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What is the proper response to Hamas rockets?

It depends what you mean by "proper response"? Do you mean from a philosophical, "just war" perspective? Or from a recognizing-the-geopolitical-realities perspective?

From a philosophical perspective, Israel is well within its rights to bomb Hamas military and government buildings, invade the Gaza Strip, overthrow Hamas, and reinstate Fatah.

From a realistic perspective, that's easier said than done and isn't worth the cost to Israel. The best solution is for Israel to continue bombing the crap out of them for maybe another 24-48 hours, then try to return to the status quo ceasefire agreement as soon as Hamas ceases the rocket attacks.
 
That sould be fun if those get hit with rockets and put into the ground, killing civilians and losing Israeli lives as well as money on something that didn't need to be done in a more dangerous way.

Maybe, there's got to be ways of getting small forces into enemy territory. It's not like it's completely unheard of.

Thank god you're not a commander in the military.

Yeah I know, thinking of your people's well being sure does suck.

Ah, so you believe a government should view its citizens lives as equal to any other countries people? That they should willingly put their people into harms way, and potentially have the enemy be able to get a captive they can use to ransom, propogandize, and extract information out of to cut down possible civilian casualities?

I don't think either government is interested in their own civilians. What Israel does only shakes the bee hive, they'll have more attacks and thus have put their citizens in greater risk because of it. Neither side seems entirely interested in solution.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I want my government looking out for the well being of my country and its people first and foremost, and the country of those attacking me second.

A government should look out for its people. But you have to consider the full of your actions and repercussions of those actions. Sometimes if you just feed into the circle, you do nothing to protect your people but rather continue to perpetuate the environment which has already put them at risk to attack.

You're correct, it isn't fair. Yet you keep trying to say its not "fair" that israel killed more than palestine did.

No, I'm merely saying that Israel isn't innocent.

You're right, if its an apartment you're screwed. So you're saying risk Israeli lives to do something that's likely going to cost palestinian livse anyways.

I truly think that both sides have ****ed themselves over good. They really are in a no win situation less they both grow up and drop this whole mess. Israel's not going anywhere, it exists; deal with it. Both sides did horrible things, it sucks, move on. But rather it seems that both sides are more than happy to have their never ending war since neither seems mature enough to try to end this.

In regards to manufacturing, to me that would be a complete military target if its purpose is producing tanks and such and as such I *think* we don't disagree that targetting that's fine.

Part of the military industrial complex is legitimate military targets. You may have civilians working in a factory, but if that factory is churning out war machines, then it is a legitimate military target.

No, its not good 300 people died (though I think I just read the UN number is closer to 60). Its not good, nor proper, either for Israeli's to live assulted by rockets daily simply because they don't kill as many.

I don't think it is fair for Israel to live under assault either. But they must try to realize what their actions are doing. The consequences of their actions is not bringing conclusion; it's just exacerbating the situation. What do they do? Maybe they really do have to turn the other cheek. I don't see a way out for them other then both sides agreeing to drop it (well genocide would probably work too...but that's actually really hard to do).

No, its not going to solve the long term problem. Guess what, NOT reacting to it likely isn't going to solve the long term problem either. However reacting may help the short term problem, where as NOt acting most definitely won't be helping the short term problem.

Not reacting in the short term doesn't do much to solve the problem. But maybe they should explore more humanitarian solutions; attack the propaganda which gets people to side with terrorists over the State. Then again, a lot of this crap is just institutionalize religious crap; so who's to say. Maybe Israel should just say "**** it" and wipe the whole of them out (though they should do it with their own damned equipment).

Is it good? No, its rarely ever good for people to die. Is it proper? In some ways yes...it is proper for a country to rise to the defense of its people by any means it has. Lets see anywhere close to the amount of condemnation and critisim for Israel come out of you towards Hamas/Palestine for being the ones that are actually CHOOSING to cause Civilians to be wrapped up in this thing in the first place. This discussion wouldn't even be happening if Hamas wasn't purposefully taking advantage of civilian areas.

I'm all for defense, but I think defense must come with solution in mind. In reality, I think both sides here have lost sight of solution and fight only because that's what they've been doing for so long.

Maybe you're right in the end; who's to say what's right and wrong. I don't think Israel shouldn't defend itself; but the level at which they respond is so grandiose that it can only harm them in the long run. The whole god damned area needs to grow up and act like adults.
 
