 |
|||
|
|
|
 Lebanon’s AntiheroesPosted on May 21, 2007
By Dahr Jamail (Page 2) His friend, Jaffar Assaf, was more precise. “We hope the U.N. maintain their position and help to defend us from Israel. Although in fact, the U.N. should be in Israel and not here if they want to defend us from them, since they [the Israelis] were the ones who invaded Lebanon, not vice versa,” he said. The indifference of the government in Beirut has left hundreds of thousands in south Lebanon almost entirely dependent upon and therefore loyal to Hezbollah. Prime Minister Siniora and his cronies obtained pledges of more than $7 billion in aid and loans at a meeting in Paris in January, but have done precious little to help war victims rebuild their lives. “We’ve applied to the government for help. They came and inspected the damage and said they would let us know. We’re still waiting,” said Mahmoud al-Khateib, 45, whose electronics repair shop in southern Beirut was damaged by an Israeli bomb. Advertisement In the town of Bint Jbail, which was hammered by Israeli airstrikes, I met with neighborhood Mayor Ali Beydoun in his partially destroyed house. He had returned to rebuild the house while his family stayed on in Beirut. Beydoun was equally angry with the current Lebanese government and the Israeli military. “We support the opposition to the government because we want our rights and we want justice and support. At least the head of the government should come see what has happened in his country.” Siniora has yet to visit southern Lebanon to assess the war damage. “Instead he went on a holiday to Jordan.” Waving his arm toward central Bint Jbail, destroyed by Israeli airstrikes and artillery shells, Beydoun asked me, “Is it possible for a prime minister not to know or care about his own country?” I heard similar sentiments from several others. “Siniora was sitting with Condoleezza Rice when Israel was bombing us with U.S. bombs,” raged Abed Ridda, referring to the visit of the U.S. secretary of state to Beirut during the war. The move is perceived as having added insult to injury, and the Lebanese are in no hurry to forgive or forget. Reconstruction in southern Beirut and across much of southern Lebanon was spearheaded by Hezbollah. Additionally, countries like Iran and Qatar have adopted towns or areas. Qatar has undertaken to rebuild the towns of Khiam, Ait Ech Chaab, Bint Jbail and Ainata, where Hezbollah enjoys substantial support. By the end of January, Qataris had handed out more than 5,000 compensation checks averaging about $6,000 in these towns. In Dahiyeh, blocks upon blocks of 10-story apartment buildings were leveled by Israeli bombing, and empty craters are all that remain in some places. In this suburb, Hezbollah initiated reconstruction through its NGO arm, Jihad al-Binaa. This resourceful organization has a task force of some 1,500 engineers. In the absence of an effective administration during the Lebanese civil war, Jihad al-Binaa took on the role of a local municipality for the Shiite community and it continues to do so. Once the bombings ended in August 2006, Hezbollah wasted no time and allocated $12,000 to each family that had lost a house. For those most in need, it undertook direct reconstruction. A 22-year-old electrician, Hussein Shara’a, stood talking to me beside a gaping crater that was once his 10-floor apartment building. “The government is giving us nothing, while Hezbollah is doing a great job for us. Even with all that remains to be done, we can survive because the important thing is that we won the war,” he said. The suburb is dotted with countless green and yellow Jihad al-Binaa banners proclaiming in Arabic: “Carrying On. Together We Resist. Together We Rebuild.” Iranian money and expertise have facilitated the repair or reconstruction of 60 schools across Lebanon, with work planned on an additional 100. Iran has pledged more than $112 million to help the south rebuild, three times the amount initially offered by the U.S. Hussam Khoshnevis, head of the Iranian mission to aid reconstruction of Lebanon, told reporters recently that four hospitals in a list of 22 and 30 places of worship, including 10 churches and some Sunni mosques, had been repaired. Electricity has been restored to 60 villages, and 10 major bridges have been rebuilt. Iranian engineers are also overseeing the repair of all of Lebanon’s damaged roads. The anger toward the Beirut administration is palpable. Bilal Hussein Jama’a of Bint Jbail commented as he took a break from mixing concrete for his home: “They [the Israelis] can bomb us one day and we’ll rebuild the next. We are not afraid of them. But the rebuilding is on our own, with the help of Qatar and Hezbollah and Iran, but not our own impotent government.” The fact that three of the biggest contributors at the Paris meeting were the United States, France and Saudi Arabia only adds fuel to the fire. All three are viewed by the opposition