Hi! Very interesting! pivex

Truth, Justice, Honor, Virtue: America's Enemies Don't See That, neither do many honest Americans see the same coming from America!

From the perspective of America's enemies, there is a singular objective, based on their fairly accurate perception of what America is, and it is to throw off the yoke of oppression of the 'white Anglo' oppressor. Does the latter sound like an oxymoron? At the inner-city elementary school that I attended, my fellow students and I were taught (by white teachers) and had to answer on periodic exams that the majority of us, African-American students, were also 'Anglo'.

Much like the mis-education that we received for years at our school, most Americans have been miseducated about the real America and the worth of the rest of the world. I remember when the teacher also taught us about American prosperity and America's advantages over the rest of the world. With respect to materials, goods, services, dollars, military might and wealth, America was clearly without peer; no nation was even a close second.

America clearly held a markedly disproportionate share of the world's wealth! Along with the list that we were provided, the teacher also taught that the term 'America' was synonymous with civility, justice and honor; on the other hand the rest of the nations of the world were all far behind, and some nations were further behind than others.

The rest of the nations of the world were all ranked on the American invented scale, with each nation of the world, including America's allies, ranked somewhere between the middle and the bottom. There was also a correlation between rank and color, in addition to other sociological and economic factors.

Those nation's and people who are retaliating the most against the American Worldwide Wealth and Apartheid system today, are by and large those nations and people who were ranked near the bottom of the America scale. And ironically, those nations who were viewed by Americans as peasants and barbarians, ironically, at one time saw America as 'the nation' of the world', and for a whole lot of reasons, the nation to be emulated. Well, that is until recently, for as the covers have been pulled back, the rest of the world has come to see that America was not the noble nation that practically everyone else on the earth believed that it was, and a nation that was once held in such high esteem.

And, many of those nations who were once ranked near the bottom on the American scale, the same who have experienced American imperialism and American retrograde fascism first hand, have decided that it is time to stand up and to do something about it. Why? These nations have experienced a sobering epiphany, with regard to American malfeasance, and the real reason why many of these nations who have made every effort to move into modernity and post-modernity, are actually behind America and the second-world nations; the first-world spot is reserved exclusively for America itself.

Finally, many of these nations, even those nations who purposely chose to remain primitive by American standards recognized no matter what their status was and no matter what their choices were, America saw and intended for their lands and their people to remain America's lapdogs

Truth, Justice, Honor, Virtue: America's Enemies Don't See That, neither do many honest Americans see the same coming from America!

From the perspective of America's enemies, there is a singular objective, based on their fairly accurate perception of what America is, and it is to throw off the yoke of oppression of the 'white Anglo' oppressor. Does the latter sound like an oxymoron? At the inner-city elementary school that I attended, my fellow students and I were taught (by white teachers) and had to answer on periodic exams that, the majority of us African-American students, were also 'Anglo'.

Much like the mis-education that we received for years at our schools, most Americans have been miseducated about the real America and the worth of the rest of the world. I remember when the teacher also taught us about American prosperity and America's advantages over the rest of the world. With respect to materials goods, services, dollars, and military and wealth, America was clearly without peer; no nation was even a close second. America clearly held a markedly disproportionate share of the world's wealth! Along with the list that we were provided, the teacher it was also said that modern America was synonymous with civility, justice and honor, on the other hand the rest of the nations of the world were all far behind, and some nations were further behind than others.

The rest of the nations were all ranked on the American invented scale, with each nation of the world, including America's allies, ranked somewhere between the middle and the bottom. There was also a correlation between rank and color, in addition to other sociological and economic factors.

Those nation's and people who are retaliating the most against the American Worldwide Wealth and Apartheid system today, are by and large those nations and people who were ranked near the bottom of the America scale. And ironically, those nations who were viewed by Americans as peasants and barbarians ironically at one time saw America as 'the nation' of the world', for a whole lot of reasons, to be emulated. Well, that is until recently, for as the covers have been pulled back, the rest of the world has come to see that America was not the noble nation that practically everyone else on the earth believed that it was, and once held in such high esteem. .

And, many of those nations who were once ranked near the bottom on the American scale, the same who have experienced American imperialism and American retrograde fascism first hand, have decided that it is time to stand up and to do something about it. Why? These nations have experienced a sobering epiphany, with regard to American malfeasance, and the real reason why many of these nations who have made every effort to move into modernity and post-modernity, are actually behind America and the second-world nations; the first-world spot is reserved for America itself.

Finally, many of these nations, even those nations who purposely chose to remain primitive by American standards recognized no matter what their status was or the choices that they made for themselves, America saw and intended for their lands and people to remain America's lapdogs.

Don't give us that bull, "right". No rockets were launched from within or beneath houses.

And when one was supposedly launched from near Qana, Israel came back three days after the day they claimed to have seen it and destroyed an apartment building 300 yards away from the supposed rocket site.

That's not a defensive strike. It's taking revenge three days later by destroying nearby buildings full of innocent civilians.

And Israel later dropped even that excuse, changing their story and claiming they'd thought (for some unexplained reason) that there were Hezbollah men in the building. Like hell they did.

Collective civilian punishment. Reprisal murders.

Actually, I quite like your (and Israel's) argument once I've tweaked it a little:

America has launched a completely illegal invasion and killed tens of thousands of innocent people. They show every sign of preparing to illegally attack another country.

American citizens, unlike Lebanese citizens, were consulted by pollsters before the event on whether they supported this unprovoked attack. Most did. At the moment of invasion, 73% were in favour.

American towns play host to airbases from which cluster bombs and missiles are directly launched on foreign towns.

American ports despatch sickos like Pvt Stephen Green and Sgt Charles Graner uninvited into other people's countries where they are given power of life and death over the local inhabitants.

American cities produce the vast arsenal of weapons on which American taxpayers spend as much money as the remaining 96% of humanity combined. Armaments which are then sent illegally into other peoples' countries to kill the inhabitants.

Americans' fanatical support for their fighters is reminiscent of Hezbollah's heartland, only they have yellow ribbons instead of yellow flags. Disliking the armed forces in America is considered akin to Satan-worshipping or pederasty.

So, really, the American people are implicated in their giant attack on Iraq far more deeply than the Lebanese people were implicated in Hezbollah's small cross-border attack on Israel.

And really, why should an American town that makes weapons for its fighters expect more mercy than a Lebanese town that stores weapons for its fighters?

Israel is right. "Right" is right. Clearly American citizens are legitimate targets for Hezbollah attack. Just as some of the Katyushas that fell on Israel came from Lebanese towns, so the cluster bombs that litter Lebanon came from American towns.

Given the IDF's logic, all American towns are clearly valid targets, because the American arms industry has deliberately arranged itself to have a significant presence in every single Congressional district, so that it may control all the congressmen.

So thanks for the advice. I'll remember to be more understanding the next time terrorists kill American citizens. As you said, the blood won't be on the perpetrators' hands but on those who led the Americans into all this.

Especially if the terrorists are Iraqis. I mean, if your rules of war are applied without double standards, I'd say the poor bloody Iraqis must have earned moral carte blanche to massacre American civilians for at least the next 20 years.

when u placed rocket launchers near/beneath houses of innocent children and civilians, attracting defensive strikes from Israel which u know will kill the civilians, u think their blood is not on your heads?

when u bomb innocent children and civilians and think that the day will never come when your own civilians will be bombed,where in idiot`s world u r living.just wait a bit for the iranian nukes larry A.MAYNAR.DO U THINK GOD WILL DO INJUSTICE?AND THE BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT WILL GO WASTE?

Dear Washington Post and Staff,

I am not by far a "religious fanatic" as some might like to believe. But being a dereed Theologian, it astounds me that so often I must remind the Editorial Staff that everything happening in the Middle East is according to the letter of Bible Prophecy. The Bible is clear enough when it states that ALL those who raise their fists against the Israeli State by such comments as, "Israel must be annililated" and "Pushed off into the sea", are merely establishing the destuction (of Israels enemies). The Bible is very clear and most trustworthy when it says words such as, "NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEE (ISRAEL)SHALL PROSPER; AND EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST THEE IN JUDGMENT THOU (ISRAEL) SHALT CONDEMN (ISAIAH 54:17)." When is the world's populous going to open their eyes and admit that Israel is in the Land to stay?...and that "NO WEAPON" formed against Israel shall neither prosper nor accomplish anything in the contribution of Israel's utter destruction or annilization? Every nation that rises against Israel shall be condemned to their own (Israel's enemies), destruction and that without remedy. People, it's high-time to shake-off the slumbering of sleep and heavy, weary eyelids.

