extracts from a piece I / have decided not to write

The Israeli invasion of Gaza can be considered as being one of the last actions not by, but of the Bush Administration. Unsure of how President-elect Obama would react, but totally certain of having Bush's uncritical support, the timetable of the invasion seems inexorably to have an endpoint before January 20, even if the under-discussion escalation of the conflict goes ahead.

"...there is also a proposal to begin stage three, which would be to order the troops to fight their way into the heart of the urban areas, bringing with it much higher casualties on both sides. 'The plan is to enter the urban centres.' "

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Keep in mind, also, that the Israeli elections are set down for February 10, & that the popularity of the politicians in the forefront of the invasion, Defense Minister & Labour Party leader, Ehud Barak, & Foreign Minister & the newly elected head of the ruling conservative Kadima Party, Tzipi Livni, had been in decline until the air strikes began.