worrywort, on 19 November 2012 - 09:13 PM, said:
If it happens every few months, then why would this extraordinarily outsized reaction by Israel not stand out as being election-oriented? If it's business as usual, wouldn't both action and reaction be normal sized?
It ebbs and flows all the time. This is not the first time a serious offensive has been considered or launched. Besides this is the first time in years, maybe ever (I cant be sure), that a rocket has hit Tel Aviv and the first time in 42 years they have fired one at Jerusalem. Don't you think that escalates things? Was it an election year last time? During the war with Lebanon? Israel assassinated a top Hammas official and Hammas is threatening 6 million Israelis with indiscriminate rocket fire (The fact that they are so bad at it does not mean it can be ignored). The situation that is happening now is unavoidable so long as things stay as they are.
If anything I would say the timing with Irans nuclear ambitions is more interesting. If Israel invades Gaza its good for Iran and bad for Israel as I see it.
Anyway we seem to heading off topic.