Understanding the Hamas Israeli War
A family member recently asked my opinion about the Israeli/Hamas conflict. I was at dinner, so I gave a glib response and returned to my meal. My glib answer bothers me. This conflict is important and merits more thought. I am horrified by the carnage on both sides of the conflict. Though the hand-to-hand carnage of the initial Hamas attack has more visceral impact with its rapes and beheadings, the large scale, mechanized carnage by Israel is also horrific. Both sides have left us with hundreds of maimed and dead babies, children, and old people. Corpses look pretty much the same and stink about the same whether they are created by hand, up close and personal, or by bombing, remote and mechanically. Of course, like most modern people in the West, my sympathies tilt mostly toward Israel in this specific case. Hamas attacked first, stealthily and brutally, catching Israel off guard. They attacked mostly defenseless civilians. They not only killed but mutilated in an orgy of senseless v