Meanwhile on the International front....

Hamas is an acronym for Ḥarakah al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, not a word. It roughly translates as “Islamic Resistance Movement,” but “the Hamas” is grammatically incorrect.

 

It's grammatically incorrect to call it The Islamic Resistance Movement? Well, if it is, I can live with that. The point is, it's a group -- a terrorist group -- not a country, and it bothers me that people talk about it like it is one.

 

It’s the National Aeronautics and Space Administration but you wouldn’t call it the NASA

 

I'm good with that, but once the Israelis clean up the breakouts in short order, it will became a Gaza slaughter. The proverbial fish in a very dense barrel.

I am very ambivalent about that. And by ambivalent I mean HELL NO to mass slaughter of innocent Gaza civilians. Give proven non-combatants a free pass to Egypt or the West Bank. After that, I'm OK with turning Gaza into a parking lot that Jerry Jones would be proud of.

 

Smokey Bear wonders what the fuss is all about.

 

Whatever, guys. I don't care. Although maybe Hamas should be treated like an actual acronym, then, and be all-capped. That might make a difference. As it is, Hamas sounds, and is written about, like it's a country.

And they just started another unprovoked war in a world that doesn't need even one. There are an awful lot of sorry excuses for human beings alive right now, in this country, and others. The human race should be embarrassed and ashamed of itself.

 

A serious question: How is Hamas different from the PLO, which was regarded by most* as a terrorist organization?

* — most Americans, I should specify.

 

NERDS!

 

And proud of it.

 

I do worry that they would refuse to cancel something like that except in the most extreme circumstances. I know the folks with Birthright brag that they have never had to cancel a trip. I would have felt better if they had canceled one or two if there was enough of a danger at the time.

I hope it doesn't come to that for your daughter, but I'm sure you will handle it the best way possible if it comes to that.

 

The people of Israel believe they have to refuse to back down. They believe they can't show weakness. They are probably right about that, too.

Tomorrow, I will meet a 21-year-old Israeli military veteran who has been drafted back into service. The next day, he will fly home. He has friends who are already fighting. He will be joining them very soon. I have no idea what I will say to him. I'm damn sure that if the current situation comes up, I will show nothing but support for Israel. I'm damn sure that I won't bring up the notion that Israel did anything to cause what Hamas did. I doubt anyone here would, either.

 

Seeing plenty of Twitter chatter about this, but haven't seen much actual reporting on it.
Same with reports that Hamas is beheading captured Israel soldiers (although there are reportedly videos and photos of that circulating around).