Lydia Cornell: ISRAEL * QUESTIONS ABOUT ZIONISM

Sunday, July 30, 2006

ISRAEL * QUESTIONS ABOUT ZIONISM

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." Thomas Jefferson.

For TROLL-FREE blogging (without the malicious opposition trolls that personally insult people who comment here) please check out my other Progressive Blog at: FREEDOM BLOG

For spiritual solutions to the world crises, and some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at THE PEACEMAKERS

Sunday Israel's air raids killed 34 civilian children and 26 civilian adults. Satellite imagery of the Haret Hreik quarter of Beirut, before and after Israeli bombing, just shows that Israel is bombing without regard or a care in the world for civilian life. They flattened entire city blocks to take out a few terrorists.

THE FIRST CRIME on OUR PART WAS our INVASION OF IRAQ. We tried to push democracy on others at the point of a gun. OTHER NATIONS THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO INVADE AND BOMB EACH OTHER TOO. Of course Hezbollah is wrong; they are terrorists. But that doesn't excuse more terrorism. ISRAEL SHOULD HANG ITS HEAD IN SHAME and if they truly love God, they will CEASE FIRE for good and really trust God this time.

And by the way Zionism may be the cause of modern anti-Semitism. Zionism is not true Judaism, as I heard a Rabbi say the other day. It is a political land-grab that may not have been the best choice for the nation of Israel. The Israelis should not be defined by land; they are a great nation with or without that piece of land. Life is more than material or geographical position.

** Obsession with land is idolatry: and the Ten Commandments say: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." Is Israel's obsession with their land getting in the way of God's true purpose for them? It seems that they can't see the forest for the trees.

Who would want to be in a arid land surrounded by enemies, when one's birthright is a spiritually powerful nation?

If they would spiritually "let go" and let God, meaning cease fighting everyone and everything, they would start a chain reaction, they would begin to find peace and a great sigh of relief. People would react differently to them. The meek shall inherit the earth. No one seems to get the spiritual significance of biblical parables and language.

This does not mean Israel must leave the land. It means "let go" metaphysically and surrender the fight. Whenever I surrender my fighting, my pent-up resentment, my whole life changes for the better.

The serenity prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

The world stops fighting you when you stop fighting it.

The best uniter of all is divine Love, for when Love is present, hatred has no choice but to be absent from the field. Let’s pray with love in our hearts for all people, no matter what side of the conflict they are on, no matter who began the fighting or who continues to provoke whom. Each one, in truth, is precious to the Creator; each one has a love-inspired role to fill, and death is no part of that inspiration. Let’s also take time to love the peoples of these nations and territories, each one striving for the peace and stability everyone longs for.

It is possible to leave conflicts of the past behind and move forward into a permanent and peaceful future. The Lord can lift the thinking and affections of everyone up to a higher place, one where Truth, Life, and Love fill their hearts—and ours—and where hatred and war will be found no more.

Every spiritual leader and every great world leader throughout history knows better than to do what Israel is doing and what George Bush is doing. Are we really going to continue to be led by people who do not remember history?

Lay down arms, both spiritually and physically, and actually use the Great Peacemaker's teachings. There's a reason Christ was born right there, in the center of all the conflict. No one will listen to him. There is no "wiggle room" in these miraculously powerful words: "Bless those who persecute you; love your enemies." Return love for hate. It's easy to love those who love you. Miracles happen when we actually stop fighting everyone and everything, regardless of who started it or how badly we've been wounded.

The most spiritual growth happens with your enemies.
There's a reason the Arabs and Israelis are next door to each other; they just don't get it yet.

Personally, no matter how safe I feel at home or in a bomb shelter (!), the mere fact that others are suffering makes me feel incomplete and sad. WE should all feel overwhelming compassion for others or we are not fully alive and human.

We must ask ourselves: is the point of our self-centered, air-conditioned, homogenized, shopping-club lives just for accumulating and hoarding all the goodies for ourselves? Are we here on earth just to cushion our fat bellies and feel artificially "safe" while the result of the world to bleeds to death?

Can you really enjoy life when you know others are suffering in the world? I can't. And no evolved, enlightened soul can. This is not freedom, to know your country has the power to lead the downtrodden sufferers to peace, but instead chooses selfishness, greed, violence and bloodshed. Do we really think this is the way to convince others of the "greatness" of our democracy. We have very screwed up values.

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/war_is_a_racket_033103.htm

124 Comments:

God bless the children. we must pray for their families, and all the civilians.

By MaxMixt, at 12:02 PM
I would encourage everyone who truly is interested in understanding the truth to watch this excellent movie:

What the War on Terror is Really About

By Freedom Fan, at 12:32 PM
The Israeli military said the airstrike was aimed at destroying Hezbollah rocket launchers nearby and that civilians were not being targeted.
-More Than 50 Killed in Israeli Air Strike

Does hezbollah share any blame for having rocket launchers near civilians?

Would those be the same rocket launchers which almost always intentionally target Israeli civilians?

By Freedom Fan, at 12:47 PM
Watch the fooles propoganda video if you want to see how the truth is spun to support bigots and their HATE

By clif, at 12:51 PM
Clif,

What happened to that pinhead Mike?

By **********, at 12:53 PM
BTW foole If Israel claims they are after the rockets, why are they systematically destroying the infrastructrure of the country...why did they have to bomb the fuel tanks at the Beruit airport and create the largest ecological disaster in the region since Saddam blew the oil terminal and exploded the oil wells....they had NO military reason to bloew the fuel tanks..which could not refuel planes because they had already destroyed a civilian airport,

By clif, at 12:54 PM
dippy what you want him for...keep the fantasy foole from hurting you after he was railing about you last night?

By clif, at 12:56 PM
Because we know the foole is GUTLESS, so you really don't habve much to worry about from his pathetic ramblings

By clif, at 12:56 PM
Clif,

Why on Earth would anyone rail against ME?

By **********, at 12:58 PM
Deadly Israeli Airstrike Sparks Fury

QANA, Lebanon -- Israeli missiles crushed several buildings where Lebanese villagers were sleeping Sunday, killing at least 56 people, more than half of them children, in the deadliest attack of the campaign against Hezbollah.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice decided to return early to Washington with her diplomatic mission derailed after Lebanese leaders told her not to come.

• Day 15 of the conflict
• Rice in the Mideast
• Lebanese caught in fighting
• Rockets hit Haifa
• Troops move; chaos grows
• Israeli air raid
• Leaving Lebanon
• Toll climbs in Mideast

Beirut neighborhood in ruins
July 28, 2006

Journalist Hurt When Lebanon Convoy Hit
July 28, 2006

Red Cross Asks for $81 Million for Lebanon
July 28, 2006

Iran: Hezbollah Got No Military Support
July 28, 2006

Blair to Seek U.N. Resolution on Mideast
July 28, 2006

Hezbollah Chief's Town Proud of Native Son
July 28, 2006

5 Muslim Nations Call for End to Fighting
July 28, 2006

Rice's Mission Marred by Israeli Attack
July 30, 2006

Israel Begins to Mobilize Reservists
July 28, 2006

Lebanon's prime minister said his country would not talk to the Americans about anything but an unconditional cease-fire. Rice, in Jerusalem for talks with Israeli officials, said she was "deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life" but stopped short of calling for an immediate end to the hostilities, saying: "We want a cease-fire as soon as possible."

