Hamas leader killed.

In article ,
"Yama" wrote:

Hmm...I see lot of people are mistaken about the actual signifance of this
event.

Yassin was a spiritual figurehead of Hamas. He was not an operational
leader.

He was *certainly* an operational leader. Broad strategy for sure, and
he was the man behind most of the suicide bombers over the last couple
of decades.

Half-blind or not, he was an important man in Hamas operations, not just
a "spiritual figurehead" (which makes him sound like something other
than a murdering *******, so don't bother trying to use that phrase or
anything similar).

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
. com...
In article ,
"Yama" wrote:
Hmm...I see lot of people are mistaken about the actual signifance of
this
event.

Yassin was a spiritual figurehead of Hamas. He was not an operational
leader.

He was *certainly* an operational leader. Broad strategy for sure, and
he was the man behind most of the suicide bombers over the last couple
of decades.

Not really. He was in Israeli prison until 1997 where from he could hardly
plan any operations. After that he has spent considerable time in house
arrest placed by Palestinian authorities.

If Israeli really thought he was anything more than a figurehead, they would
have killed him years ago.

Half-blind or not, he was an important man in Hamas operations, not just
a "spiritual figurehead" (which makes him sound like something other
than a murdering *******, so don't bother trying to use that phrase or
anything similar).

He certainly was a supporter of suicide bombings. That said, it seems that
many Western countries are more or less condemning this move - including UK.
BBC: UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has condemned the Israeli missile
attack on Ahmed Yassin as "unlawful".

"Yama" wrote in message
...
BBC: UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has condemned the Israeli missile
attack on Ahmed Yassin as "unlawful".

Pot, kettle, black.

Si

In article ,
"Yama" wrote:

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
. com...

He was *certainly* an operational leader. Broad strategy for sure, and
he was the man behind most of the suicide bombers over the last couple
of decades.

Not really. He was in Israeli prison until 1997 where from he could hardly
plan any operations. After that he has spent considerable time in house
arrest placed by Palestinian authorities.

"House arrest," in Palestinian terms, means "paid his bills and gave him
bodyguards, but didn't stop him from working." When you're in house
arrest, you don't get a steady string of visitors, and you don't get to
make public statements about how nice it is to kill Jews.

If Israeli really thought he was anything more than a figurehead, they would
have killed him years ago.

They were too busy trying to placate Hamas. They finally decided that
was a stupid game.

He certainly was a supporter of suicide bombings. That said, it seems that
many Western countries are more or less condemning this move - including UK.
BBC: UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has condemned the Israeli missile
attack on Ahmed Yassin as "unlawful".

Well, Jack Straw is entitled to his opinions. A lot of people have said
similar things at similar times. After the small spate of attacks that
are sure to come, we'll see how it works out in the long run.

Note that were were told that the whole Mideast would erupt in flames
when we took down Saddam, and how that didn't happen.

One telling thing: a Palestinian official was being interviewed on Fox
this morning, and after the first reference to Yassin as a "spiritual"
leader, he kept calling him a "political leader."

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
. com...
In article ,
"Yama" wrote:
If Israeli really thought he was anything more than a figurehead, they
would
have killed him years ago.

They were too busy trying to placate Hamas. They finally decided that
was a stupid game.

Oh, absolutely. Firing few Hellfire missiles in middle of group of civilians
hoping that enough people will die so that target is amongst them is so much
more smarter game. I mean, absolutely unlikely to trigger any sort of
retribution, right?

He certainly was a supporter of suicide bombings. That said, it seems
that
many Western countries are more or less condemning this move - including
UK.
BBC: UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has condemned the Israeli missile
attack on Ahmed Yassin as "unlawful".

Well, Jack Straw is entitled to his opinions.

Yes, he is only the foreign secretary of Israeli's second most important
potential supporter. Totally irrelevant.

A lot of people have said
similar things at similar times. After the small spate of attacks that
are sure to come, we'll see how it works out in the long run.

Note that were were told that the whole Mideast would erupt in flames
when we took down Saddam, and how that didn't happen.

Who said so? Certainly not me.

On the other hand, Iraq certainly is a lot more dangerous place now. Was
that part of the plan too?

One telling thing: a Palestinian official was being interviewed on Fox
this morning, and after the first reference to Yassin as a "spiritual"
leader, he kept calling him a "political leader."

So what?

In article ,
"Yama" wrote:

Oh, absolutely. Firing few Hellfire missiles in middle of group of
civilians hoping that enough people will die so that target is
amongst them is so much more smarter game.

If that were what had happened, you might have a point. Since that
*wasn't* what happened, you have none.

I mean, absolutely unlikely to trigger any sort of
retribution, right?

When you have a bunch of people who have sworn to really, really kill
you, making them a bit madder won't do much but add another "really."
Hamas wants all Jews in the area *dead*. Not walled off, not living
peacefully, *dead*. And their message hasn;t changed since they started.

Every time Hamas screams about "retribution," it's because the Israelis
killed some of their people *after* Hamas sent in some more suicide
bombers.

Blowing up one of the most evil terrorists in the world and his
bodyguard does *not* compare to sending a ten year old kid with a bomb
in his bag to blow up a checkpoint, except as an object lesson.

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
om...
In article ,
"Yama" wrote:
Oh, absolutely. Firing few Hellfire missiles in middle of group of
civilians hoping that enough people will die so that target is
amongst them is so much more smarter game.

If that were what had happened, you might have a point. Since that
*wasn't* what happened, you have none.

Which is pretty much what happened. Hence, the point.

Blowing up one of the most evil terrorists in the world and his
bodyguard does *not* compare to sending a ten year old kid with a bomb
in his bag to blow up a checkpoint, except as an object lesson.

If they'd only refrain to killing terrorists and their bodyguards. But they
don't.

In article ,
"Yama" wrote:

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
om...
In article ,
"Yama" wrote:
Oh, absolutely. Firing few Hellfire missiles in middle of group of
civilians hoping that enough people will die so that target is
amongst them is so much more smarter game.

If that were what had happened, you might have a point. Since that
*wasn't* what happened, you have none.

Which is pretty much what happened. Hence, the point.

Nope. There was a small number of people, out in the open, and the
target was right there and easy to see. Hence his getting blown to
hell.

Blowing up one of the most evil terrorists in the world and his
bodyguard does *not* compare to sending a ten year old kid with a bomb
in his bag to blow up a checkpoint, except as an object lesson.

If they'd only refrain to killing terrorists and their bodyguards. But they
don't.

If the terrorists and their bodyguards would stop hiding among
civilians, that sort of things would also stop happening. Even so, the
amount of collateral deaths is pretty darned low.

Does it bother you that you're arguing on behalf of some of the worst
human beings ever to walk (or roll) the face of the planet?

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

"Yama" wrote

On the other hand, Iraq certainly is a lot more dangerous place now.

Iraq was dangerous place since it was created. It is probably the least
dangerous place now since its creation.

I was there with my father in 1961-1962, and *nothing* I've seen so far
is even half as scary.

"D. Strang" wrote in message
news:NGK7c.126$zc1.1@okepread03...
"Yama" wrote

On the other hand, Iraq certainly is a lot more dangerous place now.

Iraq was dangerous place since it was created. It is probably the least
dangerous place now since its creation.

I was there with my father in 1961-1962, and *nothing* I've seen so far
is even half as scary.

Yes, just yesterday two of my countrymen were shot in this "safer" Iraq.