The Expense Of Defending Yourself

According to today's Washington Times, Israel is seriously considering placing travel restrictions on its senior officials and military officers.  These leaders will not be allowed to travel to Europe because the Israel government fears they will be subject to arrest because of a disputed U.N. report that accuses the Jewish state of targeting civilians in its Gaza war earlier this year. 

The article reminds us:

"Israel launched the offensive to stop the militant Palestinian group Hamas from firing rockets on Israeli cities from Gaza, which Hamas controls. While the war is viewed in Israel as a tactical success, its large civilian death toll - estimated at 926 by Palestinian rights groups and at least 295 by Israel - has created significant diplomatic fallout."

One of the things to remember in any war--particularly in the Middle East--is that there is a public relations war as well as a military war.  The Arabs are particularly known to place weapons in civilian areas in order to increase civilian casualties and make their enemy look bad.  One of the problems we have continually had in Iraq is the placing of weapons in mosques and the use of mosques as attack platforms.  The theory is that we will not attack a mosque and if we do, the enemy can use the attack in publicity against us.  That is the situtation in Gaza.

Does anyone remember why Israel went into Gaza?  According to the Israel Ministry Of Foreign Affairs:

"Rocket and mortar shell fire from the Gaza Strip continues as the Palestinian terrorist organizations' preferred form of attack. In 2007, 896 hits were identified in Israeli territory, compared with 946 in 2006, the year with the largest number.  The trend continues in 2008.  In May 2007 alone Palestinians launched some 300 Kassam rockets from Gaza at Sderot and the western Negev.  Hamas openly claimed responsibility for the attack."

Would America tolerate that sort of rocket attacks on a daily basis from a neighboring country?  What would our response be?  Would any country tolerate that sort of daily attack?  I think not.