It was as inevitable as the next sunrise. An Israeli air strike in the southern Lebanese town of Qana that was intended to kill some of the Hezbollah terrorists who started an unprovoked war against Israel, instead levelled a building and killed dozens of women and children. It had to happen sooner or later — despite Israel’s extraordinary caution at the risk of its own soldiers’ lives — and it finally did almost three weeks into the conflict.
One can only imagine the sight of Hezbollah terrorists dancing in the hidden bunkers from which they plot against Jewish civilians 24/7 and from which they make their plans to sacrifice Lebanese civilians in their depraved terror/propaganda war against Israel. Hezbollah continuously plumbs the bottomless depths of its own depravity and Israel gets all the bad press.
It‘s an infuriatingly mixed up world full of useful idiots who play into the terrorists’ hands every time. No matter how often the depraved tactics of Hezbollah are exposed for all to see, Israel is the one that gets vilified. It’s as if the entire world is engaged in a drunken, Mel Gibson-esque, anti-Jew tirade. But the difference is that while Gibson eventually sobered up and apologized, the world shows absolutely no signs of reforming itself. If you are a Jew-hating terrorist, these are the golden days with no end in sight.
Of course, it wouldn’t be possible without the moral confusion of not just the Arab countries, but the advanced countries of the West as well, most of whom have become terror appeasers of the highest order. For whatever twisted reasons, they refuse to give much acknowledgement to the fact that while Hezbollah operates outside the bounds of any moral restraints, Israel adheres to very strict ones. And while Hezbollah itself knows and understands Israel’s moral decency perfectly well, it wages an endless propaganda campaign to convince its constituents, as well as the world at large, of just the opposite.
Article comments
1 - Walrus
It is not in dispute that Hezbollah terrorists use human shields to protect themselves. The only reason they would do that is because they assume Israel's moral decency. Otherwise, hiding behind civilians would have zero deterrent value because if Israel had no moral decency, it would blast away at everything, civilians or not. If Israel's moral standards were on the same level as Hezbollah's, most of Lebanon and Gaza would consist of apocalyptic, depopulated wastelands of rubble and human bones. Ironically, Hezbollah's very survival actually depends on Israel's decency.
A very good point, a bit of very lucid thinking in the midst of some rather over-wrought prose. Not that I don't share your frustration.
2 - Apollo
Excellent post and unfortunately so very true. The Barbarians are using our own Humanity against us. may they rot in hell with their 72 fat, pimpled, oily, ugly virgins
3 - gazelle
long live hezbollah !
hezbollah conceals weapons amid populations, but only fires from outside populations. this has been documented by journalists who are on the ground, such as BBCs Jim Muir. Israel strikes the place from where there is a missile launch within 15 minites. The population would turn immediately against hezbollah if they fired from within town. so this is a myth.
Siniora is grateful that israel has united all of lebanon.
hezbollah is grateful that all sunnis and shias are now one.
kofi and condi are grateful that the whole world is one against the neo-cons and the christian right.
most of lebanon now is "wastelands of rubble and bones". you just haven't noticed dear. look at tyre sidon or south beirut closely.
you remember 1996, but not the 1982 sabra and shatilla massacres overseen by sharon who earned the nick "the butcher".
and hebollah will come out the winner as will syria - who can now say - look we told you what's going to happen in lebanon.
what a foreign policy triumph for bush, the christian right and the neocons !
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4 - gazele
BTW The book you have picked by Robert Fisk, I recommend it without reservation. he lives in beirut since the 80s? and writes from there. brilliant reporting.
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5 - Dave Nalle
Yeah, that's a poor, poor choice of books, Greg. Despite the title Fisk is a terrorist apologist and appeaser whose perspective is seriously distorted by his political agenda.
As for Gazelle's comments, he's happy when good things happen for Syria and Hezbollah. How much is his opinion worth?
Dave
6 - gazelle
Robert Fisk links:
Fisk (wikipedia)
"Fisking" (wikipedia) - the term
Articles by Fisk including 'Beirut Diary' (The Independant)
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7 - gazelle
Dave:
great, i am a getting a reputation
seriously distorted political agenda = christian right
as for syria and iran especially, if you tap them positively, positive things will come out. if you tap them negatively, negative things will come out. this is key to making a good policy work.
