The Associated Press just loves these kinds of stories, in which they “analyze” a situation and come to the conclusion that no matter what anyone does, it’s just going to get worse and worse, because fighting against terrorists only makes them stronger. The more you fight them, the stronger they get, swelling up with strength and power until we’re all doomed. Doomed, I say.

Israel faces dilemma on Hamas rockets.

JERUSALEM - Israel’s options for stopping Hamas rocket fire run from bad to worse.

Israel can halt the barrage on its border towns only if it reoccupies Gaza for good, military experts concluded after two weeks of lopsided fighting between Israel’s high-tech military and a few thousand Islamic militants armed with crude scrap metal projectiles.

However, a bloody invasion comes with many risks, including the possible collapse of the Palestinian Authority [That’s a risk? —ed.], and sabotages Israel’s goal of separation from the Palestinians, which began with its 2005 pullout from the coastal strip. Israel’s leaders are also gun-shy after last summer’s hasty — many say botched [Especially the AP! —ed.]— war against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

Yet, if Israel doesn’t take dramatic action, large amounts of weapons will likely continue to reach Hamas through smuggling tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border. And an uninterrupted arms flow means Hamas can strike even harder — with longer-range rockets — in the next round of cross-border fighting. “There is no military solution,” said Israeli military analyst Reuven Pedatzur. “For the last several years, the army tried several options. All of them did not succeed, not from the air and not from the ground.”

A diplomatic solution also seems far off. Israel won’t negotiate with Hamas, and moderate Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas appears powerless to rein in the militants. Hamas, meanwhile, stands to benefit more than it loses from almost any scenario.

Doomed.