Hamas leader killed

[GrantDawg]

Hamas chief killed in air strike

Israel had warned it would target Yassin Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin has been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, Hamas officials have said. Israeli helicopter gunships hit Sheikh Yassin's car as he left for a mosque at daybreak, local residents said. Mosques reportedly announced his death over loudspeakers and urged people to take to the streets in protest. Israel had warned it would target the Hamas chief after the militant group killed scores of Israelis in suicide bombings over the past three years. Ambulances and fire engines raced to the scene of the attack. Yussef Haddad, 35, a taxi driver, said he saw the missiles hit and kill Yassin and the bodyguards. "Their bodies were shattered," he was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.

[wig]

I think it's obvious that he was not an "imminent threat", as some would have us believe.

[GrantDawg]

This is going to make things even hotter overthere. There is no way the Palestinians are going to let this go anytime soon.

[wig]

Looks like John Titor might be right afterall.

[GrantDawg]

Israeli Air Strike Kills Hamas FounderEmail this StoryMar 21, 10:56 PM (ET)

(AP) Masked Palestinian militants run to take cover during clashes with raiding Israeli forces in Khan... Full Image

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israeli helicopters fired missiles at Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin as he left a mosque near his house at daybreak Monday, residents said, and witnesses said he was killed.

Witnesses said Israeli helicopters fired three missiles at Yassin and two bodyguards as they left the mosque, killing them instantly. Hamas officials confirmed he had been killed.

Yussef Haddad, 35, a taxi driver, said he saw the missiles hit Yassin and the bodyguards.

"Their bodies were shattered," he said.

Yassin, a quadriplegic, was by far the most senior Palestinian militant killed in more than three years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. Hundreds of angry Palestinians gathered around his minutes after the attack, calling for revenge against Israel.

Ambulances and fire trucks raced to the scene with sirens wailing, and rescue workers were gathering up body parts of the shattered bodies.

Yassin founded Hamas in 1987. He was held in Israeli prisons for several years before being released in 1994. In September 2002, Yassin escapes Israeli missile strike on Gaza building with a small wound on his hand.

[EagleFan]

Nice shooting!!! If they can get rid of that radical group of animals, there might be hope for a peace process over there.

[Buddy Grant]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Nice shooting!!! If they can get rid of that radical group of animals, there might be hope for a peace process over there.

Exactly, as soon as they kill all these folks we disagree with then things will be fine, it's a perfectly logical solution. Only problem is there seems to be a lot of these people we do not agree with. I guess we need some kind of highly organized process to kill them in a timely manner.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Buddy Grant

Exactly, as soon as they kill all these folks we disagree with then things will be fine, it's a perfectly logical solution. Only problem is there seems to be a lot of these people we do not agree with. I guess we need some kind of highly organized process to kill them in a timely manner.

Yeah, forgive me but I disagree with people who strap bombs on themselves and blow up innocent people. Silly me.

[Buccaneer]

It always has been for 2000 years, it currently is and will always be "kill or be killed". What fantasy world are you living in, BG?

[yabanci]

I've always believed that a downward spiraling cycle of violence is the best way to bring peace. Everything should work out fine now.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Buddy Grant

Exactly, as soon as they kill all these folks we disagree with then things will be fine, it's a perfectly logical solution. Only problem is there seems to be a lot of these people we do not agree with. I guess we need some kind of highly organized process to kill them in a timely manner.

Or perhaps means like Hamas supports should be supported, where innocents are actively targetted and killed, that works well too doesn't it? In debates over American/Isreali/Palastinian policy with people I know I am usually the one that takes the side opposite of the Israelis, but if you think there isn't a valid arguement that the death of this man COULD prevent the death of innocents, your wrong. Certaintly the opposite will probably be true, but I wonder how you might feel about this if a Hamas supported suicide bomber had killed one or more of your family members. The death of innocents can quite easily cloud ones judgement for a long time, and I think too often rational observers take that for granted when viewing Isreali policy towards Hamas

[stevew]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Nice shooting!!! If they can get rid of that radical group of animals, there might be hope for a peace process over there.

Now if they can drop a bomb on Yassar. Time to waste that fuck too.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Good shooting.

[Ben E Lou]

This one's gonna get interesting, and likely ugly. A few key snips from the CNN.com article:

As Palestinian militant groups vowed revenge, Israeli officials said Yassin was a "terrorist" who deserved death.

Britain's foreign minister called the attack "unlawful" and condemned it, as did other European leaders. (Full story)

Whoever decided to kill Yassin decided to kill hundreds of the Zionists," the statement said, making reference to Israelis. The group also accused the United States of being complicit in the deadly attack.
"The Zionists cannot have carried out this act without the approval of the U.S. administration, which carries the responsibility for this crime," the Izzedine al Qassam statement said.

Yassin founded Hamas in 1987, during the Palestinian intifada. Hamas is a fundamentalist Islamic organization whose military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, has carried out attacks on Israeli civilian and military targets. The U.S. State Department and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

Two sentences are italicized for emphasis.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

This one's gonna get interesting, and likely ugly.

I have a feeling we could say the same of this thread.

[-Mojo Jojo-]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Good shooting.

I'm not sure we should be handing out markmanship awards for hitting an old man in a wheel chair...

[sachmo71]

I see the crys of vengance from Hammas and other organizations, and I'm overwhelmed at the irony of organizations who have no problem murdering thousands of innocent people lamenting the death of one man.

As for revenge, I just don't get it. Obviously everyone is right when they are standing on their side of the fence, but if every side vows revenge for every death, how will the killing ever end? That's something I'll probably never understand.

[wig]

One of these days I'm going to go all "Swordfish" on the world.

[WSUCougar]

So Hamas vows revenge. Uh-huh. Dial up the suicide bombings another click, boys...no, I mean let's REALLY start killing Israelis. None of that mellow level of suicide attacks like we've been advocating. It's time to drop the gloves.

And European leaders labeled the attack "unlawful" - like the Israelis give a rat's patoot?

Violence begets violence.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Violence begets violence.

Then how does it end?

[wig]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Then how does it end?

It ends when someone gets banned.

[sachmo71]

I think we should send my Saints over there. In a land of futility, maybe they will find some luck.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by wig

One of these days I'm going to go all "Swordfish" on the world.

You're going to go topless at the pool?

[sachmo71]

If Wig looks like Halle, I'm all for it!

[wig]

Hell yeah.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Good for Sharone. He finally got sick of listening to this hypocritical administration.

I will take a stab in the dark and guess the Palestinians will blame the US within the next day or so.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by HornedFrog Purple

Good for Sharone. He finally got sick of listening to this hypocritical administration.

I will take a stab in the dark and guess the Palestinians will blame the US within the next day or so.

They already have. It was our backing of Isreal that allowed this to happen.

[druez]

Israel deals with bombings on a daily basis. I don't think we can sit here in judgement, when we don't have to go through what they do. Gut reaction is good job Israel, but is the next leader going to be even worse? If you are going to target the leaders, you need to target the next leader as soon as he is appointed. Don't stop till none of them want to lead the group.....