as supporters of Siniora and his allies Hariri and Jumblatt. People believe money meant for reconstruction is going elsewhere. Fears about the redirection of aid money are not unfounded and are based on more than the typical government corruption and officials lining their pockets. During the war last summer, the Saudis, in close consultation with the U.S., began pumping money into Lebanese Druse, Christian and Sunni political groups in order to counter the influence of Hezbollah. Both Saudis and Americans cooperated in procuring aid for the Internal Security Force of Lebanon, which is essentially a militia that answers directly to Siniora. There is also speculation that sectarian groups, such as followers of Jumblatt and supporters of Hariri, are rearming and training in remote camps within Lebanon in preparation for hostilities with Hezbollah. It is difficult to comprehend such elaborate preparation for a worst-case scenario when a simple end to hostilities lies in allowing the underrepresented in Lebanon a greater voice in the government. Samaha believes this won’t happen because the rulers wish to strengthen their local power by appeasing the powerful abroad, namely the United States, Israeli expansionists and the neocons in the Middle East. Emil Lahoud, the president of Lebanon and another supporter of the opposition, holds the same opinion—that the power brokers in his government take orders from external powers rather than from the people they claim to represent. During an interview inside the presidential palace, Lahoud told me: “Everyone has got someone from outside to help. So whenever it is time for a decision, they would do nothing if the instruction from outside thus dictated. Because of that, we don’t have a united government, and the other problem is that we don’t have a voice.” On the question of whether or not Hezbollah should disarm, as the U.S. and Israel demand, Lahoud, a Maronite Christian himself, was unambiguous: “The resistance is mostly Shiite. If the Christians and Sunni wish to join, they are very welcome. It so happens that this is Shiite land in the south which they fought for. I am asked why I want them to remain strong. I say, ‘We are at war. If these people weren’t here, Israel would have arrived in Beirut like they did in 1982.’ As long as we are in a state of war with Israel, we need resistance, and whoever wants to can join it. It’s the only way we can stand up to Israel. We have seen all the Arab countries which promised to help do nothing.” It is this prevailing reaction that has become the power and capital of Hezbollah.
1
2
 Previous item: Democrats' Faustian Bargain Next item: Immigration Bill Isn't Perfect, but the Alternative Is Insane New and Improved CommentsWe are launching a major overhaul of our comments section. In addition to more robust spam filtering and moderation, new features include the ability to rate other comments, sort how they are displayed and respond directly via e-mail or in a thread. Unfortunately, commenters will lose their existing Truthdig identities. It's a pain, we know, but on the plus side you will now be able to log in with a plethora of options, including Google, Twitter, Facebook and Disqus accounts. Before launching this system we spent months in discussion with our top commenters. We listened to the feedback and we hope you like what we've come up with. Please direct any problems or concerns to us via our contact page. |
Say ‘Hi-Ho!’ as They Strip-Search You
Email
Print
Share
Digg
Facebook
TwitThis
StumbleUpon
Reddit
YahooBuzz
Email
BlinkList
del.icio.us
Fark
Furl
Google
LinkedIn
Mixx
MyShare
NewsVine
Propeller
SphereIt
Technorati
YahooMyWeb
Newsletter 
Become a Fan
Follow Us
Subscribe
Tags|Bazaar|Podcast|About Us|Contact Us|User Agreement|Privacy Policy|FAQ: Comments and Moderation
Copyright © 2012 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
By Fadel Abdallah, May 26, 2007 at 6:22 am Link to this comment
The latest U.S. atrocity in Lebanon comes in the form of a military airlift of weapons to the Lebanese government. Hardly recovering from Israel’s brutal attack on it last summer, what Lebanon needs most is financial help to rebuild its infrastructure destroyed by evil Israel.
When the average person in Lebanon and the area hears about America’s so-called help to the Lebanese government in the form of a military airlift, the only thing he / she will see is that U.S. is only adding fuel to fire. And the stupid ignorant Americans would continue to say: “They hate us for our freedom and democracy!” What a bullshit that keeps coming out of this Nazi-like American administration!
Report thisBy Nitro, May 23, 2007 at 10:34 pm Link to this comment
It’s more than obvious that the Bushit tyranny has not only stirred up more trouble in the whole damn world in his effort to become the “ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT LEADER,”
but now has everyone over here turning on each other.
