Cros hits another bullseye...

Just when I become confused to the point of speechlessness, good ole Cros steps in and makes some sense of it all--stress on the words "some sense" since it's pretty much impossible to make complete sense of this quagmire. I still sympathize with the Palestinian people, but that sympathy dwindles in the face of Hamas' arrogance, and refusal to do what's in the best interest of their people. Israel has gone in my eyes from being some empire state, to desiring peace as the Gaza accords prove. And while it's slow in the making, they have at least taken steps to meet Palestine leadership somewhere near the middle. Politics means compromise and Hamas seems completely unwilling.

The only real criticism I have with Gib is with his statement:

"...Yet Israeli collective punishment only strengthens our collective resolve to work together. [Quote from Palestinian PM Haniyah]

Personally, dude, I've never doubted that you speak for a majority of Palestinians. I find the clarity refreshing. That Palestinians are united is good. That they are united behind a medival terrorist organization dedicated to Israel's destruction is less good, although it has the secondary benefit of making us less sympathetic."

This is likely the center of our disagreement. I refuse to believe that--currently--Hamas speaks for the majority of Palestinians. Hell GWB doesn't speak for the majority of Americans (fact last time I checked he only speaks for about 28%) and he was selected the first time by the Supreme Court. (Sorry, but as a Democrat I'm required to mention that at least once a day). Yes Hamas was elected by a majority vote but there were extenuating circumstances beyond their stance on Israel. Many people voted for them hoping they would get rid of the corruption that plagued Arafat's regime. A hope that Hamas has failed miserably to fulfill. But now the people are stuck with them, completely magnetized by their inertia of hate. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Hamas politicians were using the 'cut-and-run' argument to silence critics who would like to see Shalit returned. We just don't know. It isn't the first time people in a nation made a bad decision, but to judge a nation completely by its rulers I think is a mistake. Frankly, one of my biggest fears is that when I travel abroad, people judge me by George Bush, or Dick Cheney, or Don Rumsfeld. I'd rather them just judge me by my bad writing and get it done with.

Regardless of my opinions on the general situation, Gib's post is some dammed interesting writing, worth a serious read.