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Israel Vows No Quarter for Hamas

(Chicago Tribune) - The U.S. does not object in principle to "targeted killings," and Washington does not differentiate between military and political leaders of Hamas. The Americans merely urge Israel to do what it can to avoid civilian casualties. In a paper in a military journal, Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, chief of the Military Colleges, and Israeli philosophy professor Asa Kasher write, "Any political stand that does not identify with our obligation to defend the lives of our civilians from the danger of terrorism is not moral." The article says the army goes to great lengths to obtain good intelligence and to avoid hurting "human surroundings." The military insists that taking out the planners can stop an attack before it is launched. Removing the fundraisers and ideological guides from a group such as Hamas can cripple its operations. Keeping the leaders on the run makes it hard for them to get anything done. Army Maj. Sharon Feingold used the analogy of mowing the lawn. Keep at it every week and you keep it under control; let it go and it will overrun you. "We see that when you apply pressure to these guys it makes them cringe," Feingold said. "We have to make it clear that no one is immune."
2003-09-15 00:00:00
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