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?

Good to hear from you Maggot, glad you're well - still get out fishing?
Regards,
H

UN news is probably accurate, though again any report almost always carries the reporter's fingerprint (slant)

even your school building analogy is not "foolproof" ..... you only need to look at estate agents' pix

Cynic - no need to be apologist on this one.

MOST people remember the headlines: "Massacre of Innocents as UN School is Shelled; Israeli Strike Kills Dozens at UN School."

(snip)

John Ging, UNRWA's operations director in Gaza, acknowledged in an interview this week that all three Israeli mortar shells landed outside the school and that "no one was killed in the school".

Thanks for your good wishes Chocolat, Ruth, MightyMicro and Splat. Yes I am still fishing (though not since Christmas because of the inclement weather and the fact that many waters have been frozen). Actually I've had the best two years' results ever since I started matchfishing in 1958! I've hardly gone a week without winning money somewhere. Also became a Grandad a couple of years ago.

As for the recent posts remember: 'The first casualty of war is the Truth.'

As for foreign aid, where wars are involved EVERY SINGLE ONE is ransacked by the military - and I don't suppose the UK would be any different. Governments consider it more important that their army is fed than the local population...which makes sense since they would say that if their army starves there's no-one left to help the local population. So indirectly the population will still benefit. My brother who has lived 40 years in Africa was once involved with Save The Children and he confirmed that about 5% of supplies usually get through to the people for whom they are directly intended. But he said he would still give to such appeals.

PS Just made a few quid from th UKX bounce off 4200.

Also a particular hello to Gausie, who I met at Croc's funeral.

Hey Maggot - and a big hello backatya! Hope your recovery is speedy.

Maggot
Good to hear you are still fishing. Havent been out myself since a weeks trip to a carp puddle in France last July. Always seems like there is something else to do.

'John Ging, UNRWA's operations director in Gaza, acknowledged that "no one was killed in the school". '

The very same John Ging who claimed white phosporus weaponry was used when the medical professionals treating the injured weren't so sure.

edit - ps. hello maggot, never met you but everyone else says hi, don't want come across as ignorant.

Gausie .... i think "apologist" may be derogatory, or have i suddenly got thin-skinned, unlikely as that may be! ..... as you may (not) have realised, i march to my own tune, but admit that in this instance i tend to be more anti-israel than anything ... that does not mean i am pro-hamas either, but assuredly have immense sympathy for what in the main are the innocent families caught in the middle of everything in Gaza

Wasn't meant as derogatory - but feel free to take offence if that's what you'd prefer.

We all have sympathy for the innocent and decent families caught in the middle of this. But you choose to forget - there are innocent and peace loving families on BOTH sides of the border.

The difference between our views is that I blame Hamas and only Hamas for dragging the innocents into this conflict - both Palestinian and Israeli.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for provoking the war - for knowing the likely outcome of their missile attacks against Israeli civilians but continuing regardless.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for hiding behind their own Palestinian civilians and exposing them to the inevitable outcomes.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for using their own people as human shields, and launching missiles from the most densely populated areas.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for failing to build shelters for them - shelters that are commonplace in all parts of the region, and which have been amply funded by the international community.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for their leaders conducting their entire operation from inside a bunker under the main Gaza hospital.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for smuggling weapons through their tunnels when the people need medicine and food. They could easily have smuggled aid instead - and with no smuggled rockets and missiles being launched at Israel the borders would have been reopened anyway.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for rejecting the path to peace - without rockets and kidnappings there would have been no need for incursion.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for prolonging the violence and suffering inflicted on the Palestinians.

I blame Hamas and only Hamas for mindlessly attacking innocent Israelis peacefully going about their business in the southern and border towns.

You prefer to blame the victims.

Gausie .... i almost never take offense, and this certainly is not one such occasion .... i note that you blame hamas for absolutely everything (perhaps for our snow here too!), and leaving aside the iranian valuable contribution to this conflict, do you blame or hold israel culpable for anything at all?

I hold Israel responsible for not trying to stamp out the rockets sooner.

how interesting ..... and would you suggest they also start bombing various installations in iran? ..... or perhaps the ships said to be carrying the missiles for hamas?

It's an idea worthy of consideration.

Do you remember when they destroyed Iraq's fledgling nuclear capability in 1981? The world would be a very much worse place if they hadn't.

1981 destruction of Saddam's nuclear capability

I suspect it is just a matter of time before Israel does bomb Iran's nuclear developments. If Israel do find that they are planning nuclear weapons (and I am sure they have spies working on it), then bombing the development areas would seem sensible at least from Israel's point of view. It is quite clear who the target would be. I would think that many in the West would be secretly pleased if Israel were to remove a nuclear threat from Iran. I know I would.

and bombing the ships?

Cynic - it's widely believed that the weapons ship transporting rockets and other arms from Iran to Gaza, currently held in Cyprus is only being held because Israel would sink it or otherwise detain it if it were to be released. And rightly so.

They don't need to be bombed. The Israeli navy will intercept and arrest them.. Perfectly kosher, if you'll pardon the expression.

One of my kids said that the name of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, sounded like "I'm a dinner jacket". Now, whenever I hear his name on the news I hear it said that way. You wait, you will hear it that way now!

MM .... you mean they'll cut the crew's throats and hang them upside down from the yardarms?

Gausie ..... i only raise the question, but you haven't actually answered it ..... to repeat - do YOU think israel should bomb or torpedo the ships if they get even half a chance?

Haystack ..... or depending on who is cooking that night, aka Ah-me-dinner-dad or Ah-me-dinner-mum

Cynic - I answered - and I'll post it again with some emphasis to make it clearer for you.

Cynic - it's widely believed that the weapons ship transporting rockets and other arms from Iran to Gaza, currently held in Cyprus is only being held because Israel would sink it or otherwise detain it if it were to be released. And rightly so.

Your slit throats and yardarms comment is disingenuous and stupid. You know all too well that that's not how the IDF (or indeed any modern western military) functions. You're obviously reading (and now writing) too much jihadi propaganda.