Then why even bother.
The person who said this needs to be retired from office. He's lost the plot.
The op must continue until there are no more missiles to launch, and no one left in Gaza with the will to launch them. Otherwise you are guaranteeing you will have to do this again a year from now. If you don't want this to continue as a never-ending cycle, first they rain missiles on us for a year, then we blow them up for a couple of days, then we do it all again... if peace is ever to have a chance you have to eliminate the people who insist on war.
The only purpose for war is to eliminate the conditions that led to war in the first place, and to build a new reality on the ground that makes peace possible.
If toppling governments is enough, fine, but if more is required, more is required. In this case Hamas has proved again and again that they truly represent the dreams and aspirations of the Gazan arabs. Which means the Gazans themselves are the enemy. They need to be schooled, reformed, scrubbed, washed, and hung out to dry, or they need to be expelled from the territory.
It must be clear to them that remaining in Gaza and continuing to make war is not an option.
Step one is to destroy the missiles, destroy the top third of the Hamas org chart, and seize a half-mile strip of land along the border. If the attacks continue, seize another half mile strip. Keep doing it until they get the hint or until there is nothing left to seize.
Rocket that hit Beersheba school made in China
ynetnews.com | 12.31.08, 14:43 | Yael Barnovsky
Posted on 12/31/2008 12:49:21 PM PST by Tucson_AZ
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156898/posts
[12/31/08] Palestinian Terror Rocket Explodes in Ashdod Playground
Ashdod News | 12/31/2008 | Ashdod News
Posted on 12/31/2008 7:18:33 AM PST by mvpel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156703/posts
IAF bombs Gaza mosque being used as weapons storehouse
Haaretz | 31 Dec 2008 | Amos Harel
Posted on 12/31/2008 10:25:34 AM PST by vikingd00d
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156829/posts
Bombing of Islamic University in Gaza
FOXNEWS.COM | Tuesday, December 30, 2008 | Stephanie L. Freid
Posted on 12/31/2008 11:01:46 AM PST by gandalftb
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156847/posts
U.S. pledges Palestinian aid ($85 million to the United Nations)
jta.org/ | December 30, 2008 | State Department
Posted on 12/31/2008 12:12:28 PM PST by shielagolden
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156880/posts
Arab Leaders Call for Palestinian Unity During ‘Terrible Massacre’
AP | Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Posted on 12/31/2008 7:55:22 AM PST by presidio9
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156731/posts
Iran: Volunteer suicide bombers seek to attack Israel
AP (via Yahoo! News) | 12/31/08 | Ali Akbar Dareini
Posted on 12/31/2008 7:31:48 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156711/posts
L
Regardless of how diplomatic statements sound abroad, the real aim of the operation is to completely destroy Hamas.
If not - they shouldn't even start the mess, since Hamas means shelling of Israel (with increasingly longer range missiles).
To send Hamas visiting virgins in their heavenly whorehouse is the only way to put end to shelling.