argentinian authorities openly admit no proof of who carried these attacks out exists) and some I surely forgot.
We need to get real. You can't go to war against a strategy (which is what 'terrorism' is). Our governments and the pliant media create these mythical figures and the fear that comes with them.

My words are about to be used against me in a court of law. This is my best. 2004 Coolblue.

Cool summer breeze, lazy movement through the trees
clockwork of the trades, in a sandstorm light fades
lived a life, still I wait to connect
when I felt love, the other, she'd reject
Winds of change, earths rhythm, the jetstream goes
does it mess your hair as you curse its blow
pulse of the planet, alive life grows
sun goes east to west this angel opposes flow

Looking up I close my eyes and you
touch my face
Is this a dream I feel my soul and
God's grace

That soul-mate stuff, it makes a real good book
there's a girl out there, I've just got to look
drift and flow, vary somewhere out west
cross river valley's banks of snow high on the crest
I'm in love this element, Gibran did say
unseen, feel someone in bed as you lay
Chinese, Hindu, Druid, US Native race
The Chosen people name the fury, soft embrace

Looking up I close my eyes and you
touch my face
Is this a dream I feel my soul and
God's grace

Cool summer breeze, lazy movement through the trees
clockwork of the trades, in a sandstorm light fades

dependency on oil is a big reason for US involvement in the region in the first place, but it has little to do with why we're natural allies with Israel if that was the implication. I agree that the Arabs would be better off if they unified under the umbrella of oil revenue, but the problem is that they have internal issues almost as bloody/detrimental as what they have with Israel & the west. Oil will be gone within half a century and if they don't get their act together there won't be money OR sympathy.

You are right Alex, Israel is our natural ally, and the key phrase is “while this remains the status quo”.

We both are dependent on imported oil. Israel imports over 90% of its oil, mostly from Russia. We import 60% of our oil, mostly from the Middle East.

As soon as the Arabs get their collective heads unplugged from their derriere they will realize that they have no reason to tolerate US and Israeli arrogance.

This is fortunately quite simple and there is no longer any real reason to debate any further. Israel is a natural US ally in the region because of nearly parallel security interests. Aid, arms supply, information exchange etc will continue while this remains the status quo. Furthermore, Israel has a right to defend herself against unrelenting terrorism (it's a matter of perspective). High profile killings of enemy leaders will continue because of the obvious strategic benefit, regardless of who the successor may be. No one cares what your opinion is.

Given the statement "But when a country encounters a highly motivated, solidified and structured terrorist group, killing its senior members proves to be counter-productive." I assume that in this case killing them all is the only solution, as they would be unwilling to negotiate in any meaningful way regardless.

The Israeli aid from the US is only 0.15% of their GDP. Aid also makes Israel unnecessarily dependent on the United States, making the Jewish state vulnerable to U.S. pressure to make unwise concessions to its enemies. You can't receive aid, in other words, with no strings attached. Yet their 2006 military spending totaled $9.6 billion, the 15th largest among the 190 countries on the planet and the second highest in the Middle East. Exceeded only by Saudi Arabia at $25.2 billion. If Saudi Arabia does not pose a plausible threat to Israel, because it is U.S. ally, then what is all military spending for? The Messianic's (Bush) have all believe that Jerusalem, must be 100% Jewish (7 Seals) before Jesus will return. Each Church has a different translation of the end of times, but all the Evangelicals are backing Israel and our gov't is arming all sides in the Middle East. That's at it's core. Prescott Bush the Presidents Grandfather helped Hitler's rise to power, by selling millions of dollars in German Nazi bearer bonds, prior to WW2. So, get with the program. Israel is not going anywhere, and Arabs need to take care of their own and stop treating Palestinians like second class citizens. Their plight is meaningless to their brethren, it's only fodder for Moslems world rampant anti-Semitism. They hate Christians just as much. Jews in Israel or Arabs that are Israelis, don't kill their own people. Moslems thru-out their empire, have no problem killing their own. Or, repressing Women!

..."Using Targeted Killings' don't work." Good article truthful and you left out that Israel has now escaled tensions with Syria, and you forgot to mention, that also killed where his two daughters, and others.

This is a failed policy that only hurts Israel and her credibility around the world, and it especially hurts America who is trying to keep the peace.

In conclusion now Syria totally is watching and waiting, saying nothing but paring for "WAR" they know is coming over Israel's lack of soverign respect that has left room now for no respect.

Israel is quite capable of taking care of her citizens I otta know we/America helped them get their, but they I'm afraid have went to far, to far in using excessive force in the Middle East in GAZA and in killing far far too many innocent innocent folks, many I'm afraid, just kids.

So I'm afraid its only going to get worse now because respect has been lost, and now it's been replaced with alarm with Syria and that's counter productive to Peace and can quickly lead to War."

Sincerely, Tommy Birchfield, Voter/Vet USAF,
Master's Program, East Tennessee State University
Spring...2008

Asim MA, San Antonio: With friends like you, who needs enemies? Maybe you should stick to the Stormfront and reprints of the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion". You're taxing your brain too much! Spread the love, you Grand Lizard of the Ku Klux Klan....As written in the Quran [48:21] "As for the group that you could not possibly defeat, GOD took care of them", meaning us infidels!

I can't take serious anyone who uses the word terrorist....You would think that the mouthpiece of the ultimate state sponsor of death might take a look in the mirror.

Sorry Joe. I think I will stick around long enough to make sure that your buddy Bomb Bomb Iran John McCain doesn’t get elected.

By the way, as noted by Usama above, why were our Marines in Lebanon in 1983? They were invading the country as ordered by another of your moronic buddies Ronald Ragan, against the advice of his Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger, in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. What would we do if the Russians or Chinese ordered a thousand of their troops into Washington D.C.?

