Day Twelve In Israel
Reuters reports that a missing Israeli soldier has been found dead in southern Lebanon, but the Israeli's aren't releasing any more details at this time, according to Al Arabiya television.
The report comes at a time when mass evacuations are continuing and the IDF seems to be preparing for a ground assault. Incredibly, some Americans who were recently evacuated from Lebanon are complaining about the U.S. response to their plight. Of course, they were warned not to go there in the first place, and now the American taxpayer has spent at least $200,000 getting them out.
U.S. SecState Rice plans on going to the region soon, but won't be asking the Israeli's for a cease-fire. "We do seek an end to the current violence, we seek it urgently. We also seek to address the root causes of that violence," Rice said. "A cease-fire would be a false promise if it simply returns us to the status quo." She also said that Syria "knows what it needs to do, and Hezbollah is the source of the problem."
Not much support for Hezbollah there.
U.N. SecGeneral Kofi Annan demanded an immediate cease-fire, but apparently offered no comment on why the UN did nothing to prevent the war in the first place. Perhaps he's forgotten about UN Resolution 1559? Ah well, details.
The Jerusalem Post offers an interesting take on the Israeli military and its leaders.
Also blogging:
- A North American Patriot with What cost, citizenship?
- Mudville Gazette with Status of Forces.
- BLACKFIVE with Even in Beirut, Karma is a Bitch.
- The CaptainÂs Journal with Israeli Air Force Shocked at Failure of Air Campaign.
- Counterterrorism Blog with New Bin Laden Message to Address Gaza and Lebanon...MAYBE (updated).
- Flopping Aces with The Latest From Israel.
posted by Cop the Truth at 7:32 PM
3 Comments:
The reason for War in the Middle East is simply we have Racials in the Christian, Muslin, Jewish Religions that think that their God is superior to any other God. So if you are not of same Faith as the Racials then you are inferior and deserve no human kindness. The rest of us suffer due to the Racials. The time as come for Moderates of the Christian, Muslin and Jewish Faiths to united against the Racials. Only when we fight against the Racials in our Faiths can we have peace with people of other Faiths.
All people have the right to exist and all people have a right to a homeland!!! That may mean we need to understand that our Homeland can also be someone else's Homeland too. I mean we all are just same in the end. Human beings with Dreams, Families that we love and a desire for peace.
I wonder if Anon meant Radicals as opposed to Racials?
It would help if the good people in the Muslum community would tell the Islamofascist Terrorists to stop with the suicide vests - But the Islamofascist Terrorists would kill anyone who would get up the nerve to tell them it is anti-social to blow up civilians in the market place.
So the good people in the Muslum community remain mum.
I was afraid that my last prepared comment might have gone to Disneyland for Bits and Bytes...
In any case, while you might think that Israel's pretty inflexible and the reason for much of the heartache that comes from the Middle East, if you look at the "track record" they're pretty accomodating folks. Until you screw with them that is.
After consulting an old West Point military art textbook and Wikipedia, it's pretty plain to see that the Israelis have only responded to violent acts.
In 1948, the fought the Arabs to affirm their claim to lands offered up to them by the United Nations.
In 1967 they did launch a pre-emptive action that started the Six Day War but only after Egypt closed navigational waterways to Israeli vessels.
In 1973 they fought off a sneak attack from Egypt, Syria and Jordan who were trying to re-capture lands lost in the Six Day War.
In 1985, Israel invaded Lebanon in order to establish a buffer zone to protect the most northern Israeli settlements from terror attacks launched from southern Lebanon.
I think it's important to note that Israel has given up lands to those who attacked them....Egypt got the Sinai back and the Palestinians have received the lands they once requested in the Gaza Strip and West Bank regions (although I'm a little fuzzy about the actual "rules" regarding that latter land transfer.) The only lands occupied by Israelis are the Golan Heights. This is to protect from Syrian attack...and probably not a bad idea.
In any event, I think it's important to note that Israel didn't cast the first lot at the start of the current troubles. The kidnapping and raids conducted against Israeli troops in border areas certainly sparked the flame that's grown over the past two weeks.
In spite of what you make think along religious lines...Israel has the right to survive in peace. Those that would choose to ignite the Middle East in open warfare would do best if they learned to live peacefully with their Israeli neighbors...or for those non-neighboring states calling for the destruction of the Israeli state...butt the hell out.
On a happier note, I spoke with my son in Iraq this morning. He says his unit's getting very close to starting to pack up all the stuff and head back to Germany. Then we enter the next phase of parental concern...returning to the German girlfriend he's been making noise about marrying. I'd rather they both wait awhile...not that I have a thing against his intended, just that he's too young at this point. Any thoughts older, wiser dads?
See you on the high ground.
MajorDad1984
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