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed "great sorrow" for the airstrikes but blamed Hezbollah guerrillas for using the area to launch rockets at Israel. Before news of the strike emerged, Olmert told Rice that Israel likely would fight on for another 10-14 days.

Later, Olmert and Rice discussed the conditions for a cease-fire, including the proposed deployment of an international force there, an official said on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

The United States has resisted world pressure to call for a halt to the fighting, saying it wants first to ensure a deal is in place that will eliminate Hezbollah guerrillas from Israel's border and bring an international force to southern Lebanon.

By bartman, at 1:08 PM
A better title might have been:

HEZBOLLAH: STOP HIDING BEHIND CHILDREN AND CIVILIANS

Hell why stop there? Maybe ALL these peace loving "freedom fighters" should stop using innocent women and children as shields.

By Voltron, at 1:13 PM
NewsCensor AlertCongress considers controls for cable TV and the Internet

Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 12:00 am
Just as a TIME magazine poll out this week shows Americans want more TV censorship, a brace of Republican initiatives threatens to extend federal control of what you can see and hear and read to both cable TV and the Internet.

Hollywood better wake up. Remember the Hays Office, which imposed family-values censorship on the movies in the 1920s — a ham-fisted squelching of “indecency” that cramped and crippled scriptwriters and moviemakers for decades thereafter? Well, what one of the most powerful Republicans in the U.S. Senate is now talking about sounds very much like the same thing, except now it’s about cable TV and the Net.

The latest assault on cable TV’s creative freedom comes from octogenarian Republican Senator Ted Stevens, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Stevens and his committee are considering a censorious House-passed “indecency” bill regulating radio and TV broadcasters — legislation cooked up in the wake of the furor over Janet Jackson’s boob flash during the Super Bowl. And now, the weighty senator wants to extend its provisions — including a draconian new government-imposed ratings system. With an ironclad Republican Senate majority, Stevens usually gets what he wants.

The effect on cable-TV programming would be enormous. The Republican-controlled FCC has, in the Bush years, already been heavy-handed in targeting what it deems broadcast speech too impure for you to hear. Its rulings go way beyond the traditional “Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV” made famous by George Carlin’s uproarious comic riff. That’s why Howard Stern — after getting a $495,000 spanking from the FCC — chose to exile himself from broadcast radio to his upcoming new home on Sirius Satellite Radio. But if Stevens has his way, Howard will be subjected anew to the same censorship on the Net. And so will cable.

From the ACLU to libertarian conservatives, predictions of what the Stevens proposals mean are dire. “I think Stevens is probably laying the groundwork for another assault on speech online,” Adam Thierer, a senior fellow at the libertarian, free-market Progress & Freedom Foundation, told CNET, the online magazine about the Internet. “He’s obviously pointing the way to other members of Congress, saying that if they want to control the media, they have to start at cable and satellite first, and then target the Internet . . . This foreshadows the coming debate we’ll have over IP-enabled services in the video space

By bartman, at 1:16 PM
Clif, Mike, Lydia, et. al., what part of the following do you disagree with: "Let those who say that we must understand the reasons for terrorism come with me to the thousands of funerals we are having in New York City and explain those insane, maniacal reasons to the children who will grow up without fathers and mothers, to the parents who have had their children ripped from them for no reason at all.

"Instead, I ask each of you to allow me to say at those funerals that your nation stands with America in making a solemn promise and pledge that we will achieve unconditional victory over terrorism and terrorists.

"There is no excuse for mass murder, just as there is no excuse for genocide. Those who practice terrorism - murdering or victimizing innocent civilians - lose any right to have their cause understood by decent people and lawful nations."

--Rudy Giulian

By TalllTexan, at 1:20 PM
Why on Earth would anyone rail against ME?
-"clippy"

cliffy likes to pretend that when I call him "clippy" I'm really talking about you, o frivolous imposter.

Similarly cliffy likes to pretend that when his opponents use transparent sarcasm, that he's got "proof" that they are really advocating something laughably outrageous.

He likes to pretend that hurling disgusting epithets, like "bigot" in a baseless ad hominem, will deflect attention from the fact that he had his ass handed to him in a debate.

cliffy also likes to pretend that other folks are "gutless" although he himself is too big of a sniveling coward to face obvious facts which would utterly devastate his lib religion which must carefully cultivated to blame Israel, Christians, Dubya and the West for all the evils of the world.

Yes cliffy likes to pretend that it is his opponents, not he who live in a "fantasy" world. All may witness the "Reality-Based" Community led by cliffy.

Cliffy has few original ideas of his own, has an embarrassing lack of spelling skill, and has comments full of typos and goofy sentence construction. This is why he must rely heavily on the words of other marxist authors, to clutter this site with massive cut-and-paste spam.

Just go look at the other thread and see how unhinged he became when this fact became apparent to everyone.

Clif is a pathetically laughable self-important joke.

By Freedom Fan, at 1:38 PM
cliffy likes to pretend that when I call him "clippy" I'm really talking about you, o frivolous imposter.

Well since you "created..clippy, I was guessing your post was directed at the poster who goes by the moniker clippy, wouldn't that make sense...you using the same word as a poster here uses...even if it is you foole....

Similarly cliffy likes to pretend that when his opponents use transparent sarcasm, that he's got "proof" that they are really advocating something laughably outrageous.

Transparent to you..others who have been in bvattle with Muslims might not think so...but you do claim the reichwingnut right to change the meanings when it doesn't look good for you...

you mean he was using satire when he said this;

When will the political left figure out the difference between Israel and the Muslims? Notice I don't say "Muslim extremists." That's because the "extremists" have the moral and financial support of Muslims everywhere, and because the Islam we call "moderate" is more intolerant than the Klan.

The left excoriates Israel constantly for its "brutality," complaining that Israel kills civilians. Yes, Israel kills civilians. So does every country that engages in military action. Like all civilized (i.e. "non-Muslim") nations, and to a greater degree than most, Israel strives to avoid civilian casualties, but they still happen. As a result of Muslim provocation, of course. No one bothers to point that out.

Muslims, on the other hand, target civilians deliberately. The USUAL goal of armed Muslims is to kill civilians. Partly because they're barbarians, and partly because they generally lack the guts to take on soldiers.

He likes to pretend that hurling disgusting epithets, like "bigot" in a baseless ad hominem, will deflect attention from the fact that he had his ass handed to him in a debate.

