Will this increase or decrease the likelihood of terrorist actions in America, Europe and the rest of the world?

If you were a member of a family murdered in this conflict, would you be seeking revenge?

Should Tzipi Livni and Ehud Olmert, be tried for war crimes if or when this conflict comes to an end?

What will the price of oil be in 4 weeks time?

This is a very amusing article published yesterday in Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper. Well woth a read.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-hallucinations-of-the-israeli-government-1.415482

The hallucinations of the Israeli government

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If the government is certain it can win the battle with the Migron settlers, and fantasizes about a peace train in the territories, how else can one come to terms with this dream of an attack on Iran?

Now that the medical efficacy of marijuana is proven fact, the time has come to examine the potency of the hallucinogenic drug LSD as a solution to strategic problems. Preliminary tests indicate that this drug exceeds all expectations. Tests are currently being carried out in Israel - a pioneering country when it comes to medical developments. The first experiment was initiated seven years ago, and it will conclude in March. It has won the name "the Migron Experiment."

Two hallucinatory delusions are under review in this experiment. The first is the misconception that the High Court has the power to force the government to carry out its rulings. The second is that Israel's government will be able to persuade the trespassers who built this settlement outpost to voluntarily vacate it.

Throughout this period, the test group - the government of Israel - took small tablets and thereby cultivated an imaginary, delusionary view of reality. Ultimately the government managed to persuade itself that it was carrying out High Court orders, that it was enforcing the law and demonstrating its strength vis-a-vis the settlers. This hallucination was so powerful that the government came to believe that it had sold a fantastic plan to the settlers, in which the settlers would receive new houses at the state's expense and would not be required to vacate Migron until these domiciles were ready, and even after the evacuation some of the old homes would remain standing. The plan wasn't the accepted evacuation-then-construction formula, but rather construction-no evacuation.

In the meantime the control group - the Migron settlers, the Yesha Council of settlements and a group of rabbis who conducted the negotiations - began to view the government as a junkie. This perception had some justification. After all, members of this control group live in the real world. And, in contrast to the government, they also dictate new realities. Migron, they stipulated, will not be vacated, and anyone who thinks there will be an evacuation ought to take another pill.

While the Migron hallucination is still in effect, a new medical experiment - one more revolutionary than its predecessor - has been initiated. In this experiment, the transportation minister proposes the construction of 475 kilometers of iron rails along the West Bank. Ramallah will be linked to Hebron, Ariel to Nablus, Afula to Jenin and, of course, there is the old dream of Haifa being linked to Damascus. Wending its way between hills and stones, a train will roll through the Jordan Valley, carrying its passengers - the Semitic cousins, Jews and Palestinians, and Jordanians alongside their brothers from the Ofra settlement.

And here's the real innovation: Announcements on these trains will be broadcast in Arabic and Hebrew, unlike on trains in the State of Israel. This delusion has already cost us NIS 3 million, and that's a bargain compared to the huge advancement in medical knowledge it will bring about. The costs here are much lower than those of the Migron Experiment.

The train in the territories will do more than advance medical knowledge. Under ordinary circumstances, a train's usefulness is measured by the number of passengers it serves. In this respect, the new plan is innovative: First, a rail infrastructure will be built, and then efforts will be made to bring in clients. In earlier periods it was the settlers who brought bypass roads to the territories (with the advent of this new railroad, these bypass roads might as will be sold to the Palestinian Authority), but under the current scheme the railroad will precede a future wave of settlers, who will come to live in the territories and enjoy transportation that preceding generations of settlers could only dream about.

Wherever railroads are built, so too can factories be established and agricultural fields planted. The fruits of this industry and farming can be loaded onto the railroad cars, for transport to Iran via Damascus, and from Jordan to Saudi Arabia. Jerusalem residents will be able to reach Tel Aviv speedily, via stops in Ariel, Qalqilya and Rosh Ha'ayin. In the end, genuine peace will climb aboard these trains. Who will maintain the train cars in the territories? Who will clean them? Who will open food stands? Who will inspect tickets? Thousands of new jobs will become available to Palestinians, and so nobody will be left to demonstrate or throw rocks.

Just a minute, before the drug's effect wears off, there remains just one small question: When is all this supposed to happen? Perhaps that's a useless question. Hallucination is an addictive situation that becomes permanent. It needs no timetable. In all probability, we'll take another pill tomorrow - one that conjures the hallucination of an attack on Iran. Why not? After all, if the government is certain it can win the battle with the Migron settlers, and fantasizes about a peace train in the territories, how else can one come to terms with this dream of an attack on Iran? At the very least, Israeli governance can apply for patent rights to hallucinogenic politics.

