I must say, I do like the way the Israelis don't fvck about.

[Peter]

Yes. It's almost as though their government regards protecting the lives of its citizens as its primary goal rather than worrying about whether people are being offended and pandering to the whining of minority groups.

Radical stuff.

THe irony, eh? Israel, home of those jews persecuted in europe for centuries, has no time for the 'whining of minority groups'.....

How overly sensitive of people to be offended by being killed

[Sir C]

THe irony, eh? Israel, home of those jews persecuted in europe for centuries, has no time for the 'whining of minority groups'.....

How overly sensitive of people to be offended by being killed

Morning Ken. How're the newts these days?

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Morning Ken. How're the newts these days?

. . . . . . . .

[Sir C]

. . . . . . . .

Better than your mum's, which I pushed back up her arse with both arms last night.

I feel quite queasy now. I wish I hadn't said that.

[Burney]

THe irony, eh? Israel, home of those jews persecuted in europe for centuries, has no time for the 'whining of minority groups'.....

How overly sensitive of people to be offended by being killed

I knew I could draw you out.

Right. There were around 15-20,000 males explicitly saying that they were going to attack and kill Israelis if they got through. They were armed, there were boys being sent to the fence with wirecutters and potentially lethal explosive devices attached to kites being flown at the IDF.

What would you have done?

[Peter]

I knew I could draw you out.

Right. There were around 15-20,000 males explicitly saying that they were going to attack and kill Israelis if they got through. They were armed, there were boys being sent to the fence with wirecutters and potentially lethal explosive devices attached to kites being flown at the IDF.

What would you have done?

With a mighty army and the most sophisticated military weaponry that american money can buy, I would have sat the other side of the fence and said'see you when you get here, pal'......

I dont actually know what has happened, havent caught up with the news yet....

I do think it is rather offensive of you to refer to these people as males. How do you know how they identify their gender ?

You are worse than Germaine Greer!

[Burney]

With a mighty army and the most sophisticated military weaponry that american money can buy, I would have sat the other side of the fence and said'see you when you get here, pal'......

I dont actually know what has happened, havent caught up with the news yet....

I do think it is rather offensive of you to refer to these people as males. How do you know how they identify their gender ?

You are worse than Germaine Greer!

Right. So you'd have allowed your first line of defence to be breached before responding, thus endangering the lives and position of your military personnel?

Zulu would've been a much shorter film if you'd been in charge at Rorke's Drift, mate.

[Peter]

Right. So you'd have allowed your first line of defence to be breached before responding, thus endangering the lives and position of your military personnel?

Zulu would've been a much shorter film if you'd been in charge at Rorke's Drift, mate.

Boys with wire cutters, dude. THis is hardly Rorke's Drift.

I think you are missing, in classic Don Pacifico style, the notion of a proportionate response. It is what responsible, mature nations do.

We have moved beyond the era of Lord Palmerston. Apart from the Falklands, obviously.

[Burney]

Boys with wire cutters, dude. THis is hardly Rorke's Drift.

I think you are missing, in classic Don Pacifico style, the notion of a proportionate response. It is what responsible, mature nations do.

We have moved beyond the era of Lord Palmerston. Apart from the Falklands, obviously.

Yes. Boys sent there to breach the defence in the cynical hope that their youth would either a/ stop the soldiers shooting them or b/ make for good publicity if they did get shot.

Of course, had they simply been allowed to breach the defences, the defensive position would have been fatally undermined and it is perfectly possible for large numbers prepared to take heavy casualties to swarm smaller groups of soldiers - however heavily armed - and to kill them (see Mogadishu 1993 for evidence). The Israelis - correctly - were not prepared to risk that happening.

[Peter]

Yes. Boys sent there to breach the defence in the cynical hope that their youth would either a/ stop the soldiers shooting them or b/ make for good publicity if they did get shot.

Of course, had they simply been allowed to breach the defences, the defensive position would have been fatally undermined and it is perfectly possible for large numbers prepared to take heavy casualties to swarm smaller groups of soldiers - however heavily armed - and to kill them (see Mogadishu 1993 for evidence). The Israelis - correctly - were not prepared to risk that happening.

That is true. However, you are hovering between referrring to the Israeli army as some combination of the 2nd Warwickshire at Rorke's Drift and Dad's Army. THis is Israel, not Warmington on Sea.

It is fair to assume that Israel has assembled a force sufficient to repel a few lads with wire cutters. If they hadn't, and that is why they were forced to open fire, that is their own fault and causes grave concerns as to the country's use of its military might.

If my position seems soft, lefty or silly I can only offer you the fact that it seems to accord with the response of governments such as Germany and our very own lords and masters.

**** me, if the Germans think you have gone a bit far you need to look at yourself.....