Its too bad the policy makers up there cant see what is glaringly obvious, because they have old scores to settle, and delusional voters and apocalyptic lobbies.
even after messing up everywhere, from teheran via baghdad & damascus to gaza, this lesson is totally ignored, but i hope not lost.
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8 - Ash
i fail to understand how people ignore the bloodshed and tears of innocent souls and stand strongly to defend the dispassionate face of Israeli govt.
Hezbullah has its goals and the Israeli govt has its agendas but no humanitarian law grants the freedom to play with civilian life to attain an agencies objective.
In this exchange of attacks, has hezbullah broken any humanitarian law ? has Israeli ?
i leave this question to be answered by you
9 - Ash
It is not in dispute that Hezbollah terrorists use human shields to protect themselves.
My friend, Hezbollah is an insurgency, a retaliation risen from within the people for the people. It is not hiding behind civilians; it is the voice and the forte of the civilians.
That is why the Lebanon army are separate from the Hezbollah.
If Israel's moral standards were on the same level as Hezbollah's, most of Lebanon and Gaza would consist of apocalyptic, depopulated wastelands of rubble and human bones. Ironically, Hezbollah's very survival actually depends on Israel's decency.
Killing children and civilians does not come in any boundary of moral decency.
Does any one not remember, how Hezbollah forced Israel to retreat from Lebanon in 2000 ? Was it decency that caused failure to the Israeli troops.
Hezbollah's voice is that which comes from the depths of suffering and pain for its people and the force of it should not be underestimated.
If only there was no law in this world, only then Israel would have had the power to blow up Lebanon completely. As long as some sort of law exists, boosting of such a war crime would not suit the Israelis.
10 - Ash
It is not in dispute that Hezbollah terrorists use human shields to protect themselves.
My friend, Hezbollah is an insurgency, a retaliation risen from within the people for the people. It is not hiding behind civilians; it is the voice and the forte of the civilians.
That is why the Lebanon army are separate from the Hezbollah.
If Israel's moral standards were on the same level as Hezbollah's, most of Lebanon and Gaza would consist of apocalyptic, depopulated wastelands of rubble and human bones. Ironically, Hezbollah's very survival actually depends on Israel's decency.
Killing children and civilians does not come in any boundary of moral decency.
Does any one not remember, how Hezbollah forced Israel to retreat from Lebanon in 2000 ? Was it decency that caused failure to the Israeli troops.
Hezbollah's voice is that which comes from the depths of suffering and pain for its people and the force of it should not be underestimated.
If only there was no law in this world, only then Israel would have had the power to blow up Lebanon completely. As long as some sort of law exists, boosting of such a war crime would not suit the Israelis.
11 - Dave Nalle
Fisk (wikipedia)
"Fisking" (wikipedia) - the term
That Wikipedia entry is pretty amusing. Sounds like the Afghans who beat Fisk up had read some of his writing.
seriously distorted political agenda = christian right
No. Any extreme, fanatical views can distort your viewpoint.
as for syria and iran especially, if you tap them positively, positive things will come out. if you tap them negatively, negative things will come out. this is key to making a good policy work.
You're really deluded if you think anything positive can come out of Iran. You hate the Christian Right, correct? Explain to me how it's any different from the Islamic Fundamentalists in Iran?
Dave
12 - jack e. jett
while i always was of the opinion that all those folks over "there" were just a bunch of fucked up religios nuts. on the other hand, i despise hipocrisy and israel is showing us that in spades.
the amount of innocent children killed and no one gives a shit...because it is done in the name of religion.
i have never had an opinion of israel. now i see them all as arrogant killers of children.
they are relentless in not allowing help to go through now i hate them and i have never hated anyone or anything.
if god created all men equal, then israel is guilty of war crimes. they will certainly burn in hell.
jack jett
13 - Bliffle
"...i despise hipocrisy and israel is showing us that in spades.
the amount of innocent children killed and no one gives a shit...because it is done in the name of religion. ..."
Were you as outraged a couple years ago when it was palestinian/arab/muslim/whatever maniac suicide bombers blowing up cafes and busstops in israel? How about a month ago when hezbolah rockets were hitting Haifa?
BTW, it's spelled 'hypocrisy'.
