Palestinian Suicide Bomber Strikes in W.Bank -Radio

reuters | 3/22/02

[kattracks]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up on Friday at an Israeli army roadblock near the West Bank  town of Jenin, wounding at least one person, Israel Radio said.

An army spokesman could not immediately confirm the report.

Copyright © 2002 Reuters Limited.

[veryconernedamerican]

there is no table, the middle east war never ended, and now israel has to fight or die. no one learned the lesson of history, when you fight a war, fight it and defeat your enemy completely or live to fight them again. there is another middle east war brewing, and i wouldn't want to be on the islamic side.

[Lion's Cub]

An attack on Iraq would mean our people in Afghanistan and Pakistan would be instantly slaughtered. Not to mention the troops in Saudi or even Indonesia.

Explain please...

It is clear that most of the people in Afghanistan and Pakistan do not want us there (Remember the Zogby poll?), and there is a very large contingent of radical Islamists in both countries. Afghanistan is inhabited by locals who move in and out of various armies, apparently quite comfortably.

Neither Musharraf nor Karzai are in good control of their countries. Karzai is just another warlord with only regional influence, and Musharraf tells us he is barely hanging on by a thread and cannot clean up the "radical element" without being overthrown.

As a result, I conclude there is far more loyalty to Islam and Jihad then there is to the West.

I doubt that the Afghans or Pakis feel any particular loyalty to Saddam. But their anger against the West has been cultivated for years by rhetoric describing the atrocities of the West against the poor Muslims in Iraq.

Our troops are already under daily attack in Afghanistan. And there have been some assaults on the base in Pakistan. We simply don't have enough troops in either country to defend themselves if those countries explode in anti-West anger because we attacked another Muslim country.(Though I think that there is hope if the West can be seen as helping the Kurdish Muslims overthrow Saddam--but that point of view will take time to cultivate in the minds of the Muslim world). Our contingents in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, etc. are in the same boat.

So, if we are going to attack Iraq, we have to do one of three things:
1) We pray that Musharraf and Karzai really have turned pro-West and give them time to get their countrymen firmly under control. (The same with SA, Indonesia, etc.)
2) We evacuate our people out of those places before we strike Iraq.(Which means we give up that access to oil)
3) We sacrifice those forces there to the mobs that would come against them (which would be so politically unacceptable at home, that I don't think that would happen).

So if we're asking Israel to keep taking it on the chin until we move against Iraq, I think the Israelis may be in for a long wait. Convince me I'm wrong, and I'll be happy to change my mind.

[veryconernedamerican]

that is a stupid statement, please! the only end to the occupation that would end the suicide attacks would be for israel to cease to exist. my guess is judgement will come before that, and the islamic cult will be wiped out.

[Lion's Cub]

An attack on Iraq would mean our people in Afghanistan and Pakistan would be instantly slaughtered. Not to mention the troops in Saudi or even Indonesia.

Explain please...

It is clear that most of the people in Afghanistan and Pakistan do not want us there (Remember the Zogby poll?), and there is a very large contingent of radical Islamists in both countries. Afghanistan is inhabited by locals who move in and out of various armies, apparently quite comfortably.

Neither Musharraf nor Karzai are in good control of their countries. Karzai is just another warlord with only regional influence, and Musharraf tells us he is barely hanging on by a thread and cannot clean up the "radical element" without being overthrown.

As a result, I conclude there is far more loyalty to Islam and Jihad then there is to the West.

I doubt that the Afghans or Pakis feel any particular loyalty to Saddam. But their anger against the West has been cultivated for years by rhetoric describing the atrocities of the West against the poor Muslims in Iraq.

Our troops are already under daily attack in Afghanistan. And there have been some assaults on the base in Pakistan. We simply don't have enough troops in either country to defend themselves if those countries explode in anti-West anger because we attacked another Muslim country.(Though I think that there is hope if the West can be seen as helping the Kurdish Muslims overthrow Saddam--but that point of view will take time to cultivate in the minds of the Muslim world). Our contingents in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, etc. are in the same boat.

So, if we are going to attack Iraq, we have to do one of three things:
1) We pray that Musharraf and Karzai really have turned pro-West and give them time to get their countrymen firmly under control. (The same with SA, Indonesia, etc.)
2) We evacuate our people out of those places before we strike Iraq.(Which means we give up that access to oil)
3) We sacrifice those forces there to the mobs that would come against them (which would be so politically unacceptable at home, that I don't think that would happen).

