I was reading the news over on Haaretz and came across this:
Speaking at a large demonstration in support of Israel in Manhattan on Monday, United States Senator Hillary Clinton expressed unreserved support for Israel and commended President George Bush for his stance in the present crisis.
Clinton said on Monday that all Americans, whether Democrats or Republicans, stood behind Israel at this time.
I don't stand behind what Israel is doing right now, and I don't think the President deserves praise for his stance. Innocent people are dying and this is not going to stop Hamas or Hezbollah. As our President's off the cuff comments made earlier when he thought the microphones were off demonstrates:
"See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over.
I felt like telling Kofi to get on the phone with Assad and make something happen. We're not blaming Israel. We're not blaming the Lebanese government." (full transcript at title link.)
So even the President realizes that bombing the "shit" out of Palestine and Lebanon is not going to stop this. How does bombing Lebanon when our own President admits they are not at fault solve anything with Syria?
According to the Washington Post:
The latest Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of people across Lebanon and raised the death toll in six days of bombardment to more than 200, news agencies reported. The vast majority of those reported killed were civilians, including 10 people who were fleeing southern Lebanon toward Beirut in two cars when they were hit by airstrikes while crossing a bridge.
I'd also point out that while Senator Clinton is out there stating "all" of America stands behind Israel, the latest CNN poll asking:
Do you think the Israeli military response inside Lebanon is justified?
Shows division... 51% 275824 votes for Yes - 49% 266815 votes for No.
No end is in sight, and it's obvious that the US will not go against Israel's refusal to allow international troops in as a buffer. Israel can continue to blame Hezbollah for every civilian that Israel kills, yet so far that doesn't seem to be getting much results as far as the end to the bombs coming from Lebanon (they are increasing) or a release of any of the kidnapped soldiers. Anyone want to bet where the majority of money is going to come from to rebuild what Israel has destroyed in Lebanon?
Scott at Republispin has an interesting idea....
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10 comments:
I am behind Israel living in peace and I am behinf the Palestinians not living in conditions that we would't let animals live in here. I don't think it is about being behind Israel or the Palestinians or Lebanon and so on. It is about being behind a basic level of humanity and security that all people deserve.
I just think that the force Israel uses although impressive, does more to make them less safe than to provide security. Every time they kill a civilian, someone gets caught up in the extremists web. Then again, every time HAMAS or Hezbollah kills civilians, they create more people who just want to see their people destroyed.
Hillary would be wearing a Palestinian flag is she was speaking in front of a crowd of Muslims. That is why we must convince Democrats that she is not the right person for the nomination. And God forbid, the presidency
Does the current three generations think that they can solve a fight that has been ongoing for thousands of years in our lifetime? That is pure arrogance.
Israel has the best military in the world. They have to be. They are a lone nation in the middle of unfriendlies. They do what they feel has to be done. They don't talk about scantions nor do they ask for the UN's help or permission. They act with a swiftness and might that is hasn't been seen in over 60 years. They are a people that refuse to lie down and die just so that the rest of the world can rest easy.
And let's not take the stance that the Palestinians are any better. They bonb, they strike terror, and attck any which way to get an advantage. They are fighting an emeny that refuses to die. Not matter what they do, the Israelis come back and kick their butts in.
Now, yes there are innocent people being killed in the crossfire, many of which are children, on both sides. This is unfornate and unneeded. It is easy for us, halfway around the world, to point fingers, pick sides, and analyze everything. WE ARE NOT THERE AND HAVE THE LUXURY OF SECOND GUESSING EVERYONE!!!!!! But it still solves nothing.
The United States government has interests in the Middle East is because of the grant money it has given Israel of the years, in the billions if not more, the Jewish vote (not being racist here, just being a realist), the military stragitic position, the fact that Israel is the focal point of three major religions, and, of course, the oil that all governments love.
Cliton is starting her presidental tour early and it sickens me. As for Bush, though he should check when the mikes are off, is right to stay the hell out of it. The US should not be involved at all. Of course, there are those pesky little reasons above that keep the US in the thick of things.
Ireland has the same problem as the Israelis and Palaestinians; prejudice through religion. It is really sad to see that people are killing each other over the same God. Yes, I said the same God. There are no two Gods. No God of Abramham nor God of Muhommad. One God that worshiped by all people in very different ways, but all stemming to untied out of love. (Except the atheists, they'll burn in hell anyway. Had to throw in a little humor. Oh, come off it. It was a joke and piss off if you were offended.)
I read that cute little solution about invading that area. With the screw up of Iraq, no way in hell can anyone spin that it a good way. When did the U.S. become the watchdog of the world? Let nations fix things for themselves. With the US popularity at an all time low, I'm suprised that any nation is looking for us for help.
