AP reports, in a little noticed two paragraphs of a much longer story, that the Mahdi Army folks admitted to them that they just got loads of goodies from Iran. You know, just in time for the fighting.

And I detail the 109 terrorists reported killed by US troops in the Sadr Revolt so far.

http://northshorejournal.org/index.php/2008/03/iran-backing-sadr-revolt-in-iraq

Triumph;
It must be a trend since OBAMA stole his campaign slogan from Builder Bob![lol]

But then -- as conservative Andrew Ferguson pointed out correctly in a Weekly Standard article back during his 2000 campaign -- McCain is even fonder than Bush of intellectual laziness and emotionalizing rather than thinking. Emotionalizing, after all, is so much more fun. It is by no means impossible that he might manage to be a worse, more destructive president than Bush on balance, even if he isn't as fond of torture (except, apparently, when it's carried out by the CIA rather than by the regular Army).

As for a total in-advance refusal on our part to even try to negotiate with Hamas: that way lies madness. It was a good three decades ago that Bill Buckley, talking about the desirability of negotiating with Arafat IF he was willing to negotiate, made the same point as James by pointing out that "today's terrorists are tomorrow's government leaders" (and specifically mentioning Menachem Begin's role in Irgun in this connection). Notwithstanding the fact that they're currently fanatical slimebags, we need to at least keep the phone line open if they ever DO show any signs of softening. I really think we've had more than enough Foreign Policy As G.I. Joe Cartoon, thank you. (Although I do note that Obama and, more seriously, Hillary are also willing to succumb to that temptation when trying to show that they'd be Tougher Than Bush on something -- specifically, carrying out bombing raids on Pakistan's territory without its government's permission, despite the little facts that it's both highly unstable and nuclear-armed.)

Let's not forget, though, that until the election of Hamas, the United States provided a substantial amount of money to the Palestinian Authority, too. Things are often more complicated than they appear

I didn't suggest they were simple, particularly, Alex. But I do dare to suggest that our intentions, are, shall we say, more secular than those of Iran.

1..AP article Mon., March. 19, 2007 -Hamas-Iran links full of contradictions Mutual interests spur relationship between traditional Sunni-Shiite rivals.

"...Yet the dispute over Saddam’s execution did not break the Hamas-Iran alliance, either.

Instead the two — bound by common strategic interests — have solidified their relationship in the last year, creating a growing worry for both some Arab countries and for Israel..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17685078/

2..SR 534
"...Whereas on June 25, 2006, despite Israel's evacuation of Gaza in 2005, the terrorist organization Hamas, which is also supported by Syria and Iran..."

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=sr109-534

3..H. Res. 921 (109th)Condemning the recent attacks against the State of Israel, holding terrorists and their state-sponsors accountable for such attacks, supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and for other purposes.

"...Condemns the governments of Iran and Syria for their continued support for Hezbollah and Hamas in their attacks against Israelis and other terrorist activities..."

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr109-921&tab=summary

Well at least McCain is moving up from coming up with ideas based on kids cartoons (i.e. League of Democracies).

Actually, Triumph, the best way to write it for maximum ridicule purposes is with an exclamation point--"League of Democracies!".

rhetoric stolen from bad Sylvester Stallone movies isn’t exactly going to incline them to help out.

Well at least McCain is moving up from coming up with ideas based on kids cartoons (i.e. League of Democracies).

This is just more evidence that McCain is a lightweight on foreign affairs. It is part of a consistent and recurring pattern of nonsense that emerges whenever he talks about foreign policy. He's said that Iran is behind Al Quaeda in Iraq. He thought that Gen. Petraeus was in charge of Afghanistan military operations. Now he's making belligerent overtures against Hamas.

I thought foreign affairs was supposed to be his strong suit?

Thanks for the links.

Let's not forget, though, that until the election of Hamas, the United States provided a substantial amount of money to the Palestinian Authority, too. Things are often more complicated than they appear.

I don't think that's a fair qualification. Hamas is pretty much a Palestinian organization, through and through. Just because they are supported by other countries doesn't mean that their primary goals aren't simply related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Well, look at it this way... when Israel is tied up dealing with Hamas, or Fatah,(whichever is in power at the given moment) they're not dealing directly with Iran, are they? If Iran has designs on Israel, and I think it clear they do, then what better way to deal with Israel than using Hamas or Fatah as a sheild? It would be in their interests to keep them minimally supplied.

Fatah: 7 Iranian weapons experts arrested in Gaza

Of course Fatah has been getting support too, back when Arifat was running things.

Perhaps most important is that it's still happening.

Just a few off the cache in no particular order. It's my take that ethy're supplying Hamas and or Fatah on the idea of "the enemy of my enemy...." Now that doesn't mean that they'll have Iran's support should Israel ever be wiped out. But they do have their hands in that one.

Was that intended as parody?

But I wonder if, in a larger sense, Hamas cannot be considreed to be part of the larger Jihad against the west.

I don't think that's a fair qualification. Hamas is pretty much a Palestinian organization, through and through. Just because they are supported by other countries doesn't mean that their primary goals aren't simply related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

(Also, do you have a link for the Iranian supply to Hamas? Hamas is a Sunni organization, so I wouldn't think that Iran would give them much support. Could be wrong though--not arguing the point, just asking out of curiousity.)