Gaza War Is 'Gift To Arab And Israeli Extremists': Former UN Chief

[Purveyor]

Source: Agence France-Presse

CAIRO (AFP) — Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip and its Hamas rulers is a gift to extremists throughout the Arab world and even in Israel, former UN secretary general Egypt's Boutros Boutros-Ghali said on Monday.

The war in Gaza "is a present the Israelis gave to the fundamentalists... It will reinforce extremists, fundamentalists, all over Arab countries and even inside Israel," elder statesman Boutros-Ghali told journalists in Cairo.

"It will weaken all moderates, all those who are in favour of a dialogue," said Boutros-Ghali, who headed the UN from 1992 to 1997. "It will be very difficult to begin a new dialogue without being treated as a traitor."

More than 800 Palestinians have been killed during the 16-day-old operation in Gaza, where more than half of the population is under 15, and thousands more wounded.

"Because of what's happening now, they will be the kamikazes of tomorrow, the extremists of tomorrow," said Boutros-Ghali, a Coptic Christian.

He said that extremism will also gain political ground, pointing to Israel's failed war against Lebanon's Hezbollah in 2006 which is now "becoming one of the most important political parties in Beirut."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gOG1Pi0c9sL_lNwG9JRpbwxU7jEw

[Jefferson23]

1. aka blowback, 100% true.

[Trillo]

2. It's enough extremism to fuel a civilization ($$$)

So many generations of lives lost, and wrong lessons learned (return to beginning of sentence and read again).

[The Straight Story]

3. Just like 9/11 fueled nationalism and our desire to attack others

seems like all sides need to learn a lesson.

[Doctor_J]

4. 9/11 and the Iraq invasion were a gift to US and Al Qaeda extremists

strange how some people get their jollies from slaughter

[legin]

5. It's a gift because it is supposed to be a gift

the u.s. has an expansionist Middle East Foreign Policy.

The actions of israel will provoke a reaction from the Arab world, which will provide the u.s./britain with an 'excuse' they can sell to their home populations for invading more Middle East territory.

[legin]

6. From the I/P forum

I can invade any country on the planet I feel like

These big all encompassing wars are hard to fight successfully.

Limited wars are usually much more successful.

So invade a country in stages, over a time period.

Method:

1. Inject a 'Provacating Agent' into the country to be invaded.

2. The 'Provacating Agent' incites the anger of indigenous neighbouring inhabitants.

3. This leads to a reaction, an 'Outrage' (911 that sort of thing).

4. With the moral ire of your home population suitably aroused by the 'Outrage', you can now move to your 'Action Phase' i.e. invade some territory.

5. Consolidation: Start going around oozing moral virtue and talking about 'going the last mile for peace'. Give back the territory you invaded but not all of it.

6. Move your reinforced 'Provacating Agent' into your newly acquired territory.

7. Back to step 2 unless you have finished invading the country.