This was just one more in the continuing series of fiascos resulting from our disastrous foreign policy initiatives since the British Balfour Declaration of 1917, the 1947 UN partition of Palestine and the 1948 establishment of the so called "State of Israel".

Have another beer Joe. You’re getting all uptight again.

2 events ...a watershed moment...

1.The strong support on West Bank demonstated by Hamas supporters at the funeral of Sheik al Barghouti...
2. tomorrow's proposed peaceful chain mass demonstration in Gaza against blockade...

as I said Hamas will show itself to be as politically astute as it is militarily gutzy....several doors have opened for Hamas recently since the breach in the border between Egypt and Gaza...I think there is a real chance they will walk thru them as politicians representing all of the Palestinians....Israel and Hamas should cut a deal(s) now that both parties can live with ...

Oh, yeah, just let the guy carry on his attacks, that is a better idea.
This is one of those classic "Postman bit the dog" stories, that are written just because it will always sell.

The Israelis have continually taken actions to inflame and destabilize the Middle East region and to pull their American cash cows further into the quagmire of war and killing associated with the occupation and the denial of any human rights to the Palestinian people.

The Israelis have not only used assassination as an instrument of foreign policy, they also have ignored numerous United Nations resolutions, they engage in the use collective punishment against occupied people, they destroy economic infrastructure in neighboring countries and territories they hold under occupation, and they cointinue to flood Jewish settlers from Europe into the occupied Palestinian territory to consolidate Israeli control over stolen Palestinian land.

Since the phony photo-op in Annapolis that was ballyhooed as a Middle East peace conference, the Israelis have killed over 100 Palestinians and continued to starve the entire civilian population of Gaza with a Nazi-like seige. The state of Israel is a rogue nation unbeholden to international law or international standards of human rights. As a nation that is run as a criminal entity, Israel thrives in an atmosphere of violence, theft, destruction of economic infrastructure, invasion, occupation and constantly blubbered victimhood.

As a nuclear-armed Middle East bully, Israel has yet to reap the bitter harvest that it has sown.

As an American, I must say that the only country that we are afraid of is Israel. I know why, but I dare not say it. Did someone say that Putin has set up similar fear barriers in his country? And Chavez? and Mubarak? Every day we become like the others. But why don't Schumer and Liebermann pay taxes on their Mossad salary? And Wolfowitz and Perle also? If they did, we could fight more wars and shed more blood for Israel.

Oy vey ! The laws of terror are remarkable in their consistency across all races and nations. The Israelis ought to know, when they were blowing up the British via the Irgun gang whose members went on to become Prime Ministers.

Such is life. One often wants the race to stop when one is in the lead. Some races never finish.

But the Europeans are happy. By creating Israel as a gilded prison they completed what the Germans had started and 'spiritually deported' the diaspora, and deligitimised the survivors who stayed behind. And they say that the Europeans are the stupid ones? Nein, nein. Das is nicht war.

Now what were you saying about killing terrorists? Is that after you have taken their land, or before, in the name of whatever?

Rick, John all of you self hating, America hating loosers.

This man murdered our Marines. This man masterminded dozens of attacks. This man made a career of murdering innocents and you feel sad he is gone. What is wrong with you? He would kill your whiny pink, socialist, jihadist bottoms too.

Don't you dare talk about false patriots. I actually love America. You do not. You snots support her enemies. Like I said, get out of my country. You repulse me. You disgust me. If I met you on the street I would spit on you.

I am not a neocon. I am someone who is not blinkered by whatever drugs you fools must be taking. Seriously, get out of my country.

You conveniently forgot to mention that not only the targeted individual but his wife and daughter were also killed by the same bomb. This kind of behavior was not acceptable even in stone age.
This is Israeli justice, or to put it more correctly, Israeli injustice - and I am ashamed to say, supported by my country and my tax dollars.

I agree. Instead of killing terrorists,we should mail them passes to Disney World with prepaid airline tickets and room keys to nice hotels so they will not be upset at us. Be sure and stock the hotel 'fridges so they will have plenty of liquor to keep them happy while they are here. Thank God for people who recognize that terrorists are just misunderstood pussy cats who need a little TLC.

Yossi, thanks for sharing your thoughts. We're all familiar with Israel's finger-wagging and self-recriminations. But what is the solution? If Israel doesn't retaliate against terrorist leaders, then Israel does nothing. Doing nothing does not solve the rocket attacks.

The strategy that seems to work best is terminating the terrorist leadership. Not an occasional, high-profile target. Let each and every terrorist know that there will be swift and final accountability for his actions. Terrorist leadership is wonderful at volunteering others to become martyrs. Let them put their own lives on the line.

"It's Palestine stupid".If we can solve this in our lifetime, maybe we can live peacefully .

Israel has denied the killing. Americans, Syrians and even Iranians had reasons to kill him. The authors are Israelis and like to take the credit. There is not proof, they are bluffing and trying to take credit for other people accomplishments

Muslims in general and the Arab Muslims in particular have proven time and again that they do not share the world's concern for the sanctity of human life.
They will kill anybody including each other(car bombs in Iraqi markets, suicide bomber in lots of places) for any slight real or imagined.
There are only 2 solutions to this.
One sterilize the entire Muslim population. Time will take care of the problem or 2. quarantine them in an area, nothing goes in or out. Let their victims only be each other.

And then there is Fidel Castro whose long reign was most likely sustained by the perceived sense of importance given him by the multiple failed U.S. assassination attempts. The longer he lived, the more he became endeared to his movement and his people, especially because his continued existence represented a victory of little Cuba over the behemoth to the North.

