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Hizb'allah Terrorist Swap

Jan 30, 2004 11:27 AM
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update The Jerusalem Post's editor, Saul Singer, says, "Yet while I find the morality and advisability questions to be murky, one message is not: the vast contrast between the value placed on human life. Prisoner deals represent a rare and stark quantification of the human value gap." (via LGF)

If anyone's seen a remotely-sensible rationale for Ariel Sharon's decision to swap hundreds of living, breathing, bloodthirsty terrorists for one shady businessman and three soldiers' corpses, please point me to it.

Because the thinking behind this exchange is beyond me.

Until then, I'm with AllahPundit: "[A]ren't Jews supposed to be good at bargaining? Four hundred bloodthirsty mujahedeen in exchange for a box of bones and some guy? Sounds like a deal!".


Comments: Hizb'allah Terrorist Swap

When I first heard this story I was a bit confused and figured that I just heard it wrong, but it seems that I'm not the crazy one.

Posted by: Kearns on January 30, 2004 1:33 PM | permalink

If they come back and create chaos in the country, that will help push his agenda. Sharon is certainly no Rabin... He's more of a Bush.

Btw, did you see that video of the recent bus attack that the Israeli government released? It's really gruesome... If they attack the government or military, then that would be war. But they bomb unarmed people with no authority over the country. Is that what "Holy War" really means?

IMO, that imagery is likely to shift minds in favor of the wall. We hear about a bombing fairly often and have been dulled to them. Seeing actual imagery is a wake up call.

Posted by: O'dell on January 30, 2004 7:25 PM | permalink

AllahPundit is hillarious, btw, for those of you avoiding that link.

Posted by: O'dell on January 30, 2004 7:45 PM | permalink

Yeah, I saw the video. It's horrible.

It's really astonishing the degree to which you can motivate people to do evil things; imagine a Jihad against illiteracy or hunger.

What a waste, in so many ways.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on January 30, 2004 10:21 PM | permalink

Saul Singer has a good point. The Israeli government are saying that they will go to any length to save the life of one - even if it means being "beaten" at the negotiating table.

This is an important message to be sending to Israeli Jews, some of whom would be feeling that life has become very cheap. Israelis now know their government is behind them individually, as well as collectively.

Posted by: Alan Green on February 1, 2004 5:51 AM | permalink

No more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.