Verbose analysis obscures the facts on the ground:

Lebanon is Hezbollah-land.

Hezbollah is a field operating-agent of Iran.

Any asset that diminshes Hezbollah, diminishes Iran's Isalmo-fascism. That includes gas stations to fuel trucks carrying arms to Hezbollah.

There is a very simple strategy for peace -- stop firing at Israel and there will be peace. End of story.

1. since the 1950s reprisal policies, almost all Israeli retaliations have had a large degree of spite in them. it was a local custom Israelis learned quickly.
2. the counter-productive outcomes of massive retaliation have been well known in israel since the first and certainly the second intifadah. the same applies to the killing of Palestinian civilians in the course of targeted killing of alleged terrorists, and just the random killing of Palestinians. Perceptive journalists like Danny Rubinstein and even dunderheads like Tom Friedman have described it well. However, almost nobody in command positions in israel cares anymore, if they ever did.
3. israeli planners these days suffer from self-righteousness, represented by Olmert, idiocy or the inability to see the consequences of one's actions, represented by Peretz, and no sense of irony, represented by Halutz. the loss of the ironic is perhaps the most unforgivable.
4. arkin is certainly right this time to fear that Israel will simply dismiss the loss to Hezbollah as technical, operational problems, and be unable to examine its strategies and sensibilities. already the talk of the second round is making the rounds. the second round might prove the best way to avoid examining the current "conceptions" and the dirty secret that without negotiating with Palestians, Israel cannot secure its place in the Middle East.
5. The very large obstacles that prevent the needed soul-searching and learning are a) politicians and senior officers fighting to keep their positions, and b) the dependence of Israel on the Bush administration and its political theologies. notice how well Israel sings the song. Both it and the Bushies had the same lyricists.
6. for your dose of irony on the Middle East see Killing the Frog at http://frogkill.blogspot.com

Sully,

I completely agree. While Hezbollah is being funded by Iran to do their "dirty work", it remained a perfect destraction for Irans nuclear weapons program...something that we ALL should be concerned about. Even the UN has agreed to not allow Iran, who calls for the annhilation of a state, to pursue a nuclear program. And we know how slow to respond the UN is.

I don't agree with Bush policies in the slightest, but unless the world stops being such pacifists and thinks that wishing the Israeli conflict to go away, or just complaining about what they don't like, there will never be peace in a region that calls for an international community to take action.

It is certainly a problem when one side fights without uniforms. It would be easier for Israel if the Hizbollah did wear uniforms, and perhaps stand in formations before the gates of towns so that it would be easier to see and kill them. The Israelis did stand in front of towns and get killed or wounded. They did not learn that fighting irregular troops requires irregular tactics on BOTH sides.

With regard to the question of who is Hizbollah, and who is not, the US learned from Vietnam that the easiest thing to do is call everybody dead, and most wounded among the opposing side casualties--that is good press, and it solves the somewhat messy problem of having to do real identifications. The Israelis seem to be following the US tradition, and simply totalling up everything dead as Hizbollah.

David:
Did Human Rights Watch investigated independently, alone without human escorts, and with 'diggers'? Dont you think it is very possible/probable for Hezbollah 'civilians' to also flee among the mothers/children in a human convoy?. If Hezbollah moves around in identifiable groups/units with their uniforms on,dont you think the civilian casualties will be much lower?. A zero civilian casualties number is impossible in any war, but this is not a justification for indiscriminate bombing causing real civilian casualties, but in this war the real blame should be on Hezbollah, not Israel.
Is there any identifiable military buildings/centers anywhere in Lebanon that Hezbollah uses? Never heard of any. It's because they are underground, i.e., below/beneath the residential buildings/houses. And Hezbollah disappears into the population - they are part of the civilian populations. These tactics are cowardly, but give them protection and a later 'weapon' against Israel when the latter strikes back and kill the real civilians above their bunkers . Is Human Rights Watch able to investigate independently without 'escorts' and dig behind/below the rubbles, what is in them? Nope. Hezbollah operates like a guerilla, not like a real military army. What they are doing are the cause of heavy civilian casualties in this war. Israel will always get the blame everytime it strikes back. This is not a justification for high civilian casualties, but blame should be lain where it belongs.

Human Sheild Falacy

Human Rights Watch has been investigating Israeli strikes of civilains, and at this stage has not come across ANY evidence that civilians were being used as human sheilds.

In fact hundreds of civilians killed were no even close to fighting zones - a large number were fleeing in refugee convoys.

However it's a very convenient excuse for those who think that there's nothing wrong with murdering innocent unarmed civilians.

A Lebanese Shia explains how Hezbollah uses human shields
Judeoscope
In a letter to the editor of the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel a Lebanese Shia explains how after Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon, Hezbollah stored rockets in bunkers in his town and built a school and residence over it.

I lived until 2002 in a small southern village near Mardshajun that is inhabited by a majority of Shias like me. After Israel left Lebanon, it did not take long for Hezbollah to have the say in our town and all other towns. Received as successful resistance fighters, they appeared armed to the teeth and dug rocket depots in bunkers in our town as well. The social work of the Party of God consisted in building a school and a residence over these bunkers! A local sheikh explained to me laughing that the Jews would lose in any event because the rockets would either be fired at them or if they attacked the rocket depots, they would be condemned by world opinion on account of the dead civilians. These people do not care about the Lebanese population, they use them as shields, and, once dead, as propaganda. As long as they continue existing there, there will be no tranquility and peace.

Dr. Mounir Herzallah
Berlin-Wedding

So much has been said in the responses about how restrained Israel was with Lebanon, and how they could have brought in divisions for utter desolation. Well, stop reading the American media and get into the media from the rest of the world--there is a life beyond CNN, which spent most of its hours on air defending Israel.

Lebabon has places far beyond the fighting that were utterly destroyed--and for no good military reason. Bush repeatedly called that 'defending thmselves.' But it seems to me when the vaunted IDF goes up a hill to take a small town, and returns--without the town, ten dead, and more than 20 injured each day they try, there is something less than glorious or professional about them.

The current Israeli army is not the army of 1967--then, the major officers remembered all to well the days after independence. Today's army is quite different, but living on a reputation. I believe the Israeli's did not want to conduct a full-scale invasion because they would have been massacred themselves, just as were the civilians in Qana. The Israelis would have won--from sheer power, but a whole generation of young Israeli men would be in the ground, and on national television.

Rossini wrote:

1)Hezbollah is similar to what precisely...Escobar,Hitler, Mussolini, now again I get lost?

Let me try again ... its similar to Escobar in the way he used money to obtain support of the local population which then protected him and his continued handing out of money. Its similar to Hitler/Mussolini in that they came to power by eliminating democracy, and thus "red tape", making things happen quicker, better and more efficiently. We see this happening right now as Hezbollah is quickly leading in the rebuilding effort while the Lebanese government, which is a democracy, is slow and needs committees to make decisions. My point about Hitler was that though he used his dictatorial power to make things happen without all the red tape, it lead Germany down the road all dictators go, to a disassociation from the people, the use of power not in the interest of the people, and even attacks on Germans themselves. So while Hezbollah may be leading the rebuilding of S. Lebanon it should not be taken as an example of how a government should be run nor how much it cares for its people. Remember, no one voted for any Hezbollah representative nor for their existence. It was thrust upon S. Lebanon by Iran.

2)among the UN resolutions repeatedly violated by Israel which you never mention are the violations of Lebanese air space: a pretty good reason for Hezbollah not to disarm...Not to mention the prisonners...

Hezbollah has its reasons for existence and if you read their mission statement it is the destruction of Israel, something the Lebanese government is not interested in. Prisoners and other excuses are secondary to their reason for existence. And their existence is due and continues to be funded by Iran, not Lebanon. If they cared about protecting Lebanon, why did they start this war and cause the destruction of so much of Lebanon?

3) In the light of the last five weeks I hope you are kidding when you say that it is irrelevant that Hezbollah was and is a resisteance organization...