I wish IDIOT AMERICA would wake up and turn it’s feelings of disgust and shame towards the no good EVIL DOER himself, King George Bushit II.
Enough is enough America. WAKE UP & SMELL THE 3RD WORLD WAR GETTING READY TO TAKE PLACE IN FRONT OF YOUR OWN FACES!
To a Better Day…
Report thisBy Marshall, May 23, 2007 at 4:55 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
To John - Hezbollah is already a participant in the Lebanese government (holding a number of seats). You’re absolutely right about Hezbollah attempting to win favor with the Lebanese populace (just as Hamas does with the Palestinians). However, this could backfire just as well I think since it’s well known that Israel’s attack followed a cross-border action resulting in the killing and capture of several Israeli soldiers followed by hundreds of Hezbollah rockets. In any case, I agree that Hezbollah may be playing this card.
Report thisBy John, May 22, 2007 at 8:34 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Just a thought here: Suppose I had a grudge against a country. A grudge so bad I was willing to publicly call for the annihilation of said country (think Iran vs. Israel.) Now, the militia I support is based in a neighboring country (think Hezbollah in Lebanon.)
OK, now, follow me on this. Imagine Lebanon cozying up to the United States, and true to guilt by association, Israel. Naturally, at some point, the U. S. and Israel are going to call for the elimination of Hezbollah, and that’s the end of my militia that I have spent so much time and money training and grooming.
So, I suppose I can tell my militia to outright provoke Israel into a heavy handed military action. With a little forethought, I can imagine this scenario: The Israelis, motivated by rage, basically obliterate a good portion of the country trying to get rid of Hezbollah. This is kind of like burning the house down to kill the mice. Anyways, that’s what they do. Now, of course they aren’t going to get all of my militia guys, and Israel isn’t going to be in this for the long fight. So, when they withdraw, I load my remaining militia guys with truckloads of money, so that the population can see my militia doing the whole “We are really the good guys here, after all, who is helping you out? Where is the government?” Here comes the Islamic Robin Hood to the rescue, nevermind that we caused all this trouble in the first place.
It might take a few years, but eventually Lebanon will wind up under the governmental direction of elected Hezbollah representatives, thereby becoming a puppet state for Iran. Israel will have one more enemy, and we will have one less friend in the region.
Report thisBy atheo, May 22, 2007 at 4:24 pm Link to this comment
Celeste, using your logic Poland should belong to Germany.
Report thisBy Celeste, May 22, 2007 at 2:16 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Yeah for Israel, they alone in the world have the nerve to stand up to terrorist scum. No one else has the guts.
Israel has been attacked over and over and over again from the very moment she became a country. And the only land Israel ever “took” was because they were ATTACKED! And what other country on earth was ever expected to give back land won in warfare? That is absurdity gone wild.
I say bomb away, Israel, kill as many terrorists as you would like, the more the better. Let us know if we can help.
Sincerely,
Report thisIsrael’s friend in the good ole U S of A!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By atheo, May 22, 2007 at 9:41 am Link to this comment
Hezbolah is well aware of the standard Israeli tactic of terror bombing of civilians and sought no refuge amongst civilians as they understood that these locations were the primary targets.
Report thisAs for using “Nazi” tactics, I’m not aware of any that Israel does not use on an ongoing basis.
Israel’s violations of Lebanese territory are well documented by UNIFIL and continue.
By cupera1, May 22, 2007 at 6:29 am Link to this comment
Hesbola continually uses the civilians as human shields to prevent Israel from doing serious damage for fear of political correct crud. If Israel fought the terrorist like we fought the Germans in WWII the war would be over inside of a month
Report thisBy James Yell, May 22, 2007 at 6:23 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The article says Hezbollah is popular with many Lebanese, but what are they meaning—Lebanese? Few people today seem to remember that Lebanon was once a prosperous nation of historic Christian population, balancing power with a large intrusive Moslem population. The flood of moslem palestinians into Lebanon because they largely left their homes in the hope that Moslem Armies would kill the Jews (their cousins and fount of their religion)had left them homeless and the political balance of Lebanon overwhelmed. In some ways they behave like the Cubans in Florida, called American citizens, but hold our country hostage while trying to effect politics in a country that they no longer live in.
