> Yeah, you're quite mistaken, and you're projecting. You're the partisan here, not me.
You might be right, although my intentions are to stay as close to the middle (and the facts) as possible. I won't argue that there's no emotional aspect to us going in, but by far the biggest emotion we're guilty of is fear for our hostages, and fear of more of the same. Not just of October 7th, but of the past two decades of insanity.
I wouldn't be so quick to discount possible actions against the leadership living outside of the Palestinian territories, but right now there's a clear and present danger from Hamas operatives in Gaza and we can't simply leave them be; if you look at the sheer scale of their infrastructure and operational capability that would be tantamount to suicide, and if there's one thing we've learned - or should have learned - it's that they're a hydra: cut off a head, two more grow back.
I understand your concern that we're generating more Hamas sympathy by fighting, but a) we don't have a choice in defending ourselves and b) I don't think your concern is well-founded. There are Hamas sympathizers everywhere, there probably always will be, but by excizing Hamas from Gaza right now we're giving the regular people there a chance to breathe, and from the looks of things they're ready to enjoy some actual autonomy. The civilian casualties are unfortunate - there's my understatement for the day - and whether they're ten or a hundred or a thousand, they weigh on us.
Most of us, I should say, because we have our own minority of mentally ill fundamentalists too.
But our conscience isn't as burdened as the anti-Israel mobs believe they should be, because we know exactly who's responsible for all those casualties. It looks like the Palestinians actually living in Gaza know full well too. I hope I'm not being too optimistic, but I feel that a lot's going to change once this horror show is over. Both for them, and for us. That's what I'm praying for right now, that's what most of us are praying for.
May none of this heartache be in vain.
