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http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13532571,00.html
What will this lead to? Are we heading for a full scale war?
What will this lead to? Are we heading for a full scale war?
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Israel has information that Lebanese guerrillas who captured two Israeli soldiers are trying to transfer them to Iran, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Spokesman Mark Regev did not disclose the source of his information.
Oh crap!Warplanes punched holes in the runways of Beirut's international airport and two military air bases, attacks that could draw the Lebanese army into the conflict.
Will escalate?Astronuc said:That would be consistent with Hezbollah - they apparently receive support from Iran.
I am not sure about WWIII, but it will certainly escalate hostilities in the region.
True. Here's a Timeline which describes the conflictRach3 said:Deja vu all over again. Nothing new.
On topic, does anyone know what the UN military is doing in all this? Supposedly they have 2,000 peace warriors along the (very narrow) Israeli-Lebanese border, yet there's nothing in the news about what it is they do exactly. I don't think they have a specific mandate for this event?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIFIL
(from http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=54594&SelectRegion=Middle_East&SelectCountry=LEBANON")While the Israeli army has amassed thousands of soldiers on the border, no Israeli ground troops have been reported within Lebanese territory so far, according to Richard Morzynski, spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Many Lebanese fear that Israel will reinstall a buffer zone along the border, as it did from 1982 to 2000. “UNIFIL is in the process of establishing facts on the ground,” said Morzynski. “We’ve been trying to establish a ceasefire, but for that you need two parties. The Israeli position is clear: no discussion until the two soldiers are freed.”
Were they kidnapped? If not, then it's not a valid comparison.devious said:What about the 10,000 Arab prisoners, including Palestinian officials, held by Israel?
Evo said:Were they kidnapped?
Yeah, but you don't kidnap Israeli soldiers. I don't see Israel backing down on this. I think they're all a bit crazy over there. It's frightening.George Jones said:Most certainly some of them were.
The Palestinian raid that produced the initial kidnapping was motivated at least partially by recent incidents in which Israelis killed Palestinian civilians.
Palestianians kill Israeli civilians. Israelis kill Palestinian civilians. Israelis kidnap Palestinians. Palestinians kidnap Israelis.
And, http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,605798,00.html" , they are the same people.
Umm, yes the attack by Israel on Hezbollah is an escalation, as is the attack by Israel on the airports. I did not say anything to the contrary.MeJennifer said:Will escalate?
So the attack from Israel is not an escalated hostility to you?
I see.Astronuc said:I was thinking of the potential for other parties, e.g. Syria or Iran to get invovled.
Evo said:It's frightening.
It was just a feeling but when I heard of this yesterday I got the feeling that this could be the straw that breaks the camels back.Greg Bernhardt said:http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/13/D8IR6J401.html
Hello WW3
Apparently you don't - you keep misinterpreting my statements - apparently deliberately, which could be construed as hostile.MeJennifer said:I see.
Do I consider what a hostility?MeJennifer said:So do you consider that a hostility while Israel is simply defending itself?
George Jones said:I agree.
I had hoped that something would be worked out with respect to first kidnapped soldier, but with the players that the latest kidnappings bring onto the pitch, I have no idea where this is going.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Lebanon_Mood.htmlThe crisis came at a time of deep divisions over international pressure to disarm Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran.
Hezbollah may get a boost from supporters in resisting the pressure. But the split between the supporters and opponents of Syria, Lebanon's former power broker, could be aggravated by the Israeli offensive and lead to the anti-Syrian government's collapse.
Syria will be the biggest winner if that happens. Damascus has been uncomfortable with the status quo since the February 2005 murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria had to withdraw its troops after a 29-year military presence in its tiny neighbor, and a U.N. investigation has implicated some of its top officials in the assassination.
Rach3 said:Oil is soaring - opened at $75.20 today on NYMEX, up to $76.88 (USD) now and still going!
http://www.nymex.com/WS_cso.aspx
"The European Union called Israel's attacks on Lebanon “disproportionate." Of course it is disproportionate. It's crazy. But everything every country does over there seems disproportionate. Is it never going to end? Is it impossible for these people to be rational?Manchot said:Well, I found this article interesting:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13848003/
Between this and the Iraq War, and we wonder why people are willing to die to destroy us?
Nice to see that as usual, the Bush administration is on top...er...uh...aware of the crisis.Manchot said:Well, I found this article interesting:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13848003/
Between this and the Iraq War, and we wonder why people are willing to die to destroy us?
Why do I get the feeling that America has lost it's edge as a world leader?What role has the U.S. played? Today, U.S. diplomat David Welch arrived in Israel, but critics say too late — 17 days after the first Israeli soldier was captured.
And Rice has not been to Israel or the Palestinian territories since last November.
from link posted by Manchot. Hilary Clinton was blasting the Bush administration over the lack of attention to Israel and the ME.Critics say U.S. has not paid enough attention to Israel-Lebanon relations
People?Astronuc said:Do I believe that Israel has the right to defend itself? Certainly, as does any other people.
Well, that's a good question. It is hard to tell sometimes.MeJennifer said:People?
Do you mean country or is it peoples against peoples?
Depends what one would define as rational.Evo said:But everything every country does over there seems disproportionate. Is it never going to end? Is it impossible for these people to be rational?
MeJennifer said:The folks in the Middle East are motivated strongly by religious and ethnic considerations.
As far as I am concerned they can fight and kill each other.
I think that we, we as in the Western world, should simply leave them in their mutual hate. We certainly cannot solve it, and it is not our problem.
I think that would have to do with preventing Hizbullah from transporting the two kidnapped soldiers to Iran, based upon Yonoz's comments about the bombing of infrastructure to prevent transport of the soldiers from the border area. I would imagine though, that Hizbullah would try to go through Syria then (Damascus airport).Gokul43201 said:Yonoz, does Hizbullah have access to the Lebanese airforce? What could be the reason for cratering runways in the airport at Beirut?
That airport isn't really JFK or LAX. Hizbullah uses that airport to bring in some of their weapons. I don't think they go through check-in or airport security like you and I. I imagine it would be quite easy to smuggle two drugged bodies onto a private jet. Elhannan Tannenbaum, the drug smuggler I mentioned earlier, was actually lured into another country and was smuggled into Lebanon.Gokul43201 said:Is it common belief that a group of terrorists can "escort" a pair of Israeli captives past the check-in, airport security and the flight crew without having to worry about being detained?
I can easily imagine extraction over ground - but boarding an international flight?