Because of their fundmentalism Moslems make bad neighbors and there is an object lesson in this for us, fundmentalist Christians are working to sow the same distress in this country that Islam has done in Lebanon. That is why it is so important to enforce the Bill of Rights and to punish political and appointed leaders who are clearly violating the laws they are sworn to up hold. Separation of Church and State was established at a time in this country that people knew the chaos of a wedding between church and state. We can not abandoned this judgement of our founding fathers as if it were not well thought out and has in fact made us a largely peaceful society at lest in our borders.
Report thisBy Joe Baker, May 22, 2007 at 3:57 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
So ‘Lefty’ believes that because of the popularity of Hezbullah in Lebanon “Lebanese should consider themselves, and deserve to be, fair targets for Israeli bombs.” I assume therefore that he would agree that because of the general support for the persecution of the Palestinians amongst Israeli Jews, Israelis should consider themselves, and deserve to be, fair targets for the bombs of anyone who supports the Palestinian cause. No? Thought not.
Report thisBy Marshall, May 21, 2007 at 6:47 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
To Janet - Can you documentthe existence of the thousdands of Israeli land mines still present in Lebanon after 2000? Then please explain how this would be an “occupation” of Lebanon? ...you know, in a way that doesn’t misappropriate the definition of “occupation” simply to justify Hezbollah’s firing of rockets on Israel over the next six years.
To atheo - Can you documentthe “daily incursions” by Israeli troops into Lebanon that took place after 2000? Then please explain how this would be an aggression on Lebanon and justify the continual firing of missiles into Israel for the next six years?
Both your hatred for Israel has obviously ruined your objectivity in this case.
And to the author of this article: You might mention that the US isn’t the only country that considers Hezbollah a terrorist group. That list includes most of Europe as well.
Report thisBy Matt, May 21, 2007 at 6:32 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
‘Charlie Reese” writes:
“Q: What country on Planet Earth has the second most powerful lobby in the United States, according to a recent Fortune magazine survey of Washington insiders?
“A: Israel.”
——————
And how about this:
“Q. We have laws restricting the activities of foreign lobbies, and requiring that all foreign lobbies register as agents of foreign governments.
“But what is the only foreign country whose lobby - the most powerful foreign lobby in Washington - doesn’t have to register as an agent of a foreign government or abide by the restrictions on foreign lobbies?”
“A. Israel.”
Report thisBy e vero, May 21, 2007 at 5:34 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
All roads lead to Israel:
http://www.rys2sense.com/anti-neocons/viewtopic.php?t=1388
Being against the neo-cons and zionists is not being anti-semitic or anti-jewish. Lots of zionists are Christian, afterall. I’m an anti-likudnic myself (the people in power in Israel who are highly tied to AIPAC, ADL, and the neo-cons who’ve infected the White House since Nixon days). People hiding behind religion in order to grab power are not real representatives of their religion anyway. (I am not religious, but I appreciate my jewish friends and colleagues, and all the jews who fight for humanitarian causes, jews who actually follow the teachings of the Torah, who believe that you must leave the world better than you found it, and all the many, many jews who don’t believe that zionism is the answer.)
The neo-cons (et al.) do not seem in the least religious and do not appear to give a flying fuck about anyone but themselves. With that said, i don’t think that the zionist/neo-cons/likudnics are all there is. There’s probably another layer that we don’t even know about who is pulling the strings.
Report thisBy Charley Reese, May 21, 2007 at 3:17 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
an interesting list from a few years ago…
By Charley Reese
The Orlando Sentinel
Question: Which country alone in the Middle East has nuclear weapons?
Answer: Israel.
Q: Which country in the Middle East refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars international inspections?
A: Israel.
Q: Which country in the Middle East seized the sovereign territory of other nations by military force and continues to occupy it in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions?
A: Israel.
Q: Which country in the Middle East routinely violates the international borders of another sovereign state with warplanes and artillery and naval gunfire?
A: Israel.
Q: What American ally in the Middle East has for years sent assassins into other countries to kill its political enemies (a practice sometimes called exporting terrorism)?
A: Israel.
Q: In which country in the Middle East have high-ranking military officers admitted publicly that unarmed prisoners of war were executed?
A: Israel.
Q: What country in the Middle East refuses to prosecute its soldiers who have acknowledged executing prisoners of war?
A: Israel.
Q: What country in the Middle East created 762,000 refugees and refuses to allow them to return to their homes, farms and businesses? A: Israel.