Right name ONE debate you did..

and a bigot is defined as;

: a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

which fits your bloviated post about muslims, and tthe website you continously link to,

your stuck on your opinions which you think have no equal, and blindly attack those you disagree with, thus your exibit the hallmarks of a bigot, and hense;

if it talks like a bigot, and posts other bigoted opinions it must want to be thought of as a bigot

cliffy also likes to pretend that other folks are "gutless" although he himself is too big of a sniveling coward to face obvious facts which would utterly devastate his lib religion which must carefully cultivated to blame Israel, Christians, Dubya and the West for all the evils of the world.

Yes cliffy likes to pretend that it is his opponents, not he who live in a "fantasy" world. All may witness the "Reality-Based" Community led by cliffy.

Your the one who uses a cartoon caracter like mname..and fantasy based moniker...and attacks everyone your disagree with with vile but basically untrue(ie fantasy based ) attacks

Cliffy has few original ideas of his own,

Untrue but since you seem unable to debate the actual points I raise...it wqould seem to you this way

has an embarrassing lack of spelling skill,

You got me there son...a C speller, but I was interested in math history and the sciences, and placed my time learning them instead, also philosophy and political history in college...english not so much..spelling is not one of my strong points,

but you would rather have correct punctuation than correct ideas.....

and has comments full of typos and goofy sentence construction.

stated and answered..thus your running out of ideas to slander me by but trying to extend the post to make it seem more credible

This is why he must rely heavily on the words of other marxist authors,

Funny son the only person I have quoted who claims any afinity of Marxism was Noam Chomsky...the rest do not...but you do not care about what others say, because just as coulterguist..your slanderous lies are proclaimed as truth so it must be because you claimed it so ...because you said it was...and those who do not agree with your are not listening to you clearly enough...

to clutter this site with massive cut-and-paste spam.

Spam is unwanted unsolicited

Lydia not only has not asked me not to post news stories , but infact has reposted some of it herself,

AND since it is HER blog, your claims of spam are basically your pathetic attempt to upsurp her right to run the blog...if you do not like how she runs this site...go to Tiny inTellect's site, and have yourselves a reichwingnut circle jerk

Just go look at the other thread and see how unhinged he became when this fact became apparent to everyone.

No facts became apparant...I was simply exrtending the claim of a bogus moron you exemplify..but have not the intellectuasl capability to see it was basically a slap in the face of the troops who are engaged with the MUSLIMS militants of Iraq and Afghanistan in battle, where they are taking very real casualities....not the fantasy ones your bigoted websited claim for their side while they deride and critisize the casualities of the muslims...

Clif is a pathetically laughable self-important joke.

One FOOLES opinion and considering the source...it is a back handed compliment which shows ME that you really know you have not WON anything and do feel intimidated...but are too gutless to admit it.....

By clif, at 2:24 PM
He enlightened me about many things: he said that every Israeli soldier is indoctrinated — practically brainwashed — on the importance of saving civilian lives, and going out of their way to NEVER hit civilians. This is drilled into them from the beginning of their training. This is of the utmost importance and they go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties. For example, regarding yesterdays attack on the Mosque: they used close-range satellite technology to see inside the Mosque, and saw that bombs were being stored there. They first dropped leaflets announcing to all civilians to get out of harms way. Only then, did they attack.
-Lydia Cornell

Israel: Stop Killing Children and Civilians
-Lydia Cornell

I admit being a bit confused. Will the real Lydia Cornell please stand up? Ms. Cornell do you really think the Israelis intentionally targeted these unfortunate civilians? Do the terrorists share any blame? Did you know that:

"Most of the people had died from suffocation from dirt and smoke when they could not get out, rescue workers said."

Did you also know that:

The attack on the structure in the Qana village took place between midnight and one in the morning...the [civilian] structure was not being attacked when it collapsed, at around 8:00 in the morning.
IDF: Qana building fell hours after strike

That's right, the civilian structure collapsed at least 7 hours after the careful Israeli targeting of rocket launchers approximately 400 meters away!

Most importantly, why are leftists so quick to indict our friends the Israelis yet almost never utter a word when our enemies intentionally kill innocents?

By Freedom Fan, at 2:29 PM
Hello girls.

By Rusty Shackelford, at 2:49 PM
I see FF is taking it to pastie boy again.Clif,why do you always bring a knife to a gun fight?

By Rusty Shackelford, at 2:51 PM
fantasy foole said;

cliffy also likes to pretend that other folks are "gutless"

Only those who exhibit the signs...if the shoe fits.....

although he himself is too big of a sniveling coward to face

obvious facts

Which are being propogated by "Honest Reporting" which is a pro-Israeli propoganda outfit, and they admit that on their website, which is where you should honestly link to not to google where you can "hide" the true identity of those you are spreding propoganda for. If someone told me to watch a video and I found it to be a pro Osama group that made it...I would not watch it either...proipoganda bt it's very nature IS NOT THE TRUTH...but an opinionated version slanted to give one side a good showing, and the other a bad showing...thus slant the debate against the side the propogandist are against,

Goebbels did this with chilling effects, and Bush-Cheney did the same as they hinted Iraq was implicite with Osama in 9-11...even thiough there was NO truth to their claims, see FOOLE your so riled up with HATE, you are just as deluded about the truth that Jesus would report, as the Muslims are, when they claim all americans are guilty of wanting to kill Muslims.

And the real truth is what Jesus will report to GOD on the day of judgement....spin all you want...but he is not going to report it as you claim it is,

which would utterly devastate his lib religion

good propoganda technique, make an assertation which is not true, but close enough to what some WANT to believe, that they will accept it with no realk verifiable facts...

in other words make up a fantasy story where you can claim facts that do not exist

which must carefully cultivated

If you mean by checking for factual accuracy..and not accepting propoganda, which is not factual but very slanted to attempt to distort the facts

to blame Israel,

I only blame Israel for the over bearing unnecessary way they prosecute their defense, which has been counter productive in the past, If they had not gone after the PLO in Lebanon in 1978 and 1982, their would be no Hezbollah, which was formed in direct response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, and they have Never been able to defeat the insurgent palestinians, or Hezbollah, because the history of the world in modern times a vastly superior military has not defeated an insurgency, whether it was the US in Vietnam, the Soviets in Afghanistan, Iran 1979, Chile 1988, Soputh Africa 1994, Phillipines 1986, Hungary 1989, East Germany 1989, and Czechoslovakia 1989, Baltic States in 1991, The Soviet Union 1992, amnd many other places..

It is simple...if your are fighting almost the entire populace ..you technological superiority is not enough..unless you are willing to go as far as the American military did in the west in the second half of the 19th century, where you kill or capture every enemy fighter..and place those you capture are placed in controled camps or reservations,

otherwise you probably will not kill the insurgents as fast as you create them

Christians,

Only those who deny the words of Christ in word and deed

Dubya

for his incompetent actions in office including;

Iraq..

Afghanistan..

Katrina..

FEMA..

Border security..

The Daubai ports deal..

G-8 sumit..

Funding for No Child Left Behind..

Funding for the VA..

The Medicare Part D mess..