Hezbollah's mission is the destruction of Israel. That is not a resistance organization but a mercenary force paid for by Iran. If their only mission was to defend Lebanon they achieved that 6 years ago, yet they continued to arm to the point of having 15,000 rockets and on their own attacked Israel without provocation. Resistence forces celebrate when they achieve independence and disarm. Hezbollah simply moved its front up to the Iraeli border and began rearming. That is not what resistence fighters do.

4) America has lost track of the only fight on terrorism that matters: Al Quaeda and Bin Laden...Oh, I forgot: this guy is an objective ally of the current administration...So let's talk about Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, whatever can fit the agenda

I completely agree. Bush is an idiot who cannot focus on any objective for more than three days. But I do not think this latest conflict was generated by Bush to deflect attention from his failings. In fact it added to his list of failings. It was Iran that pushed for the conflict to test Hezbollah and to test its weapons in battlefield senario. I'm sure Iranian engineers were present and are currently tweeking their long range missles to improve accuracy and will again ship them to S. Lebanon to be tested in a few years. Like Nicaragua, the US won a conflict through a proxy, the contras, without any fighting on American soil. Today, Iran is fighting a conflict with Israel via Hezbollah, without any fighting on Iranian soil. Lebanon, the Lebanese and Hezbollah are all pons in the Iranian/Israeli conflict.

Sully,
1)Hezbollah is similar to what precisely...Escobar,Hitler, Mussolini, now again I get lost?
2)among the UN resolutions repeatedly violated by Israel which you never mention are the violations of Lebanese air space: a pretty good reason for Hezbollah not to disarm...Not to mention the prisonners...
3) In the light of the last five weeks I hope you are kidding when you say that it is irrelevant that Hezbollah was and is a resisteance organization...
4) America has lost track of the only fight on terrorism that matters: Al Quaeda and Bin Laden...Oh, I forgot: this guy is an objective ally of the current administration...So let's talk about Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, whatever can fit the agenda

hazmaq asks:
"So, who gets rebuilt first: Louisiana or Lebanon??"

Other questions:
1) Which will be beholden to Iran for its rebuilding.
2) Which will be under the dictatorial control of a terrorist group after it is rebuilt?
3) Which would you want to live in a year from now as a local citizen?

Remember, Hitler improved the economy and Mussolini made the trains run on time. There is more to life and liberty than free and quick improvements to where you live. But I understand your point. Hezbollah is organized and the Bush's federal government is a stew of lazy cronies looking for someone else to blame. Its embarassing to have Bush as our president but still better than a dictator who is beholden to a foreign government. At least we know Bush will be gone in 2 years and we can put in place who we collectively choose, hopefully a better choice. You can be sure that will not be happening in any Hezbollah controlled area.

Rossini wrote:
"Thanks for clarifying the analogy, which I understand better now.However, I have some doubts about your account of the emergence of Hezbollah in 1982.Something happened that year, which you still seem to overlook as a mere detail: the invasion of Lebanon by the Israeli forces..."

I'm not overlooking it, its irrelevent now. If you want to see the details of how it got started and its mission read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah
Would you be surprised if the Contras were still an organization in Nicaragua, still armed, holding whole cities as armed camps? Well, that is what Hezbollah is doing six years after Israel withdrew. The 1982 Israeli invasion may have been what started them but it is not their chief reason for existance and removing Israel from Lebanon was not their chief goal. Their goals are dictated by Iran who supplies them with everything and to whom they owe for their power.

UN resolution 1559 called for Israel's withdrawl and Hezbollah's disarmament. Only one happened. Had the resolution's requirements been met by Hezbollah there probably would not have been an attack on Israel that started the latest conflict. There would not have been 13,000 rockets aimed at Israel. Iran is playing Hezbollah and its Lebanese supporters like a fiddle, supplying money to keep the local support, supplying arms and training to be used against Israel, and not one blade of grass was touched in Iran in the latest conflict. Iran is the clear winner, the Lebanese and Israeli people the clear losers.

Understanding how a rich organization can obtain support from the "people" is important. We Americans send in troops in Iraq to kill insurgents yet hand out candy to their children. Hezbollah holds children up in front of enemy fire as shields but rebuilds the streets and homes of their parents. Its obvious one is working and the other is not. It just goes to show how shallow people are everywhere and are willing to embrace the devil for what they think will be a better future for themselves, their children and their country.

Posted by: che
Fighting for 'the peoples' rights: by challenging Democratic candidates and not Republicans?? Hey Karl!? or Joe?? Nice try!

Mr. Arkin talks of Israels 'misjudgements'. Seymour Herschs article in the New Yorker reports the Israeli attacks were pre-planned, with U.S. Depts. of State and Defense fully involved in all of the planning. And obviously with the exact same neo-con flaws and results. Olmert now faces the same wraths and legacies of Bush and Blair.
Ironically Hizbollah may achieve even more fame and kudos in its rebuilding of Lebanon. One day after the cease-fire Nasrallah instantly addressed all the citizens of Lebanon, urging co-operation and volunteerism. "We can't wait for the Government red tape". He offered next day instant financial assistance. And promised professional teams would be out in a few days surveying the neighborhoods to assess damages. And would pay out rent money to last for a year, and to buy new furniture.
FEMA! Eat your heart out!!
He also warned retailers against price gouging. (Now, that I'd like to see!! A Hizbollah brother talking to Exxon??!!)

So, who gets rebuilt first: Louisiana or Lebanon??

Sully,
Thanks for clarifying the analogy, which I understand better now.However, I have some doubts about your account of the emergence of Hezbollah in 1982.Something happened that year, which you still seem to overlook as a mere detail: the invasion of Lebanon by the Israeli forces...

Sully,
Thanks for clarifying the analogy, which I understand better now.However, I have some doubts about your account of the emergence of Hezbollah in 1982.Something happened that year, which you still seem to overlook as a mere detail: the invasion of Lebanon by the Israeli forces...

Rossini wrote:
"Your analogy between Hezbollah and Escobar is very odd, to say the least...You seem to overlook disdainfully the fact that Hezbollah is really emanating from the people in southern Lebanon. Your false analogy between a resistance organization and a druglord leads one to wonder, respectfully of course, if you are not high on something did you inhalated too much of the current administration smoke(screen) arguments?"

I could say that Escobar eminated from the people of Columbia with the only difference being that Escobar's foreign money came through drug sales while Hezbollah's money is deposited by Iran. You seem to be overlooking what Hezbollah is, how it was created, what keeps it going and what its goals are:

-Created in the period 1982-1985 as a Shia organization with the goal of turning Lebanon into an Islamic republic like Iran's through force.
-It is heavily funded and trained by Iran.
-Its goals were the creation of an Islamic republic in Lebanon but that has since been dropped and today its goal is the removal of the state of Israel and incorporation into the Lebanese political system.
-Hezbollah is heavily funded by Iran.

Hezbollah may be comprised of Lebanese but without foreign support it would dwindle and never would have formed. Like the Contras that America supported in Nicaragua, Hezbollah is a creation of a foreign country and controlled by it through funding by that foreign power which wants to see its interests pushed.

My comparison between Hezbollah and the Medellín Cartel was not a political comparison but a comparison of how an organization, any organization, will find a following by handing out money and a better life that money can buy. Hezbollah is spending $150M in S. Lebanon right now outside any Lebanese government oversight. Have you asked where that money came from? Have you wondered how a social organization supported by a minority of Lebanese could purchase, learn to operate and manage 13,000+ rockets and still have $150M to spend on reconstruction? Have you a clue as to how Hezbollah gets its guns, trains its fighters and has millions to spend on its civilian supporters to keep their support?

The comparison with Escobar was to illustrate how money can *buy* support. The mafia does this all the time. That is just what Hezbollah is doing. Ask any Lebanese outside a Hezbollah controlled city and outside their influence how much they support Hezbollah and their goals. I think you will find indifference or no support until you ask about their social spending. Hezbollah is purchasing Lebanse support with Iranian money and support. It should be obvious to anyone watching what is happening today.

The idea that Hizbollah 'lost' the war because Bush says so it just as patently ridiculous as the idea that the Holocaust somehow forced the creation of the State of Israel. The jewish emigres from Europe could have returned to their countries after the war, and repatriated their property, to the extent that was possible. Instead, countries like the US and Britain, who themselves were heavily anti-semitic prior to, and early into WWII, saw this as a way to somehow atone for their part in the holocaust.

Creation of Israel displaced a lot of people that had been living there for centuries, and often with unnecessary brutality. The result was the uprisings that occurred for nearly 20 years in the region.

