Do you think that the Israelis

[Th1onein]

are attacking now, instead of later, because they know it won't be so acceptable when Bush has left office?

[Jane Austin]

1. I do think that. . . . . . n/t

[lostnotforgotten]

2. I Think This Is Quite Plausible Since Obama Will Probably Begin Where Clinton Ended

That is, we will have peace talks and a resolution to his ongoing bloodshed.

[Loudmxr]

5. I agree this was a political strike to get votes in the up coming election.

With Bush in office they had a free hand in military action. This will play well in Israel. Get votes for Barak and Livini. If Obama was in they would have a harder time. :smoke:

[Alamuti Lotus]

3. No -- they know little will change in three weeks

They do, however, have an election of their own coming up. Before launching their assault, Livni (representing Kadima Party) and Barak (representing Labor) were floundering in the polls and were likely to lose to Netanyahoo (Likud). However, their sail is flying very high at the moment.

[Poll_Blind]

4. Let's just put it this way: Yes. The U.S.'s veto is the only thing, the ONLY thing, which has...

...slowed down the staggering number of U.N. resolutions against various (usually hawkish) governments of Israel. They know or suspect that an Obama administration will not be an unquestioning rubber stamp to Israeli military activity.

  Few really think that Israel does not have the right to defend herself. It's how Israel chooses to "defend" itself that is the heart of this matter.

PB

[B o d i]

6. duh?

I thought it was obvious...

[Poll_Blind]

19. Not to everyone, it would seem sometimes.

PB

[izzie]

7. I think this type stuff is used to get votes

Every country seems to do it at times. I think as long as we keep the money going for the war business of Israel to keep going we will have these wars. Obama will be better at trying to make it stop than Bush but I do not think he can stop giving them war money. After all we also give weapons to SA etc. and the weapon business must keep moving for the people in Congress to stay in business. Most West country are in this war building business. :dilemma:

[NYVet]

8. It may be that they are getting tired of seeing the rocket's red glare

from Hamas firing on them.

That's just my guess.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. So true.

But then again, Israel is supposed to be the "bigger" nation and just lay back and take it. Well, at least that is what I have read from some "progressives."

[StudsT]

10. do you think the palestinians may be getting tired of the decades old apartheid?

that'd be my guess.

StudsT

[NYVet]

16. Then they should be getting pissed at Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon

for keeping them in the "temporary" refugee camps for 60 years after the Arabs failed to destroy the nation of Israel in 1948.

Remember, Israel sat down and tried to negotiate for peace with Arafat and he told them to pound sand.

[Junkdrawer]

18. The Israeli Right aided Hamas to counter the PLO....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x236880

[NaturalHigh]

11. That crossed my mind too.

If someone were constantly firing rockets near where I live, I would get tired of it pretty quickly too, even if they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

[GoesTo11]

12. Maybe this works well for Obama too

Once Hamas is weakened, Obama has a better chance to work on peace but he can lay this all on Bush.

[spanone]

13. of course....obama will have a 'thoughtful' response

bu$h* loves blood

[Junkdrawer]

14. This "Administration Eclipse" only happens every 4 to 8 years, I worry Iran...

may be the next on the list.

And there are sooo many ways of escalating this into an Iranian confrontation.

[THUNDER HANDS]

15. partly

and partly because of Israeli elections coming up. They could have done this any time in the past or could do it after Obama gets into office after talking it over with him.

But apparently they wanted the two-fer of flattening Gaza before Obama could say no and time it just enough to that it sinnks in with the Iraeli voting public.

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. It is cynical chest-thumping for domestic electoral purposes

That massacring Palestinians seems to win large numbers of Israeli votes is itself the disturbing social fact.