Is the Israeli repsonse to Hezbollah excessive?

[bbloke]

Originally Posted by hawki18

There is no G Bush SR. There middle names are not the same.

The elder Bush is named "George Herbert Walker Bush" and the younger is named "George Walker Bush." So, technically, you are right. I can't help but feel this is being a little pedantic, though, as reed was surely just trying to quickly distinguish between the father and the son, and the subject matter seems rather heavier than discussion of people's initials.

[bbloke]

Originally Posted by lilbandit

What about this?http://sabbah.biz/mt/wp-mobile.php?p=1440&more=1

Very good find, lilbandit. I think this fairly clearly illustrates that it is not a simple case of Good vs. Bad, or innocent self-defence against an unreasonable aggressor.

It shows that some Israelis appear to take pleasure in waging war and they can also indoctrinate their youth... just as some of their opponents do. That is: neither side can claim to be the Good Guy in all of this.

[bbloke]

Taken from the BBC today:

Originally Posted by BBC

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the number of Lebanese killed in the 10 days of violence was more than 330.

In an interview with CNN he said that more than 55 bridges had been destroyed, and that Israeli forces had also targeted ambulances and medical convoys.

"This attack is no longer against Hezbollah, it is an attack against the Lebanese and Lebanon," he said.

Bombed-out roads and bridges are hampering aid efforts and on Thursday the UN warned that the humanitarian crisis was worsening by the hour. About 500,000 people are believed to have been internally displaced by the conflict.

Thirty-four Israelis have been killed in the fighting, including 15 civilians killed by rockets fired by Hezbollah into Israel.

...

The BBC's Tim Franks in Israel says that on the ground Israeli forces are pushing further into Lebanon in an attempt apparently to flush out well-camouflaged Hezbollah positions.

The Israeli army continues to describe these operations as "pin-point", involving fewer than a thousand troops.

However, reports in the Israeli media say that several thousand have already been deployed and that large numbers of reserves have been called up.

Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz has warned that Israel is prepared to launch a full-scale ground operation if necessary.

[reed]

I should have said...Bush daddy (vs Bush sonny boy). Sorry

Yes, indeed, lilbandit, these are very shocking photos from this blog.

They will never really flush out the hardcore "terrorists." Hurt it, maybe. However, they will have ruined an economy, fragile as it is, killed many innocent civilians who have nothing to do with The Hezbollah and accomplished very little in the long run. It's SO classic! Luckily Bush Twit (do I need to say which one?) supports Israel 100% thinking they will do the "dirty work." The EC just may be thinking the same thing. Just a theory.
There will be an invasion by ground troops, I'm sure, unless the USA says "no!"

[bbloke]

Yesterday, I saw a snippet on the BBC (TV, not web site) where they told the stories of some of those in hospital in Lebanon. An ambulance crew were there... they'd been shot at by the Israelis, while transferring casualties from one ambulance to another... It very much looked as though the act had been deliberate.

Now we have news of a UN post being attacked by Israeli aircraft: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/5215366.stm

Originally Posted by BBC site

The UN in Lebanon says the Israeli air force destroyed the post, in which four military observers were sheltering.

It said the four, from Austria, Canada, China and Finland, had taken shelter in a bunker under the post after it was earlier shelled 14 times by Israeli artillery.

A rescue team was also shelled as it tried to clear the rubble.
"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces of a UN Observer post in southern Lebanon," Mr Annan said in a statement from Rome.

[reed]

Yes indeed Bbloke.

Same information, more or less, here in Paris.

Everybody is dithering. The UN base bombed by Israel will go down as "a detail" unless major protests are made from the countries whose members were killed and the UN itself insists on an investigation. I'm not counting on it in the long run. Like a lot of stuff going on in Lebenon. One thing is sure..."they" will never flush out the enemy.."en totale." However, they will have succeeded in making even more angry people in the region.
Douze-Blazy, French Minister of Foreign Affairs who visited both Israel and Lebenon is seen here as a real "joke." Being such such a lightweight in foreign affaires....he is known in the French diplomatic corp as the "'Con' d'Orsay."
Meanwhile, Condi baby thinks now she may have to "find" a ceasefire. Ya right!! We all know where she & GWB stand. The pressure is on from the EC as well, but they too seem to lack the initiative. Any ideas?
One thing is sure, this is the summer TV program that some of us will watch with interest and others will refuse to be bothered. Beach volley anyone?`

Just a request from US TV news viewers...
Does anybody have an idea of how the US network television news (CBS, MNBC, ABC, Fox, etc.) are reporting this drama on a daily basis (outside the internet that is).

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by reed

The UN base bombed by Israel will go down as "a detail" unless major protests are made from the countries whose members were killed and the UN itself insists on an investigation. I'm not counting on it in the long run.

The UN observers were not white, so the Israelis and the US Administration will not lose any sleep over it, unless of course other countries kick up one almighty stink, as they should.

I am going to add an edit this statement. Most UN observers tend to be non-European/American. They include Brazilian, Indian and Pakistani observers, and of course many others.

All are well-trained and experts in what they do. But they don't carry any weight politically or with the media.

For example thirty Pakistani peacekeepers in Somalia where massacred in 1993. Did they make a film about it? It barely made the press No, all the attention was on the disastrous American attempt to capture Adid's men (as in the film 'Black Hawk Down').

The Israelis are non-racist per se, they just know that the world will quickly get over a precision bomb landing on four Indian UN overseers and within 24 hours it is old news.

[reed]

China is asking for excuses. Big deal. "War is war." As the Israeli Press Secretary said earlier here..."these things happen in war and can't be avoided." Talk about synics.