"2. You don't get to paint a big red target on yourself and then cry...I don't when people piss on things I like here, like Israel or Shakespeare or my teams or views or whatever, or call me an idiot--"

I couldn't care less. But you can't simultaneously criticize me for not making a prediction while criticizing me for making a prediction. As usual you like to have it both ways and ignore the obvious logical problems with your incomprehensibly convoluted arguments. The point is not if your neo-con friends like me, the point is you can't hold opposition positions at the same time.

*opposite positions

"But we are allowed to equate Syria and the ISIS, even though Syria is protecting minorities and ISIS wants to crucify and behead them all."

Did you miss the part where Assad was killing his own people?

I see two factions who BOTH want to kill people in Syria...

They might be nasty for different reasons and different ends, but both are, um, nasty.

The ISIS is "their own people". No actually they're not. Their foreign jihadists much the same as Hamas are not Israelis. Indeed Hamas are far more domestic than the terrorists Syria is fighting.

So just so we're clear.

Israel is allowed to kill whoever they want, because they all look alike. And they can't be equated with Hamas, even if they kill in more numbers.

But Syria isn't allowed to kill anybody, even if they're faced with a brutal ISIS insurgency of throat cutting sectarians worse than Al Qaeda, because to do so is "killing their own people".

Just so we're clear on how blatant your double standards are. Israel - good. Syria - bad. Whatever Israel does - good. Whatever Syria does - bad.

When it comes to Israel you say all sovereign states have a right to defend themselves.

Of course you don't mean all, because in the next breath you condemn Syria for "killing their own people" - ie ISIS terrorists.

Only Israel is allowed to defend itself.

You guys have way too much time on your hands.

"I'm not suggesting going easy on terrorist, meet force with force if needs be, but only use force on those committing offences. Hitting innocents just increases the number of people who iwl take up arms against you."

Therein lies the problem, though--

How are the Israelis to know who's a Hamas operative and who isn't...

And while it's objectively unfair, from their perspective, it's understandable to air on the side of caution and assume Hamas-until-proven-not (if you will) since the alternative could result in them or others getting ambushed or killed.

That's why issues pertaining to civilians and Geneva are so tricky now--

It's in some cases now virtually impossible to distinguish who's an operative and who's just trying to live their life...

Wars aren't fought with clean-cut uniforms and battlefields anymore...

So if you're Israel, you'd rather overreact, be safe, and commit war crimes rather than under-react and see your own people killed.

it's not moral, just an action taken out of fear, one that's very real.

"So if you're Israel, you'd rather overreact, be safe, and commit war crimes rather than under-react and see your own people killed.

it's not moral, just an action taken out of fear, one that's very real."

But nobody else is allowed to make that same calculation.

All Palestinians are allowed to be treated like terrorists, and the slaughter of them is acceptable to you.

But nobody else is allowed to think the same way. Israel is "special".

"Of course you don't mean all, because in the next breath you condemn Syria for "killing their own people" - ie ISIS terrorists.

Only Israel is allowed to defend itself."

Explain to me how Assad killing his own people is commensurate with his protecting and defending them?

Please--tell me how that's defending them?

He's defending them from ISIS terrorists who want to murder them all.

How is Israel killing Palestinians commensurate with "defending themselves", hypocrite?

And remember when Israel-wan was claiming that Hamas is so so bad for supposedly not distinguishing between Jews and Israelis? But yet in the next breath he says it's ok to collectively punish all Palestinians because they can't be differentiated?

Stunning.

"But nobody else is allowed to make that same calculation."

Given that I originally used a UK/Ireland example, I think it's safe to say I think others ARE allowed.

"All Palestinians are allowed to be treated like terrorists, and the slaughter of them is acceptable to you."

If I have to say one more time that I DON'T find the way Palestinians are treated in the West Bank to be acceptable...

Try not to generalize, especially when you accuse others of doing so?

I take issue with Hamas.
I would like to see Hamas crushed.
Hamas, Hamas, Hamas...

NOT all Palestinians--HAMAS.

To answer the question--

"But it's OK for Israeli soldiers to generalize?"

Not OK, but understandable when they're, you know, in the path of gunfire and explosives...

Tell you what--when this discussion moves from the battlefield with real live ammunition instead of two white guys tapping on their keyboards at one another for the better part of a couple hours, THEN you can have the same slack in that regard I afford the Israeli military, and other militaries.

"Try not to generalize, especially when you accuse others of doing so?"