I don't condone the senseless killings caused by some Hamas or Hizbollah, just as I don't condone the brutal responses of Israel through Haganah or the Mossad. The trouble is that this conflict has been brewing for years, and will go on, until the dominos stop falling, and people start talking honestly.

I can't seem to remember, for example, if Sharon ever apologized for entering the Dome of the Rock with soldiers, a sacrilige to the Muslims. I do remember his statement that he had a 'right' to be there. That started that long round of Intifada. All that gets reported in the are the 'terrorist' killings, not the Israeli provocations.

==Are the people of Columbia less moral than the people of Lebanon? People are people and some, not all but enough will respond to money, especially if their condition is bad. In the case of Escobar there was a much stronger government that people could turn to yet some still chose to support Escobar because he provided money. In the case of Lebanon, people have little to choose from. The weak Lebanese government seems disorganized at best and Hezbollah seems determined to show it can respond better. Armed with $150M Hezbollah is much more attractive than Escobar. Those who do not support Hezbollah could stay away but they have little choice if they want their homes and livelyhood. Tell me what would happen to a Lebanese who went back to S. Lebanon and refused to work with or support Hezbollah. ==

I don't think that you understand the history of Hezbolah. It has started as a popular resistance movement based on a popular local religion. It didn't have to bribe for support - it gets it for free, like Hamas and like many, many militarised religous parties world over. The money is icing on the cake, but they would have support regardless. They are quite popular in other Lebanese communities as well, viewed as a liberation force that finally evicted the Israelis from an 18 year occupation.

I think that you may be buying just a bit too much into a really false idea the people in areas we have a keen interest in are just being enslaved by "authoritarian ideologies" and given a choice would happily throw off the "tyrants" and become pro-western. Iraq ringing a bell?

==I get damn sick and tired of reading or hearing from the media, what Israel is doing wrong, but very little about the terror, the islamic forces do....==

I would have to completely disagree. The US media is quite pro-Israel, as is the US government, of course. Congress has passed very pro-Israeli resolutions in both houses.

I just want to point out that Israel is not being opposed because it is democratic.

Let us stop being childish in our analysis.

The problems in the Middle East are much deeper than democracy (does the word Hamas ring a bell).

The problem is this. The Arabs were not responsible for the holocaust that led to the formation of the state of Israel and today they feel they are being punished for it. (The formation of the state of Israel led to the displacement of millions of Palestinians - this is a fact).

Can the Western mind understand that?

The West supported the creation of the state of Israel in 1948- the Arab World did not. Why are we suprised that they are still opposed to it today?

(The Israelis have a right to a state of their own with dignity - and so do the Palestinians).

There are no easy answers to the problems of the Middle East, they are deep seated. They cannot be solved, they can only be managed. My problem with the Bush Administration is that it does not seem to fully grasp the complexities.

I only wish the Arabs could learn from Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Mandela. But this is only a wish - a day dream.

(They would be so much more effective).

Right on Okadaman,

If we can ever get the powers that be in America to change America's course in the world, to accept responsibility for its past and present misdeeds, make amends for all of America's past wrongs, including terrorizing other nations and people on the earth, destabilizing countries and their economies; dethroning and murdering other heads-of-state, spying on other nations, setting up puppet governments, installing American style dictators, invading and occupying countries, manipulating trade and the world's economy, stealing a whole country from the Native Americans and enslaving and systematically discriminating against portions of its own citizenry, present-day America could turn many of its current enemies, that it created, into friends.

Then the world could have peace, and it could do so without anyone firing another shot! However, many of America's powerbroker citizens and corporations have zero intentions of ever making any changes! And why should they, America's powerful religious juggernaut encourages the government to continue its own version of a jihad, domestically and around the world. assuring the purveyors of American-style evil that God is somehow on their side. And with its wealth and powerful military, Bush and his Boyz are on steroids!

Having said that, there is still a paucity of Americans who have evolved past all of the nonsense that the hegemons insist on carrying on, Supremacy is its rightful name! The latter's, Lord of the Flies mindset says, we are the King of The Hill, come and knock us off if you can, keeping in mind that we will blow up the whole world before we will ever relinquish our position of superiority in the world.

Bush told the world to 'bring it on'; it would appear that some at least are taking him up on his offer!

Sully,
Your analogy between Hezbollah and Escobar is very odd, to say the least...You seem to overlook disdainfully the fact that Hezbollah is really emanating from the people in southern Lebanon. Your false analogy between a resistance organization and a druglord leads one to wonder, respectfully of course, if you are not high on something did you inhalated too much of the current administration smoke(screen) arguments?

master sargent...

address honduras and negroponte, as well as school of the Americas and Nicaragua.....

terrorists, shame on you bag of s hit....

and yes, I'd say it to your face, and you would sit back the eff down.

.

In all your blathering, you forgot one thing...Israel is fighting for its life, as a nation...This small democratic nation has to punish the Lebonon govt, for its failure to reigh in the Hezbollah, Islamic forces for years have killed unarmed Israeli civilians over the years and no one says shame shame, but when Israel retaliates, everyone including yourself say shame shame on Israel...I get damn sick and tired of reading or hearing from the media, what Israel is doing wrong, but very little about the terror, the islamic forces do....
Marvin L Mobley
MSGT USAF retired
AF 14452463

Mr. Arkin,
Excellent analysis by a patriot.

dimitry wrote:
"I am not sure that you are being culturally sensitive here. I doubt that economics is the sole determinant of human behavior. You, I assume will not offer your support to Bin Laden in exchange for money."

Are the people of Columbia less moral than the people of Lebanon? People are people and some, not all but enough will respond to money, especially if their condition is bad. In the case of Escobar there was a much stronger government that people could turn to yet some still chose to support Escobar because he provided money. In the case of Lebanon, people have little to choose from. The weak Lebanese government seems disorganized at best and Hezbollah seems determined to show it can respond better. Armed with $150M Hezbollah is much more attractive than Escobar. Those who do not support Hezbollah could stay away but they have little choice if they want their homes and livelyhood. Tell me what would happen to a Lebanese who went back to S. Lebanon and refused to work with or support Hezbollah. Remember that Iraqi's supported Saddam with very few expressing a lack of support.

As with the fight against Escobar, the Lebanese people must be given a real alternative. That would be a strong Lebanese government. It should be imperitive that Lebanon's government be strengthened asap to provide an alternative to Hezbollah and their Iranian money.

==Nasrallah has promised lots of money for rebuilding. It seems obvious you will not get any money if you stay away. Like Escobar, the poor in S.Lebanon are running toward those who promise money and a better future. That money is Iran's and you can be sure it will have a string tied to each cent. Remember that few ran from Escobar even though he ruled Medellín with ruthlessness against his foes. He had the money and the people enjoyed the money he threw around to obtain support. Give me $150M and I will have a lot of support in S. Lebanon or any place else.==

I am not sure that you are being culturally sensitive here. I doubt that economics is the sole determinant of human behavior. You, I assume will not offer your support to Bin Laden in exchange for money. Why do you assume others will offer their support to someone they disagree with in exchange for money? Just because people are poor doesn't mean they do not operate as sovereign human beings guided by their own conscience and morality.

Zathras:

Well written. I would add that if Israel is seen as the loser in this war, one has to wonder how threatened Israel really is.

Arkin,

the more I read american analysis and comments on international affairs, the more disgusted I am by these. I could feel your fear of criticizing Israel: it is as if you were stuttering while writing. Why can't you stand up for truth and justice?
Americans need to open their eyes and accept US and Israel's so-called wars in the world for what they are: terrorism.
Please leave the world in peace. Mind your own businesses; failing to do so will put an end to the american era, just as it happened with Rome.
How can you believe that you could continue to kill innocents in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine (you're arming Israel, right), Afghanistan, for the most obvious, an go unpunished, forever?
Please start using the brains that made you a power, to stay in power by respecting other human beings on earth.

Though there is much in Arkin's analysis I agree with I think "spite" is too simple an explanation for the way Israel chose to wage its air campaign.

More fundamental, I think, is that IDF in particular started from an assumption of unqualified and undifferentiated Arab and Lebanese hostility to the Jewish state. In the most general terms, of course, Arab dislike of Israel is nearly universal, but in this specific case many Arabs (outside of Hezbollah's leadership) and most Arab governments did not want this war and were not consulted about it beforehand. They recognized that any war in Lebanon, regardless of how it was fought, was likely to cause great loss of life and destruction of property. More importantly from their point of view, they understood that inciting Arab public opinion in the cause of yet another war against Israel does not address the significant problems facing any Arab country, and indeed makes doing so more difficult.

