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Bloviating Zeppelin: The Ground War For Gaza

Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Monday, January 05, 2009

The Ground War For Gaza





GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israeli tanks and troops launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip Saturday night with officials saying they expected a lengthy fight with Hamas militants in the densely populated territory after eight days of punishing airstrikes failed to halt rocket attacks on Israel.

Hamas vowed that Gaza would be a "graveyard" for Israelis forces.

"This will not be easy and it will not be short," Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said soon after the ground invasion began.

The incursion was preceded by several hours of heavy artillery fire after dark, igniting flames in the night sky. Machine gun fire rattled as bright tracer rounds flashed through the darkness and the crash of hundreds of shells sent up streaks of fire.

PRAGUE - European Union president, the Czech Republic, said Saturday an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza was "defensive, not offensive" action. "At the moment, from the perspective of the last days, we understand this step as a defensive, not offensive, action," Czech EU presidency spokesman Jiri Potuznik said.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, while in Paris on Thursday, told of Israel's rejection of a French-proposed cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
Livni told her French counterpart Bernard Kouchner that Hamas must must not be given the opportunity to gain any sort of legitimacy within a renewal of a truce. Under the current offensive, she said, Hamas understand that Israels will not tolerate Gaza rocket fire without response.

Israel is sticking, literally, to her guns.

The French Foreign Ministry, however, in contradiction of the EU, says "France condemns the Israeli ground offensive against Gaza as it condemns the continuation of rocket firing."

It is good to see that Israel appears to be in the fight for the long run:
This will not be easy and it will not be short," Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said soon after the ground invasion began.

For once, the entire globe is not calling for the defeat of Israel.

MONDAY UPDATE:

From the Washington Post, Ephraim Sneh writes: Why Israel Is Bombing Gaza

When demands are made of Israel to halt its military activities in Gaza, a brief historical reminder is in order.

In September 2005, Israel vacated Gaza, dismantled all the settlements in the Gaza Strip and did not leave a shred of a presence there.

In January 2006, rule over Gaza passed to the Hamas government under Ismail Haniyeh. Instead of bringing investors to Gaza, the Hamas government brought the guerrilla-warfare trainers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Instead of launching economic projects, this government launched rockets every day at Israeli towns and villages across the border. They smuggled in vast amounts of explosives, weapons and rockets; they prepared themselves for battle.

In June 2007, in a brutal and bloody military coup, Hamas took control of Gaza and soon killed or chased out the leaders of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement. Gaza became nothing less than a military base for Iran.

Up until the Hamas takeover, 750 trucks would cross the border each day with imports and exports. As Israel's deputy defense minister at the time, I was in charge of this activity and promoted this trade with Gaza, since the border crossings were being controlled by Abbas's Presidential Guard, not by terrorists. The Hamas takeover is what in effect locked the gates of Gaza and forced its residents to suffer.

Thus endeth the lesson.

BZ

11 Comments:

Blogger Alaska Steve said...

I don't need CNN, I've got your blog . . . don't you ever sleep??

Sun Jan 04, 12:11:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Israel is sticking, literally, to her guns."

She'd better, cos few others will stick by her.

Sun Jan 04, 04:51:00 AM PST  
Blogger DaBlade said...

Great post BZ. Peace through victory.

Sun Jan 04, 08:22:00 AM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

AS: eh -- sometimes. I'm old.

MKS: that maaaay be slightly changing this time around.

DB: thanks so kindly for visiting, and thank you for taking the time to comment. Victory!

BZ

Sun Jan 04, 01:09:00 PM PST  
Blogger TexasFred said...

It is about time that Israel did their thing and ignored world opinion that says *OK, blast Israel and we'll look the other way, but if Israel retaliates...*

Kick ass and kill em ALL, buzzards gotta eat too...

Sun Jan 04, 01:57:00 PM PST  
Blogger Pasadena Closet Conservative said...

It's a scary thing that's happening over there. Israel needs to kick the $H!T out of Hamas, and other nations need to stand by Israel. All the dumb-ass Libs who are pro-Hamas should join those terrorist thugs, arm in arm, when they are blown to smithereens.

Sun Jan 04, 02:13:00 PM PST  
Blogger Bushwack said...

Good lesson BZ unfortunately those that protest in Frisco and NY don't really understand history. They only need the victimhood to cry about. Take the Victim out of Gaza and you can have peace. The VICTIMS in GAZA are victims of a barbaric religion, and Islamic rulers with no care about their plight. Iran for instance could not give a shit about what really happens in Gaza or Lebanon only what happens to their oil prices. They will use the palestinian conflict to fan the flames when prices fall.

Sun Jan 04, 05:44:00 PM PST  
Blogger Kochava said...

Enjoy the info. As Alaska Steve says we don't need CNN with you. Between you and the Israel sites I go to I get a lot of info. Thanks!

Sun Jan 04, 07:23:00 PM PST  
Blogger Z said...

BZ..your excellent blog post reminded me of this site I just got turned on to..daily info from Israel:

http://www.historycentral.com/Israel/Daily.html

I think you'll find it interesting.

Alaska Steve!! Comparing BZ to CNN? ARGH!! You're getting REAL NEWS here, don't you see that! (Smile) And, what's SLEEP? I'm getting old, too!!

Sun Jan 04, 09:15:00 PM PST  
Blogger Ottavio (Otto) Marasco said...

Good posting BZ. The efforts of those like us are helping draw attention to an otherwise ingnored component ...

Your visit and thereby support at AI is appreciated!

Mon Jan 05, 03:42:00 AM PST  
Blogger NEO, SOC said...

I'm just glad to be alive and able to see Israel open up a can of whoop-&ss! I wasn't around for the Six-Day War. I think another one is coming soon.

Mon Jan 05, 01:51:00 PM PST  

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