Ariel Sharon declared earlier this week that he intends to order a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Just today, Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Ehud Olmert outlined the process for the Bush Administration.
This is so smart. On the surface, it could look like a concession. However, it really isn't.
You see, it's been the IDF who has maintained the peace in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Once Sharon has pulled his people back within the safety of the fence, the IDF can pull back, and we can see the true nature of the Palestinians erupt.
A civil war is brewing among the Palestinians. Arafat's alleged poor health, not to mention the fact that the PLA is broke, will see his grip on the geography rapidly erode. See, it takes a lot of graft to keep murderous thugs happy enough to be disinterested in slitting your throat, and it seems that the Arafish just doesn't have the money to pay them off.
When he dies of natural causes, or gets assassinated, we'll see the PLA blow up in a power struggle to determine the next "elected" criminal.
This can only be a good thing. Should such a civil war break out, the world will see the gloves come off, and sympathy for the Palestinians will plummet when people finally see just how few of the Geneva conventions they're concerned with.
In the meantime, The Israeli people can sit back in increased safety, and watch the various terrorist groups slug it out beyond Israel's borders. After all, that's what Sharon is most concerned about: the safety of his own people. That's as should be. If I were in his shoes, I would do no less.
STUNNED PAUSE:
Never write a blog entry and check other blogs at the same time. I was going to go on and on about the benefits of the security fence. Steven den Beste is way ahead of me, as usual. He expresses it much more completely, so...what he said.
Yep.
It's a shame for the Israelis living in the settlements that will be abandoned, who will have to move back into Israel proper. But at this point it's the only sane thing to do.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at February 6, 2004 03:35 PMSo, to steal a line from Babylon-5: the Palestinians will go to war against themselves, kill themselves off and then flowers can be planted in rows that spell out 'Too Annoying To Live' in words big enough to be seen from space?
Posted by: Patrick Chester at February 6, 2004 08:47 PMOooh! A fellow B5 fan. Perfect substitution for a B5 quote. :)
Posted by: Ethne at February 6, 2004 10:21 PM[grin]
I hadn't thought of the flowers! I think they'll look pretty. ;)
Almost perfect. Israel itself doesn't have much landmass in its borders, so I don't think you could plant flowers in rows forming letters big enough to be seen from space.
Maybe from an airplane.
Posted by: Patrick Chester at February 7, 2004 03:45 AMAirplanes are good. That'll be fine.
It means that they could plant pansies for the letters.
It's somehow apropos, don't you think? :P
Posted by: Linda at February 10, 2004 12:25 AM