In short, Israel assumed there were no potential divisions in Arab opinion to exploit, and therefore that there was no use in trying to exploit them. Acting on this assumption in Lebanon produced exactly the universal anti-Israeli opinion Israeli leaders thought was there before the war. You don't unite your enemies if you can avoid it. It's one of the most basic principles of warfare, and the Israelis ignored it, throwing away a rare opportunity and inflicting much utterly pointless suffering on many Lebanese with whom it had no quarrel.

That was the major mistake behind the air campaign, and next to that it may seem like nitpicking to discuss tactical problems. In fact, though, even the most precise weapons are dependent on good intelligence if they are to hit the right targets; Israeli intelligence about Hezbollah targets in Lebanon appears to have been far less extensive than its intelligence about PA and Hamas targets in the occupied territories. The result was many targets getting blown up for no good reason.

There is also, finally, an assumption current in the media that just because Israel has American-made planes and weapons Israel can use them as precisely and effectively as Americans can. This may be the case, but frankly I doubt it.

Borg wrote:
"If the people lived in fear under Hezbollah how come they were so eager to return to their home the first day of the cease fire. It would be better for them to use the war as an excuse to stay away and escape their oppressor's grip for good yes?"

Nasrallah has promised lots of money for rebuilding. It seems obvious you will not get any money if you stay away. Like Escobar, the poor in S.Lebanon are running toward those who promise money and a better future. That money is Iran's and you can be sure it will have a string tied to each cent. Remember that few ran from Escobar even though he ruled Medellín with ruthlessness against his foes. He had the money and the people enjoyed the money he threw around to obtain support. Give me $150M and I will have a lot of support in S. Lebanon or any place else.

Borg continues:
"So now Hezbollah is like a drug cartel? It will become a law enforcement problem then? How long will it take to fix this new problem? As long as the old drug problem - which means what, forever?"

You misread what I said. I never said Hezbollah was a drug cartel. I said they were like Escobar's cartel using carrots and sticks where the carrots were funding and muscle (such as cleaning up the streets today) and threats and intimidation to maintain their position of power and control, just as Escobar did in Medellín. They may say their military is for detering Israel but it has certainly being used in the past and today to deter the Lebanese government. Sure Lebanon has a weak government but that is no excuse for an armed Hezbollah dictating to the Lebanese government and people what part of governing it will and will not do, nor entice Lebanese citizens into what is currently a dangerous area. They have already shown they are not protectors of the people and only care about maintaining local support for their war against Israel.

Right on target.

The major issue most of the world has with Americans is this irrational and child-like belief that America is the "guiding light" and "shining city on a hill".

That is pure rubbish.

The British Empire suffered from the same belief - only the passage of time cured that belief.

We hear it in statements like "they hate us because we are free".

Nonsense.

They hate you because.

1. You supported apartheid.
2. You supported the murder of Lumumba.
3. You supported the overthrow of Allende.
4. You are did nothing about Rwanda and Liberia, because they had no oil and you rushed to Iraq (uninvited) because it was awash in oil.
5. You do not understand that Western democracy is for the West.
6. You have done little to support fair trade.

There are many reasons why you are hated. I am not justifying hatred, but understand and strive to be understood. (I don't see much understanding from either Ann Coulter or Bill O'reilly - media stars in America).

Posted by: JUDGITO | August 15, 2006 06:16 PM

I agree with your assessment which may eventually result in the downfall of 'the American Idol', and I am not speaking about the gameshow, if America does not change and stop its duplicity, unilateralism and political chicanery and other nefarious activities around the world.

1. For 27 years Nelson Mandela sat in prison.

2. The United States and Israel, among other nations supported the white racist apartheid government in South Africa that was responsible for his imprisonment and you may as well say the imprisonment of the majority of that nation's populace.

3. During the boycott of SouthA Africa, finally, by most governments of the world, Israel continued to sell weapons to the racist government.

4. America's criticism were never for the apartheid government, Botha and all... they reserved their criticism for the African National Congress, and leaders like Fidel Castro (who fought and stood in support of freeing South Africa and Nelson Mandela, years before the U.S.A. joined in to S. Africa to make changes.

The U.S.A. even sent the 'Fat Man' from Lynchburg to South Africa on one occasion, Falwell, who came back to report that out of all that was taking place in South Africa, all he could see was that was that black Bishop Tutu was a phoney.

I can see why he would reside in a town with the term 'Lynch' included in its title. I wonder if the town was named after, the William Lynch from whose name we get the term lynching! I wouldn't be surprised!

I have absolutely no respect for the Fat Man and not only for what he did after his visit to Souther Africa,, but also for his having conspired with the late Barry Goldwater in order to set up an organization whose mission was to split the Democrats, through the church.

And we know in recent times what this guy attempted to do to in order to destroy the Clintons. He and Pat Robertson and Dobsen all stand arm in arm in their criticisms of Middle-Easterners, besides Israel of course. And a couple of them are for the destruction of people who have simply been victimized and denied access to the opportunity structures set up within the international system.

The U.S.A. holds the key and prevents their progress! Can anyone wonder why, as you have so eloquently stated, that other nations respond to so called 'Demo - crazy', as they do! They would be 'demo-crazy to accept the West's partial mandates

Why wouldn't Nelson Mandela and the A.N.C. accept support from the communists, when it was the West who supported the apartheid government that held them in abeyance and at the same time supported their subjugaters, instead of the majority of South Africa's citizens?

Who put a dictator in Iran in 1953? Who just placed its own pulpit Government in Iraq? Who gave Artistide a free ride, that he could not refuse, out of Hait? Who has been in bed with and supported dictators all over the world, unto this day. America truly does have a bad record internationally.

Someday study about the Congo when Patrice Lamumba was elected President, you might be stunned to learn that the U.S.A. supported the hit/murder of Patrice Lamumba; I have met with the Congolese who are aware that the U.S.A. okayed if not, ordered the murder of Patric Lamumba.

Until American learns to tell the truth, stop idolizing itself and atones and makes up for its past errors while correcting its current course, I suspect that America will never have peace with anybody, particularly those in the so-called Third World!

Many countries on the other side of the world know what America is capable of and what America has done in the past; too many in America unfortunately wish to remain in the dark!

Audrey Tennant

The President gets help with his strategy to use pejoratives in order to dehumanize and divide.

Before he took the nation to Iraq, he always mentioned Saddam Hussen in conjunction with 911 and the Taliban.

Since that time he has divided the nation further by combing terms like terrorism with democrat and liberal.

Pay attention to his next few talks for within a few seconds after he mentions either term, soon after he will mention the other whereby lumping terrorism and liberal/democrats all together.

This is also a dangersous precedent that is being set by Mr. Bush, 'the gret uniter'. He not only wants to divide the world, he also wants to divde American citizens and their allies.

One would wonder who all does this man want to have war with, i.e., anyone who does not see things his way?

==After reading about how Hezbollah has begun rebuilding with its millions in Iranian funds and how they plan to do it outside Lebanese government authority or control, another government within a government came to mind,==

Sponsoring NGOs is a time-tested method of influencing internal events in a far-away country. I am afraid Iran's budget pales in comparison to our levels of spending. "Colors" and "Cedar" revolutions ringing a bell? And before we decry the comparison between bad Hezbolah and good "pro-democracy" groups in Georgia, say, we should remember that we never shy away from direct military aid to non-state insurgencies (freedom fighters), when it suits our goals either. There are a few hundred millions earmarked just for this kind of "work" in Iran, just like the huge funds spent supporting various Iraqi "dissidents" with their attendant "organizations" in the runup to Iraq war.

Sully, how do you manage to misread the situation so and repeatedly. If the people lived in fear under Hezbollah how come they were so eager to return to their home the first day of the cease fire. It would be better for them to use the war as an excuse to stay away and escape their oppressor's grip for good yes?

So now Hezbollah is like a drug cartel? It will become a law enforcement problem then? How long will it take to fix this new problem? As long as the old drug problem - which means what, forever?

Failure to see the other side for what they are is one reason this ME mess lasts as long as it has. One reason why this country is in such a mess in Iraq as well.

