Israeli military launches airstrikes in Gaza in response to incendiary balloons launched from the co

[The Magistrate]

18. It Does Get A Bit Strained, Though, Sir

At some point, capability has to be assessed, along with intent, and it is true that militarily, Hamas can do no harm to Israel that would not disappear as a rounding error in the yearly toll of traffic accidents, however much Hamas may clamor for Israel's destruction.

Some years ago, a boy of about nine made some effort to rob me. He told me to give him my money, with a bit of a snarl to it, and when greeted with incredulity repeated the demand louder, with various threats and off-the-shelf slurs thrown in. The eyes were dead flat, he did do his part to animate the old saw that there are no dangerous weapons, only dangerous men. However, at the time I did ferocious distance runs and weight work, and it would have been nonesense for me to act as if I faced a material menace.