Does one nation/people have more of a right to defend itself than another?

[Skip Intro]

[mzteris]

1. Nope.

One man's terrorist is another man's guerrilla is another man's patriot.....

[Robbien]

2. Depends, if it is a US taxpayer supported country

some here feel that country has the same rights as George W. Bush.

[Ron Green]

3. I believe the stronger nation has a RESPONSIBILITY to restrain itself,

just as an adult must not beat up a child if the child is acting badly. Therefore, the weaker nation, or people, should be expected, if not encouraged, to act with force until cooler diplomatic heads prevail. Israel is a bad offender in this, and of course the United States the worst of all.

[Poppyseedman]

8. Israel is restraining itself

The rockets Hezbollah are launching into Israel are easily tracked. Israel could strike their bases, but don't because it is a residential areas and the collateral damage would be large.

[Ron Green]

10. I don't call this restraint.

Restraint would be to deal with Lebanon diplomatically, despite what Hezbollah is doing. For Israel to strike back is the same as a grownup having a fistfight with a child, rather than subduing him peacefully and teaching him about reason. Israel is a nuclear power, armed to the teeth by the United States. This after having chased the Palestinians off their home turf fifty-odd years ago, with the guilt-ridden help of the US and Great Britain. There's no honor in this sorry deal at all.

[Poppyseedman]

13. With whom does Israel deal with

diplomatically, Iran or Syria or both ???

The Lebanon government does not have the power to deal with Hezbollah and control them even if Israel talks with them

As for the Jews chasing off the Palestinians off their home turf fifty-odd years ago, try reading some actual history instead of the propaganda you are believing.

[ananda]

4. yes, if it's a country..

.. that Bush's base supports, like Israel.

(tongue in cheek)

No, of course not. That's why I can understand
Iran's efforts to go nuclear.

Still...

[still_one]

5. and to think if they only not have attacked the Israelli outpost

captured the soldiers this would not have happened, and even after that, if they would have released the captured soldiers it still could have prevented escalation

[Poll_Blind]

7. Not quite. Shin Bet admitted this move had been planned for weeks when...

...Shalit had been held for less than six days. The article is about Shin Bet's vis-a-vis Olmert's attempt to use the arrested Arab MK's as hostages- it's worth reading in its entirety.

AG refuses to okay use of Hamas officials as 'bargaining chips'

The detention of Hamas parliamentarians in the early hours of Thursday morning had been planned several weeks ago and received approval from Mazuz on Wednesday. The same day, Shin Bet security service Director Yuval Diskin presented Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with the list of Hamas officials slated for detention.

  This was in the works for a while...

PB

[still_one]

12. I was thinking more about the Hezbollah action rather than Hamas

Thanks for the info

[Guaranteed]

6. I think we should have an every-country-for-itself Royal Rumble.

First, we should have a worldwide stoppage of making bombs and bullets. Then, everyone should just start invading everyone else, fire off every last ordinance, destroy as much as we can, and see what we're left with.

No nukes, though! That's cheating and unsportsmanlike.

[joemurphy]

9. If you stick your palm on my chest and give me a push,

and I respond by pulling out an Uzzi and pump you full of bullets, I think maybe I've overreacted. That's what I see happening with Israel's bombing of Lebanon.

[UTUSN]

11. Huh!!!!1 of COURSE, if it's the B.F.E.E. Nation!!!!!!!!1 n/t

[dysfunctional press]

14. obviously- the wealthier the country, the more it has to defend...

and therefore the more right it has to do so.

and the REALLY wealthy ones even have the right of pre-emptive "defense".

:sarcasm: