Gaza Strip Maul

The Israeli Army's recent attacks in Gaza are a fresh reminder that, um, conflict in the Middle East is not new, and is still going on. Many International Relations theorists tell us that when danger is recognized the stronger party will probably act to defend itself.

Here it is in practice:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Strip Maul

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Other than Jon Stewart, who can we turn to these days? I don't always find myself agreeing with Jimmy Carter, but he might be on to something; indeed, these recent hostilities don't seem very productive. (Side Note: Carter can be really wrong sometimes: check out the last paragraph of an op-ed on cotton.) The BBC gives a pretty good breakdown of the situation here and sums up with:

Diplomats hope there can be a new ceasefire agreement. This would have to be based on three principles. Two of these are demanded by Israel - a commitment by Hamas not to fire
rockets into Israel, and a method (perhaps some kind of physical barrier) to stop the smuggling of arms. One is demanded by Hamas - the relaxation of the blockade on Gaza.

If there is no agreement, Israel will try to impose its conditions by force. Hamas will contest it.

What I find interesting is that some commentators believe that Israel's actions in the Gaza strip are a function of their concern about U.S. reactions, which may or may not change following the Obama inauguration on January 20th. But most commentators also issue their thoughts on Israel, Palestine, Syria and Iran in quite simplistic terminology, speaking as if these countries, filled with millions of individuals, are unitary actors. Sure, it might be easier to talk about the dynamics of international relations as if each country is a temperamental child on a playground with a propensity to get fussy- but I for one tire of this unimaginative vocabulary. Complex situations demand more than silly analogies. Basic audiences may need their CNN or FOX News commentators to frame the situation in historical terms easier to understand, but we should demand better of our policy makers. I personally favor Organizational Process Model or Bureaucratic Politics Model when analyzing how states behave during a crisis. Treating states like black boxes can be dangerous; looking at their internal situations can prove more revealing, although it's certainly more difficult.