Shit happens. For a reason. While there is a worthy discussion going on in the internets about the varying degrees of morality on either side of the conflict, I particularly like to look at the policy-related causes and effects.
After failing to anticipate Hamas’s victory over Fatah in the 2006 Palestinian election, the White House cooked up yet another scandalously covert and self-defeating Middle East debacle: part Iran-contra, part Bay of Pigs. With confidential documents, corroborated by outraged former and current U.S. officials, the author reveals how President Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and Deputy National-Security Adviser Elliott Abrams backed an armed force under Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, touching off a bloody civil war in Gaza and leaving Hamas stronger than ever.
From a Vanity Fair article from April (?) 2008, that is very much about the facts. (Via Cenk Uygur, who makes some good points in his post.)
From what I remember, the Bushies tried to play the two Palestinian sides against each other by organizing a super-secret weapons shipment to Fatah. But, right before the Gaza elections, the word got out to the local press that Fatah was working with the Americans and this led directly to Hamas' winning those elections.
And BTW, did you know that "The blogosphere and new media are another war zone"?
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i really wonder if the new administration will talk w/Hamas--
Bush shut them out of his feeble "talks", and we officially call them a terrorist org.
related - "a promise of immortality for" Hamas --
Ezra Klein -- THE GUNMAN'S VETO. --
And us helping support, and only dealing with, Fatah helps Hamas too -- enormously.
War Futures
This sickness in the Middle East feeds itself on all sides.
Follow the money, and ask: Who made the killing?
As you know, the blogosphere has been a war zone ever since it was created by the D.o'D., and Al Gore pushed through the legistlation to make it something else entirely.
No Hell below us
Above us, only sky
Naomi Klein has interesting things to say...
... on Israel in Shock Doctrine...
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Pat Lang also has interesting things to say....
At his website regarding this conflict, while not apologizing for extremists or the bloody-minded on either side. Hence no love for the Bushies, neo-cons or Likudniks, nor wearing rose-colored glasses.
Plus, he was never involved in either Clinton or Obama derangement, so he remained a good read throughout this last year.
A very tough tightrope to walk....
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I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me.