When posters whine about disproportionate response and all that other nonsense one has to wonder. Seeing how the Palestinians choose to elect terrorist,choose to tolerate their presence in their neighborhoods while they launch attacks into another country and choose to willingly make themselves human shields they are basically an accessory to terrorism and therefor terrorist sympathizers.

Educate yourself Battle of Gaza (2007). Hamas and Fatah are no longer functioning within the same government. Post civil war they expelled each other's party.
 
I like to use this scenario to help people understand Israel's actions.

Let's say that for some reason, Cuba started to fired rockets into Miami. What do you think the our response should be. I almost always get this awnser, retaliate. And that is what we should do, if someone should attack us, we attack them.

So when rockets are fired into Israel, they have a right to defend themslves and retaliate against Hammas.
 
Israel could conduct more precise military attacks which target Hamas and not civilians. Instead of carpet bombing, send in troops to apprehend criminals.


Israel's attacks were precise. Hamas placed its rocket pads in civilian areas. The blame of the loss of life in Palestine falls to Hamas.


Hamas is the harbinger of its own destruction.
 
Electing Vader to the Gaza Parliment.
 
I like to use this scenario to help people understand Israel's actions.

Let's say that for some reason, Cuba started to fired rockets into Miami. What do you think the our response should be. I almost always get this awnser, retaliate. And that is what we should do, if someone should attack us, we attack them.

So when rockets are fired into Israel, they have a right to defend themslves and retaliate against Hammas.

I don't think it's about what they have a right to do. It's about what's prudent and what's realistic. Think about the big picture: In the short-term, a strong retaliation may be able to stop the rocket attacks for a few months. But in the long-term, will a strong retaliation really accomplish anything? I don't see any reason to think that it will.
 
And I already told you. A more precise action, one not targeted towards civilians. It would probably require land troops instead of outright bombings of civilian areas.

Of course the ideal response is for the lot of them (Israel and Palestine) to grow the **** up; but that doesn't seem like it will ever happen.

They are targeting as precisely as possible. It isn't Israel's fault that Hamas stores munitions in places like police precincts, mosques, and other civilian areas.
 
I've had a few debates with people in (in "real life"), and as I'm an artist and generally keep artists for company, I'm pretty much alone in my position that Israel has the right to eradicate active threats to its people. The discussion always devolves into who threw spitballs at whom first, (e.g. "Hasn't Israel had a tendency to overreact in the past?" as if that has any bearing on what's going on right now) and the fact that Hamas was launching rockets at Israeli population centers during the course of the cease fire is ignored or waved aside.

So, forget who was naughty first. Hamas launches rockets at Israel.

If military retaliation is not the correct response, then what is?
They should throw snow balls. No? How about water balloons. How about a nuclear bomb on Texas? No? Heck maybe they should kill the idiots that are shooting the rockets? Poison the water supply?
 
This is exactly what Israel is doing!

Wouldn't proportional response be Israel randomly launching rockets and mortars into civilian areas seeing how that is what Hamas is doing? So if anyone is actually using a disproportionate action it is Hamas.
 
I'm perfectly aware that many people find Israel's response objectionable (and yes, I'm aware that it has consequences as well). What I'm asking is what the response should be.

Exactly what they are doing now.
Egypt could send a delegation to Hamas and find out exactly what their goals are..We could establish a League of Peace Loving Nations and they could try to restore peace - or get blown up in the process.
The UN ?
Does this still exist ??
The only solution, at this time, seems for the Palestinians to weed out Hamas themselves, IF they want peace...Now, they seem to prefer death...
So be it..
 
I don't think it's about what they have a right to do. It's about what's prudent and what's realistic. Think about the big picture: In the short-term, a strong retaliation may be able to stop the rocket attacks for a few months. But in the long-term, will a strong retaliation really accomplish anything? I don't see any reason to think that it will.

No probably not, but who knows what will happen in the long term. This has been going on for 60 years and we still don't know what to do. Any cease-fire ends up being broken and this scenario starts all over again. Right now Israel is focused on saving the lives their people, not worrying about what this will mean a year from now.
 
