tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28058997.post1662506248389670272..comments2023-03-27T05:23:11.166+01:00Comments on War Pages: Past, Present and Future Wars From New Perspectives.: Begin the Third Intifada: An Intifada of PeaceLiam Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14253594767926917012noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28058997.post-68344353896380039202007-06-05T09:40:00.000+01:002007-06-05T09:40:00.000+01:00"Gaza has no official police or security forces bu..."Gaza has no official police or security forces but does have guns and rockets aplenty, and targets never too far away"<BR/><BR/>Difficult to follow; the Palestinians DO have "official" police and security forces (a LOT of them; though perhaps you referred to their lack of legal instituion in Gaza as opposed to West Bank?). In any event, as you noted yourself; the area is swarming with Famas and Hamas groups, most with the monikers of some security group, militia, etc. The Gazans may have the honour of being the most "secured" people on earth, with a troops-per-civilian density that US commanders in Iraq can only dream of. <BR/><BR/>Most of the endemic lawlessness in Palestinian areas is a result of fighting between Fatah and Hamas, as they try to channel the (shrinking) state budget to their (unpaid and angry ) supporters.<BR/><BR/>Its a simple patronage/guns/graft economy; dozens of similar examples in the 3rd world. There's nothing remarkable about it, surely? <BR/><BR/>That said, your peaceful intifada idea is worthy, good-intentioned and completely futile. Oh, and quite a few commentators <BR/> <BR/>Dealing with rational, self-interested, educated, modern, democrats like the Israelies it's the OBVIOUS strategy. But... <BR/><BR/>Of course, we both know that Palestinians will never choose peaceful means over the violent ones they have preferred (and have served them so badly) these past 40 years. (You'd probably say they were too "brutalised" to do so, I'd say "pathologised, with cultural predispositions to violence and a complete lack of empathy for other minds"). But either way we're talking about the same psychological inability to make the best, self-interested, choice. And a leadership/organisational inability to put it into practise. Control the armed factions? Abbas can barely control his own menu. <BR/><BR/>Given their factionalism its difficult to see the Palestinians implementing any strategy at the moment. But they had their chance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com