Yossi:

I agree with you that targeted killing is not the effective policy its often touted to be. How sad that a state such as Israeli, with essentially no capital punishment, tarnishes its soul with these killings that often result in the deaths of innocent civilians.

Where is the evidence that Iran/Hezbollah were responsible for the Argentine terrorist attacks? I haven't seen anything in the media that is even close to being reliable.

As much as you congratulate Mossad, are you so sure that Syrian intelligence didn't give up Mughniyah for some as of yet unseen reason?

Perhaps the Golan Heights.

By far the best article read so far. Written with authority, insight and discipline. What else is there to be said except going off on a tangent and start rambling and moralizing over, at least from the Israeli viewpoint, this legitimate act of targeted killing.
Over time, it has become my impression that the Arabs don't give a rat's derriere about the plight and future of the Palestinians; the non-Muslim world looks down with great ennuie at Israel, and Hezbollah and Iranian counterpart are cultivating a pipe dream of destroying Israel, or at least sowing terror at all cost.
Short of surrendering, is there still room or a willingness for a political solution?

The true patriots are those who stand up and speak out against the atrocities that have been and continue to be perpetrated by our government with our tax dollars. The last thing we need are more good patriots like Joe who enable these moronic neocon policies.

Go ahead Joe, have another beer while another 3,000 of our best and brightest die in Iraq at the hands of our moronic Commander in Chief, while we slaughter a few more hundred thousand women and children for no reason, while we displace millions of families from their homes into refugee camps.

Go ahead Joe, have another beer.

Killing only leads to more killing. Love spreads love.

When are the Semites going to learn to live together? WHen will they turn their cheek to their enemy. As Gandhi said " An eye for an eye and pretty soon everyone is blind." This intense hatred and anger and the tit for tat has governments involved. Why doesn't the governments in the region show some responsibity.

Iy Kohen,

ya Mongoloid, tard funk, what's keepin' the likes a you with limbs and fingers to post the misinformation you're postin' is the big ole ass fence with state of the art motion detectors and electronic surveillance, NOT assassinations of Hamas leaders.

And Muganieh's assassination, while a feel good story for Israelis today, it really pickled their leadership class _ does Dumbo Olmert retaliate with an another all out war after the RESPONSE and risk losing Kadima for good _ that's the other edge of the sword.

All reports seem to indicate Mughniyah was killed precisely because he was actively involved in a
lethal conspiracy plotting mass murder attacks against population centers in Israel involving Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah & Palestinian terror groups.

How ironic that in following the trail of blood shed by Hamas, they suddenly found the man they had been searching for all these years. In
fact, Mughniyah's undiminished taste for homicide and sociopathic state of mind, which fostered his
peculiar "lone wolf" tradecraft, led to his own discovery, betrayal and doom...

Was it unwise to eliminate him? In a word, no. Because this man was one of the most seasoned, capable and tactically brilliant terrorists in the Middle East, he will not be easily or quickly replaced by someone as competant. And perhaps whatever plans he laid with Meshaal and his
fanatic filth will now go astray.

I say bless whoever blew him to hell. For the first time in decades, all the families that suffered losses at the American Embassy and
in the Marine barracks in Beirut can sleep a little more soundly knowing justice has finally
been served.

Such hysteria about Israel here...

First off, how about we focus on reality. I know you are all breast fed anti-Israel lies and propaganda from the best of neo-nazi and jihadi web sites, but let's focus on something.

This animal was a monster. He was responsible for the murder of dozens of AMERICAN marines in Lebanon. Remember that? If any of you little snots likes this guy, you like an avowed enemy of America who murdered Americans. That makes you an enemy of America too. Get out of my country.

He also masterminded the raids and kidnappings that started the recent war in Lebanon. If you think that was good, then get out of my country.

Very seriously, if you are anything but happy that this evil pig, spawned of a prostitute, is dead and now in facing judgment, get out of my country.

By the way, it might not have been the Israelis that got him. It might have been us. I certainly hope so.

As for me, I am having a beer at the thought of one less roach to step on.

Assassinating terrorist leaders brings peace. This is a well-established fact:

THE WAY WE LIVE NOW: ISRAEL PROVES THERE IS A MILITARY SOLUTION TO TERRORISM

…Anyone who visits Jerusalem today will not see the ghost town it was in 2002, when Israel was absorbing an average of one suicide bombing a week.

… How did things improve so dramatically, and so quickly, for Palestinians and Israelis alike? Begin by recalling Israel's assassination, in late March, of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. At the time, the action was all but universally condemned as reckless and counterproductive. "By granting Yassin the martyrdom he craved, the Israelis have provided a motive for new suicide attacks," went an editorial in the normally pro-Israel Daily Telegraph of London. "More young Palestinians will fall in love with death, and more Israeli civilians will die with them."

Yet what followed for Israel were nearly six consecutive terror-free months. This wasn't because the Palestinian terror groups lacked for motivation to carry out attacks. It was because they lacked for means. The leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Yasser Arafat's own al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades had to spend their time figuring out how to survive, not on planning fresh attacks. The Israeli army incarcerated terror suspects in record numbers--some 6,000 now sit in Israeli prisons--which in turn helped yield information for future arrests. Most importantly, the security fence has begun to make the Israeli heartland nearly impenetrable to Palestinian infiltrators. (August's double suicide bombing in Beersheba happened precisely because there is still no security fence separating that town from the Palestinian city of Hebron, from where the bombers were dispatched.)

Taken together, these measures prove what a legion of diplomats, pundits and reporters have striven to deny: that there is a military solution to the conflict.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005768

and

"Gen. Amidror: Targeted Killings Work" (Nov. 2, 2005 / 30 Tishrei 5766)

...Gen. Amidror, speaking on Army Radio, quoted the "precise statistics" of a study by Prof. Ben-Yisrael of Tel Aviv University, showing that "we used to have a full 140 deaths a month, and we were able to bring it down to 50 a year - without even a kilometer of fence."

