Bush: Hamas attacks on Israel an `act of terror' (AP)

[Sparkly]

I haven't been around much in a while, but thought the violence in Gaza would be the main topic here. (I was wrong, but am posting this anyway.)

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush on Friday branded the Hamas rocket attacks on Israel an "act of terror" and outlined his own condition for a cease-fire in Gaza, saying no peace deal would be acceptable without monitoring to halt the flow of smuggled weapons to terrorist groups.

Bush chose his weekly taped radio address to speak for the first time about one of the bloodiest Mideast clashes in decades. It began a week ago. Israeli warplanes have rained bombs on Gaza, targeting the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has traumatized southern Israel with intensifying rocket attacks.

"The United States is leading diplomatic efforts to achieve a meaningful cease-fire that is fully respected," Bush said. "Another one-way cease-fire that leads to rocket attacks on Israel is not acceptable. And promises from Hamas will not suffice — there must be monitoring mechanisms in place to help ensure that smuggling of weapons to terrorist groups in Gaza comes to an end."

(Snipping sentence about Chimpy's radio address being released a day early.)

Despite Bush's account of a U.S. leadership role, with time running out on his presidency, the administration seemed increasingly ready Friday to let the crisis in Gaza shift to President-elect Barack Obama. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice briefed Bush on developments in Gaza, and she continued furious telephone diplomacy to arrange a truce. Yet, she said she had no plans to make an emergency visit to the region.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090102/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_mideast

Where to begin...?

1. Aren't the weapons MORE reason for pushing a cease-fire?
2. If Israel's strikes are killing civilians (as I've also read), are they not seen as "terrorist acts?"
3. How fast is BushCo working to get those "monitoring mechanisms in place," since they're supposedly required for a cease-fire?
4. If BushCo isn't ready to push for a truce, why is the Rice woman doing "furious telephone diplomacy" for a truce?
5. If the Rice woman is doing "furious diplomacy" of any kind, why isn't she making a visit ("emergency" or whatever it may be called) to the region?

In other words, it's all the usual BushCo double-talk we're all accustomed to, but it never gets less frustrating.

President Obama has a HUGE job ahead of him, getting worse by the day...

[Deep13]

1. I guess the novelty of being bombed by random rocket attacks has worn off.

There is an ethical precept that one should not pick on someone weaker than ones self. No one has ever bothered to suggest that one should not pick on someone who is stronger because the reason ought to be obvious. Well, Hamas picked on Israel and now they are getting their asses kicked. The civilian casualties are in the nature of war. It's horrible, but the alternative is to continue to be bombed by rockets. Neither Hamas nor Israel is interested in negotiating peace. Let them fight it out.

[thunder rising]

4. Warning the posting above would be exactly the Winger Right BS that is warned about.

[Deep13]

5. Warning the above is an irrational knee-jerk reaction with no basis in fact.

[madrchsod]

2. is terrorism the acts of states or the oppressed ?

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/pilger.php?articleid=3592

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0401-04.htm

one causes or the reacts to terrorism?

[Deep13]

6. Neither. It is largely from well-educated, middle class religious extremists. nt

[spanone]

3. bu$h* is an act of terror

[Deep13]

7. Well I found him terrifying.

I'm a little surprised that the end is 17 days away and I have not been either arrested or been poisoned by radioactive fall-out.

[lonestarnot]

8. Serial killers always are.