Tide turning in the Arab world

[Violet_Crumble]

AT THE onset of the Lebanese crisis, Arab governments, starting with Saudi Arabia, slammed Hezbollah for recklessly provoking a war, providing what the US and Israel took as a wink and a nod to continue the fight.

Now, with hundreds of Lebanese dead and Hezbollah holding out against the vaunted Israeli military for 18 days, the tide of public opinion across the Arab world is surging behind the organisation, transforming the Shiite group's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, into a folk hero and forcing a change in official statements.

The Saudi royal family and King Abdullah of Jordan, who were initially more worried about the rising power of Iran, Hezbollah's main sponsor, are now scrambling to distance themselves from Washington.

An outpouring of newspaper columns, cartoons, blogs and public poetry readings have showered praise on Hezbollah while attacking the US and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for trumpeting American plans for a "new Middle East" that they say have led only to violence and repression.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/07/28/1153816381171.html

[Behind the Aegis]

1. ***crossing fingers***

Here's hoping Hizb'allah shows up in SA and Jordan!

[LynnTheDem]

2. ..

:eyes:

[Behind the Aegis]

3. But they are "humanitarians!"

Yes?

[cornermouse]

4. Right we want the war to spread.

We also want lots and lots of new Iraqs in the Mideast. :sarcasm:

Israel turned stupid like Bush and went too far. This will impact them the most and I for one am willing to let them try to live with the results of their handiwork.

[Behind the Aegis]

5. .

:rofl: and a just a little :crazy:

[snappyturtle]

10. You're not alone with your thoughts, cornermouse......

the problem is war mongers CAN live with the results of their handiwork!

[TomClash]

6. Leave it to Bush and Ohmert

to fight useless wars on the cheap.

[xchrom]

7. hopes that they could create a chasm between the sunni and shiite

world is crumbling.

it will be interesting to see where this will travel next.

[jonnyblitz]

8. yup, the number one recruiter for Hezbollah award goes to

the IDF!! GOOD JOB, IDF!!! :thumbsup: :applause: :sarcasm:

[Recursion]

9. This could be a good sign, who knows?

I'll rant for a second here. I've spent some time in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. One thing I have noticed, without fail, is that the people there have so far refused to take any responsibility for the corruption in their governments and mismanagement of their natural resources. These were all the fault of that dread beast, Former Imperialism. Djibouti's government jails dissidents? France's fault for having occupied it 100 years ago. Egypt's government suppresses opposition parties? England and Israel's fault. Saudi Arabia prevents democratic institutions from developing? The US and Israel's fault. Half of Rwanda goes crazy and slaughters the other half? Belgium's fault. The billions upon billions of dollars the West has poured into the area get spent on bribes and cronyism? The former Imperial powers' faults.

Hezbollah, Hamas, the ICU in Somalia... these organizations are on the ascendancy, and they are the sign of an opportunity which could work for good or bad. They are a sign that the people living in these countries are beginning to assert their own wills and take responsibility for their own destinies. Ultimately, Israel or Syria cannot bring peace and prosperity to Lebanon or Palestine; only the Lebanese and Palestinians can do that. The US cannot bring peace and prosperity to Somalia; only the Somalis can do that. Certainly we can aid them, but then again the money we have been cramming into Africa, at least, seems to have made a lot of the problems worse.

Now, this is not necessarily the happy "birth pangs" Condi mentioned: when a similar populist awakening happened in Europe, World War I was the result. But it is at least an opportunity. If the Palestinians and Lebanese realize that peace is in their hands to make, and not in the hands of corrupt leadership or foreign occupiers or long-gone imperialist conquerors, it is possible they will make peace.

[llew]

11. Burning it self out

For  some time I have  been  looking at CNN.  And listening to
all sides. I am internet savy (so i think) But all the info
seems to fall to favoring Isreal.  As in they did not start
this.   I will not get into the rights and wrongs  BUT like
any forest fire there comes a time that the firefighters MUST
let it burn. And for decades we have all been trying to stop
it.  I  am sure it WILL NOT grow out of control. 

At least I hope

[pizzed]

12. huh?

you can't have it both ways:
"For some time I have been looking at CNN. And listening to all sides."

Which is it? CNN or both sides?????

[breakaleg]

13. I think this is a good thing....

So far, this has been pretty one sided, in Israel's favor. The US supports Israel, and uses it's veto at the UN to make any international support useless.

I think a little pressure from Israel's neighbors may force them to realize they have to be a little more careful about Lebanon.

There is lots of talk about the threat Israel is under in the middle east. But the reality is, most of the surrounding countries want nothing to do with any war with Israel. So Israel feels secure enough to start a war on Lebanon, knowing there will be no repercussions from the rest of the middle east.

Israel needs to see Lebanon getting support and that will bring a little balance to this situation.