Amidror explained that this achievement was enabled in two stages: "First by re-conquering Judea and Samaria [in 2002], and then, three months later, by arresting or killing terror leaders... It causes them to spend their time finding hiding places, instead of planning terror attacks."

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=92236

Such hysteria about Israel here...

First off, how about we focus on reality. I know you are all breast fed anti-Israel lies and propaganda from the best of neo-nazi and jihadi web sites, but let's focus on something.

This animal was a monster. He was responsible for the murder of dozens of AMERICAN marines in Lebanon. Remember that? If any of you little snots likes this guy, you like an avowed enemy of America who murdered Americans. That makes you an enemy of America too. Get out of my country.

He also masterminded the raids and kidnappings that started the recent war in Lebanon. If you think that was good, then get out of my country.

Very seriously, if you are anything but happy that this evil pig, spawned of a prostitute, is dead and now in facing judgment, get out of my country.

By the way, it might not have been the Israelis that got him. It might have been us. I certainly hope so.

As for me, I am having a beer at the thought of one less roach to step on.

A lot of hot air about people who cannot distinguish between the Islam that the Prophet (saaw) taught and the miserable state of affairs which they live within the Muslim world.

Ironically, there are Muslim matrimonial sites advertised on the very same pages advocating that Islam is evil and against women & destroying the world. In reality, the cause of the misery of the Muslim world is the ABSENCE of Islam as it is supposed to be. Instead, there are ruling authoritarian regimes who spread corruption and are protected by ulama who serve them rather than God. Together, they fail to solve the chronic problems of the Muslim world, instead causing new problems and inviting still more problems.
Meanwhile, they squandor resources, spread corruption, injustice, hypocricy, engourge themselves with 100s of billions- if not trillions- in wealth which by Islam should be designated to care for the poor, needy, and helpless.
But of course this aspect of Islam is always suppressed because it doesn't suit the selfish interests of naysayers and hatemongers. Nevermind that Islam rules out riba'/interest and the capitalist financing industry which chokes the life out of the poor. Nevermind that Islam makes all energy resources as public property rather than private. Nevermind that Islam forbids the divisiveness of nationalism.

However, this thread is not about Islam, its about Israel's role in assasinating leaders who pose some threat to their existance, or to their geo-political dominance over the region.

TO KNOW THE DANGERS OF ISLAM READ:

http://akram.rediffiland.com/blogs/2007/10/06/Read-It-Translate-It-Forward.html

http://iranpoliticsclub.net/library/english-library/islam-sex01/index.htm

AKRAM & NIGARKHAN

Actually, according to CIA officials, the attack on the US embassy in Beirut in 1983 was a military action, not a terrorist attack. The US marines were a legitimate military target entering into an active military zone.

As America's experience in Iraq has shown and past history has revealed, embassies can essentially become military outposts for imperial designs. Would America stand for massive military build ups at the Chinese or Russian embassies? America was invading Beirut.

Nay, America is forever living by different standards than the rest of the world. And Israel is the undeclared 51st state of America.

Rick,
You are exactly correct.

Providence

"Assassination Is A Two-Edged Sword"

Assassinating Israeli State Terrorist Rehavam Zeevi in the Hyatt Hotel of Arab-East Jerusalem, on 17 October 2001, the Palestinians also helped to prove the above Assumption...

Zeevi was an Israeli reserve-general, who operated ETHNIC CLEANSING of Palestinians in his young days, and dreamt of perpetrating this policy years later, as a minister in Ariel Sharon's government.

Years before Zeevi was killed, he was known for his ties to Israeli Mafiosi-clans. But when he talked about the "cancer" which threatened Israel and said that "Israel should get rid of these lice", he was not talking about Israel's Organised Crime Gangs. Zeevi "political platform" was to remove innocent Palestinians.

Inspired by other racist movements, Zeevi founded the "Moledet" (Homeland) Party in 1988. Instead of removing Jews to Ghettos Zeevi wanted to remove the entire Palestinian Arabs population from Israel, the Israeli-Occupied Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip to neighboring Arab countries.

On 14 October 2001 Zeevi declared that his party would quit the government following the withdrawal of the Israeli military from a neighborhood in occupied Hebron. His resignation was to become active on October 17, 2001, at 11 a.m. He was shot dead a hour earlier by four members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in revenge for the assassination by Israel of their leader, Abu Ali Mustafa, killed by Israel in August that year.

In Ariel Sharon's Israel, Zeevi's "Heritage" has gained popular support after his death. The LEGACY of the #1 ETHNIC CLEANSER of Israel received State Support, when in 2005, the Knesset passed a law to commemorate Zeevi's memory and educate future generations with his racist "Legacy".

"The killing of leaders often backfires and strengthens their cause". The racist anti-Arab Legacy is alive and kicking in APARTHEID-Israel.

To all of you jihad @ssholes, America bashers and Israel haters,

This was not an assassination. This was pest control. A roach got stepped on. Important and respected leaders are assassinated. It says much about who you are given the regard that you hold this animal in.

He was the one who murdered our Marines in Lebanon.

That animal is in hell now. To those of you who support him, you are enemies and when you face your Maker, you will be joining him.

Thank you very much.

Good night Rick.

Poor Mr. Melman he always writes such interesting pieces and get so many kooks...

in any event,
To all you Israel haters...Israel is here to stay...and after it ends this corrupt ugly occupation ...the best best is yet to come!...

there will also be a Palestinian state led by Hamas,...Dahlan eat your heart out!(that is,if you have one!) why? because Hamas will prove (hopefully soon) that they are as politically asute as they are militarily gutsy...

and Obama will be our next President!...Thank God!

so haters and ideolgues ---go screw yourselves...