Homeland insecurity..

and a host of other blunders

and the West

Funny son you all are the ones vilifing France and NATO partners, I do question Tony Blairs motives...and his total ignoring the wishes of the majority of the British populace, and I have not attacked Canada or Japan..so what west are you speaking about?

California?

for all the evils of the world.

Not all just the ones they created...or aided to fester..instead of actually trying to actually solve problems. Instead of attempting to take advantage of bad conditions for their benifit.

By clif, at 2:53 PM
I see FF is taking it to pastie boy again.Clif,why do you always bring a knife to a gun fight?
-Rusty

Little cliffy stumbled into a battle of wits fearsomely brandishing a sharpened popsicle stick.

So far, he has only managed to jab himself in the eye.

By Freedom Fan, at 3:47 PM
Note my sarcasm with a touch of anger in the following question to the braindead neocon trolls:

So, has killing children in the Middle East made the whole world safer yet or is the plan to kill all children on the planet so there will not be future generations really the plan to make us safer?

Well, which is it?!!!

By KayInMaine, at 3:53 PM
I was reading the comments on the last thread and I have to say, I miss Worfeus too! I loved the sarcasm and humor and I was only on the blog for two days when the neocon trolls blocked him from posting. I miss him!

By KayInMaine, at 3:54 PM
Remember when I stated a few days ago that the first report I heard was that Israel had crossed over into Lebanon and it was at that moment that Hezbollah started firing on the Israeli soldiers and two of the soldiers were captured by Hezbollah.....and none of you trolls believed a word I was saying? Well, I wasn't the only one on the planet that heard THAT ORIGINAL VERSION OF EVENTS! This was the story for two hours and even Europeans had this version too. Well, lo and behold, that version changed after two hours and then it was changed to put Israel in a "good light"! Here's an article that lays it out:

http://www.guerrillanews.com/articles/2445/Kidnapped_in_Israel_or_Captured_in_Lebanon

By KayInMaine, at 3:59 PM
Kay, nobody blocked him from doing anything. If you recall, he posted here to say that he was fed up or whatever, but he was able to post. His choice. Not ours.

By TalllTexan, at 4:00 PM
Here's the article:

Kidnapped in Israel or Captured in Lebanon?

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 06:39:11 -0700 Israelis with captured flags
By Joshua Frank

Official justification for Israel's invasion on thin ice
As Lebanon continues to be pounded by Israeli bombs and munitions, the justification for Israel’s invasion is treading on very thin ice. It has become general knowledge that it was Hezbollah guerillas that first kidnapped two IDF soldiers inside Israel on July 12, prompting an immediate and violent response from the Israeli government, which insists it is acting in the interest of national defense. Israeli forces have gone on to kill over 370 innocent Lebanese civilians (compared to 34 killed on Israel’s side) while displacing hundreds of thousands more. But numerous reports from international and independent media, as well as the Associated Press, raise questions about Israel’s official version of the events that sparked the conflict two weeks ago.

The original story, as most media tell it, goes something like this: Hezbollah attacked an Israeli border patrol station, killing six and taking two soldiers hostage. The incident happened on the Lebanese/Israel border in Israeli territory. The alternate version, as explained by several news outlets, tells a bit of a different tale: These sources contend that Israel sent a commando force into southern Lebanon and was subsequently attacked by Hezbollah near the village of Aitaa al-Chaab, well inside Lebanon’s southern territory. It was at this point that an Israel tank was struck by Hezbollah fighters, which resulted in the capture of two Israeli soldiers and the death of six.

As the AFP reported, “According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aitaa al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning.” And the French news site VoltaireNet.org reiterated the same account on June 18, “In a deliberated way, [Israel] sent a commando in the Lebanese back-country to Aitaa al-Chaab. It was attacked by Hezbollah, taking two prisoners.”

The Associated Press departed from the official version as well. “The militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes Wednesday across the border in southern Lebanon, prompting a swift reaction from Israel, which sent ground forces into its neighbor to look for them,” reported Joseph Panossian for AP on July 12. “The forces were trying to keep the soldiers’ captors from moving them deeper into Lebanon, Israeli government officials said on condition of anonymity.”

And the Hindustan Times on July 12 conveyed a similar account:

“The Lebanese Shi’ite Hezbollah movement announced on Wednesday that its guerrillas have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. ‘Implementing our promise to free Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, our strugglers have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon,’ a statement by Hezbollah said. ‘The two soldiers have already been moved to a safe place,’ it added. The Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were captured as they ‘infiltrated’ into the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border.”

Whether factual or not, these alternative accounts should at the very least raise serious questions as to Israel’s motives and rationale for bombarding Lebanon.

MSNBC online first reported that Hezbollah had captured Israeli soldiers “inside” Lebanon, only to change their story hours later after the Israeli government gave an official statement to the contrary.

A report from The National Council of Arab Americans, based in Lebanon, also raised suspicion that Israel’s official story did not hold water and noted that Israel had yet to recover the tank that was demolished during the initial attack in question.

“The Israelis so far have not been able to enter Aitaa al-Chaab to recover the tank that was exploded by Hezbollah and the bodies of the soldiers that were killed in the original operation (this is a main indication that the operation did take place on Lebanese soil, not that in my opinion it would ever be an illegitimate operation, but still the media has been saying that it was inside ‘Israel’ thus an aggression first started by Hezbollah).”

Before independent observers could organize an investigation of the incident, Israel had already mounted a grisly offensive against Lebanese infrastructure and civilians, bombing Beirut’s international airport, along with numerous highways and communication portals. Israel didn’t need the truth of the matter to play out before it invaded Lebanon. As with the United States’ illegitimate invasion of Iraq, Israel just needed the proper media cover to wage a war with no genuine moral impetus.

GNN contributor Joshua Frank is the author of Left Out!: How Liberals Helped Reelect George W. Bush, just published by Common Courage Press. You can order a copy at a discounted through Josh’s blog at www.brickburner.org.

By KayInMaine, at 4:01 PM
Oh okay, Tallltexan, I guess I missed that post! Nonetheless, I miss his wit.

By KayInMaine, at 4:02 PM
Fantasy foole is delusional if he thinks his proper spelling is what is winning...he probably was one of those students with a pocket protector, four pen olors, and set right up front, trying to get the teachers attention and thinking an A in spelling canceled out the D for content

By clif, at 4:02 PM
Can one of you trolls please explain why Bush is telling the UN to help in stopping the violence and bombings on the Lebanese/Israel border while sending tons of bombs to Israel still? And why is it that Condi plays the piano to ignore the situation over there and can't seem to say the word "ceasefire" without throwing her head back in laughter?

YOUR PRESIDENT AND HIS CABAL SEEM VERY CONFUSED AT THE MOMENT.

Do they know what they're doing or are they have fun with other people's safety like they do to us here in America?

By KayInMaine, at 4:05 PM
LOL Clif, yeah, and I bet he also wore ugly plaid pants and couldn't get a date even if he paid for one like republican Norm Coleman's dad just did!

