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Originally Posted by Lchoy
Just to play devil's advocate, who else would they vote for? For the millions that live in the refugee camps, Hamas played the hearts and minds strategy well and offer support. More importantly, Hamas gives the people an enemy to blame for the state that they are in. Being an armed organization, I would also imagine any viable opposition would be easily intimidated, or worse, labelled as being in league with the West/Israel
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Yeah, I probably wouldn't vote for the guy who advocates death to the enemy, lauches rockets from schools and sends in sucide bombers to murder their citizens. But I'm not them. However again, they did vote for what is essentially a death cult, and they have to live with the choices that their government makes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lchoy
It's a very vicious cycle. The people on the strip live in a destitute environment. Food, water, electricity is provided by the good graces of the Israelis. However, Hamas stirs the pot, violence erupts. Israel clamps down, cuts off resources and starts a blockade. The environment gets worse and more people become radicalized/desperate and attack. Israel feels that it's pointless to continue to feed, power, provide water to a population that will just turn around and bomb them so they limit aid even more. The international community meanwhile frowns upon the situation but paralyzed by politics. A suicide bomber kills himself, and the army comes in to take out the bomber's house. That leads to further reprisals. An airstrike takes out a bomber maker's base, but it leads to collateral damage. It's no wonder that whoever can break this cycle of violence, breaks through the propaganda and victimization, and establish peace in the region will win the nobel peace prize.
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There will never ever be peace in that region, it just won't happen unless someone rises up and overthrows groups like Hamas, or Hezhollah in the neighbouring countries. Even when Israel left infrastructure that could have helped the Palestines, and I give you the example of the greenhouses that Hamas then destroyed because it would have helped the very people that they served. They made a bad choice in electing the Hamas party, and even if they someday vote them out, you don't think that Hammas will just give up power, we saw what happened that lead to the two split camps. I think that the idea of giving the Palestines their own autonomous nation has its benefits, but I certainly don't think that it will mean peace to Israel, because hate is in a sense power.
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Originally Posted by Lchoy
There are truly a large innocent population on both sides that are suffering, but it's the politics, ideology, and history that is getting in the way
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Sure, but unless one side or another can pull a Martin Luther King Jr clone out of their butt, it will always be that way, in fact, I figure its going to get much much worse, especially with Iran continually stirring things up
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lchoy
Perhaps President Taylor had a point to pursue that peace deal at all costs despite the fact the Russians killed Hassan  |
Now I'm really confused.