Q: What country in the Middle East refuses to pay compensation to people whose land, bank accounts and businesses it confiscated?
A: Israel.
Q: In what country in the Middle East was a high-ranking United Nations diplomat assassinated?
A: Israel.
Q: In what country in the Middle East did the man who ordered the assassination of a high-ranking U.N. diplomat become prime minister?
A: Israel.
Q: What country in the Middle East blew up an American diplomatic facility in Egypt and attacked a U.S. ship in international waters, killing 33 and wounding 177 American sailors?
A: Israel.
Q: What country in the Middle East employed a spy, Jonathan Pollard, to steal classified documents and then gave some of them to the Soviet Union?
A: Israel.
Q: What country at first denied any official connection to Pollard, then voted to make him a citizen and has continuously demanded that the American president grant Pollard a full pardon?
A: Israel.
Q: What country on Planet Earth has the second most powerful lobby in the United States, according to a recent Fortune magazine survey of Washington insiders?
A: Israel.
Q: Which country in the Middle East is in defiance of 69 United Nations Security Council resolutions and has been protected from 29 more by U.S. vetoes?
A: Israel.
Q: What country is the United States threatening to bomb because “U.N. Security Council resolutions must be obeyed?”
A: Iraq
and a couple of add-ons…
Which country in the Middle East has Attacked the US twice in known false flag operations (not including 911) the Lavon Affair and the USS Liberty attack? Israel
Which country Spied on the US multiple times with the Pollad scandal, the ADL (1993 during the first WTC bombing) the Art Students, and AIPAC? Israel
Report thisBy atheo, May 21, 2007 at 2:24 pm Link to this comment
@ Ed Barry,
Report thisIt goes unmentioned in your post that Israel conducted almost daily incursions into Lebanon since it’s “withdrawal in 2000”. Perhaps if they could give up their aggressive cross border operations they wouldn’t have their soldiers captured.
By kevin99999, May 21, 2007 at 1:54 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Israeli minister has issued death threat to Hamas leaders (tp://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,2084585,00.html)
Once again Israel openly declares itself to be a terrorist state. It is incumbent upon the international community to support Hammas and other organizations fighting the occupation by this outlaw state.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, May 21, 2007 at 1:50 pm Link to this comment
On July 12, 2006 Israel launched a war against Lebanon variously called “Operation Just Return” 1, “Operation Just Reward"2 and “Change of Direction"3….... http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/350/355/july-war/index.html - check the links for pics and Google Earth - http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/320/324/2007/ - more at the al mashriq homesite.
Report thisBy TIGer, May 21, 2007 at 1:14 pm Link to this comment
Since before the 1900s the Christians in Lebanon, under the rule of their feudal lords, have been the whores of the Middle East, bought and used, then abondoned by whomever paid the going market price: the Vatican, France for the Latin rite; England for the Druze(Christian-Moslem mixture) and Russia for the Orthodox. And according to the demands of their “Johns” and the accompanying payoffs they have either hated and killed one another or united against Muslims and Palestinians (Christian or Muslim).
Report thisLebanon was, and is, a “geographical expression” and not a unified nation. No one sees this better than the rapacious Zionists and Israelies who want to annex southern Lebanon (hopefully with all the Arabs located there either dead or new refugees located elsewhere) so that they might incorporate the Litani River into Eretz Israel: the greater Israel stemming from the Euphrates to the Nile.
The Zionists have two fundamental policies from which they never waiver: the expansion of Israel and the eradication of any non-Jewish population that they do not need to serve them. Open genocide is al-ways lurking, to be implemented whenever international political climate will allow such.
As long as Israel and its lap-dog, the United States, can do so by payments to their Christian whores, Lebanon will remain fractionalized, ready for the picking.
What stands in their way, whether anyone likes it or not, is Hizballah, the only true Lebanese fighting for their national heritage and future. Thus Hizballah are the true heroes in this conflict.
There will be no peace for Lebanon, nor for the rest of the Middle East until, one way or another, Israel and the United States are de-zionized.
By TIGer, May 21, 2007 at 1:04 pm Link to this comment
Since before the 1900s the Christians in Lebanon, under the rule of their feudal lords, have been the whores of the Middle East, bought and used, then abondoned by whomever paid the going market price: the Vatican, France for the Latin rite; England for the Druze(Christian-Moslem mixture) and Russia for the Orthodox. And according to the demands of their “Johns” and the accompanying payoffs they have either hated and killed one another or united against Muslims and Palestinians (Christian or Muslim).
