PocketMatrix

Ok, it's time for another hot, spicy, brutal, violent debate. Here's the topic: Should Israel assassinate Palestinian PM Yasser Arafat? I say YES. Here is why; Picture Israel as the US, and Palestinian terrorists as nazi-Germany. Now picture nazi-Germany without hitler, they would have stopped and given up. This is like the Palestinians. If Arafat is killed, the terrorists would have no one to look up to as their righteous leader. Of course they'll go in a frenzy of violence, but it soon stop afterward. Though, I'm not so sure if Arafat should be killed, because then violence would escalate, so it's a hard decision. Don’t say that Arafat should be given time to stop the terrorism, he’s had 15 years to do that. It has finally come to the time Israel steps up and says “no more bitch!”, and do some ass-whippin’. One thing I DON’T agree with is making a Palestinian nation. That’ll be the WORST thing, because not only would it take land from Israel, but most importantly, it would give the Palestinians and any other Arab country that wants to, a place to organize a real army to attack Israel. That’s what they really want to do, organize a full army to attack. Of course if that did happen, Israel would easily win, but no one in Israel wants a full-scale war. I think the only way to solve this battle is to assassinate Arafat, and wipe out the terrorist groups, primarily Hamas and several others. Don’t go into saying “it’s Israel’s fault, they keep cheating and lying”, come on, who’s the enemy? The civilized ones? Or the ones that blow themselves up? Yesterday, a Palestinian blew himself up at a Passover party, killed 20, and today, an 18-year-old Palestinian girl blew herself up at a supermarket killing 2 others! An 18-year-old!!! That’s sad. In a Palestinian newspaper printed yesterday (according to either Time or Newsweek magazine), it said that “Passover is the Jewish celebration of the murdering of children under the age of 10”, umm, ok…, a Saudi newspaper said “Passover is the Jewish Mardi Gras”. At least the Saudi is a bit kinder. There's really no right answer, there's pros and cons to both, and the only thing we can do is wait and see.

Another thing I wanted to say, which can be debated if you want. On the news a few days ago, they said there was an earthquake in northern Afghanistan, and that it killed more than 5,000 people. This is obviously very tragic, but the story was only 2 seconds long on the news. No pictures, no maps, nothing, just said “in other news today there was an earthquake in northern Afghanistan that has killed over 5,000 people. Now onto Pamela Anderson. She claims that she caught Hepatitis C from a past boyfriend…” That’s exactly what it said. I thought it was extremely rude to do that, only say it for a second, and go into Pamela Anderson’s disease. The death of 5,000 incident people is horrible, but because it happened in Afghanistan, people laugh at it. Well, probably not everyone laughed, I didn’t, but I just thought it was very disrespectful not to really say anything about it.

Let the pointless endless debate begin!

Nope. Arafat should live. Maybe he's been in power too long, but that isn't for us to dispute. They have a completely different system than us.

I don't have to like him, and I don't have to like Sharon. Neither side is absolutley right.

The ONLY thing that will dissolve this is to end the battle and come up with real solutions. So a truce is called and Palestine decides to blow up a mini-mart two weeks later and Israel retaliates. Is it solved? Hell no. Israel isn't expected to stand silent when these tragedies happen. But obviously instant retaliation hasn't worked in the last 60 years, and it probably won't work for the next thousand either.

Or, alternatively, get fucking serious about the battle and launch a full scale war.

Imagine if we dropped a few bombs on Osama and we called it good. A month later he drops another US tower, so we get pissed and drop a few more bombs. 2 months later Disneyland is aflame, so we get serious and send out a tank and drop a couple bombs.

Then we decide to negotiate with Osama and talks last a week. He promises to quit blowing up stuff and we promise him a herd of camels. Suddenly the Seattle Space Needle topples over, and we immediately respond with a couple tanks, some big bombs two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

Is this starting to sound rediculous yet, and a little cyclic? Now imagine if it went on for a few decades.

Regardless which path Israel/Palestine take, they end the same: talks, agreements and somebody losing.

About the earthquake: the media is screwed up. Apparently if we are at war with a country , then we don't care about their people. I thought alot of Northern Afghanistan were our "buddies" anyway.

Slightly off topic- some of you may have seen the picture of the Afghan refugee girl on the cover of National Geographic about 15 years ago. She wore a red [towel] on her head and had stunning green eyes. She was about 13 I think.

This image has recieved many awards and is considered among the most important and memorable photos of all time, so even if you are too young you may have seen it.

Anyway, she was located after searching for many years. Her husband allowed her to remove her berka (sp?) in order to sit for another photograph similar to the original. I thought it was cool, since I first saw that pic as a kid at Grandmas house- and I remember it vividly to this day.

Warren, I and many other people here from different countries, don't give a damn about Israel or Palestine. I wish the media would quit even reporting stuff that happens in those countries. They can all anihalate themselves for all I care. This "religious" battle between Muslims, Jews, and Christians in the Middle East has been going on for a long time. Before the arise of Christianity and Islam the Hebrews, Babylonians, Akkadians, Sumerians, Egyptians, Cananites (Phoenicians), Ethiopeans, and every other ancient middle eastern civilization was killing each other over religion and resources, and their ancestors are still doing it today. I do feel bad for Middle eastern people, but the western world can do nothing about it. It would be nice if they figured out a solution and for the first time in thousands of years, there was peace in the middle east.But I don't think they ever will get along. I just feel bad for the innocent people whos lives are expended every day in the name of religion. Israel was conqured 2500 years ago, and the Western countries screwed up big time when they helped refound that country in the 1900s. Now you have crazed Jews who think that land is theirs because their God gave it to them, Christians who think its theirs because their God has gave it to them, and Muslims who think its theirs because their God has gave it to them. And whats the sadist thing of all, is that they all believe that they are the true religion. May Science and Reason set them all free some day.

Isreal was basically created because of nazis. Jews fled to palistine during the war(im going from what i know off the top of my head so i may be wrong here). So basically they took the land from the palistinians. I dont really support either side in this debate. But i believe palistine should be a recognised state, this would probly help with peace talks.

Oh yeah btw randall I remember that picture. I belive the "towel" is a burqa (prolly spelled it wrong ).

Well the Bible, roughly translated says: 'Don't fuck with Israel, or you'll get fucked yourself in the end!'

Which is the reason why the US will always back them, being a country founded on, don't argue this (or you're silly), Christianity.

And, of course, the whole thing's fueled by religion.

"We want the holy land."
"No, we want it."
"We said first"
"Did not."
"Did too"
"Did not"
"Did too X 1000"
"Right, well my country has loads of people who want to blow themselves and anyone within fifty feet to smithereens, to prove that we want it more than you."
"If you do that my country will invade your country, so there."
"My Dad's bigger than your dad...."

And it goes on. And on. And on.