Dancing with Fire's definitions
Hamas, the main Islamist movement in the Palestinian territories, was born soon after the previous intifada erupted in 1987. The organization opposes the Oslo peace process and its short-term aim is a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories. Hamas does not recognize the right of Israel to exist. Its long-term aim is to establish an Islamic state on land originally mandated as Palestine - most of which has been contained within Israel's borders since its creation in 1948. The grass-roots organization - with a political and a military wing - has an unknown number of hard-core members but tens of thousands of supporters and sympathizers.
It has two main functions: 1) it is involved in building schools and hospitals in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and in helping the community in social and religious ways. 2) The military wing of Hamas - known as the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades - has carried out a series of bloody attacks against Israeli targets. In February and March 1996, Hamas carried out several bus bombings, killing nearly 60 Israelis. It was also blamed for attacks in 1997 in Jerusalem which killed 15 people, and brought the peace process grinding to a halt. Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority (PA) - the government-in-waiting if a Palestinian state is established - views Hamas as a serious rival, yet the Palestinian leader has tried to co-opt the movement into mainstream politics. But his insistence that Hamas recognize the PA as the only national authority in the Palestinian territories and cease military operations against Israel has been resisted. Hamas argues that to accept the PA would be to recognize the Oslo accords - which Islamist groups saw as nothing more than a security deal between the PA, Israel and the US, with the ultimate aim of wiping them out. Despite a fierce offensive against the group in 1996, when the PA arrested some 1,000 Palestinians and took over mosques in Gaza, the PA has been careful not to drive Hamas underground.
by Dancing with Fire January 22, 2011
Get the Hamasmug. South African Boer “pioneers” who trekked away from Cape Colony and civilization to settle deep inland on the South African frontier.
By the beginning of the eighteenth century thousands of trekboers were living permanently on grazing farms in the interior, some of them temporarily migrating each winter to the coast, so that their cattle might enjoy its sweet grass, but generally moving farther into the plains when their land was exhausted or when their journeys of exploration had revealed more attractive grazing or water. These people rarely put up permanent dwelling places; their homes were the wagons parked by a water point on the `loan places' they had registered with the Company. Their farms usually approximated to the conveniently-managed size (for Africa) of 6,000 acres, and they generally marked out this area in a rough and ready manner by trotting a horse from the wagon along all four points of the compass for half an hour.
by Dancing with Fire June 24, 2011
Get the Trekboersmug. When a small irregular force takes on a large regular force through the use of hit and run tactics, the element of surprise, sabotage, destroying the enemies line of communications, etc.
For guerrilla warfare to work, the insurgent army must have the full support of the inhabitants in the area in which the guerrilla forces are trying to liberate. The enemy is also the source of the guerrilla army’s ammunition. Guerrilla is Spanish for "little war" and it originated with the actions of small bands of Spanish soldiers who fought against Napoleon’s French army in the Peninsular War (1807-1814).
by Dancing with Fire July 8, 2011
Get the Guerrilla Warfaremug. The Prussian military theorist who is widely acknowledged as the most important of the major strategic theorists. Even though he's been dead for over a century and a half, he remains the most frequently cited, the most controversial, and in many respects the most modern. His most notable work, Vom Kriege (On War), was unfinished at his death.
"To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power and movement, the enemy's centre of gravity." - Carl von Clausewitz
by Dancing with Fire October 11, 2011
Get the Carl von Clausewitzmug. All women deserve a bit of sweet talk. 'Sweet Talk' is Real Talk for the ladies...Genuine words from that 'one guy'. To be clear, 'Sweet Talk' is not at all meant to be 'game'...'Game' is for the young boys who only play girls and have no sense of real love and loyalty.
by Dancing with Fire June 2, 2011
Get the Sweet Talkmug. Iaido is the art of reacting to a surprise attack by counter attacking with a sword. An in-depth reading of the Japanese characters for iaido is: I = being, AI = harmony, DO = way. "The way of harmonizing oneself in action." The Iaidoka (a practitioner of iaido) wields a sword: not to control the opponent, but to control himself. Iaido is mostly performed solo as a series of Waza. The Iaidoka executes various techniques against single or multiple imaginary opponents. Each Waza begins and ends with the sword sheathed. In addition to sword technique, practitioners require imagination and concentration in order to maintain the feeling of a real fight and to keep the Kata fresh. In order to properly perform the waza, Iaidoka also learn posture and movement, grip, and swing. Iaido is never practiced in a free-sparring manner.
Iaidoka practice to prepare for a surprise attack, where an immediate, efficient solution to the problem of aggression is necessary. Therefore, the technique is highly refined. Every unnecessary movement is cut away. Technique is simple and direct. The training method is aimed towards development of the practitioner’s every mental and physical resources. Iaido is an authentic martial art that proved its martial values in a time of constant battle and warfare, that was preserved and passed on directly from teacher to student over generations in an unbroken lineage for 450 years. Iaidoka developed the mind towards an ultimately peaceful, harmonious, and active state ready to react and deal with any life situation.
by Dancing with Fire May 13, 2011
Get the Iaidomug. Defense Intelligence Agency; an intelligence agency of the United States in the Department of Defense.
The DIA is responsible for providing intelligence in support of military planning and operations and weapons acquisition. The DIA obtains and analyzes and uses information of strategic or tactical military value.
by Dancing with Fire September 3, 2012
Get the DIAmug.