As for the peace in the warfield ticking timebomb that we call the Middle East, both sides must teach acceptance and tolerlance. A high order, I know. Peace will not be seen in my lifetime and I'm in my late thirties. A gloom and doom message, I know. But it has been thousands of years of hate. It may take thousands of years of love to heal that region. It would be great to se it now, but people screw things up and there are alot of them out there.
What the hell do I know? I'm just cranky with all this talk that war and violence is bad and that we all need a nap. Hunman nature is violent and it sucks. But until everyone can agree to hold hands and sing happy songs without a care of who is off key, violence will always be there.
I don't think war is bad. I just think that sometimes it does more to hurt than to help your cause. Look at us in Iraq. Even if you were for the war, I imagine to would be hard to say now that it was handled in a way that made us safer. We have made Iraq a training ground for people who hate us. We may kill a lot of them, but like in Afghanistan during the 80's, the ones who don't die will be looking for a fight.
I think the biggest problem with the US and Israel is that noone wants to upset the Jewish population because they are a strong voting block. It is the same with the anti-Castro Cuban population. I don't have a problem with listening to either of those groups because everyone needs a voice, but when a policy or course is ineffective or a failure, it needs to be rethought.
When Israel does attack, the world automatically assumes that we are on their side whether or not we support the action. We block every UN resolution (no matter how trivial they seem it or are, they play in the foreign media) and always say they have a right to defend themselves. I agree they have a right to defend themselves, but sometimes we have to look openminded.
I imagine the aid to Israel over the years approaches the trillions or at least hundreds of billions. I think now it is about $2 billion annually.
Let's drop the "they have been fighting for thousands of years over there" fallacy.
"They" have been fighting since 1948 as a result of the good-intentioned (but disastrous) decision to "give" Jews a homeland.
One might make a case that the Zionist movement, in which Jews began to emigrate to Palestine in the 1890s, was the true source of the conflict, but warfare betwen Palestinians and Jews was largely a post-1948 phenomena.
I am not defending the Hezbollah rocket attacks, or the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers.
The targeting of civilian infrastructure by the Israeli army, though, is every bit as much of a "terrorist" act as anything Hezbollah or Hamas has done.
Let's not forget, either, that Israel abducted approximately 70 Palestinian government officials in response to the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.
They then began a campaign against Gaza that continues to destroy civilian infrastructure.
All this over one soldier.
Remember, too, that the trading of prisoners has - up to this point - been a part of the "game" in the region. Israel has apparently decided that it wants to up the stakes, and now it appears that President Bush gave the Israelis the green light on its recent military attacks.
I have always thought of the true history of conflict in thw region started post WWII. That was when we divided tribes and made borders based on what we thought was was, well, who knows. They probably just thought it looked good.
What is happening now is important, but looking back at history helps to solve the current problem. I know that the "Big blowup" happened in 1948 , bu8t Arbs and Jews have been fighting with each other long before maordern wwar weapons and media attention.
As for this being over one or two soldiers, what happens when one American soldier is captured by an enemy? The country goes ageshit to get that soldier back. Don't the Israelies have the same right to feel outraged and to get their soldiers back no matter how few?
In this Politically Correct world, we are being brainwashed that everyone in the world is nice and can be reasoned with. That ain't the case. Diplomats would have only prolonged the situtation while "talks" were being taken. I'm not saying that attacking a nation and killing a couple of hundred civilians was the answer, but the Israelies don't sit on their hands. The one thing that I respect about the Israelies is that they protect their own and do not ask for permission from other countries.
With the Big Five with their veto power in the UN it is amazing that the anything gets done there. It was a noble idea, but it is now a proven failed experiment that should be disbanded. Maybe an organzation of nations is needed, but it should be rethought out and put in a truly neutral banking country.
I just hope that the rest of the nations stay the hell out of it, especially the US, and let it play out. I say let the Middle East duke it out and when it is over and done with we can move on.
I think the problem with going back that far is that it provides some level of credibility to white supremist groups that don't like Jews. If we say Jews can be mad at Muhammed, why can't Christians be mad at Jews for the crucifixion. Then we have Muslims and the whole Crusades thing. History is nice to learn from your mistakes, but there comes a point when it just needs to be put behind you and into the books.
It is a long and violent history that someone needs to be brave enough to try and break the cycle. There will have to be people strong enough to stand up for the greater good on both sides and also from the outside to help minimize the fringe extremists.
Lisa,
Like it or not, Hamas and Hezbollah are in Lebanon and that makes it Lebanon’s problem. Israel is responding to the perceived threat in a tried and true method that has proven effective so many times before.
I don’t like it, but Hamas and Hezbollah aren’t attacking me. In reality, Israel IS acting with some measure of restraint, it could be worse, much worse. And it may still be, before this is over.
No apologies for Israel’s actions here, I am not qualified to judge them or their actions.
As for Senator Clinton..., she is playing politics, pure & simple.
We reached a consensus. Hillary is bad
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