By KayInMaine, at 4:06 PM
The Foole claims to be winning but he has yet to actually DEBATE my points...instead of posting juvenile slanderous attacks, and childish links to images that have no real basis in fact to the debate...

good thing he stayed in the Reserve if that is his full ability

By clif, at 4:07 PM
[blah, blah] ...If someone told me to watch a video and I found it to be a pro Osama group that made it...I would not watch it either...proipoganda bt it's very nature IS NOT THE TRUTH...but an opinionated version slanted to give one side a good showing ... [blah, blah]
-cliffy

Clif just suppose, for the sake of argument, it is the truth. Wouldn't you want to know it?

On the other hand, what if it is propaganda -- wouldn't you want to watch it so you could counter it with truth and skewer the scoundrels who were spreading the lies?

No, you refuse to even look at the movie about the War on Terrorism, because you are really not interested in truth; you are interested in carefully nurturing your sick liberal world view.

You refuse to acknowledge the videos of thousands of brainwashed people shouting "Death to America" during their "prayer" sessions every Friday.

You refuse to acknowledge that an entire group of savage people are religiously teaching their children to hate Jews, America, and all westerners.

You refuse to watch the thousands of kids from the moment they can talk learning to hate Jews and America. You refuse to watch the thousands of kids in uniform trained to become human bombs and giving the fascist "sig heil" salute.

You refuse to acknowledge the barrage of blood libel, on al jazzera and other broadcasts targeted at children during Ramadan, which shows evil Jews slitting little childrens' throats to make matzo balls.

You refuse to acknowledge that the Grand Mufti, Haj Muhammed Amin al-Husseini of Jerusalem was in league with hitler and had documented advance knowledge of hitler's plans to exterminate all the Jews in the world.

You refuse to acknowledge that most Palestinians support terrorism and will quickly kill any of their fellow Muslims who call for peace.

You refuse to acknowledge the thousands of acts of terrorism around the world perpetrated in the name of Allah.

As a politically correct lib, you prefer to just smear your opponents and their sources with lies then cover your ears and eyes and run out of the room like a coward.

You refuse to see that we are on the verge of WWIII and you are mentally and morally AWOL.

By Freedom Fan, at 4:12 PM
Clif, if the trolls were winning, their Fuehrer's poll numbers would be sky high! But they're not. Americans are fed up with Bush and his supporters and even staunch republicans are bolting away from these creeps!

I have a cleaning business and have so for 12 years now. I have a customer who is the daughter of Walter C.J. Curley. He was the US Ambassador to Ireland under Bush Sr. I asked his daughter one day (she grew up in New York but her family has a long history in Ireland and they own a castle there! I'm not kidding!) what her father thought of Georgie and she said that her father can't stand him! She said if George W. were to call him and ask for help fundraising, her father would hang up the phone! He despises what Bush is doing and he is part of a large group of republicans who also see Bush as an abomination to what America is all about.

So, I wouldn't worry about what the trolls are thinking, doing, and saying. No one is listening to them except for Ann Coulter. She loves what they say and she repeats back every day to those in the nation that want to listen to her! That's why she is despised. She speaks for the slime of our country.

By KayInMaine, at 4:18 PM
I often hear the neocon trolls in our country chanting, "Death to the Muslims!". Isn't that same thing? Aren't these same people who are saying this have the same mindset as the terrorists? Just checking...

By KayInMaine, at 4:20 PM
As liberals, we smear anyone who is on the side of dropping bombs on innocent people to kill the terrorists!

Here is the Bush, Blair, and Israel policy of dealing with the terrorists:

IF THERE ARE 80,000 PEOPLE ATTENDING A FOOTBALL GAME AND THERE IS A KNOWN TERRORIST AMONG THE FANS, THE ABOVE CRIMINALS FIND NO PROBLEM IN DROPPING A BOMB ON THE STADIUM TO KILL EVERYONE...BECAUSE ONE TERRORIST WAS KILLED!

Yup, there it is. There's their policy. The End.

By KayInMaine, at 4:23 PM
You refuse to acknowledge the thousands of acts of terrorism around the world perpetrated in the name of Allah.

Did you know that there are more murders in our nation alone than all murders across the planet? We have the most violent nation on the planet! Terrorism isn't just putting a suicide belt around your waste and blowing people up as they eat a cafe. Oh no, terrorism comes in many forms. Child physical & sexual abuse, abuse against women, the murdering of both, and of course we can't forget about our Catholic priests in our country who do all of the above!

One thing is for sure, however. Since George "Wiretap" Bush invaded and occupied Iraq, terrorism of the bomb strapping kind has escalated! Isn't that great? We have a leader whose 'war on terror' has created more terror than the world knows what to do with!

Had Bush and Rummy had a plan for peace in Iraq after we demolished the infrastructure, we might be looking at a different Middle East today! But nope, the demolished everything and then sent our soldiers to protect American corporations over there. Shameful.

By KayInMaine, at 4:29 PM
Kay, why does Israel mourn and apologize for the loss of innocent life while Hezbollah deems the loss of innocent Israeli life a victory?

By TalllTexan, at 4:37 PM
Why did the civilians in Qana die in a building that collapsed more than 7 hours after the rocket launchers, 400 meters away, were destroyed?

Let's make this a multiple choice question so even you libs can play:

a) The premise is wrong, the building collapsed immediately and the Israelis are lying, even though there was a video made of the precision missle attack and there were many witnesses to an event that occurred during daylight hours.

b) The building was weakened by the attack and collapsed, in which case the Israelis are culpable of accidentally killing civilians who were unaware that they were in a building with a foundation which had become compromised.

c) The terrorists set off explosives in order to kill civilians and blame it on Israelis.

d) Don't confuse me with the facts, I hate Israel just as I hate any friend of America; the enemy of my friend is my friend because I'm a twisted liberal.

e) It doesn't matter who started it; violence is never the answer. The Israelis should have let the terrorists shoot missles into their cities incinerating innocent Israeli civilians. Besides anyone who encourages Israel to defend herself is a "chicken-hawk" as opposed to a brave liberal who sits safely in his armchair and sagely advises tiny Israel to take the high road while she is being destroyed by bloodthirsty barbarians.

Yeah dkb you twisted sister, I'll let our readers decide who among us is "shameful".

By Freedom Fan, at 4:38 PM
I often hear the neocon trolls in our country chanting, "Death to the Muslims!". Isn't that same thing? Aren't these same people who are saying this have the same mindset as the terrorists? Just checking...
-dkb

Please provide a link showing where neocons have chanted "Death to Muslims", or kindly admit that you are guilty of yet another sick anal extraction.

By Freedom Fan, at 4:41 PM
...and of course we can't forget about our Catholic priests in our country who do all of the above!
-dkb

Why do you sick wiccans always pick on Christians? Children are molested by their lib teachers at a rate approximating an order of magnitude more frequently than Catholic priests. Just checking.

By Freedom Fan, at 4:45 PM
Clif just suppose, for the sake of argument, it is the truth.

