About this buffer zone...

[cynatnite]

Is Israel saying they're not interested in occupying Lebanon?

But how do they expect to maintain a buffer zone without an occupation?

Can someone help me out here?

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. Peace keepers

More than the UN observers who are currently on the "blue line."

[cynatnite]

3. Oh, so it'll be UN people with targets on their backs...

rather than Israeli troops.

Hezbollah and others will blow the hell out of them so they can get at Israel. Then Israel will say the U.N. is helpless...go back in and it'll start all over again.

[Erika]

7. Aggression paid for by U.S. taxpayers n/t

[k_jerome]

9. won't Hezbollah be peaceful without Israel antagonizing them? nt.

[barb162]

11. bwaha

Will Hez be peaceful whether or not Israelis breathe?

[Spazito]

2. Okay, putting aside my cynicism for a moment...

Supposedly, once the buffer zone is secured, Israel will move out and multi-national troops under the auspices of the UN will move in.

We shall see.

[Monkeyman]

5. Yep we shall see

[TomInTib]

4. It is bullshit

Israel will then adjust its ever-mercurial border to the Litani River.

Another land grab, pure and simple.

[k_jerome]

12. yeah, you got it. land grabbin zionists.

what an ignorant comment.

[TomInTib]

16. I did not intend to sound that way (land grabbin (sic) zionists)...

But I am a realist.

If the Lebanese border is moved (in whatever fashion) back to the river, who will govern that space? Not the Lebanese and certainly not the UN.

So who?

I am serious. And truly curious. I have no dog and no preference in this fight.

What do you think will transpire?

[k_jerome]

19. Israel returned the Sinai to Egypt...

for peace, they have offered to return over 95% of the occupied territories to the palestinians. At some point, this painting of Israel as an evil empire caught hold in the party that historically supported them. I am at a loss to understand it.

[Spazito]

27. It is .......coincidental.....that the southern Lebanese were told to

flee north of the Litani River:

"Across south Lebanon, families piled into cars and pickup trucks — flying white sheets they hoped would protect them from attack — and clogged roads to the north after Israeli planes dropped leaflets on Friday warning residents to flee for safety beyond the Litani River, about 20 kilometres from the border."

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1153605014558&call_pageid=968332188492

More info on why the Litani River is an important part of this:

In the Middle East, the supply of water is much less than its demand, thereby resulting in conflict over it. This is true for Israel and Lebanon, where there have been struggles, although not always armed, for the waters of the Litani River. At this point, Israel occupies southern Lebanon. Part of the Litani is located in this region. There are conflicting reports and conclusions over whether or not Israel is using the Litani. There is also a verbal struggle over which country needs the Litani more, could make best use of it, and who, therefore, should develop their use of the Litani. Although there is not an armed struggle over it now, it has been involved in armed struggles in the past (in the 1967 war, and in 1982) and it is conceivable that in the future the struggles over it may become armed.


http://www.american.edu/ted/ice/litani.htm

[TomInTib]

28. I had no idea about the struggle over the River.

So it is a land grab. And to think that I apologized for calling it that.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DELUSIONAL]

8. I do believe that this meets the definition of war crimes

but what the hell -- Israel doesn't give a damned what the UN says -- they thumb their noses at the UN. Just like their sugar daddy -- the US.

And the UN is completely impotent -- just about utterly useless -- which is what bushie, the neocons and Bolton want. Give Bolton senate approval and he will complete his task of a virtual bombing of the UN building.

[barb162]

15. whew , it's getting really hyperbolic around here these days

virtual bombing of the UN and all

[magellan]

17. Don'tcha know, the UN is only useful when it sides with us or Israel

Otherwise it's irrelevant.

:sarcasm:

[DELUSIONAL]

20. that's when bushie get to claim (lie) that he has UN approval

to invade/bomb/occupy Iraq.

Otherwise -- Bolton continues to do his thing in the UN.

I think that "Ugly American" was written too early -- NOW America is really really ugly.

Bolton is the prototypical Ugly American.

[magellan]

21. Right down to his moustache

Doesn't he look like a badly groomed sheepdog? (Apologies to sheep dogs.) Dayum he is one revolting specimen. Ugly to the bone.

They've broken everything. I've begun to hope I die young.

[k_jerome]

13. yeah, jews wish to slaughter all their neighbors. i wonder whos next? nt.

[me b zola]

25. for crying out loud

The Israeli government is not necessarily her people, and not all Israelis are Jews. When we protest against bush*s policies do you feel as though you are being attacked?

[k_jerome]

26. the statement was...

Do the Israelis want to inflict another holocaust because they once suffered one?

the charge is Israelis committing genocide in comparison with nazi Germany.

[barb162]

14. How can Hez bomb the hell out of Israel and kidnap soldiers

I guess that isn't unprovoked aggression against Israel and genocidal tactics? Does Hez want to inflict another holocaust....
ETC

[oberliner]

18. I wonder...

Does this qualify as an antisemetic comment?

"Do the Israelis want to inflict another holocaust because they once suffered one?"

[Chi-Town Exile]

22. Are you hoping it does?

[oberliner]

24. well

I guess I'm just surprised that anyone doesn't think it is.

[Ignoramus]

23. I think technically yes

I suppose it depends on the motivation for the remark. I can easily imagine being offended if I were jewish. At least it's a little tactlessly worded, in my opinion.

That brings up my whole issue about bigotry in general, though.

Here are some different types:

1. A person is repulsed by black people he sees that match an image he has of American black people acting in ways that match up with some stereotypes. He "hates" them, as in has a desire to cause them misfortune. He sees them. He has the reaction. It's an obvious clear cut case.

2. A person hates them ayrab terrists, but isn't sure if he ever has met one, he thinks maybe the guy with a turban is one. He routinely chats politely with some guy at the 7-11, who gets along with fairly well, and doesn't realize the guy is arab. The case is not so clear cut.

3. An elderly person occasionally uses the phrase "get your cotton pickin' hands off of that". She doesn't appear to be thinking about hatred for black people. Is she racist?

So, bigotry is always because of ignorance. It's not a choice. You can't decide not to be a bigot, just like you can't decide to be enlightened.

The statement of the poster here is referring to some image that the poster has of "jews". It's probably not malicious. Ultimately, I think it indicates my favorite saying that there aren't any bad people, there are just bad actions.

[barb162]

10. Let the UN maintain / watch the buffer zone

I think Israel has no interest in occupying Lebanon