A Fateh e Mubeen for Hamas in Gaza
By A Khokar • Jan 15th, 2009 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • 17 CommentsLooking at the tepid global reaction to the massacre of the civilians in Gaza, one wonders whether the conscience of the international community is half asleep or is suffering from something called sympathy fatigue. Hundreds of civilian casualties, incessantly escalating human misery, and with no end in the Israeli military action in sight, even God seems to have abandoned them. At the same time, it should be said unequivocally that Hamas’ indiscriminate firing of missiles on Israeli cities is a repulsive act. Gaza has turned into hell. That, alas, seems to be the fate of Muslims in many places.
The U.S. turned Iraq into hell between 2005 and 2006; Pakistan is steadily edging toward becoming a hellish place in the post-9/11 era; and Afghanistan is heading in that direction. In the Horn of Africa, a similar situation prevails.
In the post-9/11 era, the militarily powerful nations have taken it upon themselves to set the “rules of engagement” for wars or war-like violence in Muslim lands, while the extremists are letting loose violence and mayhem from their side. Iraq had its killing fields between 2005 and 2007, and Afghanistan’s most “fertile” killing fields started in the late 1970s, when the Soviet Union invaded it with a view to incorporating it into the Soviet empire. Those killing fields continue to multiply in the first decade of the 21st Century. Lebanon’s killing fields come alive periodically, and—in view of its highly explosive internal dynamics—that country seems at the precipice of witnessing them on a regular basis. Gaza’s killing fields are getting bloodier by the hour.
The chief victims of this bloody phenomenon are the ordinary people, whose main aspirations are to have productive careers, raise families, and live happily. But happiness is increasingly becoming a rare commodity.
Here is the essence of the problem in many Muslim countries: The U.S. has decided to wage violence in the name of that awful phrase “global war on terrorism,” which is as meaningless as the “war on poverty.” Terrorism, like poverty, has been around forever, and no use of military power alone will eradicate it from the face of the earth. Awful concepts like “regime change,” “pre-emptive war,” and the “war of choice” were applied to Muslim countries. George W. Bush’s warning, “either you are with us or with the terrorists,” was also largely aimed at Muslim countries.
The United States encountered something called the “Iraqi quagmire,” and almost lost its war in that country until the Sunni Muslims came to its rescue. The same group (Sons of Iraq) is still crucial for the durability of peace and continued success of America’s “surge” strategy. Iraq remains a work in progress. It is likely to return to its instability of 2005-2007, if the Sunnis do not become an important part of its ruling circles.
Israel has adopted the same approach—letting loose its military fury—in the name of establishing its “credible deterrence” among Arab nations, especially since it was humiliated by the Hezbollah in the “war” of July-August 2006. Purely on a force-on-force basis, Israel did not lose that war. Its mistake was that it established very precise goals of eradicating Hezbollah. To Israel’s bitter resentment, the Hezbollah not only survived, but became an inordinately popular organization in the Arab streets, as well as in Lebanon.
It has been a long-established fact that no outside power can institute its credibility inside a country through the use of military force or through occupation alone. The U.S. has learned that bitter reality after remaining an occupying power in Iraq for the past eight years. It is likely to face the same fate in Afghanistan. Israel refuses to learn that lesson as it invades Gaza and remains an occupying power of Palestine. The gloomiest fact of that occupation is that the mounting toll of Palestinians will create new generations of even more enduring—and even more radical-minded—resistance to Israel than Hezbollah and Hamas have thus far demonstrated.
Hamas but have to deny the victory in Gaza to Israel. If Hamas can make Israel suffer another humiliation by putting up a decisive fight in the pitch battle in the streets of Gaza and turn those into enemy grave yard like the one Hezbollah demonstrated in 2006; that is the victory; a Fateh e Mubeen that Hamas may be looking for.
Israel seemingly has learnt the Armour war fare lesson not to advance tanks into built up area with out infantry in support. They are carrying out enough of bombardment to soften up the targets before launching a ground attack. Hamas has to articulate and put up a superior tactic that how to isolate the tank from Infantry and make them vulnerable to avail a sure kill. The sure kill of a tank is at 50 meters range which is a tank’s dead blind zone where the dare devil juveniles with rocket launchers may engage the advancing tanks.
Hamas knows it well that their demonstration of superior tactics at this stage is vital. That is the only way open to give a victory to Palestinians. Victory of Palestinian in the street of Gaza will also mark the sure end of a haughty oppressor which is planted in the Middle East as an enabling agent by the west with the aim to serve as mother board and an epicentre of all the terrorism in the world.
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I find your summary of the current world situation interesting. I do not agree with all the specifics, but can certainly agree with the idea that most of the people who suffer are innocent bystanders. However, I can’t see that it has ever been any different in the history of the world and it is certainly not improved by the guerrilla tactics of groups like Hamas.
