Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I have to say that I'm a bit puzzled, having read many headlines like this: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/747820.html

Is this what Israel expected or how they thought things would go? Casualty-intensive fighting and galvanising a divergent Lebanese population against them? Hizbullah, following retaliatory Israeli air strikes, began launching rockets at Israel at a high rate, but not killing as many Israeli citizens as the number of soldiers Israel has lost in combat operations. Israeli attacks don't seem to be preventing rocket attacks, but have resulted in the loss of scores of Israeli troops and hundreds of Lebanese civilians. It all seems a bit strange.

What do you think are Israel's objectives in all this? To get Hizbullah to use up their rocket inventory by firing it at Israel? Is this the prelude to a re-occupation? Are they trying to teach others a lesson, and if so, what kind of lesson will it send to prove that a competent, locally recruited guerrilla force can do more harm to one of the world's top militaries than any regional standing army?

I must say that I'm rather surprised and perplexed by all of this. Israel must know that its loss rate vs. success rate is likely unsustainable, and that as time goes on world opinion will only turn further against it, especially since, given current tactics, Hizbullah seems better able to inflict casualties on Israeli troops than Israeli civilians.

I believe that we've only seen the introduction and perhaps a part of Chapter One of a long saga about to emerge; it would be interesting to get others' thoughts about what upcoming chapters might entail.

[ddeubel]

That's the question I've posed from the beginning. There seems no long term win for Israel. Very few of their citizens (disregarding who shot first and everything else) have been killed by Katyushkas in the past. Minor nuisance. Aslo as I've noted over and over, they are just creating hatred, more enemies and revenge.....they are even now more in a corner. Let's not forget the young they are sacrificing.

Very interesting reading the TALKBACK which accompanys many of Haaretz's articles....I suggest many of those advocating, "kill them all" , good for Israel. Follow the threads there and hear other voices.

But why? I can only think of 3 possible reasons. All insane because still it is the average person who is dying and paying the BIG price.

1. Armnaments. Buying and selling. Allowing Israel reason to rearm and get U.S. support. We have them, lets test them and use them. Along with this arguement is the notion of a country run by military types with grudges, just wanting to get revenge, attack. The militarization of the nation of Israel allows this to occur periodically, given that you can only train people so long without letting the steam out of the stew......

2. U.S. behind the scenes orchestration of the conflict. Using Israel as a patzy, the U.S. seeks a wider war and possible ways to create another crisis, another round of rally around the president, another round of photo ops of Bush saying he is defending good people around the world. Another way to pull Iran into the conflict also, seeing their PR smear hasn't been working.

3. Israel really wants to occupy S. Lebanon again and the cost doesn't matter or equal the importance of that value. Might be they want the rockets out but I doubt it. Must be another strategic reason, like water or another objective........

Could also be a way to get the world's attention off of the Palestinian question, a way of avoid concessions there and letting them in the long run, keep the West Bank while sacrificing poooor Gaza. This would then be Israel proper and damn the Palestinians.

Whatever has happened, still always time for a world round table. All parties to sit there , negotiate and come up with a long term solution to the region. Iran , U.S. Lebanon, Palestinians, other countries.....sit down, talk, meet as men and not in communiques and distant press conferences. Could be the one and only opportunity .

Who will build this, step forward?????? Who really wants peace?

DD

[sundubuman]

You folks crack me up....put down the bong for a second and stash your conspiracy theories with your stash.



let's see, the real regional 'superpower' Iran, is led by a Shia madman and has built up a proxy army of religious fanatics on your border who salute their great turbaned leader as such




which reminds you of your grandparents generation for some strange reason.....



anyhow, this same country, Iran, is more or less openly pursuing weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, and only last month sent representatives to Pyongyang on the occasion of that lovely nation's launching of new missiles...

Oh yes, one more small thing, Iran's mad leader has vowed to destroy your country, as has Hezbollah and Hamas....

Meanwhile their proxy army has dug in with over 10,000 missiles aimed at any and all, and crossed your border, killed some of your soldiers while kidnapping others...