By the way, some Lebanese professor has a good line in the NYT. She said Hezbollah was not a state within a state as preached by Bush and Rice. It is a state within a nonstate, i.e., the Lebanese govt is a joke, a non functioning entity. Get that?

After reading about how Hezbollah has begun rebuilding with its millions in Iranian funds and how they plan to do it outside Lebanese government authority or control, another government within a government came to mind, the Medellín Cartel lead by Pablo Escobar. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about his reign:

"While seen as an enemy of the United States and Colombian governments, Escobar was a hero to many in Medellín; he was a natural at public relations and he worked to create goodwill among Colombia's poor. A lifelong sports fan, he was credited with building soccer stadiums and sponsoring little league soccer teams in the city. He worked hard to cultivate his Robin Hood image and frequently distributed money to the poor. The population of Medellín often helped Escobar by serving as lookouts, hiding information from the authorities, or doing whatever else they could do to protect him."

It seems Hezbollah has learned well from Pablo and others who make sure the support of the population is guaranteed by free handouts. That's easy to do with Iran supplying the money.

I believe Hezbollah is much like Pablo, a force that the state cannot control, a force that benefits the local community but still an unelected force that is not to be questioned or denounced without servere repercussions. Like Pablo, Nasrallah runs an organization that supports the community, maintains an army to protect itself from the local and foreign governments and uses fear to keep the community its supports in line. Like Pablo, Nasrallah and his organization must be stopped. You cannot blame the people living under them for their unquestioned support. They do so in fear of their lives. Its time for the American government to step up and provide a lot of support and training to the Lebanese army. There is a proxy war going on not unlike the cold war. Lebanon could tilt either way. We need to support those Lebanese who do not want to see Lebanon become a Syran and Iranian proxy.

Bill Arkin's article: Israel's Failed Strategy of Spite
He made the statement: If Israel and Hezbollah are fighting again in six weeks or six months, it will be because of those gas stations.

He never gave any reasoning behind that statement. What are his feelings why?
He writes like John Kerry Speaks. Saying we have a plan. But, never comes up with one.
His article rambles on and on. But, never backs up any statements.

See Seymour Hersh's recent piece in the New Yorker on the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict ref. US interests and involvement in same at:

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060821fa_fact

THE REAL STRATEGIC failure in all of this ...

1. Neither side, not even the United States nor the United Nations sought after a solution to the problem; instead most simply worked for a cease-fire. .

2. Even though the shooting has temporarily stopped the problems remain fully in place; not even Hezbollah got what it wanted.

3. Worldwide, coalitions have been increased, reified, fortified and reinforced, i.e. United States, Israel and the Christian Church vs Hezbollah, Iran, Syria, Islam, Persians and Arabs

4. The United States which wrecked a country that it has been arguably been occupying since 1991, is still firmly entrenched in Iraq without an outcry from the worldwide community, Americans or the United Nations. America's illegal occupation demonstrates its total disdain for International Law (the reason that it offered for attacking Iraq in the first place).

5. Israel and Hezbollah are still facing each other at the same border and both are armed and rearming.

6. America still represents, internally, a house that is divided ala, Mark Gerzon's observations in his book, 'A House Divided', great book. . One can see that Bush's policies have turned Americans against Americans almost at Civil War levels.

7. The American Christian Church is divided as a result of its romantic notions of Israel, and the fascist wing of the Church (most Religious Righter's) who are in bed with government officials, not to mention laundering church dollars through shell organizations and via their church coffers in violation of their 501C3 status, in order to help finance Israel's war effort.

8. The United States still has designs on going after North Korea and eventually China.

9. World opinion is apparently on the side of the underdogs, Hezbollah, Islam, Muslims and Persians, in deference to the small American majority by comparison that supports American-Israeli-Christian church policy in the Middle-East. Not even the majority of America's allies stand behind the AIC faction. America is being isolated.

Lou Dobbs know apparently does not have to worry about the borders yet, because aviation is still the preferred choice of those who plan to enter the U.S.A. and inflict damage.

What needs to be done? A worldwide summit needs to be convened in order to explore ways of resolving the current problems in the world which will eventually lead to future attacks and occupations by the AIC, and result in counter-attacks by Middle-Eastern groups.

Everyone lost!

Please bookmark:

www.wsws.org
www.takingaim.info
www.onlinejournal.com
www.michaelmoore.com

Challenger casts Lynch as next Lieberman

By Brock Parker / Massachusetts Daily News

Westwood Democrat Phil Dunkelbarger is hoping to capitalize on the upset defeat of Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman last week.

Dunkelbarger is trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-9th, and much like the strategy of Lieberman-challenger Ned Lamont, Dunkelbarger is aiming straight for his opponent's support for the war in Iraq.

"I think it's a very uncomfortable position for him," Dunkelbarger said of Lynch. "He's no dummy. He understands that he is out of step (with voters)."

Dunkelbarger is criticizing Lynch's 2002 vote supporting President George Bush's bid for war in Iraq, and Lynch's June 16 vote against immediately withdrawing American troops from Iraq. Lamont used a similar campaign tack in his successful bid to upset Lieberman, a former candidate for vice president, in Connecticut's Democratic primary last week by 52 percent to 48 percent.

"I've been doing this longer than Lamont, but he had the money and he had a different stage," Dunkelbarger said. "We are positioned in exactly the same place that way. Some of his efforts will accrue to our advantage and that is fine."

But Lynch has balked at the comparisons between himself and Lieberman, saying he has voted against Bush 84 percent of the time while Lieberman voted with the president at a 50 percent clip.

Lynch said he voted for the war in Iraq because he received bad information in 2002 that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein posed and immediate threat to the United States. Knowing what he knows now, Lynch said he would have voted against the war.

Lynch also says he would support a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, but it must be a deliberate withdrawal that safely hands power over to the new Iraqi government.

"Congressman Lynch is one of the very few members of Congress who has put forward a plan that would create the conditions that would allow a safe, speedy and orderly withdrawal of our troops," said Lynch spokesman Matt Ferraguto.

Dunkelbarger said he supports a bill by U.S. John Murtha, D-Pa., that calls for the redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq. Dunkelbarger said he believes a civil war has erupted in Iraq, and that it is not up to the United States to resolve the internal conflict.

"It's unconscionable to me that we'd leave out troops in the middle of that," Dunkelbarger said.

Dunkelbarger insists his entire campaign is not based entirely on the war in Iraq, and he said voters can read more about his stance on other issues at his Web site, www.DunkelbargerDemocrat.org.

But the candidate doesn't let the conversation veer to far from the war in Iraq, which he believes will be the focal point of voters as they head to the polls Sept. 19 for the Massachusetts Democratic primary.

"There are issues even more important than the war," Dunkelbarger said. "I'm realistic and I know that is the way the decision is going to be made. So with 30 days left, we're going to stay on message."

I can't believe when Israelis and Americans say "soldiers were kidnapped" like soldiers are common people and kidnapped by some armed men. They also call it a "terrorist attack" on soldiers. Funny. So there can be people who can terrorise soldiers who have weapons and training to fight and defend the country? Well then those soldiers should go home to their moms. Israel wants peace I Don't think so, how can she like peace when she has occupied lands from every neighbour she has? Why would Palestinians kill themselves to kill Israelis? I think they have been occupied and humiliated, terrorized and have no rights for the last 40 years. Don't occupy other people's lands. Don't harm other people. Then you can ask for peace and protection otherwise you r not serious about living in peace. How come every time Israel attacks some place or kills civilians it is said Israel was provoked. The killing of seven people on Gaza beach most of them children was not a provocation for Hamas to break its ceasefire promise, but the abduction of Israel's one soldier is a provocation. Which resulted in collective punishment of Palestinian civilians? Killed so many and "kidnapped" the Palestinian parliament members who are still in prisons without any charges. Shameful face of Israeli courts. The bombing of Berute Airport is not the provocation of Hezbollah firing rockets on Israel? It makes me feel so bad when people support the shameful war crimes of Israel giving stupid reasons for that, twisting the facts and lying. Americans ask "why do they hate us" well when the Lebanese civilians were dying because of American bombs they wont Love you.
The bottom line is Israel cannot be in peace and secure when her neighbours are not secure from the terror of Israel.

terrorism _is_ his name:

John Negroponte's appointment as ambassador, as if it was not clear enough by now, tells something of what Bush et al have in store for Iraq.

licks the majick sausage of monied elitists for your viewing pleasure, cheyney gets down on all fours and acts to take in in his earh! all for

democracy? naw.........what are you smoking

for money, power and greed.........gluttony...yeahhhhhhhhhhh

tha's the key!

oh boy!@

.

how much do you get for an oz?

