I'm sure most of you have heard this analogy about the War in Gaza:  What if Mexico was lobbing rockets into the US?  Wouldn't we react the same way?

I think people tend to like this analogy because it's simple and seemingly easy to understand.  It's especially well-liked by congressmen and women who want to get a soundbite on the news or in the paper.  The problem is that it's completely invalid.  In order to take this analogy seriously - you'd also have to assume that the US occupied Mexico for years.  You'd have to assume that the US put an economic blockade up against Mexico, essentially starving Mexican civilians.  You'd have to assume that the US and its allies pushed for "free" elections, promising many things in return - but then the Mexican people elected the wrong people, causing everyone to renege on their promises.  As you can see, once you get into the details, the analogy quickly falls apart.