Comment from judiverse

Excellent

I like the humor in this and was intrigued by the prospect of replacing Secretary of State Kerry. Great description of your preparations to take over the job. Unfortunately, the problem isn't that easy. What about the pesky little problem that would remain of Hamas continuing to go after the Israelis. And they would. How would you like to have the Hamas guys for your neighbor? Don't agree with your solution but certainly appreciate your excellent writing in this. judi

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thanks, Judy.

I never said the problem was easy, but stopping the shooting would be a good start!

My (admittedly over-simplistic) opinion: Israel has the upper hand militarily. They should just concentrate on destroying all incoming Hamas rockets (which they have been doing already with great success) This gives them a huge boost in public opinion and gets the world on their side. Making some concessions about their illegal settlements wouldn't hurt either.

Then rely on third party and international pressure to try and talk sense into the Palestinians - no easy task - sadly the UN looks incapable of doing much.

Every time they kill a civilian they create 00 more 'terrorists'

Steve

reply by judiverse on 01-Aug-2014

Excellent comments, Steve. Could it be Hamas deliberately puts civilians in harm's way? Why do the Palestinians have to let Hamas be their voice? judi

Comment from Karen B.

Excellent

Glad to see this categorized as satire! Excellent writing on a very timely problem. Soon as you get Hamas to stop using those civilians as shields/misfiring their own rockets into schools, or hey, maybe even get them to stop trying to annihilate Israel (what a concept!), you might have more luck. I do agree that Kerry is an idiot, most anyone would be better qualified.

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thanks, Karen.

Yes, I agree that Hamas are extremists who are bringing destruction on their own people. Do you have any real evidence that they have fired rockets into schools? - that's not what the UN thinks...

Israel have the upper hand here. They have the power to stop the immediate fighting. Every time they kill a civilian they create 100 more 'terrorists'.

Steve

reply by Karen B. on 01-Aug-2014

Steve, The word I used was MISfired, I didn't say it was intentional. More than 200 rockets fired by Hamas terrorists have fallen on their own citizens since July 8. Israel has agreed to every ceasefire. Hamas breaks those ceasefires. If Israel stopped the immediate fighting, as you suggest, Hamas would continue to attack. How would you react to that if it were your country under constant attack? I agree, everything possible needs to be done to protect civilians, but Hamas needs to be a part of that solution.

reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Karen, I have an open mind as to whether any of the Palestinian casualties have been caused by their own misfires, but I am extremely distrustful of the sort of statistics you quote above.

Since it seems almost every killing of innocents is vehemently denied by both sides, there would be no way to get a reliable figure. Who's counting? The only semi-neutral referee is the UN and they are currently investigating Israel for war crimes.

To the best of my knowledge, in the weeks leading up to this 'invasion' nearly all of the Hamas rockets had been destroyed in flight and there was only one Israeli death from a rocket that got through the shield.

It just seems to me that Israel had a great opportunity to continue to sit there and 'shield' themselves and get world opinion on their side. Getting the UN to trust them would be helpful too - perhaps by actually following the recommendations about settlements etc.

In my opinion, every civilian casualty merely generates another legion of extremists.

Steve

reply by Karen B. on 01-Aug-2014

I understand where you are coming from and respect your opinion, but disagree. Those rockets fired into Israel were hardly the only problem leading up to this. The final straw seems to have been the kidnapping and murder of the Israeli boys (and yes, I know about the revenge murder, it was carried out by Israeli teens and they will be held responsible. And there is also the issue of the tunnels Hamas has used to attack. Patience on Israel's part sounds great, but I know of no other country that would be expected to put up with a constant rocket barrage from just across their border, even with an effective defense system. Obviously there are no easy answers, which I suppose was what I was trying to say in my original response to your posting.

Comment from Dean Kuch

Excellent

Ha! Yeah, them, and the Iraquis, the Palestinians, the Iranians, the Egyptians and the Turks too, while he's at it. As if they don't have enough turmoil in the Middle East as it is, we always have to go sticking our collective noses into a centuries-old war where there simply is no easy solution in sight. I think we, as a nation, just enjoy stirring up the bee hive a bit. Misery does love company, or so it's been said...

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thanks, Dean.

This bee-hive doesn't need much stirring.

Not sure why USA thinks Goliath needs a bit of a hand swatting David (ha ha, funny analogy when you think of it!). Must have seen the slingshot in his back pocket,,,

Steve

reply by Dean Kuch on 01-Aug-2014

Hah, yeah that, or he simply has too many knots on his noggin, LOL.