So if we're asking Israel to keep taking it on the chin until we move against Iraq, I think the Israelis may be in for a long wait. Convince me I'm wrong, and I'll be happy to change my mind.

[a_Turk]

Earth to Israel: Pavlov teaches us that rewarding any behavior (in this case, suicide bombing) is the way to promote it.

Wait, I think I've got something: The dead don't know what you are doing. You cannot punish nor reward a suicide bomber. This is where we are now stuck! It's silly to declare: "Don't come here suicide bombing us, we'll spank you!"

Think about why it is people commit suicide! Your response is "I don't care," which then comes back as an echo.

It's time for folks to turn the other cheek again, even if for the umpteenth time, and stop being so paranoid and prejudiced along racial lines. That goes for both sides! Otherwise this foolishness will never end.

Many of you people are like mindless puppets played by a handful of devious false prophets. Please keep your wits about yourselves.

[Lion's Cub]

Apologies for the double post...

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Please keep your wits about yourselves.

I am afraid that when people are attempting to kill you, as they are doing daily in Israel or did in this country on 9/11 and are obviously about to do again, as soon as they can, you are unable to be cool and collected, no matter how desirable that might be logically. What you do is anything you can do to make them stop.

If you determine that an entire population is determined to kill you, or at least to shelter those who do, if nothing else can be done, you see that that population no longer is in a position to harm you. NO MATTER WHAT THE COST! The alternative is our own extinction, and most of us are not willing to follow the lemmings.

[Tamodaleko]

Agreed, but what's Dick doing visiting Arab states than trying to figure out who's on board? Methinks Arab terrorists panicked and sent a few to blow themselves up to keep the focus on Israel?

[a_Turk]

you are unable to be cool and collected, no matter how desirable that might be logically.

And all that reflex will get you is a long term loss.

If you determine that an entire population is determined to kill you, or at least to shelter those who do,

Who are we asking? Zogbie?

if nothing else can be done,

Who are we asking? Geraldo?

you see that that population no longer is in a position to harm you. NO MATTER WHAT THE COST!

Even if our kneejerk means our own extinction? Trust me, these people are at least as stubborn as you and me. It will be only a matter of time before some distant cousin shows up on your door asking for revenge.

Cool heads will prevail. I've been there, I know what I am talking about. Beating on the underdog pawn Pali will get you more bad press. Showing that you are not scared, showing that you are cool, calm, and collected, showing that you can look death in the eye and smile will make you a winner, will get you respect.

After our war of independence in 1921, various rebel leaders of colonized territories came to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and asked for his help in waging a war of independence. They left in a hurry when Ataturk asked if at least half of their population were ready to die for that cause..

You can never kill all of them, but you could make them settle. No doubt about that. If all of them were ready to blow themselves up, there wouldn't be a Jew left alive in Israel in a couple of weeks. There aren't even a dozen suicide attacks per day happening. The overwhelming majority of Palis will settle for some normalcy and an equitable life. It's human nature.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

The overwhelming majority of Palis will settle for some normalcy and an equitable life. It's human nature.

It doesn't matter what they think or want, if they are not in control. A population which conceals assassins will have to share their fate. You may say, 'they are afraid that they will be killed if they expose the assassins'. It must be made clear to them that they are more likely to perish if they will not expose them.

[sheik yerbouty]

Yes. The Arabs will say that Manhattan was taken from her people, the Chitankilyu, and this justified turning the Twin Towers into the world's largest crematoria, and incinerating nearly 3000 people. There is only one language that is understood by jihading beasts. It's time they get a message.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Even if our kneejerk means our own extinction?

In that case, we can take everyone else with us, but frankly I do not think that such is the case. 'The strong do what they will, the weak suffer what they must' is a truth discovered in the Aegean 2500 years ago, and has been true ever since.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Cool heads will prevail.

It is too late, we will not wait for them. In death, heads become cool, you know.

[veryconernedamerican]

the war isn't against a few crazy bombers it is the west against the cult of islam, and without america israel can't win. our clear plan in this is to take out the enemy one by one rather than engaging the whole middle east at once. iran, iraq, syria are all about to get new governments. they know it is coming and are putting pressure on israel to move aggressively in hopes of rallying their people. good luck. i love how all of these people somehow think the combined power of all of the arab nations is somehow going to defeat the west. that part of the world will be completely destroyed before that happens, with not one living thing to be found.

[My Favorite Headache]