Shot In The Foot

This is so sad.

Why in the world can't the Palestinians get their act together:

The WP and LAT also front the Palestinian violence and all the papers invoke the phrase "civil war" to describe the latest round of clashes. Illustrating how Palestinian leaders have become clear targets in the fighting, gunmen fired rocket-propelled grenades at the home of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas. Mortar shells were then fired at the Gaza offices of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. Neither one of the leaders was home at the time of the attacks but Fatah says Hamas forces are "planning to stage a coup." The LAT notes Haniyeh and Abbas called for a cease-fire, but it seems their influence over the militants is waning as neither side seemed ready to drop their weapons. Both the LAT and WP cite Human Rights Watch officials saying that both factions have been committing atrocities in the last few days of fighting.

What's happening in the middle east is reminiscent of Europe during the 1700's - 1800's. Loose associations of groups and regions are beginning to coalesce into actual nations after having been fiefdoms. The jockeying for power in these situations is never easy and often bloody. It's not a good place to have a defacto "colonial power" in the middle of the sort-out.