You'd love to believe that....

Wouldn't you want to know it?

Given the extent that who ever went to by puting the video on Google with out proper authetication is reason enough they are trying to HIDE their fingerprints...a good sign it is propoganda, If they were just reporting the "facts" they would want to acknowledge their reporting..thus strengthen their basis as honest brokers of fact, not hidden pervayerd of slanted propoganda,

On the other hand, what if it is propaganda -- wouldn't you want to watch it so you could counter it with truth and skewer the scoundrels who were spreading the lies?

Not any more than I would sped the time to debunk the videos of Osama..Al Zarquai, I have better thing to spend MY time doing son...

You refuse to acknowledge the videos of thousands of brainwashed people shouting "Death to America" during their "prayer" sessions every Friday.

No son I know they d that...but I also acknowledge they have Suffered from American intervention in the region since WW2, which means most all their lives..and we claim the right to do it becaiuse we are stronger militarily..whcih means we claim the right of might...and they have found a way to fight back...which drives you repug neo-cons crazy...because your powerless to stop them,

I would prefer we actually followed the treaties we signed...and treated countries and their peoples as we want them to treat us...starting back when we were overthrowing their leaders to emplace ones who would put our interests ahead of the peoples they claimed the right to rule

And when the people arose because of because of our..and Britions interferance in the region...we cry FOUL....ironic isn't it?

You refuse to acknowledge that an entire group of savage people are religiously teaching their children to hate Jews, America, and all westerners.

Not really son but with the past 75 years the western powers have meddled in the affairs of the region, with British and US staged coups, CIA backed, secret police that made Saddam's seem mellow..Iran's savak for example...the wars the west fought directally or by proxy could lead people who live there we do not have their best interests at heart...and if the situation were reversed..americans woudl do almost the same thing

You refuse to watch the thousands of kids from the moment they can talk learning to hate Jews and America. You refuse to watch the thousands of kids in uniform trained to become human bombs and giving the fascist "sig heil" salute.

Yes because the authors of the video do not give an accurate account of the British meddling..and the western support of Israel which allowed the Israeli's to MOVE in and basically do to the Palestinians the same we did to the American Indians..approiate their homes..and property....like I said son they are spewinmg ONE sided propoganda...which is what you seek to reinforce your bigoted views...

You refuse to acknowledge the barrage of blood libel, on al jazzera and other broadcasts targeted at children during Ramadan, which shows evil Jews slitting little childrens' throats to make matzo balls.

How about how faux and the AIPAC cabal spew false hoods about Iraq to cause what happened their...and what about the Israeli's treatment of those who lived there BEFORE the movement of the Jewish people back to palestine after theuy were absent for 1800 years, they had kind of lost the title to the estate

You refuse to acknowledge that the Grand Mufti, Haj Muhammed Amin al-Husseini of Jerusalem was in league with hitler and had documented advance knowledge of hitler's plans to exterminate all the Jews in the world.

Well blame the british for HIM...

In 1921, the British military administration of Palestine was replaced by a civilian one, as a mandate under the League of Nations. Following the death of his brother Kamil, the former Mufti, the British High Commissioner Herbert Samuel decided to pardon Amin al-Husayni and appoint him Mufti of Jerusalem, a position that had been held by the al-Husayni clan for more than a century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_al-Husayni

and;

William Ziff, in his book "The Rape of Palestine," summarizes:

* Implicated in the [1920] disturbances was a political adventurer named Haj Amin al Husseini. Haj Amin, was sentenced by a British court to fifteen years hard labor. Conveniently allowed to escape by the police, he was a fugitive in Syria. Shortly after, the British then allowed him to return to Palestine where, despite the opposition of the muslim High Council who regarded him as a hoodlum, Haj Amin was appointed by the British High Commissioner as Grand Mufti of Jerusalem for life.

http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_mandate_grand_mufti.php

And here;

Hajj Amin fled to Arab controlled –Syria but was sentenced in his absence of ten years imprisonment on a charge of incitement to violence. A year later, however, in Aprile 1921, he was amnestied by the High Commissioner, Sir Herbert Samuel and allowed to return to Jerusalem. An implicit bargain was reached between Sir Herbert Samuel and Hajj Amin. In return for the latter’s promise to see to it that no trouble took place at future Nebi Musa celebrations, Samuel arranged his appointment as Grand Mufti of Jerusalem

http://www.jerusalemites.org/leaders/Amin_Al_Husseini.htm

See son it was british meddling that gave taht person his position of power.......

You refuse to acknowledge that most Palestinians support terrorism and will quickly kill any of their fellow Muslims who call for peace.

Not at all ...actually I have not refused to acknowledge anything I just do not want to watch a propoganda video which is designed to enflame passions you are exhibiting here in yuor posts..because IT leaves far too much out, the video shows what they want to show...palestinians acting in a fasion which would allow somebody like you to claim they are totally justiofied in anything they do...but not actually see waht the palestinians have been subjected to to bring them to that point,

It is the same technique the neo-cons use against IRAN ignoring the CIA sponsered coup of 1954..but decrying the revolution that finally overturned that coup

You refuse to acknowledge the thousands of acts of terrorism around the world perpetrated in the name of Allah.

Not at all son...I am the one who said we should have FINISHED the war against Osama..and the Taliban instead of creating a false premise to go to war in Iraq, which has actually emboldened..the terrorists, given them a much larger and better training area against an actual enemy where they can develope their tactics..and perfect them...and recruit and train thousands of new jihadists, which they use in their battles against the west

As a politically correct lib, you prefer to just smear your opponents and their sources with lies then cover your ears and eyes and run out of the room like a coward.

Hardly I have been here debating the question of propoganda and what is wrong with accepting it as truth....but to you if I do not follow your Bigoted lead..well

You refuse to see that we are on the verge of WWIII and you are mentally and morally AWOL.

Not at all son...

I am the one who said the war in Iraq diverted way too much from thge war against the real terrorists...but your repugs claimed we had to fight them there...well after a year th terrorists got their act together and by the summer of 2004...you know a year after they supposedly had accomplished the mission, they had created a new front which did not exist in the actual war on terror....and they have squandered lives...money...military weapons and ammo..in a fight that has made us less safe...zapped the military ...taken many options off the table..like how we could respond to the current situation and how we could respond to the Taliban in Afghanistan instead of having to turn it over to NATO

By clif, at 4:58 PM
Well tony blair has called for a 48 hour cease fire..and Israel basically has agreed Israel suspends aerial attacks...after the bombing of the building..so you multiple choice fooles test is not necessary because if a cease fire actually occurs, maybe everybody can take a deep breath and admit the fighting hasn't gotten any body anywhere but dead, wounded and homeless...and they can try something that actually might work..like actually talking and resolving their differences..with out trying to kill each other which HAS not worked so far..and looks like it will not work very well in the future,

By clif, at 5:09 PM
fantasy foole said;

Children are molested by their lib teachers at a rate approximating an order of magnitude more frequently than Catholic priests. Just checking.

