Why Operation Cast Lead Should Never Have Begun

Why Operation Cast Lead Should Never Have Begun

Day 18: I have, from the beginnings of this crisis, found little point in planting my flag on a side when both factions equally terrorize one another, yielding few military losses when compared to that of innocent civilian lives, many of which are children. It is clear that this greater war (now almost a century old) is based less on direct strife, and more upon past persecution, vehement religious fundamentals and a gross overvaluing of land and heritage. Asking the question, "Whose fault is the current Gaza conflict?" is no more than an invitation for renewed lobbing of verbal and ideological grenades, which solves nothing and casts light only on many humans' inability to weigh the consequences and values of their actions, as well as the importance of human life above all else.

My curiosity and issue lies in the timing of Operation Cast Lead and how it relates to the international community-at-large. The world is well aware that George W. Bush is adamantly pro-Israel, and has been since his presidency began. The fact that this push into Gaza coincides with his sunset in the White House should not be over-looked. After all, it is largely the United States' refusal to support a UN Ceasefire Resolution that emboldened Israel to continue on. Would you stop misbehaving when only one of your parents scolds what you're doing, while the other applauds it? Even though Obama's stances generally label him as "pro-Israel," the world waits to see how he will apply the US's enormous political and economic clout to the situation once in office, and it is in question if the conflict will last, in it's current form, through his inauguration. More likely it will descend into prolonged urban warfare that, as we've seen proven time and again in Iraq, is notoriously difficult to quell.

It is also worth noting that the refusal of Israel to allow international journalists into Gaza not only reeks of corrupt intentions, especially considering the death tolls that have yet to be verified, but has also left those journalists stranded and displaced, which seems to be a hallmark of the conflict thus far. Factor in the rapidly upcoming Israeli elections, and you have the recipe for a perfectly timed offensive.

To my dismay, these upcoming events were not secret, and the US has a strong intelligence network in the world (not to mention the bulk of our military in Gaza's back yard). The travesty that this offensive was ever allowed to occur without significant pressure applied to both sides prior to it represents a tragic failure of the current administration (and that of the rest of the world) to see the forest for the trees. When Barack Obama takes office in the coming days, it should be expected of him first and foremost to discard the reactionary policies of the last 8 years, and engage in swift and meaningful consideration of the world not only as it is, but what those factors can lead to.

Murder and warfare are not the answer for murder and warfare. Many conflicts have been solved through diplomacy, and it's failure thus far does not grant those involved carte blanche to undertake whatever means they desire to achieve their own selfish goals.