Free Marwan and Gilad! It should be a battle cry around the world!... Shout It Out Everyone!

Senator Barack Obama’s Nation Of Islam Connection Exposed!:
U.S. President Bush and the NAACP
During the 2000 U.S. presidential campaign, the NAACP's National Voter Fund ran a television ad against then Texas Governor and Republican Party nominee George W. Bush.

The ad featured the daughter of James Byrd, a black man dragged to death by three white men in a pickup truck, blaming Bush for refusing her pleas for a hate-crime law when he was Texas governor.

The ad also depicted a truck with chains dragging behind it, and was criticized by some for trying to connect Bush with the lynching.

In 2004, President George W. Bush (2001—) became the first sitting U.S. president since Herbert Hoover (1929–1933) not to address the NAACP when he declined an invitation to speak.[6] The White House originally said the president had a scheduling conflict with the NAACP convention,[7] slated for July 10-15, 2004. On July 10, 2004, however, Bush's spokesperson said that Bush had declined the invitation to speak to the NAACP because of harsh statements about him by its leaders.[7] In an interview, Bush said, "I would describe my relationship with the current leadership as basically nonexistent. You've heard the rhetoric and the names they've called me."[7] Bush also mentioned his admiration for some members of the NAACP and said he would seek to work with them "in other ways."[7]

On July 20, 2006, after having declined the civil rights group's invitations for five years, Bush addressed the NAACP convention, making a bid for increasing support at the polls for Republicans by African Americans, in the midst of a heated midterm election.[8]

--- Shame Shame NAACP for conspiring with OPRAH's "The-Secret" ARMY!

NAACP and Tax Exempt Status
The Internal Revenue Service informed the NAACP in October 2004 that it was undertaking an investigation into its tax-exempt status based on Julian Bond's speech at its 2004 Convention in which he criticized President George W. Bush as well as other political figures.[9][10] In general, the US Internal Revenue Code prohibits those organizations granted tax-exempt status from "directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office."[11] The NAACP has denounced the investigation as retaliation for its involvement in increasing the number of African Americans who vote.[9][12] In September 2006, the investigation concluded with the IRS finding "that the remarks did not violate the group's tax-exempt status."[13]

---

Separatism & Segregation
In an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Louis Farrakhan was asked by Tim Russert to explain the Nation of Islam's view on separation:

"Tim Russert: Once a week, on the back page [of your newspaper] is The Muslim Program, "What the Muslims Want," [written in 1965]. The first is in terms of territory, "Since we cannot get along with them in peace and equality, we believe our contributions to this land and the suffering forced upon us by white America justifies our demand for complete separation in a state or territory of our own." Is that your view in 1997, a separate state for Black Americans?"

"Minister Louis Farrakhan: First, the program starts with number one. That is number four. The first part of that program is that we want freedom, a full and complete freedom. The second is, we want justice. We want equal justice under the law, and we want justice applied equally to all, regardless of race or class or color. And the third is that we want equality. We want equal membership in society with the best in civilized society. If we can get that within the political, economic, social system of America, there's no need for point number four. But if we cannot get along in peace after giving America 400 years of our service and sweat and labor, then, of course, separation would be the solution to our race problem." [7]

---

February 5, 2008 – Syndicated columnist Debbie Schlussel broke a story on January 30, on Senator Barack Obama’s close ties with the Nation of Islam (NOI), headed by black racist and anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan.

Schlussel interviewed a former Obama insider on the condition of anonymity and learned that contrary to Obama’s recent statements distancing himself from Farrakhan and his anti-Jewish views, the Senator actually has staff members who are NOI members.

According to Schlussel, “… a former Obama insider says that Obama’s sudden aversion to NOI and Farrakhan is belied by the fact that Obama employed and continues to employ several Farrakhan acolytes in high positions on his Illinois and U.S. Senate campaign and office staffs.”

SHAMe SHAMe stupid White Woman!

Yossi,
Thank you for removing the tinted glasses from your profile. That we all may see the reality of conflicts as the light of day and night truly reflect them.

How deep are you going to cut with that 'double-edged sword?'

My point was not that you shouldn't have an opinion. And really, I could care less which side you think your supposedly supporting by getting all sanctimonious... It was the cheap, unimaginative rhetoric that I was referring to..

Want to help the Palestinian cause? Move to Washington (you're not so far away), and help them develop their lobbying abilities. I'm serious. That might actually do something.

You seem unable to escape the "who has the right to the land" paradigm. Israel, like all countries, exists out of sheer force of will. It has not inherent right to exist, or not exist -- like all countries. Likewise, the Palestinians have no inherent right to a state, despite what you say about "their homeland." The world simply doesn't work that way. Believe me, the Palestinian leadership knows this as well as anyone. And they know the Israelis know it too.

Anyhow, I'm going out for a drink. Best of luck to you, Rick.

I’m sorry that we offend your sensibilities A Realist, but it is a contentious world isn’t it? How can one observe what is being done to the people of Gaza by our government with our tax dollars and not express outrage?

Today our government announces that it wants to give millions in aid to the struggling people of Gaza, but it cannot be routed through their elected representatives. We pretend to be champions of democracy, but when the election results go against our interests we call the victors terrorists. This is not the heated bloggers on this site who make this accusation, but our government leaders.

And why do we call Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations? Because they use “asymmetric warfare techniques” and civilians are casualties in the process. Never mind that the Israelis have killed 100 times as many innocent Palestinian women and children as the so called Palestinian “terrorists”.