Got a link with real statistics to verify, or is this another sarcastic comment..which you are slimimg teachers, but not really you will claim

By clif, at 5:11 PM
And Chris Matthews take aout why Bush was soo wrong to go after Iraq with bogus made up reasons, which probably will lead to worse than he stopped..and weakened our hand in the war on terra;

Matthews: Two years ago, King Abdullah of Jordan warned me of what was coming in the Mideast. His prediction was dead on. He spoke of his fears and what the United States was doing in Iraq, toppling one government, electing another, was creating what he called a Shi’a crescent, from Tehran through Baghdad to Beirut that threatened to dominate the Arab world, challenging modern Sunni governments in Egypt and Saudi Arabia and others with an axis of Shi’a power based in Iran.

When I look at the map today, that Shi’a crescent the King foretold has come to light. It is hard for us westerners to understand the internal politics of another region when we can’t predict whether the Democrats will take Congress from the Republicans three months from now. How could we see the Shi’a grabbing the high ground from the Sunni in the Mideast three years ago? That’s what happened. We converted Iraq from a country which has fought revolutionary Iran for eight years to a bloody standstill to a Shi-a-dominated ally of Iran and created a boulevard of common religion and common regional politics.

Did you hear the new Iraqi leader take sides with Hezbollah in a struggle with Israel? This is the emerging threat, not just to the moderate Sunni countries including Egypt and Jordan, who formed and honored treaties to Israel and us. Our brave soldiers have fought, died and been dismembered in Iraq only to connect the disparate pieces of Shi’a radicalism into a Frankenstein’s monster that has come to life right there on our TV screens and worse yet, in the vicarious Mideast where young Arabs found a hero named Hezbollah…

http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/07/30/matthews-shia-crescent-is-a-frankenstein-monster/#more-9294

But that ain't a rile up the 'hate the muslims' video is it son?

By clif, at 5:16 PM
The Show Must Go On
A few days ago a friend of mine -- the same one who gave me this little briefing last week -- predicted that if the Israelis continued their semi-discriminate air attacks on Lebanon, at some point they would make a big mistake, kill a bunch of innocent civilians and bring the war to a grinding halt. Even the United States would have to call for an immediate cease fire in place.

After the U.N. peacekeepers were accidentally killed or murdered, I called him up and asked him if he thought that would suffice. He said no, under current conditions, and with President Psychopath in the White House, it would take something larger and more horrific.

Well, now we've had something larger and more horrific:

At least 54 Lebanese citizens were killed, at least 37 of them children, in the IAF strike on a building early Sunday, Lebanese police said. Dozens of others were reportedly trapped in the rubble. Several houses collapsed and a three-story building where about 100 civilians were sheltering was destroyed, witnesses and rescue workers said.
Is it enough? It is for the poodle dog, um I mean, the Tony Blair:

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said the Israeli air strike "reinforces the need for the violence to end and to end now." He also called on the [U.N. Security Council] to call for an immediate end to fighting . . .
And the Lebanese government (of which Shrub was so paternally proud just a few short weeks ago) has just told Madame Supertanker to go take a flying you-know-what at the moon:

Lebanon told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday that it could not meet with her before a ceasefire ends a 19-day-old Israeli offensive, Lebanese officials said. The officials said Rice, who was due in Beirut later on Sunday, was informed of the Lebanese position after an Israeli airstrike killed more than 40 civilians in south Lebanon.
And the Kofi Annan has called an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, at which a resolution calling for an immediate cease fire no doubt will be offered, forcing the United States to veto it -- thus officially going on record all by its lonesome in favor of large and horrific massacres.

Despite hints to the contrary yesterday, the Israeli Prime Minister says he wants to go on fighting until the IDF has "achieved its aims" -- although at the rate things are going that could take until next Christmas (unless the Israelis lower their sights again and make it their war aim to retain control of Haifa and the Galilee.)

All this has Madame Supertanker doing the diplomatic jitterbug -- that is, trying to sound like she's calling for an immediate ceasefire:

In Jerusalem, Dr Rice said she was saddened by the attack: "I think it is time to get to a ceasefire. We actually have to try and put one in place. My work towards a ceasefire is really here today."
Without actually calling for an immediate ceasefire:

But any ceasefire could not mean a return to the prewar position, said Dr Rice, who was due to return to the US today.
Which means that it's all up to his nibs, the man who thinks he's Winston Churchill (if Shrub really had been Winston Churchill, the Nazi Party would be holding its rallies in Hyde Park right now.) Which almost certainly means the killing will go on -- and on and on and on -- until the Israelis finally feel they've saved enough face and settle for a return to something like the status quo ante (with appropriate noises about how different it is from the status quo ante.)

How many more innocent people die between now and then is something Shrub and Ms. Rice will eventually have to take up with St. Peter -- and then with the other fellow.

There is, however, a big risk, which is that Sheikh Nasrallah, the Hizbullah leader, will soon feel compelled by pressure from his own clueless hotheads to unleash the Tel Aviv rockets. This would force Israel to respond with some sort of savage escalation, and since the only available instrument is pure terror bombing [unless Jerusalem wants to take the war to downtown Damascus] the civilian death toll would probably soar even higher.

Welcome to the "new" Middle East -- the geopolitical equivalent of the "new" Coke. The recipe may be different, but it still tastes like blood.

http://billmon.org/archives/002596.html

By clif, at 5:22 PM
"Did you know that there are more murders in our nation alone than all murders across the planet? We have the most violent nation on the planet!

-KayInsane"

Complete and utter bullshit!
Post a link

By Voltron, at 5:37 PM
Dolty it is according to your definition of Murder....

The right to lifers claim millions of murders occur each year because of abortion

and that is much higher than the rest of the world...but I do not think Kayinmaine was relying on right to life statistics

By clif, at 5:51 PM
Annual rate of homicides per 100,000 people for selected countries.

Belarus 10.5
Brazil 23.0
China 1.8
Colombia 61.6
El Salvador 55.6
Finland 2.2
France 0.7
Germany 0.9
Mexico 15.9
Russia 21.6
United States 6.9

Source: World Health Organization

By Voltron, at 5:54 PM
I believe that was for the year 2000

By Voltron, at 5:56 PM
cliffy, Even if you added the abortion rate as murder, (which I'm pretty sure DKB DIDN'T) The REST of the ENTIRE world STILL KILLS more than we do.

As you can see from the stats I posted, OUR murder rate isn't even the highest by far.

By Voltron, at 5:58 PM
"How many more innocent people die between now and then is something Shrub and Ms. Rice will eventually have to take up with St. Peter -- and then with the other fellow.

-clif"

We would let the terrorists take it up with St. Peter, but I'm informed THEY get 72 virgins for it...

By Voltron, at 6:11 PM
Obsession with land is idolatry: and the Ten Commandments say: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." I think Israel's obsession with their land is getting in the way of God's true purpose Israel's greatness does not lie in land. They can't see the forest for the trees.

