Normally, I agree with you about 99% of the time Tom. But in this case, I have to disagree. Even when the militant groups (Hamas, Hezbollah, etc) are 'at peace' with Israel, there is fighting. The difference here is that Israel is now fighting on its own terms rather than just combating an insurgency. Notice that the entire hostage taking was originally aimed at a prisoner exchange. It was a tactic to get more of the militant fighters back for another round. Now Syria and Iran are suggesting a peace proposal... a cease fire and prisoner exchange.
Each side has an agenda. Iran and Syria want to continue the war against Israel and the ideological war that it is a part of. Israel wants to end the war with their neighbors, preferably on favorable terms and with lots of dead militants. The US wants to see someone kick the crap out of Iran's favorite client organization. The EU would like to see their own Middle Eastern ethnic population happy so they want the fighting stopped for now but not permanently (what will make that segment happy). Russia and China want Iran happy because they like Iran's money in the former case and Iran's oil in the latter. Oh, and the UN would like the fighting stopped because they would really like all fighting to stop. I find that to be the best of all of the sides.
It's the oldest game currently running and not one that the players are done wanting to play. As a result, I think it will take an amazing charismatic leader to fix things... but I don't see one. Until then, standing between people that desperately want to destroy one another seems like a bad idea. They have to decide they are done fighting.
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Each side has an agenda. Iran and Syria want to continue the war against Israel and the ideological war that it is a part of. Israel wants to end the war with their neighbors, preferably on favorable terms and with lots of dead militants. The US wants to see someone kick the crap out of Iran's favorite client organization. The EU would like to see their own Middle Eastern ethnic population happy so they want the fighting stopped for now but not permanently (what will make that segment happy). Russia and China want Iran happy because they like Iran's money in the former case and Iran's oil in the latter. Oh, and the UN would like the fighting stopped because they would really like all fighting to stop. I find that to be the best of all of the sides.
It's the oldest game currently running and not one that the players are done wanting to play. As a result, I think it will take an amazing charismatic leader to fix things... but I don't see one. Until then, standing between people that desperately want to destroy one another seems like a bad idea. They have to decide they are done fighting.