Bush giving Israel running room

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060718/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_mideast_analysis_1

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is trying to hold off international pressure for an immediate halt to the Israeli assault in southern Lebanon, apparently to allow Israel a short window to do as much damage as possible to the Hezbollah guerrillas.

That puts Washington at odds with some allies and others who want a quick end to cross-border rocket attacks that have claimed more than 200 lives in a week and sent a tide of refugees fleeing Lebanon.

"I want the world to address the root causes of the problem, and the root cause of the problem is Hezbollah," President Bush said Tuesday.

The administration is "giving some latitude for some period of time to try to damage Hezbollah," said Samuel Berger, former White House national security adviser to President Clinton.

Geoffrey Kemp, a National Security Council adviser in the Reagan administration, said he sees a "deliberate policy" to keep hands off of Israel for now.

[shadowknows69]

1. The phrase

"let loose the dogs of war" is becoming more and more pertinent isn't it?

[leftchick]

2. yes

and with the blessing of our democrats in congress apparently. Despicable. :puke:

[shadowknows69]

3. This snowball ain't gonna melt anytime soon

Israel is devastating a civilian populace right now in the same grand tradition that we are wasting Iraq's. All to get the bad guys and the civilians aren't worth squat because they are near the bad guys. Destroying villages to save them once again.

[creeker]

9. What do you want? Hezbollah puts their HQ's in innocent

civilians neighborhood.They don't give a rats ass about the civilians other then propaganda value when hurt or killed.the Lebanese are "shields"and nothing else to them.If they ment anything to the Hezbollah would move OUT of populated areas.
Don't forget the hundreds of rockets launched by Hezbollah into Israels cities-- THEY don't care who they kill.

[shadowknows69]

10. I don't remember cheering on Hizbollah

but clearly Israel is doing a lot more damage and has the military capabilities to do more. Bombing civilians to get to hizbollah is only going to create more hizbollah and possibly escalte things to a level that will change the face of this world and not necessarily for the better.

[MGD]

13. "but clearly Israel is doing a lot more damage "

What do you expect them to do, less damage. They're at war for Christ's sake. Based on my understanding of Israeli capabilities, I would have to say that they are exercizing immense amounts of restraint in this matter.

"Bombing civilians to get to hizbollah is only going to create more hizbollah and possibly escalte things to a level that will change the face of this world and not necessarily for the better"

How then, in allseriousness, would you suggest that they eliminate the threat that is Hezbollah?

[MrPrax]

14. Negotiate n/t

[MGD]

16. It's hard to negotiate w/ entities that are committed to your destruction.

What's more, it isn't clear who they should be negotiating with. lebaonon? Syria? Iran? Hezbollah? all of the above?

[MrPrax]

18. Your being willfully

stupid or just plain racist...

1) Israel negotiates all the time with these same groups; for some reason Israel has decided that destroying the economic base of Lebanon will provide it with security -- can't imagine why anyone, even Supporter© of Israel, would think that would work THIS TIME

2) 'The everyone wants us dead' meme is a little stale and inappropriate; the region's countries object to Israel's actions in particular it's illegal occupation of foreign territory which are legitimate concerns which will have to be negotiated at sometime...unless of course you don't have the guts to post up what you really think and that Israel has an eternal right to it's old kingdom.

But you really can't post up as it would ruin the 'script' and give credence to the arab countries' animosity towards Israel which is precisely what they resent and you willfully ignore thinking that everyone on the planet should simply ignore their OWN interests in security and help Israel protect itself.

Your logic is the same logic as dictators. They run shit countries, they kill and torture, the bulk of the people live in grinding poverty, but then justify their continued reign of terror because the state has enemies...it becomes self-fulfilling and I for one am not interested in drinking Zionist kool-aid anymore.

[MGD]

21. I'm being fed up with terorrists and the people who support them;

that's what I'm being. Call it whatever you want.


1) Israel negotiates all the time with these same groups

Israel is negotiating with these groups right now.

2) 'The everyone wants us dead' meme is a little stale and inappropriate

Israel, is in fact, surrounded by various entities that seek her destruction. Hezbollah has made this goal clear. It is their very raison d'etre. Call it what you want but Israel is hated in the ME.

3.) the region's countries object to Israel's actions in particular it's illegal occupation of foreign territory

Israel pulled out of Gaza and was rewarded for their efforts with rockets, suicide bombers and kidnappings. Israel objects to that.

4.) unless of course you don't have the guts to post up what you really think and that Israel has an eternal right to it's old kingdom.

