The Middle East Continues...

[PLATO]

Strangely enough, I would be more worried about the millions Iran is pouring into Lebanon and the Syrian attempts to rearm Hizbullah.

[SlowwHand]

JERUSALEM - Hundreds of Israeli reservists pushed Monday for an investigation of how the government and army handled 34 days of fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas, saying they were rushed into battle without enough food, water and equipment.

In another sign of widening outrage, a group of parents of fallen soldiers called for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's resignation, saying the war's objectives had not been achieved and that their sons died for nothing.

Olmert defended his government, saying it only had been in power for two months when the war broke out.

"We don't have a lot of time to talk about what happened. We have to talk about what will happen," Olmert told reporters Monday during a tour of Kiryat Shemona, a town that suffered some of the heaviest Hezbollah rocket fire.

]He also ruled out peace talks with Syria as long as it supports "terror organizations," calling the country the "single most aggressive member of the axis of evil."

Yes indeed.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Stangely enough, I'd be more wary of the Israeli attacks that have occured on the Lebanese territory since the cease-fire had been announced.

only one since Israel said it accepted the ceasefire, a raid to stop the movement of arms into Lebanon.

Israel SAID it didnt make sense to declare a ceasefire until there was an international force ready to go in. FRANCE said the UNSC should pass a resolution for a ceasefire, and establish an international force in a second resolution to be passed later. Well guess what, there still isnt an international force in Leb (beyond the prewar UNIFIL) and even more interestingly, France has offered few troops. Meanwhile you expect Israel to sit and watch arms flow to Hezbollah, while the international community decides if it was serious about an international force, or it that was only a "bait and switch".

[Sirotnikov]

Originally posted by Eli


Good. I bet a beer on it.

Speaking of which, PM me if you want to arrange a meeting. Maybe you me and Az?

[Sirotnikov]

These items, in conjunction with the Lebanese Army's refusal to disarm Hizbullah, seem to spell disaster for the cease fire imo.

Oddly enough this actually sounds like the Lebanese government is starting to grow some pubic hairs on their recently grown balls.

They are in a way, signaling that they would attempt to fight against 'rogue' factions that would provoke Israel. I see it as an attempt to create a red line for Hezbullah.

He's basically saying "you have to declare war (over a good enough reason) if you want to provoke Israel".

[Jaakko]

All you Israelis better start running, some WSJ editorialist says that the world will end tomorrow, by way of Iran nuking Israel!

http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008768

[SlowwHand]

A passage from the Ayatollah Khomeini**, quoted in an 11th-grade Iranian schoolbook, is revealing. "I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand against our religion, we will stand against their whole world and will not cease until the annihilation of all them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom which is martyrdom. Either we shake one another's hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours."

** also known as Butt Muncher

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Jaakko
All you Israelis better start running, some WSJ editorialist says that the world will end tomorrow, by way of Iran nuking Israel!

I'd say the Professor Emeritus of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University (who many have dubbed the West's foremost expert on the ME) has a bit more credibility than some 'editorialist.'







(Not that I think anything's going down tomorrow, just nitpicking.)

[Sirotnikov]

Originally posted by Jaakko
All you Israelis better start running, some WSJ editorialist says that the world will end tomorrow, by way of Iran nuking Israel!

http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008768

Long time no see, buddy.



How are you doing?

[GePap]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov

I go to a site which polls the relevant target audience.

You go to various international news organizations who say stuff based on what? Have Reuters / AP / BBC performed a relevant poll in the arab streets during the last month? Not really.

I'm familiar with "pull out of my arse" assertions. They exist in western and Israeli news agencies as well.

I also rely on my kowledge of said target population - palestinians and lebanonians.

The Lebanese press did a poll of Lebanese, all Lebanese, not only Shiites. During the crisis it had the support of 98% of Shhites, 90+ of sunnis and over 85% of Christians.

Read the Lebanon Daily Star for five minutes and your assertion that Hizbullah is not popular amongst the whole spectrum of the population falls apart instantly.

As more evidence, far more indicative than polls, note how Sunni regimes, after denouncing Hizbullah at the start, ALL back down and began to praise Hizbullah due to mass popular appeals.

I am apt to believe what 95% of all sources tell me is correct, specially when supported by common sense.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov

These items, in conjunction with the Lebanese Army's refusal to disarm Hizbullah, seem to spell disaster for the cease fire imo.

Oddly enough this actually sounds like the Lebanese government is starting to grow some pubic hairs on their recently grown balls.

They are in a way, signaling that they would attempt to fight against 'rogue' factions that would provoke Israel. I see it as an attempt to create a red line for Hezbullah.

He's basically saying "you have to declare war (over a good enough reason) if you want to provoke Israel".

Except that the Defense minister specifically stated that Hizbullah would keep the cease fire and he specifically meant Palestinian militant groups backed by Syria in his comment.

And all indications are that Hizbullah would keep the cease fire. After all, Hizbullah's missions occur with a purpose. There is no purpose in random attacks vis Israel for no reason. They still have the two IDF soliders, and it appears that they were correct, that military force would fail to get tham back to Israel.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by GePap


The Lebanese press did a poll of Lebanese, all Lebanese, not only Shiites. During the crisis it had the support of 98% of Shhites, 90+ of sunnis and over 85% of Christians.

Read the Lebanon Daily Star for five minutes and your assertion that Hizbullah is not popular amongst the whole spectrum of the population falls apart instantly.

As more evidence, far more indicative than polls, note how Sunni regimes, after denouncing Hizbullah at the start, ALL back down and began to praise Hizbullah due to mass popular appeals.

I am apt to believe what 95% of all sources tell me is correct, specially when supported by common sense.

As with most polling, it really depends on what question is asked. How many people want to have Hezb. as their government? Sure Arabs and Muslims generally are all for hurting Israel, but how many want to be ruled by a proxy militia of Iran? Not too damned many I'll wager. And that is the important question in the medium term for the citizens of Lebanon.

[Edan]

Originally posted by GePap


The Lebanese press did a poll of Lebanese, all Lebanese, not only Shiites. During the crisis it had the support of 98% of Shhites, 90+ of sunnis and over 85% of Christians.

Kind of like support for Bush reached 90+%. But it's a hollow support and signs are that it's already beginning to crack

[Jaakko]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov


Long time no see, buddy.



How are you doing?

I'm doing fine, I just traded my Civ addiction for a MMORPG addiction.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Sikander


As with most polling, it really depends on what question is asked. How many people want to have Hezb. as their government? Sure Arabs and Muslims generally are all for hurting Israel, but how many want to be ruled by a proxy militia of Iran? Not too damned many I'll wager. And that is the important question in the medium term for the citizens of Lebanon.

Obviously they don;t want "HIzbullah" running their country. They want ISLAMISTS LIKE HIZBULLAH to rule the country, groups like the Egyptian Brotherhood and its offshoots.

I would expect to see the Eygptian Borhterhood to gain even more power and remain unquestionable the biggest opposition party in Egypt thanks to the example set by their fellow Islamists.