Humm, yes, definitely, Israel is invading a neighboring country for some other reason than national survival. Definitely.

Basically, as I see it, anybody who at this point does not wholeheartedly support Israel's war against Hezbollah basically is in favor of the destruction of the world's only Jewish state.

[dogbert]

[igotthisguitar]

Or Canada ...

Jewish Leader In Canada Wants
Ban On "Hezbollah Demonstrations" In Canada
Wed Aug 9, 4:53 PM
By Michael Hammond

OTTAWA (CP) - The vice-president of B'nai Brith Canada says his organization wants police and the federal government to "crack down" on pro-Hezbollah demonstrations.

Frank Dimant says the streets of Canada should not be flooded by extremists supporting a known "terrorist" group. He said his group has asked police forces and government officials to target the rallies.

"The streets of Canada will not be taken over by radical Islamic forces supporting terrorist activities," he said Wednesday. "B'nai Brith Canada will do its utmost to ensure that Canadians will not be intimidated by these terrorist sympathizers."

Mohamed Elmasry, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, said Jewish groups need to tone down their rhetoric and focus their efforts on urging a ceasefire in Lebanon

"We are living in a liberal democracy where opposing voices to an overseas conflict is acceptable as long as they are peaceful," he said. "There is no need to call on authorities to crack down on demonstrations."

Elmasry said he hopes a growing number of people in the Jewish community will call for peace as the number of casualties mounts

"Jewish organizations should be pro-peace," he said. "There's been too much death, destruction and misery."

The Christians United for Israel coalition and Jewish groups are calling for a national day of prayer on Aug. 20 in support of Israel and peace in the Middle East.

The group is calling for 18 minutes of prayer. In Hebrew, the word for 18 is "chai," which also means peace.

Charles McVety, president of the Canada Christian College, said it's time for Christian leaders to drop their neutral stances and stand by Israel, the birthplace of their religion

"It's time for us to throw off this garment of false neutrality and stand shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish friends," he said. "Each of us must find a way to support Israel in its time of need."

Alan Baker, Israel's ambassador to Canada, says it is unfair to say Israel is deliberately targeting civilians

He said his government is taking every measure it can to avoid the loss of innocent life, but said Hezbollah is shielding itself behind innocent people

"Any civilian that's not involved in terror who's harmed, whether it's Israeli, Lebanese or Palestinian, is for us tragic and even a failure," Baker said

He criticized opposition party members who have joined anti-war protests that have included Hezbollah sympathizers who have worn the group's colours.

Hezbollah rockets, Baker said, are being aimed at Israeli civilians and causing vast ecological damage to biblical forests in the north of Israel.

It will take 60 years for these areas to recover, he added.

Baker said Israel only targeted a Beirut power plant when its armed forces learned that Hezbollah was using it to launch missiles into Israel. That strike caused a major oil spill, which has killed countless fish and birds in the area.



Ummmmmm ... ok, i guess WHEAT SILOS & other key infrastructure weren't important enough to mention.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[sundubuman]

[igotthisguitar]

Israel is LYING to the entire "civilized" world when they say don't target non-combatants

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=WHEAT+SILOS+israel+bombs+lebanon

[sundubuman]

coming from you....that must mean Israel is telling the truth.

I like how Nasrallah yesterday warned the Arab citizens (who apparently Israel failed to ethnically cleanse, and several of whom have died due to Hezbollah rockets) to vacate the city of Haifa.

Apparently he wants the Jews to stay and get blasted to smithereens.

IGTG, I'm sure you enjoy supporting such exemplars of human morality. Birds of a feather.....

[igotthisguitar]

Israel's ongoing campaign of criminal aggression is largely fuelled by sick radical ideology.

[sundubuman]

well, seeing as you are an expert in sick radical idealogies,

I suppose I should believe you.

[dogbert]

"Supporting" Israel's destruction and "not caring one way or the other about" Israel's destruction are actually two different things.

[sundubuman]

wow, thanks for the clarification......

[igotthisguitar]

[Junior]