RPG Review Issue 2, Israel and Gaza, Season's Festivities

[tcpip]

The second issue of RPG Review has been released. It has a review of Pathfinder Beta Edition, Fantasy Australia, an interview with James Flowers of Redbrick, three Middle Earth articles, including Warhammer FPG linked scenarios in The Shire, Rolemaster PBeMs, three Dragon Warriors articles, a review of Grey Ranks, computer utility programs, a review of Hellboy II, Christmas advice from Orcus, and a Sacred Time song. I must say, I'm particularly impressed with the RPG on the Szare Szeregi; obviously a great (if awful) setting, really cool characters and character development and excellent simple game mechanics to capture the psychology and dramatic tension.

Transferring to a more contemporary warzone, the Israeli offensive in Gaza has claimed some 290 Palestinian lives. Nominally, this is in response to the firing of Qassam rockets by militants (which claimed 1 life) after the ending of a six-month ceasefire. However, it also follows an eighteen month blockade of Gaza by Israel, which has turned the place into a prison, prohibiting the entry of even the most basic supplies of electricity, food, fuel and medicine. Just two weeks ago, following a statement that described the embargo on Gaza as a "crime against humanity" (which indeed it is) the UN Human Rights investigator, Richard Falk, was expelled from the region by Israel.

Far from such troubles in a corpereal sense, the past week has been one of traditional festivities. Spent Christmas eve with Jenne P., at her chanukah/solstice gathering (she's a pagan Jew) and a number of ALP members in Brunswick. Conroy's Internet filter was the subject of much conversation with nobody expressing any approval of his plans. Christmas day was spent at Brendan E's, abode with movies, drinks and an excellent BBQ feast. Best wishes to all of you for the New Year.

Comments

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The recognition of how disproportionate Operation Cast Lead is has not escaped international attention, and does not bode well for Israel after the PR disaster that was the bombing of the second Lebanon war in 2006. Aside from the immense human cost and the economic cost, it may be the Israel will lose even further status as a legitimate power in the region as a result.

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Meh. They lost their credibility ages ago IMHO. Their constant crying victim coupled with aggressive behavior has created some rather insane problems with the region. I've long held that the US should back away. I think they'd behave quite a bit more responsibly if they were left out to dry a bit. As it is, with the backup of the most massive military in the world, they've generally shown that they're quite happy to abuse their power more or less with impunity.

Why the US continues to support them is beyond me. You'd think that the attack on the USS Liberty would give a pretty good indication of their character. Money and politics make some strange bedfellows indeed.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

They lost their credibility ages ago IMHO.

Well, yes. I think so too..

Why the US continues to support them is beyond me.

Reverse the common assumption. Play with the idea that Israel is actually a client state of the United States, furthering US interests in the middle-east, rather than the more common idea that the U.S. is highly influenced by an Israel lobby.

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Well, that's clearly part of the deal. But other than strategic stuff (bases, listening posts, etc) it seems to me of fairly limited value. I'd think the Saudi association is generally more useful, and at least in theory the new Iraq locale sorts a lot of strategic goals (assuming they can hang on to it, which may not be a safe assumption). Given the antagonism Israel causes to the area, if it were me I'd want to limit my association with 'em.

There's pretty clearly an awful lot of backroom politics going on no matter how you slice it though.

(oh, and then there's the assertions that the Mossad were aware of the 9-11 attacks, and even had agents on the ground to observe, but didn't warn the US, which I recall as being credible if unsubstantiated the last time I looked into them (which would be 5 or more years ago so may be wildly out of date now). Admittedly, their excessive UNSec violations and the Liberty incident have negatively impacted my opinions)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I'm not a big fan of conspiracy theories, but there usually is a kernel of evidence in many of them. The Israeli foreknowledge of 9-11 does have a shred in this instance. Even more interesting is the trading behaviour prior to the attacks.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

The US has to keep Saudi Arabia at arm's length because it may be necessary to drop and distance from them rapidly any time, because a death and succession in the royal family could put a less friendly faction in power, reveal unacceptable support of the US' enemies by family members, or otherwise make them more of liability than an asset.

Mossad agents on the ground at the time of 9/11 is more believeable than that the Mossad had no reason for any agents to be in lower Manhattan on a business day.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Although this said, every single one of the Kings of Saudi Arabia has been very strongly pro-US, even in the same breath they've been anti-Zionist; the example of King Faisal being an extreme version of this - equating communism with zionism.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

The arm's length posture is mutually beneficial, allowing such rhetoric as you mention as necessary to placate the Arab world.