What does Iraq has to do with this? Maybe Lebanon should just split from the Hezbollah controled areas.
The only thing Iraq has to do with it is that it perfectly matches your criteria for what a real Democracy is not. Why would Lebanon want to do that? Why shouldn't they have continued working toward a solution which left Lebanon intact?
So now, if Lebannon decided to root out the IDF because clearly the IDF is a threat to it's nation - that would be ok? Perhaps the Arab world should be worried that Israel keeps getting arms from the U.S. to be used against them, and they should launch missle strikes all over Israel and destroy all of it's infrastructure and kill civilians but just say it's collateral damage? Oh wait, then they would be called terrorists.
I don't think I said Iraq was a real democracy. The only thing close to a real democracy in ME is Israel. What is leaving Lebanon intact really mean? There might be one country on the map, but is there any doubt that there are two seperate states within that map?
The IDF is clearly a threat to RESPOND to a grievous act from hezbollah or others who wish to wipe Israel off the map to that extent...A peaceful lebanese people who commit no act in the manner of terroristic ilk is assured peace...Hezbollah is more a threat to the lebanese civilians because of the nature...the turtle and the scorpion mindset, mind you...
That has not been true of Israel in their history or immediate pre-history. They have shown no indication that it would be true now.
Respond to the kidnapping of two soldiers by setting back an entire nation 15 years and killing over 800 civilians? Hezbollah is clearly geared to be a defensive guerrilla force incapable of ever invading Israel. They didn't initiate killing of civilians this time - it was Israel. Israel's premise for this war was weak. There have been numerous exchanges between Hezbelloh and Israel, and let us not forget that Israel never completely withdrew from Lebannon and therefore is still an occupying force. Also, after what has happened, Israel is losing the world opinion battle. I don't know if I would classify Hezbelloh as a terrorist group any longer. I mean, IDF kills far more civilians.
Care to sit in on the teachings of the virtues of suicide with the kiddies? Care to hug a suicide bomber? Care to launch rockets anywhere that might hit innocent civilians? Care to charge Miss Palestine with treason for mingling with Miss Israel?...Care to call that a democracy?...
Israel can disarm Hezbelloh without firing a single bullet. That's the whole irony that you can't even see.
Not really. They started the wars in '48, '67, and have had various policies of expansion since Israel was just an idea in the minds of people. That hasn't been the case all the time everytime, and I don't want to paint it like their opponents haven't done anything wrong, because all know they have done plenty wrong, and continue to do so to this day. But it is inaccurate to pretend that Israel has only been the defenders reacting to other folks actions throughout their history.
"Most historians now agree that although Israel struck first, this pre-emptive strike was defensive in nature." The Mideast: A Century of Conflict Part 4: The 1967 Six Day War, NPR morning edition, October 3, 2002. URL accessed May 14, 2006. DEFENSIVE! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War
You've posted that before. I posted comments from the people in charge of the war for Israel at the time. It is actually complex. Because the troops were going to put a presence in one particular area, not to try and take over Israel. However, Israel used the excuse to attack, and take over lots of land that wasn't related to the conflict in any real way.
Date: November 1947–March 1949 Location: Middle East Result: 1949 Armistice Agreements Casus belli: Arab rejection of the existence of the State of Israel DEFENSIVE!