If people committed themselves to helping their fellow man, rather than blowing them up, the world would be a better place. But violence begets violence and we all feel we have the right to respond in kind to protect our own interests. I see no easy solution and I imagine you don’t either, since the only suggestion you make is to destroy Israel.
Anne,
Who has ever objected to the existence of Israel? Israelis are Palestinian’s cousins. Muslim ancestors belong to this old religion.
These very Palestinians who are being massacred and blasted out of their dwelling; few years back offered Israelis their homes and shelters when they were destitute; they were the low of the low on this planet and were rejected and thrown out of Europe. The whole west wanted to kill every single Jew on their soils for their transgression and they fled and got their refuge in Palestine.
What a reward; this guest is paying back to their hosts. Very well done Israel.
When will Israel learn to be good neighbour? The only matter of contention with Israel is that after finding a place of refuge offered by Palestinians [1]; Israel elected to be the agent of west and acts as the enabler to instigate others to have a ceaseless war like situation in Middle East. In a perpetual state of war Israel has found her eternal survival for existence and turning her self into some invincible state relying heavily on its armed forces and at the same time denying any development in her neighbour hood that it finds may challenge her in any way.
There no match what so ever of a Palestinian juvenile with just a sling shot and the Israeli Markava tanks with the Apache helicopter cover over head charging the built up area of innocent defenceless Gazan inhabitants who had already are burnt alive with a heavy softening up pounding of Artillery phosphorous and ancillary shelling.
Israeli might have forgotten the act of slaying Goliath and —David shot sling but this land has not. Israel has become the mother board of all the acts of terrorism in the world especially in the Muslim world. You just take Israel out of the equation of Terrorism; truly—one finds that it is all a peace and a state of Honky Dory in the Middle East.
Why Israel elects to be so atrocious; and what about the master verdict of Justice; the absolute Justice given in the Jewish book of Torah; Eye for Eye and Tooth for a Tooth. Every spillage of blood; every drop will have to be paid back in full and in kind.
What happens when this power of invincibility is withdrawn from Israel and God in turns bestowed it to Palestinian; because God Almighty has created a balanced order? Surely; God keeps on rotating the time upon peoples.
Israel must care for the well being of her future generations. You sow wind and get only the whirlwind.
God Bless.
[1] Thanklessly Israelis call it home coming.
“Victory of Palestinian in the street of Gaza will also mark the sure end of a haughty oppressor which is planted in the Middle East as an enabling agent by the west with the aim to serve as mother board and an epicentre of all the terrorism in the world.”
I’m sure I don’t know how else to interpret this sentence except that it would be better if Israel no longer existed - and indeed that it had never existed. And I agree that there would be a great reduction in violence if the Jewish state was removed - fundamentalist Muslims would have no one to attack.
I’m not trying to argue that Israel has never made any mistakes in the whole of it’s history, Jewish politicians are as apt to make bad judgments and sometimes the flat out wrong calls as anyone else. But, in my view, it certainly it has been too quick to capitulate and give away land that belongs to it (first by world political judgment, and later due to victory in war).
And I disagree that “the whole west wanted to kill every Jew on their soils.” That was Hitler and his Nazi party. An entire group of western allies joined to defeat him and then to try and help the Jews recover whatever they could of their lives. Many of them chose to go to Palestine because it is their historic home.
And I’m not sure how thousands of rockets fired over the border at citizens, not military targets, and suicide bombers (again, targeting civilians) can be argued as a “sling-shot” sort of tactic.
As a Christian myself, I understand the complex history of religious cousins. Catholics and Protestants spent years slaughtering one another. It ended when people decided that they would rather live together with their differences than watch their loved ones die. I only hope a similar point can be reached in Israel. But it will certainly require both sides to come together.
We certainly agree on one thing - it is God who will decide the outcome of all of these things - in His time and in His way.
Anne
I have problems with the idea of converting political issues into religious issues, especially Islamic issues. Conflict in the Middle East is simply a political issue or at best humanitarian, and I wish that somehow the world will see it as such and perhaps it’s only possible if the muslims and the jewish and christians would try to delink it from God. God will not decide anything, I suspect He prefers staying neutral in all human follies. We are endowed with intelligence and the liberty to choose and must not try to shift our responsibility on His shoulders; this is our burden and we must carry it irrespective of its load, only our (human) resolution to solve our problems will resolve it and waiting for God’s intervention will take an eternity.
I think that Hamas has already won a moral victory. It has succeeded in winning the sympathy of the Palestinians, it has focused the world’s attention on the Palestinian issue again and for the first time, the West is seeing Israel for what it is. A Goliath and not a David.
I dont know why the so called mujahideens think that they can fight with stones and home made rockets or blowing up themselves to kill indiscrimately other humans and go to heaven. These mujahideens including Hamas are only trying their best to kill their own Muslim brothers and sisters get killed. First of all strengthen themselves in all aspects and use that strength combined with help from Allah to defend yourselves and help others. Blowing up or using homemade rockets to kill own people will not bring any fateh e mubeen.
