HELEN THOMAS: War is hell

[defendandprotect]

Helen Thomas: War is hell
By HELEN THOMAS
HEARST NEWSPAPERS

Excerpts --

According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, Bush was informed of Israel's plans for the offensive and gave the green light for the heavy bombardment of the Palestinians in Gaza. Reports from the area said more than 600 Palestinians -- militants and civilians and some 70 children -- have been killed.

The president had shown little humanitarian concern for the people in Gaza.

In withholding support for a U.N. call for a truce, the Bush administration has said it was awaiting assurances that a cease-fire would lead to a "durable" peace in the 60-year war. He has two weeks remaining in his presidency.

Thanks to Bush, the Israelis are well supplied to continue the hostilities with a high-powered army, F-16 jets, Apache helicopter gunships and tanks, as well as cluster bombs and bunker-buster explosives.

Both sides should stop the senseless killing and come to the peace table.
Israel has maintained its military power in the area in many ways, mainly by controlling entries and exits for people and supplies, including food, medicine and fuel. There are Uzi-bearing soldiers at the humiliating checkpoints. Some withdrawal!

At Gaza, the Israelis have turned away reporters seeking to cover the war. Furthermore, the Israelis have banned Richard Falk -- the U.N. special observer for human rights and a former Princeton University law professor -- from Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/395100_hthomasonline08.html

[defendandprotect]

1. Helen also commented on Obama's comments on Gaza ...

If Americans are wondering why the Palestinians continue to fight, they might understand that for the last 60 years foreigners have conquered and annexed their land.

The Israelis may have some apprehension that Bush is departing. But apparently they don't have to worry that president-elect Barack Obama might become a little more even-handed.

Obama's words while he was in Israel on the campaign trail last summer were reassuring and widely repeated. Obama said that if rockets were thrown at a house where his two little girls were threatened, he would do everything in his power to stop them.

That is totally understandable. However, Obama did not add that if Palestinian children were being attacked by Israeli bombers, he also would do everything he could to stop them.

But that would take courage.

[spanone]

2. 'The president had shown little humanitarian concern for the people in Gaza'

what's new?

and dickhead cheney lied when he said israel didn't ask the administration before the attacks

[Captain Hilts]

3. No one else does either Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc. Sad. nt