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Israel-Gaza Megathread #1

This is a megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.

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The Israelis were told by their government: "Millions of people who want to kill you live near your homes separated by wire fence. Do not panic and do not prepare to defend yourselves. Your government and your army will protect you, nothing can happen. Fear that they will cross the fence and slaughter you in your own homes is absurd and delusional.

About a billion plus Indians and a sizeable hundred millions of Pakistanis accept the same deal from their governments without complaint. So do South Koreans, and even their stunted northern cousins. In the former case, there are entire border states where there's a very real risk of Jihadists slipping under the fence and shooting up your village. No demands for guns, just better security from the BSF and Indian Army.

I would be rather concerned if the government was demanding I arm myself to do the job I pay them taxes for, even if I'm a gun nut, and if I ever make it to the US and the decent guns aren't banned, I intend to buy several.

You're observing the very much discussed to death notion that people get along and cheer more for a far-group than they do their far more similar peers who hold much more similar cultural and political views. The Leftists celebrating Palestine don't all want to wear hijabs or ban alcohol, even if a few of them get signal boosted.

About a billion plus Indians and a sizeable hundred millions of Pakistanis accept the same deal from their governments without complaint

Does indians and pakistani hate each other or only their governments? AK 47 doesn't do much good against an army. Against people in toyota trucks they are good enough. A couple of well places snipers could have reduced the festival casualties and probably prevented some of the rapes.

Does indians and pakistani hate each other or only their governments?

Depends. As you'd expect but for a question covering >1.5 billion people.

I didn't notice any animosity from the Pakistani doctors I befriended in London, barring a few jokes about some poor pilot who got shot down in Pakistani airspace and was mildly roughed up before being exchanged. I suppose the fact that I didn't give a shit made them warm up even faster, I'm no nationalist, at least except when I pine for the US.

You will find hundreds of millions of hardliners, and hundreds of millions more who are indifferent or outright alarmed at the idea of war. If war happens, it's most likely going to be because the US and China kickoff and allies and associates get drawn in. Or an inciting event beyond my power to predict.

I think there's more bellicosity on the Pakistani side, their military relies on fear mongering about India to justify their occasional coups. And the ISI, they need something bigger than Afghanistan to show they're worth more than the damage they deal, which isn't really true itself.

AK 47 doesn't do much good against an army.

I would hope not even the Palestinians are using something as antiquated as a genuine AK-47, or at least the modernized (so early it's hardly modern) AKM. But I get your point.

About a billion plus Indians and a sizeable hundred millions of Pakistanis accept the same deal from their governments without complaint.

There's been a whole lot of complaining. And it's not "a billion plus Indians", it's only the relatively few near the hot borders.

So do South Koreans

No, there's more than a fence between the South and the North; there's a 4km wide demilitarized zone with minefields and military bases just south of it (and, I presume, north of it)