Lebanon was, and is, a “geographical expression” and not a unified nation. Hence the Government in Beirut has no desire to help southern Lebanon. No one sees this better than the rapacious Zionists and Israelies who want to annex southern Lebanon (hopefully with all the Arabs located there either dead or as new refugees located elsewhere) so that they might incorporate the Litani River into Eretz Israel: the greater Israel stemming from the Euphrates to the Nile.
The Zionists have two fundamental policies from which they never, never, ever waiver: the expansion of Israel and the eradication of any non-Jewish population that they do not need to serve them. The threat of open genocide is al-ways lurking, to be implemented whenever the international political climate will allow such.
As long as Israel and its lap-dog, the United States, can accomplish the fractionalization of the Lebanese by payments to their client Christian and Druze feudal lords, Lebanon will remain weak, a beggar state, ready for the picking. What stands in their way, whether anyone likes it or not, is Hizballah, the only true Lebanese fighting for their national heritage and future. Thus Hizballah are the true heroes in this conflict.
There will be no peace for Lebanon, nor for the rest of the Middle East until, one way or another, Israel and the United States are de-zionized.
Report thisBy Marco Guerrero, May 21, 2007 at 12:58 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Another great article by Dahr Jamail - this guy deserves the Pultzier for his honesty, integrity and courage to writeTHE TRUTH!!!
Report thisBy Janet Williams, May 21, 2007 at 12:54 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
For Ed Barry;
From one jew to another; The barbaric and savage rhethorical and traditional effort to silence well-deserved and well-earned criticism of the Israeli regimee by referring to it as “anti-semetic and self-hating” is passess and serves only one purpose; greater resentment against an illegal and corrupt state of Israel. Ed, do us all a favor and stop to check your so-called “facts” - Israel has never fully retreated from southern Lebanon - I know becuase I not only lived there - but visited many of the desolte and isolated places where Israeli delieberatly left landmines and refuses to share this information with the Lebanese government - thus injuring and maiming thousands every year since 2000 - let alone their recent genocidal cluster bomb campaign. Ed, worse than your ignorance is your false illusion of knowledge - quite a lethal combination. Stop defending Israel - it’s crimes are inexcusable - I’m sure you would be outraged at the thought of anyone justifying Hitler’s behavior? Your complicity is far worse - Israel = Terror
Report thisBy Ed Barry, May 21, 2007 at 11:28 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Hezbollah is a gang of genocidal fascists—I never thought I’d see the day they’d be supported by “progressives.” I never thought I’d see “progressive” and neo-Nazi websites sharing content day after day.
For the record, Israel was fully withdrawn from Lebanon by 2000. Hezbollah fired rockets on Israeli civilian centers for the next 6 years, then invaded Israel and murdered and kidnapped soldiers. Only an anti-Semite would turn reality upside-down and call Israel the initiator of the war.
Hezbollah’s chief Nasrallah reveals his genocidal agenda in these delightful quotes:
“If they (Jews) all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide.” (Daily Star, Oct. 23, 2002)
“put a knife in your shirt, then get close to an Israeli occupier and stab him.” (Nightline, Oct. 19, 2000)
“The Palestinian National Charter will live on as long as there is a knife in a Palestinian woman’s hand with which she stabs an Israeli soldier or settler ... as long as there are suicide bombers in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv ... and as long as there is a child who throws a stone in the face of an Israeli soldier. (AP, Dec. 12, 1998)
“Martyrdom operations - suicide bombings - should be exported outside Palestine. I encourage Palestinians to take suicide bombings worldwide. Don’t be shy about it.” (Washington Times, Dec. 6, 2002)
If we searched the entire world for a person more cowardly, despicable, weak and feeble in psyche, mind, ideology and religion, we would not find anyone like the Jew. Notice, I do not say the Israeli. (New Yorker, Oct. 14, 2002)
Report thisBy John Cochrane, May 21, 2007 at 9:34 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I think Dahr Jamail reports it it like it is.
It is appalling that one million cluster bombs fell in Lebanon.
This weapon likes so many others is obscene.
Their indiscrimante killing capacity lives on like landmines.
Too bad the manufacturers were not required to fund the cleanup of cluster bombs once hostilities cease.