Yes it is a tragedy that the suicide bombers must deliberately target the Israeli civilians who occupy the Palestinian homeland. But that is the only weapon left to a people who are no match for the military might of the US backed Israelis. So that is the harvest that the Israeli “innocents” must continue to reap in return for the plight they have dealt to the people of Gaza and the West Bank.

So climb back on your white horse and go back to Camelot. This is no place for those of your sensibilities.

I often read the comments section on this site, and usually after a few minutes I click away, not having written anything and shaking my head in despair. But this time I just had to say something...

The comments on here are simply atrocious. Personal attacks... Vicious in tone...Generally uninformed...Come on people!!!! It's patheric!

To begin, do you all not realize that in engaging in this kind of nastiness, you simply join in a long, long, UNORIGINAL and BORING tradition of arm-chair fanatics and blow-hards sounding off about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? (I'm sure 10 people will write to complain about my calling it as such, as opposed to the "Savage Arab Terrorists' War Against Modern and Democratic Israel" or the "The Zionist's Plot to Commit Genocide Against the Innocent Palestinians")...

But really, my point is this...instead of getting your undies in a bundle, and getting into a screaming match about who is more righteous, just remember this: as a general rule, morality has NOTHING to do with affairs between nation states and other types of politicial entities. Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis are evil, or sub-human or anything of the sort. They are all human, like you and I... They are simply engaging in the same game that poeple have always played -- the main objective being the acquisition of power...and not for nefarious reasons mind you, but rather because it is through the acquisition of power that nations and their people attain SECURITY -- and that's what is most important to both Palestinians and Israelis. The game itself is indeed nasty and brutish. Both sides try to dehumanize the other, so as to make own proejct seem more legitimate...This is certainly true... But make no mistake, neither side is better or worse... Certainly, the Jews learned a valuable lesson as a result of their experience in Europe over the centuries, culminating in the events of WWII and the holocaust, that lesson being that they could not entrust their security to others, and that only by acquiring a state could they maximize their chances of survival. Not surprisingly, the Palestinians have learned this lesson as well...why else would they be pushing for a state? Same goes for the Kosovars... All this talk about who is a terrorist and/or who was a terrorist decades ago....the Palestinians, the Irgun...DUH...it's so tired.. All I'm asking for is that folks raise the level of conversation...just a little bit..please??? For once??

Arab leaders say the two-state solution is in peril.

From today’s NY Times, Arab leaders will threaten to rescind their offer of recognition of Israel in return for Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands.

At the Arab League meeting next month in Syria, they plan to reiterate their support for their previous initiative offered in 2002; i.e. normalized relations between Israel and the 22 member Arab League states in return for a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital and a resolution of The Refugee issue.

But this time the offer will be withdrawn if Israel does not respond quickly and further options will be pursued.

There is now a feeling that Israel only wants to create a “rump” Palestinian state [whatever that means] that would be neither viable nor sovereign, and would not only be unacceptable, but would actually be dangerous.

When the Gazans poured into Egypt recently, officials in both Egypt and Jordan – the only neighbors with peace treaties with Israel – became frightened that Israel planned to force Egypt to absorb Gaza and Jordan the West Bank.

“There is No Longer Space for Two States on Palestinian Land” read a headline in Al Hayat, a pan-Arab newspaper in London recently. The Egyptian mail ran this headline about a week later “No Hope for Two-State Solution”.

There is a general Arab sentiment of despair, and that despair is accompanied by a feeling that momentum is moving in favor of the more radical players, like Hamas and its patron state Iran.

Hamas is going to be fortified and not only Egypt, but all Arab states have to think about this.

“People no longer trust that a Palestinian state can be established, for one sole reason: the brutality of the Israeli state and the retreat of the Arab world,” said Abdullah el-Ashaal, a former assistant to the Egyptian foreign minister and a professor of international law at Cairo University, who was articulating a widely held position in this region. “And this is why there is a return to the radicalization of the Arab attitude, meaning the words ‘peace process’ no longer hold any meaning.”

Egypt and Jordan have specific practical concerns because they fear they will ultimately be pressed to absorb the Palestinians into their states, a prospect they find as abhorrent as Israelis view the prospect of joining their Palestinians in a so-called one-state solution, meaning the end of Israel as a state of the Jewish people.

Egypt worries that absorbing Gaza would seem to extinguish the rallying cry of Arabs for a Palestinian state. It would also be a financial burden and create a potential for spreading throughout Egypt the kind of Islamic extremism promoted by Hamas, which is an offshoot of Egypt’s homegrown Muslim Brotherhood, a group that is banned but tolerated.

Jordan sees the prospect of having to take responsibility for the West Bank as a financial burden and an existential threat to its very identity. “There are fears a federation will be forced on Jordan and the Palestinians,” said Taher al-Adwan, editor of the Jordanian newspaper Al Arab Al Youm. “This is completely rejected by the Jordanians and by the Palestinians as well. Jordan is already half-Palestinian.”

There is also the broader fear, that absorption would make permanent the fight over the land Israel is on, giving radical groups a cause to rally around, and moderates nothing to point to.

“The challenge as I see it is, do we continue to work with Israelis and Palestinians in order to achieve what we think is the best solution to this problem — a two-state solution?” said Hossam Zaki, spokesman for Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Or we succumb to the will, the wishes, plans and ideas of those on both sides who are trying to change the reality on the ground and make the two-state solution impossible.”

Israel is the force of darkness, and the tyrant, and the terrorist.

You are right again, they will soon get their just desserts.

It would sure make my weekend if all the reports in the last few hours regarding the EU call for Israel to end blockade...the call for Hamas -Fatah talks...the call for a Hamas-Isarel truce are true...it appears there may be a breakthrough of some sort...at least that is what I am praying for!