Such a thought never even crossed my mind. This is about right and wrong to me and my moral compass points to Israel, not to Hezbollah; not to Syria and not to Iran.

5.) Your logic is the same logic as dictators. They run shit countries, they kill and torture, the bulk of the people live in grinding poverty, but then justify their continued reign of terror because the state has enemies...it becomes self-fulfilling and I for one am not interested in drinking Zionist kool-aid anymore.

My logic is the logic held by a majority of US Senators and Representatives on both sides of the aisle.

[Lance_Boyle]

20. 'They're at war for Christ's sake'

Poor choice of words. They may be at war, but it's only the fundamentalists here in America who think the war is "for Christ's sake."

[lumpy]

17. Don't forget to include Afghanistan

in that grand tradition. Destroyed, decimated in the futile attempt to get Bin Laden and Al Queda.

[daleo]

4. Bush believes in the peace of the grave

They cause a devastation and call it peace. (said about the Romans, I think).

[katty]

5. of course, bush & co finally HAVE THEIR WAR-ON

[AlamoDemoc]

6. This is not news in the Middle East, or the rest of the world…

...only down here in good old US of A. Therefore, I will kick and recommend your post so others can see it.

[creeker]

7. Sorry but I beg to differ

Lebanon could have avoided the situation by throwing Hezbollah out years ago-- Instead they welcomed the MILLIONS (20-30 per year) that Iran invested in the group pledged to destroy Israel.
Now Hezbollah has so much power they can tell the Lebanese to FUCK OFF---Israel will not listen to other opinions when in this situation.Hezbollah pushed too hard,and Israel retaliates 10 times harder.
We cannot begin to understand the cultures over there.One example--If you are a Muslim and your daughter is raped it is the duty of the head of the family to kill her so she won't "disgrace" the family.
Our concerns should center on Israel's NUKES---
One last thing-- You gotta admire the Jews-- given a sliver of land,and then when attacked by several countries around them they kicked SERIOUS ASS---If the U.S.A.had not intervened on the 7 Days War Israel would have taken Egypt.ALL of it.And they still will take only so much shit before they come down on the enemy like a ton of bricks.
Don't want to get an ass whoopin'? Leave Israel alone.It's that simple.
what a rant! my nickels worth

[TheWatcher]

12. You should have given it away for free

Because it certainly isn't worth a nickel.

It isn't worth free either.

[DELUSIONAL]

8. and this "running room" is going to cost US taxpayers how much $$$$ ?

When it comes to war spending -- there always seems to be money.

More jet fuel? More bombs? -- no problem.

[MGD]

11. "Endless money forms the sinews of war" Cicero eom

[rastafan]

15. "Second 9/11": Cheney's "Contingency Plan"

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20060222&articleId=2032

"Second 9/11": Cheney's "Contingency Plan"

While the "threat" of Iran's alleged WMD is slated for debate at the UN Security Council, Vice President Dick Cheney is reported to have instructed USSTRATCOM to draw up a contingency plan "to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States". This "contingency plan" to attack Iran uses the pretext of a "Second 9/11" which has not yet happened, to prepare for a major military operation against Iran.

The contingency plan, which is characterized by a military build up in anticipation of possible aerial strikes against Iran, is in a "state of readiness".

What is diabolical is that the justification to wage war on Iran rests on Iran's involvement in a terrorist attack on America, which has not yet occurred:

The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Within Iran there are more than 450 major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-weapons-program development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in the case of Iraq, the response is not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States. Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing—that Iran is being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack—but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections. (Philip Giraldi, Attack on Iran: Pre-emptive Nuclear War , The American Conservative, 2 August 2005)

Are we to understand that US military planners are waiting in limbo for a Second 9/11, to launch a military operation directed against Iran, which is currently in a "state of readiness"?

Cheney's proposed "contingency plan" does not focus on preventing a Second 9/11. The Cheney plan is predicated on the presumption that Iran would be behind a Second 9/11 and that punitive bombings would immediately be activated, prior to the conduct of an investigation, much in the same way as the attacks on Afghanistan in October 2001, allegedly in retribution for the role of the Taliban government in support of the 9/11 terrorists. It is worth noting that the bombing and invasion of Afghanistan had been planned well in advance of 9/11. As Michael Keefer points out in an incisive review article:

"At a deeper level, it implies that “9/11-type terrorist attacks” are recognized in Cheney’s office and the Pentagon as appropriate means of legitimizing wars of aggression against any country selected for that treatment by the regime and its corporate propaganda-amplification system.... (Keefer, February 2006 )

(continued)

[bemildred]

19. "Running room"?

How about "more time to bomb"?