Report thisBy atheo, May 21, 2007 at 9:22 am Link to this comment
wcg,
How many bombs fell on Lebanon before they responded with rockets?
Does your racist press allow you this information?
Vern Arnold,
Report thisI don’t see a “corporate” motive in U.S. support for Israeli aggression. If anything, I see harm to U.S. business interests. Please develop your assertion and include some evidence.
By Verne Arnold, May 21, 2007 at 8:32 am Link to this comment
Re #71434 by atheo on 5/21 at 8:13 am
Prophetic words; I fear you are correct!
I wish you were not.
Report thisBy atheo, May 21, 2007 at 8:13 am Link to this comment
There will be no peace.
At any given moment for the rest of our lifetimes, there will be multiple conflicts in mutating forms around the globe. Violent conflict will dominate the headlines, but cultural and economic struggles will be steadier and ultimately more decisive. The de facto role of the US armed forces will be to keep the world safe for our economy and open to our cultural assault. To those ends, we will do a fair amount of killing.
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/Parameters/97summer/peters.htm
[A look behind the philosophy and practice of Americas push for domination of the worlds economy and culture. First published From Parameters, Summer 1997, pp. 4-14: US Army War College]
Report thisBy Matt, May 21, 2007 at 6:39 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I lost a Jewish friend over last summer’s vicious Israeli attempted murder of Lebanon.
My friend considers herself liberal and non-religious but is blindly devoted to Israel in a way that can only be called religious.
Yet of course, like so many other supposedly Israel-loving Jews, she prefers to live in America and wouldn’t dream of cashing in on her “birthright” by taking up Israeli citizenship and moving there to help them solve the “demographic problem.”
If even half the Jews who claim to love Israel so much would just move there, the “demographic problem” would be solved overnight.
I have come to hate Israel after years of trying to talk sense to people like this and seeing how they obsessively search out and destroy Israel’s critics, especially in government and the media.
With the help of the asinine Christian right, they are pushing our country off a cliff with their stupid “non-religious” religion.
Report thisBy Hammo, May 21, 2007 at 6:31 am Link to this comment
Certain countries, including the US under Bush-Cheney, seem to be taking military actions that can make international and culture clash situations worse.
Brutality, killing of innocents, unnecessary destruction, dehumanizing others and similar actions demean not only the victims, but also the perpetrators.
More thoughts on this in:
“Psychology and the human heart are keys in winning the war, the peace” (AmericanChronicle.com)
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=3350
Report thisBy WCG, May 21, 2007 at 5:31 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Well, Truthdig has really lost it, I guess. Yeah, Hezbollah is wonderful and it’s those evil Jews who are the cause of everything bad. Why can’t they just accept rocket attacks as their god-given - er, Allah-given - just desserts?
Truthdig was great for awhile, but it’s really gone off the rails. This is the final straw for me. Have fun ranting at each other folks.
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, May 21, 2007 at 3:23 am Link to this comment
Oh mercy this article begs so much.
The only benefit for the world from our bombing of Lebanon was seeing the blatant support from us, of the Israeli massacre of Lebanese civilians. Time after time we refused to stop Israel. The whole world saw this clearly maybe for the first time. Bush and Rice were unabashed in their support! The illegal use of weapons supplied by us was, was, god are there even words for this?
It made me sick! It made the world sick. It was so unmistakable! It was so tragic. It was so criminal!!!! These people are psychopaths!!!
I hope Hezbollah continues to take care of the foreign adventurists! Terrorists? Only because the major criminal of the planet says so. Ill probably go on a black list for that one.
I am convinced that our government (dems and repubs) want whats going on in the Middle East to continue. Instability in the Middle East is the mothers milk of the corporatists. The Spice Must Flow and so the unholy alliances will continue and without due diligence from us, the still free, it will go on and on ad-infinitum!
This is it! Again THIS IS IT!!! Its now or never time. Wake up; it may be time to die.
Report thisBy Kellina, May 21, 2007 at 2:52 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Excellent article. I really appreciate Truthdig posting this one.
It’s always been curious to me why politicians think that they can muzzle their people. The leaders in Beirut are so obvious . . . and nothing makes for more loyalty than a group that is willing to protect you and help you rebuild.
I really hate it that Israel (and the US) enacts such collective punishment. And what is this business of executing suspects? Why no trial? Israel is supposed to be a democracy. No wonder Israel’s leaders suffer from low support, too. The people know what good leadership is.
Report this