"
allansilver@comcast.net
"

is that troy or english?

and we might glow from radioactivity?

right, shure, and what are you testing on the Native s of Africa? a new an dvirulent form of TB?

yu got the vaccine, in case the Muslims start to want equal representation...

how much does Israel want a democracy? the state of Israel, embedded inthe United Middle Eastern States?

yeeeeeeeeeeeeehah!

equal represetation, DEMOCRACY NOW!

you don't have zee ba lls

.

feer feer feer o h deer!!!!!!!

give us your vote, don't think, just pass us the keys to your liberty!

Negroponte, Goss and the Bush family....

Negroponte was born in London; his father was a Greek shipping magnate. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1956 and Yale University in 1960. He was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity alongside William H.T. Bush, the uncle of President George W. Bush, and Porter Goss, who served as Director of Central Intelligence and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under Negroponte from 2005 to 2006.[1]

Career:

John Dimitri Negroponte (born July 21, 1939) (IPA [ˌnɛgroʊˈpɑnti]) is a career diplomat currently serving as United States Director of National Intelligence. Prior to this appointment, Negroponte served in the United States Foreign Service from 1960 to 1997. He has various tours of duty as a United States Ambassador, including a three-year ambassadorship to the Philippines from 1993 to 1996. He subsequently served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2001 until 2004, and was United States Ambassador to Iraq from June 2004 to April 2005.

He has been criticized by some because of his involvement in the covert funding of the Contras and the coverup of human rights abuses carried out by CIA-trained operatives in Honduras, where he was the US Chief of Mission in the 1980s. It was in Honduras that Negroponte first worked with the former Executive Director of the CIA, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo. According to The New York Times, Negroponte carried out "the covert strategy of the Reagan administration to crush the Sandinistas government in Nicaragua."

George Bush has appointed a diplomat infamous for supporting right-wing death squads in Central America during the 1980s to succeed Paul Bremer as the top US official in Iraq. UN Ambassador John Negroponte is set to take over what will be the largest US embassy in the world, that in Baghdad.

Negroponte's role in Honduras was crucial as it meant maintaining US dominance in the region. Jeane Kirkpatrick, Negroponte's predecessor at the UN once declared that "Central America is the most important place in the world for the United States today." Maintaining political control of the region meant controlling its vast and rich natural resources. The Sandinistas were beginning to take matters into their own hands and started to redistribute wealth and land in Nicaragua, thus threatening US dominance in the region. Panic in the Reagan administration reached feverish and sometimes surreal levels, with the president declaring that the Sandinistas were on the verge of invading the United States. The real cause for alarm among Reaganite neo-conservatives (including the virulent anti-communist Negroponte) was that the Sandinista revolution would spread throughout El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. It had nothing to do with communism, just as the invasion of Iraq has nothing to do with preventing terrorism. More, it was that the economic system the US had maintained in Central America since 1945 was falling apart - it was simply untenable for the impoverished masses who barely had enough to eat. Washington's solution, like its present incarnation in the Middle East, was one of force and overwhelming military power in order to maintain US hegemony. Just as Negroponte acted as the strong arm of US imperialism in Central America in the 1980s he will protect US business and political interests in the Middle East, now the "most important place in the world for the United States today."

While the country was used as the launching ground for the war against Nicaragua, US aid to Honduras increased from 5 to almost $100 million with $200 million given in economic aid. Honduras now received more aid than anywhere else in the region, most of the money ultimately being controlled by the military.

Jack Binns, Negroponte's predecessor as ambassador appointed by Jimmy Carter, complained about the blatant human rights abuses in Honduras and briefed him as he took office. He later reported that Salvadoran nuns who fled to Honduras after the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero had been tortured by the Honduran secret police and thrown out of helicopters alive - a speciality of the Argentine military officers employed in Honduras during Negroponte's stint. One official, Rick Chidester, claims Negroponte ordered him to remove all mention of torture and execution from his report on human rights in Honduras.

During Negroponte's stay in Honduras, human rights violations peaked. The infamous US trained death squad, Batallion 3-16, was notorious for the torture, rape, kidnapping and killing of Honduran dissidents. Hundreds of people disappeared. By the end of the 1980s at least 10,000 were dead, not to mention the conservative estimate of 200,000 deaths in Central America as a result of US intervention. Negroponte, however, claims no knowledge of the human rights abuses the US carried out and funded despite being ambassador at the time. He told CNN, "I think on balance if you look back at what we did, I think a good case can be made that there was actually less suffering in Central America as a result of the actions the United States took than there would have been if we had just folded our arms and done nothing."

Many other Honduran victims of the US led war in Central America ended up at the El Aguacate airstrip, whose creation was supervised by Negroponte, and where dissidents were detained and tortured - 185 corpses were dug up there in 2001.

When George W. Bush appointed Negroponte as US ambassador to the UN, members of Honduran death squads who had previously been granted asylum in the US were deported. It was feared they testify about Negroponte's role in human rights abuses while ambassador to Honduras.

Interestingly, none of this came up in the US and British mainstream media when career journalists heaped praise on Reagan shortly after his death. Somehow, amidst the fawning in mainstream and elite circles it was forgotten that the Reagan administration carried out in Central America one of the worst campaigns of state terrorism of the late 20th century.

who's the fricking terroristas?

your Executive Branch and Complicit fricking congress....

NSA/SPY/FBI/CIA/INTELLIGENCE/GASOLINE/SPAWARS/hey buddies, thought I couldn't see you?

come closer.

.

calling anyone that disagrees with you a terrorist is very 3rd Grade...

watching Cheney tonight on the Daily Show I was struck by the image of an old white man saying that the loss of a Democrat Primary in Connecticut by an incumbent might en courage the Al Queerada

how friggin pathetic........

and Newton calling the voters who voted for fricking Lamont insurgents....

and what does that make old people who don't want $30 a fricking month stolen out of the meds payments to give E X X on and Bushco ala Halli Burden a $380 Fricking MILLION DOLLAR RETIREMENT BONUS.......

fricking terrorists?

how about diminishing VA benefits DURING "SUPPOSED WARTIME"

that is a fact, that is a terrorist action right there by complicit congress.......

arrest them, confiscate their properties, and reduce them to poverty......

see if they can find the American dream starting from scratch!~

.

how would Israel defeat Iran and Syria, the ultimate suicice bomb....lite zee fuze on the nukes and blow themselves up!

oil problem overh!

forget about zee gas stations, make sure they can't get even, destory yur selves!

wee wee!

.

United States doesn't need to weethstraw in Erack....military turns to zee dust

voila!

war is ovah!

we all live happily ever after, we don't have to fight for zee oil,

and rich people are arrested and prosecuted for killing everyone!

oh what a joy!

.

I hear much talk of how Israel should take on Iran and Syria simultaneously in a war. Considering the financial burden and the casualties Iraq has cost the USA a country of 300,000,000 million people. How is Israel, country of 6,000,000 million people, expected to defeat and then occupy these countries of nearly 100,000,000 million people combined and about twice the size of Iraq when combined? I say occupy, because I do not see these countries surrendering. Iran does not even have a common border with Israel, yet has missiles than can strike Israel. Israel knows what they can't and can achieve militarily, and a war with Syria and Iran is where they don't want to go.

==How can any voter in a democracy not be considered a legitimate target if they openly condone malicious acts (of commission or omission) by their chosen representatives? One of the downsides of democracy is that it makes it difficult for the enfranchised to claim innocence, just as the open publication of laws (even if voluntarily unread), disqualifies ignorance as a defense.==

Hold on there, partner. That's Bin Laden talk - he says we are all responsible for the criminal actions our government takes in our name. Say, relatives of those unfortunate enought to be living next to a road side bomb in Haditha what to exact revenge on Americans as a whole, for the acts perpetrated by a few working under orders from the US government and setup some horrendous terrorits act, arguing that we are all responsible because we elected criminal Bush. That's not right! Hey, I didn't vote for him. My daugher is too young to vote for anybody! The children of Lebanon are not responsible for actions of political leadership of Hezbolah.

Anywho, international law says that civilians can't be killed with impunity in a war between our government and another even if said citizens voted for them. Voting is not a death warrant.

