Mandy Lifeboats

Haven't the Palestinians suffered enough?

@Thug I doubt you read this but earlier in the day we were discussing the Hamas Charter or Hamas Covenant. It's an alarming read. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp If you want to get support from the west it might be best to delete parts like this one.

There's no need to apologise. I have read much worse posted ON TOPIC regarding such important topics as senior players posting pictures of their new car.

I did briefly consider telling you that you smelt and rode a girls bike, But I didn't think you'd immediately realise that I was being ironically childish.

2. I agree. It's given Israel the excuse.

1. I haven't read that. I have read polite and rationale discussion. 2. Where do you want me to start? There is fault on both sides. Israel has committed more than its fair share of atrocities. 3. You are clearly passionate about this topic. But posts like this don't help your message.

OK........here's a suggestion. Hamas should revoke their charter to accept that Israel exists and not justify the murder of Jews. They should develop a charter that doesn't read like it was written by a madman in 1500. Public opinion for the Palestian cause was steadily growing. They should have continued to build that public opinion by engaging with the western public. They should limit military action to military targets. They should capitalise upon people like Banksy who owns the "Walled Off Hotel" over there. They should kill less civilians. I also have a suggestion for you - Maybe you should respect my position. I can support the Palestinians without supporting Hamas. It's no different to many of my other views. I can support the concept a united Ireland without supporting the IRA.

1. That's you opinion. You are free to express it. But you seemingly ignore the numerous times I express support for the Palestinians. 2. Let me be clear. I am saying that Hamas have given Israel the anger and justification to potentially kill thousands in the next week. 3. The Israeli dead were killed by Hamas. Israel has played its part in this whole situation. So has the British Empire, Iran, Syria, Egypt and many more parties. 4. I stand by my comparison in the context that it was written. Sometimes the leadership of a group gets to a point where its damaging its own people more than the enemy. Hitler in 1945 is the most famous example. 5. I have never thought of myself as ignorant. I am a keen reader of history and I believe I put my viewpoint across in a polite way and with rationale. Ignorant people tend to dismiss others views out of hand and resort to insults. 6. I am a realist. Sometimes it's necessary to fight. We don't live in the 1500 when armies would meet at an arranged date and location to resolve matters. 7. I assume I am no longer on your Xmas card list? 8. Agreed. 9. Mrs Lifeboats? Is that you? I am happy to discuss this further IF you moderate your tone and cease the insults.

Well............NOT murdering foreign nationals at a peace festival would be my first suggestion.

Thanks for pointing it out. Wow! I particularly like the part that says the a woman does not need her husband's permission to fight the invaders. Nor does a slave need their master's position.

@Rodders I think you articulate the point very well. At one point Hitler had the almost unanimous support of the German people. But towards the end sections of his own army were trying to kill him. He became ineffective. He caused huge amout to of damage to the world but also to Germany and the German people. He had to go. I am not going to li,en Hamas to the Nazis. But the one thing they have in common is that they failed but carried on with the same tactics to the bitter end. Hamas has reached the stage where they are hiding in a bunker under the Reichstag telling others to fight to the bitter end. I would hope that Palestine shares some things with 1945 Germany. I hope they see that an armed struggle is pointless and then rebuild.

And now we come to the award for the worst decisions of 2023. Here to read the awards is Teresa May . The nominees are - Hamas for attacking a peace festival attended by foreign nationals. SHA for sacking their manager whilst 6th in the table and bringing in Wayne Rooney. And the winner is........... A group of desperate criminals who inhabit an area unfit for normal human habitation............SHA.

Of course not. But it still shows that the strategy and tactics being used by Palestine are not working. They attacked peace festival and kidnapped foreign nationals. That's not a desperate action of an oppressed people. That is barbarity and stupidity. It has achieved nothing for Palestinians. Its achieved more for Israel. It's reasonable to want to support the Palestinians now and in the future. It's also reasonable to want Hamas crushed.

If 96% of the deaths in this conflict have been Palestinian maybe it shows that the Palestinians need to change tactics because its doing more damage to itself than to Israel.

I agree. But it was a particularly stupid way of fighting back. If the UK had invaded Germany in 1940 we'd all be saying that it was a stupid idea and no surprise that it failed and caused the UK horrendous loses. I can appreciate the plight of the Palestinian people. That doesn't mean I have to disagree with the upcoming slaughter of Hamas.

Hamas claims to be the legitimate government of the Gaza Strip. If my country was almost completely reliant on a neighbour for electricity, water and food and their military was bigger and better armed - I don't think I'd invade and murder its civilians. There is blame on both sides. But the latest crisis was caused by Hamas. They gained very little and will lose 200 times more in the coming days. Whether you agree with the Palestine people and their suffering is irrelevant. Their government is 100% to blame for the upcoming death of thousands of its own people. It's no different to the deaths of thousands of innocent Germans in WW2. Hitler ruined Germany - not the allies.

That kid on the adverts that keeps fetching dirty water for his family to drink. Is he completely stupid?

That's a very harsh assessment of the EU.

AEW seem to be repeating the mistakes of WCW and TNA. Having Jeff Jarrett in a Texas Chainsaw Massace Match was a horrendous low point. AEW really needs to push its own talent and ditch some of the ex-WWE talent. I really do not want to see the Hardy Boys, Keith Lee, Jeff Jarrett , Christian Cage etc.

@Jonesy7211 It's great to hear that there is good news on both fronts. I hope the good news continues.

No. It's no different to blowing up bridges, destroying fuel dumps or destroying rail tracks. A functioning power system has an obvious military value.

I lived in Brum for 5 years and I was involved in 2 accidents. Neither were my fault. In the last 20 years of living in a sleepy country village I have been involved in no accidents. That shows that ( in general) someone driving regularly in Brum is more likely to have an accident than someone driving in my current home area.

I don't agree. Your premium is already based upon where you live. Statistically a high crime area that is exceptionally busy will lead to more claims than a sleepy retirement village. But where we drive is equally important. If I am involved in 5 accidents a year it shows that I regularly drive in areas where accidents occur. From a statistical viewpoint, whether I am to blame is irrelevant. It simply shows that I am more at risk than someone who hasn't been involved in any accident.

They had Ukraine surrounded on 3 sides. The Russian Army was much bigger and much better equipped. Russia had inital success. But since Ukraine has been equipped with modern weapons the Russian Army has been a disaster. Estimates place Russian losses at 200,000 - 250,000 Wagner admitted to losing 20,000 in Bakhmut alone. They have lost their flagship to a country with no navy. They cannot gain air superiority over a country with no air superiority fighters. All Russia has shown since June 2022 is that they are good at WW1 tactics. They can dig trenches and take small amounts of land with massive casualties. The stated aims of the SMO were - Stop NATO expansion. NATO is bigger then ever. Demilitarise Ukraine. Ukraine's forces are bigger and better armed than 2 years ago. Stop westernisation of Ukraine. Ukraine is more western than ever. Protect Russian speakers in east Ukraine. They can't protect Russian speakers in west Russia. I am not sure how any of that is propaganda? Russia isn't clueless. Its corrupt, inept and genocidal.

Russian sources are reporting that the rail lines onto the Kerch Bridge has been hit. Some think it's a railway sidings and cargo depot. We'll know more tomorrow but its good news.