You just got done saying they can't be differentiated so Israel should err on the side of bombing them and asking questions later.

"NOT all Palestinians--HAMAS."

No sorry, that line won't wash anymore. You just got done saying it's impossible to distinguish. To you, Palestinians and Hamas are functionally the same. You just got done saying that.

"Given that I originally used a UK/Ireland example, I think it's safe to say I think others ARE allowed."

Because you like the UK. Syria though is "bad". Your worldview is so fucking juvenile.

"Not OK, but understandable"

It's only understandable for Israel, nobody else.

Presumably other countries face the same problems with the 'battlefield' and 'live ammunition', but yet that doesn't impress you. Except with Israel. Israel is always the exception to all your rules.

"You guys have way too much time on your hands."

So does everybody who plays diplomacy.

"It's only understandable for Israel, nobody else.

Presumably other countries face the same problems with the 'battlefield' and 'live ammunition', but yet that doesn't impress you. Except with Israel. Israel is always the exception to all your rules."

I refer you to, in the same goddamn statement you quoted...

"THEN you can have the same slack in that regard I afford the Israeli military, and other militaries."

Other militaries mean other states, ones NOT named Israel?

"I would like to see Hamas crushed."

But if Palestinians get crushed along the way, because you can't tell who is who. That's fine. Better to be 'cautious'.

"Because you like the UK. Syria though is "bad". Your worldview is so fucking juvenile."

...When David Cameron starts killing his own people (funny how this keeps coming back to that, it's ALMOST like my juvenile world view comes down to my viewing rulers who kill their own people as "bad," huh, funny how that works) I'll slap him around the same as Assad.

"Other militaries mean other states, ones NOT named Israel?"

Yes countries you like. Syria is disqualified, even though they face a much bigger threat. If it's a country you don't like it's "killing their own people". If it's a country you like then it's perfectly acceptable.

" I'll slap him around the same as Assad."

The UK government "killed their own people" in Northern Ireland. So let the slapping begin.

"But if Palestinians get crushed along the way, because you can't tell who is who. That's fine. Better to be 'cautious'."

Perhaps if they disaffiliated themselves, Israel could tell?

Vote Hamas out of power?

Have them, you, know, kicked out of that joint government the Palestinians just formed...

Suddenly, it might be easier to both crush Hamas and distinguish them from the innocents when the innocents THEMSELVES tell them to piss off home.

" (funny how this keeps coming back to that, it's ALMOST like my juvenile world view comes down to my viewing rulers who kill their own people as "bad," huh, funny how that works)"

No the juvenile worldview comes from you making length apologias for the slaughter of civilians because Israel or one of your buddies does it, while simultaneously calling the Syrian government all sorts of names for doing the same thing.

"The UK government "killed their own people" in Northern Ireland. So let the slapping begin."

That was decades ago?

I don't slap Japan around today for what they did decades ago...

Show me evidence David Cameron's killed thousands of his own people in Northern Ireland and I'll treat him as Assad.

"Suddenly, it might be easier to both crush Hamas and distinguish them from the innocents when the innocents THEMSELVES tell them to piss off home."

But we're supposed to be impressed that you're supposedly not equating Hamas with all Palestinians, yet you're saying that Israel can't help it if they do.

Very impressive.

And all Israelis can be equated with Avigdor Liberman, right?

"Show me evidence David Cameron's killed thousands of his own people in Northern Ireland and I'll treat him as Assad."

Then why did you use the UK/Ireland example as a means of impressing people with your claim that it's not only Israel that you give a carte blanche for killing civilians?

"But we're supposed to be impressed that you're supposedly not equating Hamas with all Palestinians, yet you're saying that Israel can't help it if they do."

If I ever somehow impressed you, Putin, I'd be deeply worried about myself and what life decisions I've made.

And again--

Go ahead and put yourself on the ground in a combat zone, and see how easy-going about things you are, if you're so angelic and willing to wait those crucial extra seconds or minutes when it could mean your life if you're wrong.

...But...but then...you're NEVER wrong...so, I guess you'd be just fine.

Anyway do you condemn the Iraqi government for 'killing their own people' in Iraq? How about Pakistan in Pakistan? A major operation is being conducted now and we hear nothing from the usual suspects.

"Go ahead and put yourself on the ground in a combat zone, and see how easy-going about things you are, if you're so angelic and willing to wait those crucial extra seconds or minutes when it could mean your life if you're wrong."

But Syria is expected to be angelic, naturally.

Everybody except Israel is expected to be angelic.