Cynic,

I hope you are not suggesting the Israeli soldiers are dogs?

The IAEA - The International Atomic Energy Authority is meeting in Vienna a the moment. They raised concerns about Iran. They cited worries that Iran may have covert military uses of nuclear energy and would not cooperate with the IAEA with regard to insoections.

Exactly the same is true of Israel. They have never admitted to having nuclear weapons although they have had them since 1967. They also do not permit inspections of their facilities. Why doesn't the IAEA make complaints about Israel?

Iran is being attacked because it is a country they will not bend to the will of the USA and Israel. I look forward to Irsn having nuclear weapons as it will effectively nullify Israel's nuclear deterrent.

hay dont worry they is bigger problems like population humans are breeding out of control .the planet can not and will not allow it to go on .there will come a virus . and needs to happen . the adverts on the tv of young babys dying which they show so why do they still keep having more the mind boggles

Aye TANK nearly as mind boggling as your next choice for Chelsea manager Ian Holloway :O)

.

syria muslims killing there own that should tell all MUSLIMS something about there faith . why is the muslim top brass allowing them to be killed that should tell them more

mna the only answer i have you would not like . why are muslim countrys allowing syrian muslims to be wiped out and say nothing some religion and think you will find money is more important than there relgion and now the world can see this is true

Israel have a deterrent at present to be used 'in extremis' with attacking countries having no reply. With neighbours having a nuclear weapon there is a reply and you have a standoff as the use of a nuclear wapom becomes pointless. It is what the cold war was based on and it worked quite well. Without the nuclear weapons that currently exist we would probably have had at least one of not more major wars since WWII. The attacks on Iran are just about support for Israel and little more.

I believe US can sort out all the problems by just being open and relax regarding threats. Iran is not like North Korea. They were closest Mid East country to Israel and US before revolution. They have never even attached any country before or after revolution, and are happy to discuss their activities.

Too much pressure will force them to build Nuclear Weapon to defend themselves. We should understand that they cannot allow access to their secrete military buildings. That's the case for any country.

Being friend with Iran makes access to many interesting things....

Off course Russia, China, Dubai, and many other countries in Asia prefer the conflicts to continue as they do not want to lose lucrative market of Iran to the west. They are milking Iran.

ahoj very true . HAY is not of this planet he lives a life of lies

Iran has to buy everything in black market - indirect from the countries who are against sanctioning Iran.

Important point is that their educational institutions were established by Britain and USA. They are very good and still receive very good scholarships for their students from Stanford, MIT etc.... If you do not believe me watch this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s957W6jomBc

CC ian as made a team going back to the top with NO MONEY

I have a meeting with a indian muslim tomorrow and she a a very nice person.

hay WHY is it that MUSLIM leaders do NOT want freedom for its people
I DO NO THAT YOU WILL NEVER ANSWER THE QUESTION AS IT HURTS

Answer is clear - Muslims who live freely don't like islamic country anymore!!!
But, we can not and should not give them freedom by force - diplomacy works faster and much cheaper...

TAnk,

How would you like the "Islamic" states to interfere in Syria?

What would be the cost in lives

More or less than at present?

Invading Iraq was a catastrophe.

The present death rate there now, would I assume, to be far higher than under Sadam.

It destabilised surrounding states and cause misery and chaos.

Invasion of Afghanistan by USA has been and is likely to fail with the colossal loss of life and destabilisation of surrounding countries.

Iran is called a war monger and yet it is the West USA, BRITAIN. who are invading other countries like "country" boys.


It ain't the religion. The problem is those who abuse the religions.

Religion is a factor. Many of the Islamic countries such as Pakistan have a population that is poor and poorly educated. The influence of reliigion is those countries is similar to the way it operated in say Europe a few hundred years ago. We used to burn and imprison heretics and followers of a different religion. Just look at the Reformation and the Sanish Inquisition. In fact it was a lot worse than current Islamic probems. We have a long wait until education improves and many of these societies develop.

well said Fred. "The problem is those who abuse the religions."

That's true in almost all religion based countries Iran, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and probably even in more western countries...

They misuse "religion based excuses" to run the country, and fight against others ... and some of them have fallen into the wrong believes which were originally initiated by themselves... That's why Islam in Saudi Arabia is different form Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia etc. The same is the case for Christianity and probably Jews.

As I always said, Internet is the solution for all these people, not war or any kinds of confrontation. Educating people takes time, so it has to happen gradually. The strategy should be slightly different..... off course.

thought you might support the inquisition; after all, in portugal especially the jews were a favourite target