I don't think it's about what they have a right to do. It's about what's prudent and what's realistic. Think about the big picture: In the short-term, a strong retaliation may be able to stop the rocket attacks for a few months. But in the long-term, will a strong retaliation really accomplish anything? I don't see any reason to think that it will.
you make a really good point
look at all those japanese terrorists we created by dropping the Bombs on Japan :doh
 
Israel must break the will of the Palestinians
they must make it too costly for them to continue the attacks
that is how wars are won
it isn't pretty, it isn't sanitary, it is war
 
you make a really good point
look at all those japanese terrorists we created by dropping the Bombs on Japan :doh

Are you suggesting Israel should nuke Gaza? Or are you suggesting that Japanese terrorists were a big problem BEFORE we nuked them? :confused:
 
Are you suggesting Israel should nuke Gaza? Or are you suggesting that Japanese terrorists were a big problem BEFORE we nuked them? :confused:

1.) We DID NOT nuke Japan. We used an ATMOIC bomb on two Japanese cities. There is a HUGE difference between NUKE and ATOMIC.

2.) Japanese terrorists, though they do exist, are an EXTREME RARITY. They are NOTHING like Hamas terrorists and Islamists.

3.) What was your point again?
 
1.) We DID NOT nuke Japan. We used an ATMOIC bomb on two Japanese cities. There is a HUGE difference between NUKE and ATOMIC.

Fission and fusion bombs are both nuclear.

Vader said:
2.) Japanese terrorists, though they do exist, are an EXTREME RARITY. They are NOTHING like Hamas terrorists and Islamists.

Exactly.

Vader said:
3.) What was your point again?

Umm I wasn't the one who brought up Japan. :confused:
 
Are you suggesting Israel should nuke Gaza? Or are you suggesting that Japanese terrorists were a big problem BEFORE we nuked them? :confused:
I am saying replace US with Israel & Japan with Gaza

we bombed the **** out of Japan, and nuked 2 cities
yet we are not plaged by japanese terrorists, unless they are working on a really long time horizon :2razz:

while nukes are out of the question IMHO
bombing the **** out of Gaza could be just as effective in breaking Gaza's will
Israel just needs to stop *****-footing around and not bow to international pressure
 
we bombed the **** out of Japan, and nuked 2 cities
yet we are not plaged by japanese terrorists, unless they are working on a really long time horizon :2razz:

Two completely different situations. We weren't plagued by Japanese terrorists BEFORE we nuked them either.

DeeJayH said:
while nukes are out of the question IMHO
bombing the **** out of Gaza could be just as effective in breaking Gaza's will

Unlikely. This pattern has been going on for decades. The Arabs provoke Israel, Israel retaliates, and there's a brief period of peace. Then the cycle repeats. If the Middle East is ever going to move toward a permanent solution, they need to think about the "big picture." Is a bombing campaign - however severe - going to dislodge Hamas? Is it going to make Hamas lose its public support? Both are highly unlikely. The only way to get rid of Hamas' government is with an extremely risky and costly ground invasion...and even then it won't eliminate Hamas' popular support and provides no guarantee that Hamas won't be back in power in the future.

They've already destroyed most of Hamas' known rocket sites and military sites. That should be good enough to keep a sort-of-peace for a while. In the grand scheme of things, what does continuing a massive bombing campaign accomplish?

DeeJayH said:
Israel just needs to stop *****-footing around and not bow to international pressure

If they actually are going to invade instead of just posturing troops at the border (and I hope they aren't), that would be the only way to do it. If they actually invade, they need to abide by Colin Powell's strategy of overwhelming force.
 
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you make a really good point
look at all those japanese terrorists we created by dropping the Bombs on Japan :doh
you make a really good point
look at all those japanese terrorists we created by dropping the Bombs on Japan


Different war, different media, different world.
 
Troops are not for arresting criminals. They are for causing vast destruction, death, suffering and most importantly, enormous contrition in one's enemies.

Precise strikes are part of the problem. The general Palestinian population seem to support these savages, (making them savages themselves, of course.) All Palestinians who survive this war need to understand that their model of politics through terror is probably only going to win them land in the form of unmarked, communal graves.

Those on the west bank dont support the savages in question and it hasnt done them any good. They,re still losing land.
 
Well, unless I missed something, the proper response to Hamas rockets is to fire super laser space beams from out of a Tom Clancy novel to take out the terrorists without harming citizens.

Is that about right?
 
Those on the west bank dont support the savages in question and it hasnt done them any good. They,re still losing land.

I wouldn't be so sure, despite political differences they still see them as Palestinians. Israel's attacks are only pushing them closer together. The Fatah is having difficult times preventing people of the West Bank from openly supporting Hamas and starting protests on Israeli lines.
 
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