==Perhaps because the Israeli army operates from military bases, while the Hezbollah fighters operate from towns? Hezbollah knows that civilian casualties make the Israelis look bad, so they put a significant amount of their forces in civilian areas. Israel is left with the choice to attack the targets and kill civilians by side effect, or to skip them and attack the small number of purely military targets.==

Not a very convincing explanation, I am afraid. A more likely reasons would be because most of Israeli casualties came from invading Lebanon and fighting house to house with Hezbolah militants. Most of Lebanese casualties came from high altitude bombing on limited intelligence. For example, in the investigation of the recent Qana episode, IAF revealed that they habitually drew a "circle" around a previous Hezbolah missile launch and bombed pretty much everything in it at some time in the future. The building with civilians happened to be "in the circle".

==It is a sucky position to be put in, but what would your response be in a similar situation? If (for some reason) Mexican drug lords set up shop in civilian homes in Tijuana and started firing missiles at San Diego, how would you respond?==

I would send special forces to clear out those civilian homes from which the missiles came. I don't think erasing that apartment block would offer a good solution. So why would those drug lords start lobing missiles at us. The drug war, perhaps?

"How has it happpened that the terrorist Hezbolah has killed mostly soldiers, while civilized Israel has killed mostly civilians? Shouldn't it open an important debate in Israel and the US?"

Perhaps because the Israeli army operates from military bases, while the Hezbollah fighters operate from towns? Hezbollah knows that civilian casualties make the Israelis look bad, so they put a significant amount of their forces in civilian areas. Israel is left with the choice to attack the targets and kill civilians by side effect, or to skip them and attack the small number of purely military targets.

It is a sucky position to be put in, but what would your response be in a similar situation? If (for some reason) Mexican drug lords set up shop in civilian homes in Tijuana and started firing missiles at San Diego, how would you respond?

To Mr Arkin...
Any schmuck can criticize, but only intelligent people offer solutions. This world is awash in a sea of hostile muslims whose propaganda machine offers them more recruits every day. There will be a day of reckoning... and God help us all! Money has no value to you when you glow from radiation.

Political America's number one ally and partner in crime...domestically and around the world...!

A portion of the Christian church has been the United States government's number one supporter and ally in a singularly focused plot to convert and design the world in accordance with their already decided upon image of how the world is to look. Both share responsibility for the displacement, maiming and murdering of innocent men, women and children in the Middle-East and around the world. The church has not only provided financial resources to Israel, and clerical support to the Government, but if it could have, it would have provided armed personnel. Pat Robertson, a dangerous man in this minister's opinion, actually flew to Israel and egged Israel on in the massacre of innocent human beings.

American religious and political fascism, conjoined twins, have been joined at the head and are working in tandem to spread the heretical version of American political, religious, monetary and social gospel around the world. Folks, it is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they are spreading, domestically, nor is it the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they are attempting to spread around the world (with each in full support of the other).

The goal is to spread a bastardization of the Gospel in order to convert and control the world's masses whereby forcing them to submit and to worship at the feet of the American/Religious dragon. Retaining the current world order with the United States sitting at the top and its partner at its side, by spreading this perversion that somehow God selected and is somehow working exclusively through America to reconcile the world to himself with the aid of misguided religious zealots (particularly from the Religious Right), the Pharisees of our day, I believe is a damnable lie and a innocuous perversion instead, of the Gospel The two are in my opinion a damnable, yet formidable combination. If they are, ultimately, successful in designing the world in their image, every person on the face of the earth will one day worship at the altar of American globalization and determinism. .

Given their most recent actions, a child of four should be able to figure out that something is amiss and contrary to what even he has been taught about God. Jesus rejected and warned his listeners about the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, both were sectarian and self-righteous groups of zealots in his opinion. The real danger with both groups was that each, utilizing Satan's number one device, deception, had some elements of truth mixed in with the extraneous portions of their fallacious doctrines.

Jesus encouraged his audiences to obey what these groups said (the parts that were true), but at the same time he warned the people about the dangerous leaven that was mixed in with their teachings; he then encouraged his listeners not to follow after their practices. Folks, there is more to what is going on around the world than the purported benign American desire to spread Democracy (along with the American Gospel) around the world. One has to wonder, who is driving America's foreign policy initiatives and what are their real motives for what took place in Lebanon over the past 3 or 4 weeks, I believe that what we witnessed is only a portent of what is to come if these two have their way!

The Rev

Political America's number one ally and partner in crime...domestically and around the world...!

A portion of the Christian church has been the United States government's number one supporter and ally in a singularly focused plot to convert and design the world in accordance with its design. Both share responsibility for the displacement, maiming and murdering of innocent men, women and children in the Middle-East and around the world. The church has not only provided financial resources to Israel, and clerical support to the Government, but if it could have, it would have provided armed personnel. Pat Robertson, a dangerous man in this minister's opinion, actually flew to Israel and egged Israel on in the massacre of innocent human beings.

American religious and political fascism, conjoined twins, have been joined at the head and are working in tandem to spread the heretical version of American political, religious, monetary and social gospel around the world. Folks, it is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they are spreading, domestically, nor is it the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they are attempting to spread around the world (with each in full support of the other).

The goal is to spread a bastardization of the Gospel in order to convert and control the world's masses whereby forcing them to submit and to worship at the feet of the American/Religious dragon. Retaining the current world order with the United States sitting at the top and its partner at its side, by spreading this perversion that somehow God selected and is somehow working exclusively through America to reconcile the world to himself with the aid of misguided religious zealots (particularly from the Religious Right), the Pharisees of our day, I believe is a damnable lie and a innocuous perversion instead, of the Gospel The two are in my opinion a damnable, yet formidable combination. If they are, ultimately, successful in designing the world in their image, every person on the face of the earth will one day worship at the altar of American globalization and determinism. .

Given their most recent actions, a child of four should be able to figure out that something is amiss and contrary to what even he has been taught about God. Jesus rejected and warned his listeners about the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, both were sectarian and self-righteous groups of zealots in his opinion. The real danger with both groups was that each, utilizing Satan's number one device, deception, had some elements of truth mixed in with the extraneous portions of their fallacious doctrines.

Jesus encouraged his audiences to obey what these groups said (the parts that were true), but at the same time he warned the people about the dangerous leaven that was mixed in with their teachings; he then encouraged his listeners not to follow after their practices. Folks, there is more to what is going on around the world than the purported benign American desire to spread Democracy (along with the American Gospel) around the world. One has to wonder, WHO IS DRIVING AMERICA"S FOREIGN POLICY initiatives and what are their aims, given what took place in Lebanon over the past 3 or 4 weeks. I believe that what we witnessed is only a portent of what is to come if these two have their way!

Very interesting analysis Mr Arkin...
One could go one step further: Israel's misadventure can teach us a paradoxical lesson, a paradox that any advance military will inevitably face when confronted to less advanced forces in a era of globalized information(good to be meditated by PR people at the Pentagon and IDF):
The tolerance for civilian casualties seems to be inversely proportionate to the precision/advancement of your weponry...

Israel should ask this question before the UN, "Is there any nation willing to take us into itself as a whole community and grant us a province or state of our own? We would be happy for 9,000 very sparsely populated square miles. We'll wait 60 days for an answer."

Israel may get a miraculous reply.

If no welcome is extended, Israel would have a very good reason to continue its fight without any restraint whatsoever. It would know for certain it has nowhere else to exist and no longer have to pull any punches and engage in after the fact hand-wringing.

The answer offered by the United States should be decided by a referendum of the people as I do not trust lobbeyed American politicians to render a legitimate answer. Those controlled by the military-industrial complex who profit from war would not like the loss of business if peace were to break out.

(Does anyone know if Israel has received more foreign aid from U.S. than revenue received by a small U.S. state of similar population size from the federal government? Instead of a drain on the U.S. treasury caused by direct aid payments and additional defense expenditure in the mid east, a 51st state comprised of a large group of educated, instead of uneducated, immigrants would increase federal revenues.)

How can any voter in a democracy not be considered a legitimate target if they openly condone malicious acts (of commission or omission) by their chosen representatives? One of the downsides of democracy is that it makes it difficult for the enfranchised to claim innocence, just as the open publication of laws (even if voluntarily unread), disqualifies ignorance as a defense.

Posted by: JUDGITO | August 15, 2006 06:16 PM

Be careful what you wish for judge. The