14 - jack e. jett
yes i was outraged at that. two wrongs do not make a right. this will create a long term backlash against israel.
thanks for correcting my spelling. i know it sucks. education is something that the children of qana will never have a chance to experience due to a "mistake" by israel. that my friend, is fucked up no matter how you spell it.
jack jett
15 - gazelle
#11
Dave,
I thought fisking was amusing. but ive passed through the same spot where he got beaten up. i can tell you its seriously tribal self-governing area, and they dont get along with anyone. kind of like the wild west except that they have been there for much longer...
You're really deluded if you think anything positive can come out of Iran. You hate the Christian Right, correct? Explain to me how it's any different from the Islamic Fundamentalists in Iran?
good question. I wouldnt say i "hate" the christian right. but the end time theology they propose and try to enact is pretty preposterous. as is their related support to zionism and israel on that basis. this kind of fascism is a particularly raw form and pretty much existing in a media bubble in the US without much con::nection to the real world outside the US.
with iran i would say to you: it is not homogenously 'islamic fundamentalist' - whatever that means. this a media stupidity and an inability to provide anything more meaningful from the ground or the govt to its domestic reader and audience. of course there are no PR firms lobbying to correct these misperceptions and overt biases, like the Christian Fundamentalists and jewish ones like AIPAC. (except perhaps those just beginning to have impact like CAIR, etc).
Remember the Iranians were dealing with reagan iran-contra. and there is the peace offer letter 2003. before the ahmedinejad one recently.
so there is the orthodox set meaning more conservative in approach, the millenarian ones (who can provide a opposing account of forces at apocalypse with Jesus and Mahdi resurrected and ruling the world for its last 40 years), the ordinary folk who tend to divide into conservative and liberal camps about 50/50, those in urban centres who are pretty global-cosmopolitan, and the religiously liberal-open set.
these people sit in the parliament and keep more "freedom" than this in check - but not really. you can get anything you want in teheran... and their general character - after the revolutionary phase has cooled - is pretty progressive overall. it is an educated and cultured civilization that exists there. just dont mention israel, or the US lies against them.
so the millenarian apocalyptic ones in iran i would say are pretty deluded in trying to prepare ground for the arrival of the end times. the rest are pretty rational.
as for "islamic fundamentalism", only a few of the above would fall into that category and if they are not fascist-like, they are okay. but if they are, then not.
its strange that *some* of the western vareties of muslims are attracted to fascist like ideas, which in theological terms is an absurdity especially when the religion is supposed to be liberating, or peace-giving. this is not particular to islam. zionism is just a very distorted case of this, and the christian millenarians another fantasy built in isolated glass house rather than the desert. The old colonial story
anyone have a microscope
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16 - Dave Nalle
So what you're saying is that the radical fundamentalists in Iran are diverse in their craziness. That they run the gamut from straight theocratic fascism to mystical insane cultism.
I don't see that as being much different from the theocratic right here in the US, except that we haven't let them take over the country yet. There's a huge difference between millenial charismatic christians and good old fashioned baptist fascism. You lump them together too readily.
Dave
17 - gazelle
#16 dave you are so convinced of the craziness that you have no willingness to look. and are comfortable with lumping things together. i can deal with that.
just know that its the same iran that was under the shah. not everything changes under a revolution. look at the french !
and no i know the gamut from the quakers and scotch presbyterians to the libertarians and baptists, hell even scientologists and newagers.
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18 - Toth Amalek
And when will the world ever learn and turn its condemnation where it properly belongs?
Right. Let's indeed finally put the blame where it belongs, squarily on the the Israeli agressors who planned this war long ago and got the green light of the neocon adminstration of the US.
And let's not forget the role of all the US diseminators of zionist propaganda to contribute mightely to a misinformed public.
Yet it seems that this time their propaganda was so immensely crude, with their human shield bullshit, the "Qana didn't happen or if it did then it was just a Hezbollah PR stunt" and their Hezbollah/ Lebanon dualism, and ofcourse the mind numbingly idiotic Israeli "we are defending our right to exist" mantra, so opposed to obvious and increasinlgy non-deniable realities that appear through the cracks of Israeli favored biased news-reporting that many (and I do mean many) are slowly beginning to realize just how unbelievably big the lies are.