Zionism is not true Judaism. It is a political land grab that may not have been the best choice for the nation of Israel. The Israelis are a nation with or without that piece of land. Life is more than material or geographical position.

Who would want to be in a arid land surrounded by enemies, when one's birthright is a spiritually powerful nation?

By Lydia Cornell, at 6:11 PM
Dolty boy having spent a bit of time outside the US, both deployed and vaationing..I would agree there are places much more dangerous;

Many countries like Russia, and Mexico actually are unstable..and murder does rise in thoise situations, as Iraq has shown, this year they would lead the list HANDS down

By clif, at 6:13 PM
More proof Islam is a sham.

Consider ALL the terrorists. Supposedly they ALL get 72 virgins upon their martyrdom.

Are there REALLY THAT MANY ugly 11 year olds in heaven?

By Voltron, at 6:13 PM
If they would spiritually "let go" and let God, meaning cease fighting everyone and everything, they would start a chain reaction -- a great sigh of relief.

This does not mean leave the land or give back land. It means "let go" metaphysically. Whenever I surrender my fighting, my pent up resentment, my whole life changes for the better.

The serenity prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

The world stops fighting you when you stop fighting it.

By Lydia Cornell, at 6:14 PM
I question how anyone who has been loyal to this President for the last 6 years, as Condi Rice has been, can be considered a moderate. But if there is a remnant faction of moderates in the Administration, they probably are hiding somewhere in Foggy Bottom, and this assessment from Shmuel Rosner is probably correct that the current Lebanese-Israeil situation may be those moderates' last stand:

For more than a year now Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been working on her image around the world. A year's worth of effort, and some worthy achievements, and then in two weeks of crisis everything is ruined.

The Europeans, the ambassadors the United Nations, the leaders of Arab states, all those who saw in Rice a stabilizing factor, calculated and reasonable in the Bush administration, are reevaluating their stance toward her. For Rice, this is a personal blow, and also a professional obstacle. Her prestige is an important tool of the trade, and with its absence she will find it difficult to mark successes in the future.

Rice will return to Washington on Monday, frustrated and bruised from two weeks of an exhausting trek that has come to an end on a bitter note. She will sit in meetings with her team in order to think about the crisis anew. Her first mission will be to ensure that the State Department and the White House are broadcasting on the same wavelength.

For the first time during the talks between the Americans and their Israeli counterparts, there is some tension. Israel is not delivering the goods: a quick and convincing victory over Hezbollah, and in its actions Israel is making it more difficult for the Americans to block the international tide in favor of a cease-fire. As such, in different parts of the Bush administration there is a growing realization that the time is approaching when it will be necessary to "cut and bolt with whatever is at hand," as one Washington source said Sunday. Perhaps this will be sooner than Israel expects.

Still, the White House is not the State Department. It is less sensitive to the cries from Europe and a lot more attuned to the domestic political scene, where Israel has the advantage for the time being.

In other words, the real power in the Administration flows not through Foggy Bottom but through the Pentagon and the Office of the Vice President. You would think that Condi would have figured that out by now.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

By clif, at 6:14 PM
dolty boy the islamists claims about getting virgins in heaven is about as twisted as the ultra right sects of mormanism clinging to polygamy, there probably is some reference to it in their religious text, but not the way they use it...

By clif, at 6:18 PM
Lydia,

How do you stop people who have no remorse at killing even a 4 year old girl by smashing her in the head with a rifle butt? (and this man is only ONE of many your side wants Israel to "trade" for two of it's soldiers.

IF they "let go", Hezbollah, Hamas and god only knows who else would mow them down.

Of course that would solve your dilema. And there might even be "peace" of a sort. (for awhile)

By Voltron, at 6:21 PM
dolty boy said;

Are there REALLY THAT MANY ugly 11 year olds in heaven?

actually you need to rethink your question...they say Allah is wise and merciful, thus he would let the virgin live a long life(say 75 years)..thus mercy

and then collect 72 ..75 year old virgins for the idioits stupid enough to blow themselves up..thus wise,

The virgin gets a good life and the terroriust gets his "JUST" rewards

By clif, at 6:22 PM
THERE IS EVIL IN THE WORLD.
(and NOT just in the white house)

It exists wether you acknowedge it or not. It cannot be bargained with, talked to, or even have treaties signed with it.

Before there is "peace", EVIL MUST BE EXTERMINATED.

All it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing.

By Voltron, at 6:25 PM
dolty boy said;

All it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing.

you know son there is probably a blogger in Beruit or Damascus or even Tehran saying exactally the SAME THING....but meaning something completely different than you invision by defeating "evil"

By clif, at 6:28 PM
Johnny you know we were talking about a Coup in Iraq....well........;

Iraqi MP Warns of Possible Military Coup

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Iraqi Member of Parliament Hadi Al-'Amiri, is warning of a possible military coup against the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, Asharq Al-Awsat can reveal.

Al-'Amiri, who heads the Badr Organization, the military wing of the High Council of the Islamic Revolution said during a speech in the city of Najaf, "There are some who talk about toppling Al-Maliki's government and replacing it with a national rescue government, which we call a military coup government."

Such an act, added Al-'Amiri, would mean "the invalidation of the constitution and the results of the elections, as well as returning to the starting point."

So far Al-Maliki's plan to fight terror has not succeeded in bringing down the daily number of casualties in Iraq. Rough estimates indicate that during May and June 2006, more than 6,000 Iraqi were killed in insurgent and sectarian violence.

As a result of the increasing violence in Iraq, the U.S. command decided on Saturday to send another 3,700 troops to Baghdad.

http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=5816

That would completely restructure the war in Iraq...who do we back if a coup topples the government...and what if the new leadership said ..get out?

Makes for interesting possibilities, and quite an unintended consequence for georgie and donnie to deal with.........................

By clif, at 6:37 PM
Lydia said: "Whenever I surrender my fighting, my pent up resentment, my whole life changes for the better."

Lydia, you are right about this at least in terms of interpersonal relations. I often, but not always, do the very same thing and find that I end up not getting riled up about certain situations, and it works almost every time. There is no price that you can put on peace of mind. In fact, peace of mind is what every human wants and strives for, whether they know it or not.

Having said that, I don't know that you can extrapolate that to international relations. Would we have done nothing about Pearl Harbor? Hitler?

Also, putting aside the debate about whether Israel was correct to retake her homeland (I think she was correct), the fact is that Israel is a lawfull member in the community of nations and we can no more ask Israel to give her homeland back than we can ask America to give everything back to the Indians.

By TalllTexan, at 6:39 PM
Actually TT, worf said something about the indians losing their land and that they need to get over it.

Somehow they don't extend the same sentiments to the terrorists though.
(of course even before Israel was recreated, Palestine was NEVER actually a country unto itself.)

Also, from what I've read, the largest area of what used to be called "palestine" is now Jordan.

I wonder why the palestinians aren't killing them?

By Voltron, at 6:48 PM