I think it is time we need to wakeup and start living in reality.
I find it interesting that you lay the blame for the treatment of Jews in Europe on their behavior (”their illicit designs and Centuries old habits of deceit”). Would you be willing to do the same for Muslims? Would you be willing you say that some people fear or dislike Muslims, but it’s their own fault because they blow themselves up and try to take as many innocent people with them as possible?
Oil price & Middle East Conflict
World is watching the butchering of young children by isreal.
Is there a coincidence that ISRAEL STARTed THIS OFFENCE WHEN OIL REACHED 37 USD PER BARREL or it is an accident
Historical oil prices.
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_petroleum_and_gasoline/index.html
1999 - 16 usd per barrel
2008 - 147 usd per barrel
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/hist/rwtcD.htm
12/12/2008 - 46.27
19/12/2008 - 33.17 usd
26/12/2008 - 37.58
02/01/2009 - 46.17
06/01/2009 - 48.56
Volume of export by OPEC
Oil export of the gcc country per day is 30.2 million barrel per day. Price moved from 37.58 usd to 46.17 in ten days [ due to violence in gaza and political instability in the region ] has increase the cost of oil for all importing nation by 30.2 * 8.59 = 259 million USD per day.
http://www.opec.org/home/Monthly%20Oil%20Market%20Reports/2008/pdf/MR122008.pdf
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Israel_Gaza_Strip_and_West_Bank
“We strongly advise you not to travel to the Gaza Strip. Israel commenced military operations in the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008 and the security situation there remains dangerous and unpredictable. ”
So is these so called regional instability are driven by politics or by economics ?
Uh, Israel doesn’t have oil wells or export oil. Driving up the price would only help oil producing nations. Unless you’re trying to suggest that Israel is getting kickbacks from these nations, which I highly doubt.
once again brave acceptance of defeat from Israeli PM, but there are questions who planned this bombing? why it stopped just before departure of Bush & coming of Obama, sure there are some linkage to this ceasefire? This acceptance is really in true sense or to cover up 23 days drama to kill innocent people.
Hi Khokar,
Please read history.
Palestinians were not MUSLIMS 2000 years back but Israelies were jews.
Please read again 1948 balfour declaration and why palestinians rejected it?
Why you were keeping silent when your Brig Zia(later dictator) killed 10,000 fellow Muslim palestinians in Jordan and drove them out and even today they wail as BLACK SEPTEMBER?.
Farid Massod,
# 11
As said arlier # 7 above
Plans were already drawn and were disclosed in Egypt on her visit by foreign Minster (would be prime Minister) Tzipi Livini prior to Gaza attack. The creation of ‘Shoah’ and punishing the innocent civilians is with the tacit approval of out going U.S administration which is a heinous crime against humanity.
Fearing the erosion of a U.S proxy status of Israel that she enjoys and relishes in the U.S. lobbies; this escalation was very much expected. Israel had planned to have the Middle East situation muddled to the extent that at least for the next Barrack Obama tenure Israel remains a top concern for U.S. To stage this drama before Obama moves into Oval office with his portfolio of a ‘Change’ was but must.
Johaan,
# 12
And you were not also born when the partition of India and Pakistan took place.
Islam is the latest in the field of religions which confirm and validates all the old divine religions. In the past the prophets were sent by God Almighty with a jurisdiction and missions confine to their own creeds and areas. The universality phase of Modern religions started with Abraham* followed by Moses* and later that part was reformed by Jesus* teaching. They all imparted the basic teachings but progressive teachings. Islam dawned some 600 years after Jesus* with a Universal message of peace and progress.
This is the universality contained in the teaching of Islam that it is for the whole of mankind and knowing it to be such it is being attacked from all sides. They fear that after acceptance of Islam their all the worldly pompous and opulence will some how vanish. They feel that by accepting the Latest Commandment of God Almighty they may loose a lot.
That is why; even you also come on this forum and some how keep on trying to ( in your little capacity) obliterate the face of Islam. But who has ever been able to challenge the divine plan of God.
Object you may but to come to terms; you have to.
*(Peace be upon all of them)
I am sorry to hear that the Muslim extremists in Pakistan are targeting their own people -
http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/573436
I pray that Pakistan will have the same courage as Israel - to rout the terrorists and keep their innocent citizens safe.
Anne,
# 3
Please refer to # 7 above .
Regards
Anne
# 15
Ghairoon ko kab fursat hey Dukh daney ki
Jab Hota hey; koin apna hum dum Hota hey
But don’t you worry about Pakistan Anne; this element is being taken care of. All the dogs have a day and then…
We have just witnessed just yesterday; a most haughty man departing the most powerful house in the world; with his bags…… full of shoes; I mean flying shoes which were thrown into his face.
Israel is a messiah for world peace. All the muslim countries must be wiped off to achieve peace on this planet.