Informed speculation...

ROME (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama is using a "new language" in relations with the Middle East and an official overture toward Hamas is only a matter of time, the Islamist group's leader Khaled Meshaal said in a newspaper interview.

"A new language toward the region is coming from President Obama. The challenge for everybody is for this to be the prelude for a genuine change in U.S. and European policies. Regarding an official opening toward Hamas, it's a matter of time," Meshaal told Italian daily La Repubblica in an interview published on Sunday.

The newspaper said Meshaal was reacting to Obama's offer of better ties with Iran, Hamas's main backer along with Syria.

Negotiating with terrorists...fantastic!!!

Incidentally...better ties with Iran is a platitude by Hamas since most of their military training, weapons supply, and financial support under the table comes from the Clerics of Iran. The association is that since President Obama is daft enough to work with Iran on a limited preconitional basis, he must be daft enough to give legitimacy to a terrorist organization. After all...six of one, half dozen of another.

Unfortunately...I believe Hamas is correct in their speculation. The current administration has proved their agenda won't be slowed by petty things such as terrorism, soft Jihad and the lot.

Elementary, my dear Abdullah...

Oh...this is so golden (via: Ghost of a Flea)

Small investors in Gaza face losses as tunnel industry collapses.

I'll forego the rimshot...and urge you to read the article. It is comedy gold wrapped up in what can only be the most incredible lack of deductive reasoning ever.

Abdullah is one of thousands of small investors in Gaza who were tempted to put their money into the tunnel business. The Hamas government turned a blind eye to the trend since it was making good use of the income toward tunnels.

But now, at least on the surface of things, Hamas is showing much determination in tackling the trend. In recent days, rumors spread throughout the Strip that local police arrested a broker who collected an almost fictional-sounding amount of money -$480 million dollars – in investments.

Official sources in the Strip provided no details on the arrest, but unofficial reports said the amount collected by the broker in question was much lower.

Hamas sends out their "fund raisers" to sell investment shares in the creation of a vast array of "smuggling" tunnels. The investors (Gazans) somehow don't associate these "fund raisers" with the party that benefits the most from the tunnels (Hamas). Every once in a while they tempt the populace with a get rich quick scheme by paying off dividends. This bags more investors. The tunnels expand/ multiply while Hamas takes the money that their bag men ("fund raisers") collect to purchase weapons. It was a ponzi scheme to some extent.

The weapons are smuggled back into Gaza through these magic tunnels along with various contraband (that also creates a minimal profit). In short, it's an underground version of the Wal-mart sportsman department without a waiting period where the consumer finances the stock in advance.

I don't know which is more astounding...Abdullah not understanding that Hamas was using him to finance and transport guns/rockets/ ammunition...or Hamas stating that they were looking into the matter.

Nyuk...nyuk...nyuk...

TEHRAN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Gaza will become Israel's graveyard, the speaker of Iran's parliament was quoted as saying on Sunday after the Jewish state launched a ground offensive deep into the coastal Palestinian territory.

Israeli tanks and infantry battled Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, hours after launching a ground offensive after eight days of deadly air strikes failed to halt the Islamist group's rocket attacks on Israel.

"The Zionists faced the powerful resistance of the zealous Palestinians ... the Zionists should know that Gaza will become their graveyard," Mehr News Agency quoted speaker Ali Larijani as telling parliament.

Meanwhile...back in the real world...Eagles picked by 3 over the Vikes...