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I'd like to know if you think this is always true, though, and why. Hate and oppression are older than weapons deals. Interahamwe mobs were armed simply with machetes, and they were scary effective. A freer world may be a better place to live in, but it's little good if you are, in fact, dead. For example, with Saddam Hussein, oppression prevented Iraq from spiralling down into civil war. Mexico could use some old fashioned military repression around some places. Colombia, where druglords and pseudo-marxist guerrillas "coexist" with democracy, is another good example. In Pakistan, chances are they are starting to regret they pressured uncle Pervez into resigning. Primo de Rivera's military dictatorship brought good things to Spain, if only for a short time. Examples abound, really, where more freedom isn't such a good idea. It's a complex issue, so I'm always looking for more opinions. The relation between fear, repression and peace and order isn't fixed and depends on who, where and when you're looking at.

This is absurd. If you are attacked by a thug armed with a knife, do you actually wait until he manages to cleanly stab you before you react? The attacks have a clear intent - their actual effectiveness is of little consequence. And you'll excuse me if I doubt that you have an informed opinion on what one should or should not do in a war. No to a), but that still doesn't negate the right of Israel to try and put a stop to them. As for b), probably not. The idea is likely to be to undermine popular support for Hamas by destroying living standards in the area. This is false, and you know it. Concessions had been made during the ceasefire, but progress was stalled by violations on BOTH sides. It was Hamas who chose not to extend the ceasefire, though. I guess they'd rather have artillery shellings than some trade. More absurdity. If you want to make friends with or at least not anger somebody, especially if that somebody is stronger, the least you can do is tell him you are not the one attacking him, and distance yourself as much as possible from the attacks. Of course, fighting the good fight while their people lack drinking water is much more important. They wouldn't be true revolutionaries if it wasn't, right?

You didn't answer. "Proportionality" is a mathematical concept. The international law definition is, like the rest of legislation "governing" warfare, utterly useless; purely subjective. What do you mean by that, anyway? Do you really believe that Hamas' capability to launch attacks against Israel can be dismantled by adhering to an orthodox interpretation of that doctrine? The point about Hamas not being able to control its militias has some merit, but you'll have to show some evidence that militants attacking Israel are acting independently of Hamas, while on the other hand, ceasefires have been respected in the past. Furthermore, (and I may be mistaken) I don't remember any instances of Hamas admitting that the attacks are the handiwork of elements beyond their control, which would lend a lot of credibility to these claims and the theory that Israel is actually the sole culprit in the spiral of violence.

Yeah, but they already have ridiculously stringent immigration laws. This is... silly.

So it's OK for the Palestinians to attack Israel, as long as it's just "a little"? I was under the impression that the first thing needed for negotiations to take place is a functional ceasefire.

How clumsy. Nice job at giving them fundies some ammo. Edit: Gold.

There would be diplomatic consequences - quite serious, I imagine - if British militants fired rockets into French territory. However, barring some sabre-rattling, there would be no serious voices calling for an actual war. There is a very big difference from "people who live in Palestinian territory," and "the government of Palestine (i.e. Hamas)."Okay, try this: an anti-British party takes power in the Channel Islands, and they start raining rockets on England one day. France, seeing the chance to stick one up HM's, starts supporting the folks on the Islands, more or less subreptitiously. Here, France would play the role of Syria. So, how long do you think it would take for the RAF to make a mess?

I don't know what you're implying. I think you need to elaborate on what exactly you think Israel should do about the Palestinians, and what do you think they are doing presently. It's not just that Hamas has X or Z as their goal - it's that they keep attacking Israel, their overwhelmingly stronger neighbor, that tends to attract hellfires. But defending their country is frowned upon... mindboggling, really. As for the US withdrawing their support from Israel, why are you so certain? Looking at US foreign policy in the past, it doesn't seem so clear cut. And don't forget where Israel is. But I suppose that with Obama, anything's possible...

Hinting isn't going to do it, you are going to have to state your position. You don't think the endless cycle of terrorist attack and punitive action causing civilian deaths galvanized positions on either side ? No, I don't think it has. On the Palestinian side, you have Hamas, whose stated goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. What I was hinting is that, if Israel reacted the same way, they would have a government in power with converse goals, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either that, or they suck at genocide, frankly. edit: ofc, in Hamas' side it's just propaganda and tough talk.

Their orders likely are, by order of priority: 1) Kill or arrest Hamas militiamen 2) Preserve the lives of their soldiers 3) Preserve the lives of bystanders So I'd say they are pretty damn effective, considering that the #1 tactic employed by Hamas is using their own civilians as human shields and reaping the PR rewards their deaths bring. Or do you actually believe that the IDF's main priority should be the protection of Palestinian civilians?

Umm...

Right. Because Slovakia has plenty of directors of Kubrick's stature, producing some of the best comedy ever, like, everyday. \o/

That's an odd thing to say. Because then, you accept that "naturally", the most defiant voices should win out when Qassam rockets are a common occurrence in Israeli cities, no?

Did everyone just miss a Dr. Stranglove reference? Apparently so. Maybe one from Deuce Bigalow 2 would have had more success? I weep for teh Internets.

But mainly communism.

I don't know how much immigration you get up there in Denmark, but here in Spain we used to get a ****ing boatload (literally) of immigrants every week (now a bit less what with the government driving the country to the ground). And trust me, they aren't interested in fitting in at all. I know, I have had plenty of experience with them in the army. And those are the guys that are supposedly willing to fight for our country. I don't even want to know about the rest.

Uh, right. The thinbloods, how forgettable. Actually, I think they were the most credible vamps in the game. They don't understand anything, are easy to empathize with - they are devastated that their former lives are destroyed, and are scared ****less by their new condition. And it also helps that they aren't certifiably bat**** like, um, 99% of the regular vampires (and many humans - remember that Dr. Fu-Manchu dude?) I would have liked to see these themes developed a bit more, not just the negative aspects of vampirism, but the thinbloods particularly. With Gehenna so close, thinbloods become one of the central issues of the setting. Oh well.

He's not afraid to use proper punctuation! (only a little)

As opposed to being written in books scattered around the game world?

bonus e-points for those who get the reference.

D3 will probably be a much better experience, gameplay-wise. But last I heard, the game was shipping without a LAN multiplayer option, so that's a big minus for me. TES, on the other hand: I, uh... I... I... first became aware of its effects during the physical act of love. Yes, a uh, a profound sense of fatigue... a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I... I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. Loss of essence. I can assure you it has not recurred. Women uh... women sense my power and they seek the life essence. I, uh... I do not avoid women, but I do deny them my essence. So I may end up getting neither.

No, not Gary. The dude in the night club. Heh. And yet, he is one of the few characters in the game that reflects the fact that vampirism is, you know, a curse. That Nosferatu girl being the other, but only incidentally. Everyone else is partying around in their new soulless, blood-drinking, god-forsaken state just fine. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a monster?

Because it is. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean, all of that is simply an example that our skill at managing our resources has increased, decreasing social conflict accordingly. Humans are still fundamentally the same. You contend that somehow, humans have advanced not only culturally, but behaviorally as well, as if culture could change what we are. But on the other hand, we have thousands of years of history to suggest that as long as people's bellies are full and they are amused, all will be relatively well, but when that ends, **** will hit the fan. Now go tell folks in Ciudad Ju

^ After finding out their stance on bear hugs.