... You guessed it ... Lebanon ... some of you may have been expecting it. And now it's here. I'm not wasting time on html coding for this one; it's just outright writing.
We live in a world where "terrorism" is a buzzword. For those who haven't noticed during their lives, buzzwords tend to become frivolous to our language. Right now, a "terrorist" organization is being blamed for a "crisis in the mideast." Hezbollah (which most news-anchors are mispronouncing) entered the independent state of Israel and captured 2 soldiers while killing 3 other soldiers.
Ok. Hezbollah killed 3 soldiers and has possession of 2 others.
Ok. Israel has a right to defend herself.
Ok. Self-defense - let's look at that quickly. If I try to
punch you, an appropriate response in self-defense would be that you
~a) punch me before my hit lands
~b) kick me in the shins several times after the punch lands
~c) get some brass knuckles and beat every white kid with short hair and a beard you see for the next decade.
Well, that's a tough one. I'll let you decide for yourself. Now, Israel has its own answer - though the question was not posed to them in a Selected Response format. Here's their answer:
"This affair is between Israel and the state of Lebanon," Major-General UdiWow. They are clearly very serious. So the series of events of the first two days:
Adam, head of Israel's Northern Command says. "Where to attack? Once it is
inside Lebanon, everything is legitimate - not just southern Lebanon, not just
the line of Hezbollah posts."
Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz, Israel's chief
of staff, says: "If the soldiers are not returned, we will turn Lebanon's clock
back 20 years."
1st - 2 soldiers are "kidnapped," 3 are killed, then 5 more are killed in Lebanon near where he soldiers were taken (Totals: Israeli soldiers dead = 8; Israeli civilians dead = 0; Lebanese/Hezbollah soldiers dead = 0; Lebanese/Hezbollah civilians dead = 0).
2nd - Israel begins its fervent "Retrieval" efforts. They bomb the airport in Beirut's runway, effectively closing it to travel. Israel enacts an air & sea blockade of Lebanon and bombs buildings they believe house Hezbollah leaders. Hezbollah (not Lebanon) returns fire in Northern Israel (Totals: Israeli soldiers dead = 8; Israeli civilians dead = 2; Lebanese/Hezbollah soldiers dead = 0; Lebanese/Hezbollah civilians dead = 35).
Two days into the fighting.
Is there really any evidence yet that shows Israel cares at all for the loss of civilian life? None that I see. In fact, here's the updated totals - because I'm sure many of you are being inundated with information on the news - 362 total Lebanese/Hezbollah killed; 28 total Israelis killed.
Throughout this time, Israel has continued killing Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Now, I do have me a very special theory. Essentially, America is a Christian country. That is not to say that the majority of Americans are Christians either by belief or practice, but it is a Christian country. According to standard Christian beliefs, Israel is the chosen people of God. As a result, America has allied themselves with said chosen people. And the people in power truly believe that Israel is acting as the arm of God - and they have believed that for a long time. In the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, the US provided arms to Israel. Recently, we did it again.
The claim is that we are unwilling to deal with a "terrorist" organization. I guess I'm confused because I did not realize that all of Lebanon was a "terrorist" organization. That's because it isn't. Lebanon is a beautiful country .. mark that .. was a beautiful country. I've been there. I listen to news reports and read about places I've been. I know people who are frightened and worried. Civilians in Lebanon are in a panic. And that leads to ...
I was watching - while in Florida - a news feature about a Lebanese man whose town had been bombed. I can't tell you much about it because the recording was interrupted. The reporter and the man had begun running because a bomb exploded ...
... and CNN cut away from it to bring the live new conference of old information - the doctor and 2 nurses being charged in Katrina related deaths. I can't understand it. CNN.
Most information available on al-jazeera.net.
Robert Fisk, syndicated columnist, wrote a truly eye-opening article that is spot on. Please read it, regardless of your affiliation.
1 comments:
It's amazing the eye opening perspective that comes when you have been somewhere instead of just hearing about it on the news! Thanks for your perspective.
My thought is just that it's tiring to hear that more people have died and that it's because countries and leaders align themselves with whomever they've aligned themselves before without really thinking things through. Who's to say Israel is always right (0r wrong)? Seems to me we just get stuck with a status quo that we are unwilling to change, regardless of all the "talks." (Americans as much as the middle eastern countries.)
Regardless of who "threw the first punch," nothing changes - they are fighting over the same old things and this is just an excuse. You are right - civilian lives are not being counted in this picture.
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