"RAMALLAH, Feb 22--Fatah and Hamas welcomed European Parliament proposal to resume intra-factional dialogue to settle their differences.

Member of Fatah Revolutionary Council Amin Maqbool told Alalam Friday that resumption of dialogue between Fatah and Hamas is necessary.

Maqbool said, "Undoubtedly, re-establishment of ties among Palestinian groups can remove all justifications for continued aggression on the Palestinian people."

Meanwhile, a Hamas leader Jamal Abuamer told Alalam that Hamas welcomes the EP idea for resumption of the talks and does not protest the proposal.

Abuamer said, "Hamas position in this regard is clear and irrevocable. It has always been emphasizing that the talks, as along as they are in line with Palestinians' interest, should be held."

Rick Jones : Your right Israel went into Lebanon to stop the murder of Israeli civilians by Arab gangs given safe haven therein; your wrong to attribute Arab gang terriorist attacks against Jewish villages and women and children because Begin et al blew up British troops and Arab Militas in the 30's or 40's. Actually Rick of Arabia Israel will always survive the forces of darkness which you advocate. In fact Quinn is shining light upon your friends as we speak. Now Rick when did you return from Gaza ? Were you in Syria for the blast ?

Sic semper tyrannis - Thus always to tyrants - I guess in the long run Brutus did little to change the direction of an imperial Rome and your argument holds that villains should not be struck down...Don't make a martyr out of them, that's what they want, you say....Still justice cries out for SIC SEMPER TERRORIST - thus always to a terrorist to get their just desserts...See the other post here - the video tale of a brave woman and son getting rid of the bad guys for kidnapping him.

A Jewish state was established in an area where Jews were a minority. In any religious state, those of the non-state religion are second class citizens. Would US Jews accept the US becoming a Christian nation? The state of Israel was given to the Jews in disregard of the native population by the Europeans because the Zionists were better politicians than the Palestinians and because of guilt. The state of Israel survives in its arrognace only beause of US money and politics. Israel will only thrive if it becomes a secular state with equal justice for all. It may survive a while, but it will not thrive, by suppressing and driving out the indigineous population. Israel had sabotaged every opportunity for peace that has arisen. It has sabotaged moderate Palestinian leaders. It seems to want a small amount of violent resistance as an excuse to expand and suppress Palestinians. Shame on the US for unconditional support for Israel and perpertuating the conflict. The Bush adminsitation's support for Israel makes as much sense for the US as the gutting of FEMA and the "cakewalk" in Iraq.

What Raymond has referred to is sometimes called lex talionis, the law of retaliation. It allows for proportional retaliation delivered in the manner and at the level of the original offense. Very few legal systems have encouraged the literal application of the rule. Non physical compensation has been encouraged by Judaism, and leniency and total forgiveness are even promoted by Christianity and Islam. Never in any modern or ancient legal system has it been sanctioned that two eyes be taken for one, or a head for an arm, let alone ten lives for one.

I fear the Day of Judgment for my own sins. I would not want to be in the place of those who have been ordering retaliations that have soared above the ten to one proportion to more like one hundred to one.

Why does neither the Post or other U.S media report stories such as the headline below, which appears in Haaretz today:

Nasrallah: Lebanese agents planning new war with Israel within months

What would the U.S. if one of its neighbors announced that it was planning for a war with the U.S. within months?

The Israeli Jews just love everything about killing, assination and bombs and tanks and target practice on Palestinians-- and they glory and respect and reward those who do so. A lot. Everyday and everyday. They all it defense. Eye for an eye is the national motto. Using AMerican arms is just that much more fun!

That's why they'yre universaly detested.

Pale Rider:
That is not enough.
you have the obligations of disproving not just by denying but by deeds.

Pale Rider:

Rick Jones is historically correct in that Irgun was responsible for terrorist style attacks on British and Arab targets from 1931 - 1948. It was Irgun and other violent Zionist groups that continued to agitate for the creation of a Jewish homeland in British administered Palestine, carried out bombings and assassinations of British and Arab targets, and further enflamed Jewish/Arab friction in the region. I disagree with the numbers Rick used (the official numbers associated with Irgun attacks is in the hundreds), but it does accurately reflect the history of the region. There certanly were Arab attacks on Jewish targets during the same period, and some agument has been made for legitimate retaliation on the part of Irgun, but they were labled a terrorist group by the British at the time.

My answer is absolutely true, correct, and precisely on point Kimosabe. And that is the whole point. Yossi is also true, correct and on point:

“But when a country encounters a highly motivated, solidified and structured terrorist [Freedom Fighter] group, killing its senior members proves to be counter-productive. The dead are soon replaced by members who are sometimes more skillful and more determined.”

Imad Mughniyah will be replaced by an equally or more capable leader and the Holy War will go on until the Zionist invaders (including Quinn) are driven from Palestine for ever, God willing.

Rick Jones: Your answer is not true, correct, or on point. Nice try.

Why did Israel invade Lebanon in 1978?

Answer: Because using Lebanon as a base, Palestinian fighters were launching intermittent cross-border attacks against civilian and military targets in Israel.

Why were Palestinian fighters attacking Israeli civilian and military targets?

Answer: Because the terrorist organization Irgun, led by Chief Terrorist Menachem Begin, had launched intermittent attacks against British and Palestinian civilian and military targets from 1931 to 1948, killing thousands of innocent civilians and displacing hundreds of thousands of families from their homes, driving them into horrid refugee camps where they still reside to this day.