You're very welcome, Steve.

Comment from Sanku

Excellent

true ,so true . i am happy you have written this .mr kerry is here in India to make us sign the trade pact .he wants us to stop all subsidies to the poor. More than 600 million can starve!

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thanks, Sanku.

Steve

Comment from Adri7enne

Excellent

If you have that side figured, why not see if you can stop Hammas from shooting rockets into Israeli territory. The battle has two sides. You can't ask one side to disarm and stand there and be annihilated. Both sides must agree to stop fighting. What's so mysterious about that idea?

Still, it's a creative approach. Let Steven show them how. LOL!

Well done, steve!

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thank you - I would like to give it a try, but hamas are religious psycho-nutter extremists - which would be apparent to everyone if Israel just focused on defending themselves and started co-operating with the UN.

Every time they kill a civilian, guess what - they create another legion of psycho extremists.

Steve

reply by Adri7enne on 01-Aug-2014

So what are the Israeli supposed to do to defend themselves? Relocate? They are surrounded by fanatics who want their destruction - just for being there! Fanatics who hide their weapons in hospital and schools. They put their own civilians at risk. How do you defend yourself against enemies like that?

Comment from gypsycaravan

Excellent

Besides, the obvious great writing technically, your subject matter is fabulous. I love the ending and the artwork. Hope you get the job. No one could do worse. Ha

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thank you!

Steve

Comment from humpwhistle

Excellent

See now, this is precisely why Kiwis will never run the world. No spine. No long (target) range thinking.
If they stop shooting, all that ammo will reach it's expiration date. We'd rather civilians expire than ammo.
It's cheaper. Beises the enemy is too chicken-shit to wear uniforms. If they wore uniforms it would be a snap to differentiate between a combatant and say, a six year old girl.

We thank you for your suggestion, Kiwi, but it is totally unworkable. Stick to Kiwi things.

Shalom, Lee

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Lee, thanks for the fabulous, light-hearted review.

Sadly, I have to inform you that many Fanstorians wouldn't know funny if they fell over it and it jabbed then in the eye. And they're one-eyed in the first place.

So far three different reviewers have cited you as supporting their attacks on me. I've had as many rockets fired in my direction as hamas has shot off in the last ten years. I am short-sighted, na•ve, simplistic, a puppet of the liberal press (Oooohh!) and anti-Semitic - and all with your blessing (tee-hee)

Somehow I suspect they only read your last line. maybe they only read my last line too...

Thanks again. I have to go and calm down some over-excited meshuggine bupkes now.

Oy ve!

Steve

reply by humpwhistle on 01-Aug-2014

Yipes! People thought I was serious? And they referenced me as some sort of authority?
Things are worse than I thought.
Time to dig a shelter. L

reply by humpwhistle on 01-Aug-2014

Steve, I'm getting a kick out of this. I had no idea I was such a firebrand! And for the right wing, no less! My father would be pround.

reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Make it deep!

Steve

reply by humpwhistle on 01-Aug-2014

so deep, I may come up in your backyard.

reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

As long as you don't lose your bearings and come up in Jerusalem - they have some pretty nifty tunnels there.

Comment from Pyrrho

Exceptional

I couldn't possibly be any worse than this nincompoop ...

DAMN! There is not one outstanding thing about this statement and it does not display any great choice of words, but when I got to ... nincompoop ... I started laughing (sitting here all alone at 1:56 in the morning) and it grew and grew into a belly laugh that woke up two cats. Now I have company.

The quote got me going again. DAMN!

And your last line again ... Son of a Bitch, where is that six star icon? There! ... Take That

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

And I shall take that - with gratitude.

Sorry about waking up the cats - do you have one that likes to help by lying on the keyboard?

Steve

reply by Pyrrho on 01-Aug-2014

Occasionally

Comment from TamzinWhite

Excellent

There's a thought! lol. I have been thinking the exact same thing for a while. What's going on! There is no need to blast people's lives to smithereens! No need at all. Very smooth and well written. Funny, but really it's tragic. What is wrong with this world!!!!!!

This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.

 Comment Written 31-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 01-Aug-2014

Thanks, Tamzin.

Beating the pulp out of civilians isn't doing Israel any favours in world opinion and it's only creating a new generation of extremists....

Steve