Regarding Palestinian polling: It seems significant that residents of the West Bank prefer Hamas rule in Gaza by a significant margin over the preferences of Palestinians in Gaza. Logically, given that Gaza residents currently exist in a war zone, it adds up, but might it be a positive sign that they are beginning to identify the source of their current misery? 54% of Gazans prefer something other than Hamas. Dare I dream?
Regarding Bethany S. Mandel’s reflections in the Back Pages, far be it from me to mansplain, but for any young men bothering to read the piece - all two of them - I would offer, from a father’s perspective, that raising children is the best thing you will do in your life. Somewhere along the line after the first son, or daughter, arrives, one comes to realize that being a father means placing others before one’s self. When that realization’s day arrives, you become a man of purpose, a brick in human history’s wall. On that day, you become a man. Choose a mate, go forth and multiply my brothers. Be a link in this most awesome chain of human endeavor. We live in hope. In despair and indecision, we perish.
“The Biden administration has forbidden Israel from using any U.S.-supplied intelligence to target regular Hamas fighters in military operations. The intelligence is only to be used for locating the hostages, eight of whom have U.S. citizenship, as well as the top leadership of Hamas—including Yehiya Sinwar, the alleged architect of the Oct. 7 attacks, and Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military wing.”
I saw some reporting that US Intelligence, in part, aided Israel in locating the 4 recently saved hostages.
When I read that my first thought was, “and how long had they been sitting on that little bit of intelligence?”
I have long believed that US Intelligence had at least some amount of prior knowledge of the impending attack on Israel on October 7th by Hamas (in league with Iran), or the planning for it, or some aspects, and neglected to share such with Israel, as doing so might “upset” their tango with Iran and/or Lebanon (Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy).
This administration’s one-way love affair with Iran (now accelerating efforts daily toward nuclear armament) has got to be the single most dangerous US geopolitical calculation in all of history. Their willful blindness to this fact is beyond breathtaking and, to me, thoroughly mystifying, no matter how much lipstick they try to apply to that pig.
Excellent comments on marriage and making babies. You should be thinking about it in your late teens and early twenties. Before the last 25 years, it was common. Now we have this bizarre propaganda of "baby at any age, ' as idiotic as "healthy at any weight."
The U.S. will intervene on the Iranian nuclear program right after the first nuclear warhead tipped ICBM takes off from Ayatollah magic carpet land aimed at the continental United States or Israel.
Then we will find out that the program was “on our radar” and “ somehow we lost track of the terrorists”. There will be much gnashing of teeth and obfuscation, that is if anybody is still around after the counter strikes start up 2 minutes later.
Disappointed to see that pcpsr.org polling of Palestinians opinion on leadership - does not break down by age group (or even men vs. women). Instead, all Palestinians are under one group. This is not helpful, especially considering there hasn’t been an election in Gaza since 2006 and youth now coming of age, never have had a chance to vote. What do the youth of Gaza feel vs. the older generations? Can’t tell, and we might draw incorrect conclusions about future of Gaza as a result.
Regarding Palestinian polling: It seems significant that residents of the West Bank prefer Hamas rule in Gaza by a significant margin over the preferences of Palestinians in Gaza. Logically, given that Gaza residents currently exist in a war zone, it adds up, but might it be a positive sign that they are beginning to identify the source of their current misery? 54% of Gazans prefer something other than Hamas. Dare I dream?
Regarding Bethany S. Mandel’s reflections in the Back Pages, far be it from me to mansplain, but for any young men bothering to read the piece - all two of them - I would offer, from a father’s perspective, that raising children is the best thing you will do in your life. Somewhere along the line after the first son, or daughter, arrives, one comes to realize that being a father means placing others before one’s self. When that realization’s day arrives, you become a man of purpose, a brick in human history’s wall. On that day, you become a man. Choose a mate, go forth and multiply my brothers. Be a link in this most awesome chain of human endeavor. We live in hope. In despair and indecision, we perish.
“The Biden administration has forbidden Israel from using any U.S.-supplied intelligence to target regular Hamas fighters in military operations. The intelligence is only to be used for locating the hostages, eight of whom have U.S. citizenship, as well as the top leadership of Hamas—including Yehiya Sinwar, the alleged architect of the Oct. 7 attacks, and Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military wing.”
I saw some reporting that US Intelligence, in part, aided Israel in locating the 4 recently saved hostages.
When I read that my first thought was, “and how long had they been sitting on that little bit of intelligence?”
I have long believed that US Intelligence had at least some amount of prior knowledge of the impending attack on Israel on October 7th by Hamas (in league with Iran), or the planning for it, or some aspects, and neglected to share such with Israel, as doing so might “upset” their tango with Iran and/or Lebanon (Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy).
This administration’s one-way love affair with Iran (now accelerating efforts daily toward nuclear armament) has got to be the single most dangerous US geopolitical calculation in all of history. Their willful blindness to this fact is beyond breathtaking and, to me, thoroughly mystifying, no matter how much lipstick they try to apply to that pig.
Nothing like seeing how our tax dollars are being so effectively at keeping terrorists and their leaders alive
Excellent comments on marriage and making babies. You should be thinking about it in your late teens and early twenties. Before the last 25 years, it was common. Now we have this bizarre propaganda of "baby at any age, ' as idiotic as "healthy at any weight."
The U.S. will intervene on the Iranian nuclear program right after the first nuclear warhead tipped ICBM takes off from Ayatollah magic carpet land aimed at the continental United States or Israel.
Then we will find out that the program was “on our radar” and “ somehow we lost track of the terrorists”. There will be much gnashing of teeth and obfuscation, that is if anybody is still around after the counter strikes start up 2 minutes later.
Disappointed to see that pcpsr.org polling of Palestinians opinion on leadership - does not break down by age group (or even men vs. women). Instead, all Palestinians are under one group. This is not helpful, especially considering there hasn’t been an election in Gaza since 2006 and youth now coming of age, never have had a chance to vote. What do the youth of Gaza feel vs. the older generations? Can’t tell, and we might draw incorrect conclusions about future of Gaza as a result.