Asim Ma: Your posts are always the same. Please tell me why Israel is racist,terroristic, and has apartheid. Also tell us why Israel was in Lebanon to begin with in 1978.You must know anyone termed a hero by by the Arab/Muslim world is considered a terrorist by the rest of the thinking world.Giving sweets to Arab children after Jewish children are blown up by Zombie bombers from the West bank is not what is logically termed peaceful guestures, nor teaching of peace. Its terrorism. You know it when you see it Asmin old chum.

Muganieh is a terrorist???? israel was built on terrorism,violnce and ethinc cleanesing;israel survived on state terrorirism and apartheid and racism and violence.

Hezballah was established at the grass roots as a direct resonse to isralei invasion of Lebanon in 1978 and its brutal and lengthy occupation of Lebanon from 1982-2000 when HEzballah evicted the jewish invaders.

Hassan NAserallah and Mughanieh are the most popular heros in the Arab/Muslim world:any one israel calls a terrorist is celeberated in the Arab/Muslim world as a hero.

The British called George Washington a terrorist!!! Apartheid south africa called NElson Mandella a terroris too!!!

What is the definition of terrorism??? It is any one provided apartheid israel is banned from shoving its terms and definitions on the world.

YM:"The Middle East is already volatile, with Lebanon on the verge of a civil war and Iran's growing appetite for nuclear weapons. This development may sink the region into a new vicious and bloody circle of tit for tat. And when the Middle East sneezes, the rest of the world – especially America and Western Europe – may get the flu."

True. That is another reason why Israel should be listening to former director of Israel's intelligence service Mossad, Efraim Halevy who does know something about the impact, both negative and positive, of targeted assassinations...he now is an advocate of talking with HAMAS leaders and when you talk about who leads Hamas you mean Meshaal and Zahhar...

Israel and Hamas both for pragmatic reasons need a deal...and freeing Gilad and Marwan have to be part of any deal...

I use to live in the Middle East ...it was full of MEN then ...now what passes for men on both the Arab and Israeli side are a bunch of political eunuchs...that think launching rockets at small towns of civilians and pushing cell phone buttons to blow up people make them men...meanwhile, a good and possibly great man and a smart, great sounding kid rot in captivity...it is all so shameful.

It could be Syria, it could be Israel, it could be Iran, it could be an internal Hizbollah power struggle, it could be the CIA, it could be some Palestinian terror organization with a grudge, it could be several others. in a 25-year career as a terror chief, a person can build a long list of enemies. Whoever did it, more power to them. If there ever was a filthy murderer who deserved to be ushered out of this world, he was it.

To say in the same article that "He is personally responsible for the deaths of at least 500 people" and also that "by assassinating him Israel took a huge risk" is a circular argument. If he was such an effective murderer, then there was also a huge risk in NOT killing him. Israel - if it really was Israel - has learned this lesson in many years of dealing with terror.

Killing Imad Mughniyah was useful for the reasons you recounted. It sent a big message but there will be retaliation, which one assumes Israel and those that aided Israel in this hit factored into their decision making here. In any event, retaliation is the Hezbollah pattern after any of their people are taken out. So count that 30 day mourning period and everyone in the Western world and Persian Gulf be alert!

On Hamas: Israel's killing Sheikh Yassin and his deputy allowed a much more radical group in Hamas to take hold. Now there are reports that Israel is targeting Haniyeh, Meshaal and Zahhar...however, it is absurd for Israel to target Haniyeh unless Israel wants to be accused of killing moderate leaders, which some believe is exactly what Israel does and therefore prolongs its argument of: we can't make peace because there is no one to talk to....(well yeah!, that's true! especially if you keeping killing moderates!) ...unfortunately for Haniyeh, he now has to worry about Israelis and more radical Hamas leaders killing him....perhaps Mughniyah had to worry about his Arab brothers taking him out too...I just read Matt Beynon Rees wonderful new novel "A Grave In Gaza" At least major characters closely resemble Dahlan and Moussa Arafat...assassination moves the riveting plot along with the mystery of "who murders who, and why?" being highly relevant to current events...

What passes for "political assassinations" ...well, let's just say they are not always what they seem...sometime some of the most mundane motives, such as jealousy and greed, are behind such murders.... even certain murders that appear totally politically motivated ......

Thanks for your comments.
I don't think Syria was in the loop. It doesn't make sense that Syria would allow anyone not to mention Israel to operate on its soil.
Yossi

Mr. Melman: What is your response to reports in the Israeli press, including Ha'aretz, that Syria may have tacitly allowed Israel to assassinate Mughniyah, or perhaps even actively assisted it?

Mossi,

You're deluding yourself if you think that counter-attacks on the Lebanese-Israeli border for the monstrous assassination policies of Israel(call them 'targeted killing' if you will, they are still monstrous, not only double-edged) are completely ruled out. The Hudna offered by Haniyeh has not only been respected by Hamas but embraced by Hezbolla as well. You mention 'zero-sum game', but fail to understand the extended-hand-of- peace/confidence-building strategy of Hamas/Hezbolla in spite of the devilish machinations of Olmert, which Amira Haass denounces with utmost fury for what it is worth and the necessity to reciprocate constructively.

Cotinus to think that the oppressed have been robbed of their will to survive. Continue to denounce them as 'suicide bombers' who don't value life and send 'mentally-impaired' women as suicide bombers, and you end up with a self-fulfilling prophecy. Then, call it 'double-edged sword' and put the blame on Olmert and end up with a worse monster that Amiara Haass will recognise as Israel's grave-digger.

And you yourself, of course, will have your face covered with rotten eggs for having tried vainly to stir up international hatred by selling the propaganda that the counter-attack strategy would, instead, take the form of Hezbollah awakening, with logistical support from Iran, its dozen sleeping cells in South America, Asia and Africa to take revenge.