Letters to the Editor
-
Title says it all
"Bombs over Beirut" (which is not in Iran or in a movie) is the subject at hand, and "the killing of civilians" the burning issue. Citizens, like sovereign nations, have a right to exist, and any human has a right to stand up for life and damn war. "Israel's indiscriminate bombing" is counterproductive, but moreso - just plain wrong. It's not an anti-semitic thing, it's merely appalling. While our own neocon creeps fan the flames (which is truly scary and criminal), many people wake up, indeed, to unnecessary bloodshed and want it stopped. Stop, Hezbollah - but stop, Israel, dammit too.
It's certain that there is much grotesque animosity toward Israel in the Mideast, and plenty vice versa. What's not obvious is whether Israel will ever understand that a portion of the ugliness might come from its own actions.
"Bullshit" is right.
-
Existential Threat
I'm sick of hearing that Israel faces an "existential threat". Anyone with a brain capable of just half an ounce of critical thought will realize just how idiotic that notion is.
Israel is considered the fourth most powerful and advanced army in the world with the open support of the US. Even the combined armies of Syria and Iran stand no chance. And somehow Hezbollah, which barely qualifies as a terrorist organization after the pullout in 2000 (how many Israeli civilian deaths since then, but before the this war?), is supposed to be able to push Jews out into the sea. Perhaps Australian Jew can tell us how Hezbollah can accomplish this without actually taking over the whole of Israel.
Moreover, even if Israel manages to lose a war, it does not mean that the nation simply ceases to exist. It might have to make some compromises, like the return of land, compensation for Palestinian refugees, respecting the borders of its neighbors, you know, things that democratic nations are supposed to do anyway.
The Arabs have lost three wars to the Israelis. Have their countries stopped existing?
Even with their military might, Israel is having problems rooting out Hezbollah from Southern Lebanon. Does anyone expect less from the military-trained citizens of Israel in a similar circumstance?
Lebanon is a country about the size of Israel and about two-thirds of its population. Its weak army like an ant compared to Israel boot. Do you think its possible to "push the Lebanese into the sea" even after all this bombing? Could Israel succeed even if it tried?
-
Why Don't They Love Us?
Why don't they love us?
Are they incapable of love?
Any other people would express love and gratitude to those whose bombs and shells burnt and smashed and cut innocent people. After all, the bombs fall for the best of all good causes - the security of Israel and America.
Why oh why are they so incapable of love?!?
We need to drop more bombs, and fire more shells so that one day soon they see the light and say "Enough! we love you! Please invade our country and kill everyone you wish. We love you so much!"
-
Thoughts on Islam and the 'Civilized Religions'
Yes, being a feminist (or a woman at all), or a gay or a dissenter or a Christian or Jew are not good propositions in the Islam world. Yes, yes, yes...
Islam is the youngest of the three major religions. I don't have enough knowledge of Judaism's early years, but do know that until about 300 years ago, Christianity behaved in exactly the same way, fully sanctioned by it's leaders, who BTW wielded an enormous amount of political power (think the Mullahs of today). The Inquisitions? The Crusades? The pervasive anti-Semitism? Jews were no more welcome in Christian Europe hundreds of years ago than they were in Muslim countries during the same time. Even this century, the Holocaust ocurred in a Christian nation and only recently is the Catholic chruch starting to finally admit it's quiet complicity.
Does Islam need to undergo a secularizing 'Age of Enlightenment' as Western Christian societies did 250 years ago? Absolutely. Will it successfully happen at the point of a gun? Absolutely not.
-
split the difference
""Israel thinks these attacks pressure us to isolate Hezbollah, but it doesn't work anymore. We still have those fears and suspicions of each other, but they're set aside while an enemy bombs us."
Herein lies the strategic failure of further polarizing the issues by pushing both sides to extremes - be it Israeli and Lebanese, or Western and Arab nations.
But make no mistake -- those are *our* bombs destroying Lebanese lives and the Lebanese landscape.
Isn't it strange how little attention the American arms industry gets? Looks like another banner year for our leading export.
-
Good luck with that, Lebanon.
I hope you and that state within a state, that medieval shiia inspired mercenary army in the pay of the ayatollahs have a long and prosperous life together. I truly hope it works out well for you, because well, you know, all those other Islamic Revolutions have turned out so well for all the segments of the population that purport to support them the loudest. Liberals? Feminists? Gays? Other faiths? The educated? Modernism? Yeah that's going swimmingly for them. So grab a Quran, bow to the gun and make nice. We wish you well.
-
Replying to EE
“I'm sick of hearing that Israel faces an "existential threat". Anyone with a brain capable of just half an ounce of critical thought will realize just how idiotic that notion is.”
There is no question that Israel faces existential threats – since its inception its Arab neighbors have repeatedly tried to wipe Israel out. Iran NOW is repeatedly saying out loud - very loud - that Israel should be annihilated. So we are threatened. I suppose waht you are trying to say is that the threat is not realistic.
“Moreover, even if Israel manages to lose a war, it does not mean that the nation simply ceases to exist.”
Exactly how do you know this?! We have never lost a war – thank God –so you can’t know what would have happened if we did and what might happen if we do.
“The Arabs have lost three wars to the Israelis. Have their countries stopped existing?”
Duh! No – but have you ever heard Israel threatening to destroy any Arab country?!
The situation between Israel and its enemies is NOT symmetrical – They want – by word and deed – to detroy Israel; Israel does not want to destroy them.
Does it make any kind of sense to wait until your mortal enemy – mortal enemy by his choice, not yours – is strong enough to destroy you?
But that seems to be the logic that so many left-wingers hold in regard of Israel – it’s not fair to pound Hizballah, because they are not as strong as Israel. Which is ridiculous. Hizballah have shown by word and certainly by deed that they intend our absolute destruction. Yes, they can’t make that happen yet, but the right, smart, MORAL thing to do is to make sure that they never can.
Think Germany in 1933.