Comments | mikemulligan: Damn tail.

mikemulligan

Damn tail.

Jul 15, 2006 09:47

I was already edgy with their invasion of Gaza (which, incidentally, the Palestinian hardliners clearly wanted. No one takes Israelis hostages and actually expects Israel to capitulate. They're always eager to do precisely what Arab radicals want-if it involves deadly force, anyway.) At least Bush told them to restrain themselves, but I think we ( Read more... )

Comments 7

bendawg July 15 2006, 18:18:50 UTC

It scares me that our stupid President wants to get the G-8 (and this is apparently our nation's policy) to place all the blame on Hesbola (sp?) and none on Israel's harsh reactions. Blah!

mikemulligan July 15 2006, 22:57:39 UTC

It scares me how Arab extremists seem capable of starting a regional war by simply kidnapping two IDF soldiers.

Again, I think they want want this war, and Israel is happy to cooperate. Hezbollah surely knows they can't win a fight with Israel, but they might be able to take Lebanon politically by eroding the representative government and making the majority sympathize with their cause. They just needed some Israeli fire, which arrived right on schedule.

r2sputin July 15 2006, 19:59:51 UTC

I don't think the US will be wagged around by this war. It can help Israel eliminate Hizbollah if it so chooses, but the help won't be necessary.

A lot more people will die if the US does not help, though, so humanitarians are facing a little dilemma here.

mikemulligan July 15 2006, 22:45:56 UTC

That's what always frustrates me about Israel. They naturally have a right to defend themselves, but I wish we didn't have to be their closest ally. But as you say, if we weren't they wouldn't even feel constrained by our occasional and ineffectual criticisms of their methods.

I just wish that some US administration would tell them, "look, Israel, you can't expect us to always defend your actions. If we are to be blamed for your policies, we should have more control of them." But then, Israel would probably reject that kind of hegemony. After all, they know first-hand how ineffective the UN is. If we finally threw them to the international wolves, things probably wouldn't be much different, except that they'd no longer have a babbling Uncle Sam over their shoulders.

r2sputin July 15 2006, 22:58:33 UTC

I don't think the US would respond any differently if in control of Israeli policies, though. What do you suggest Israel do?

Oy! risingconcern July 20 2006, 00:35:18 UTC

If there was ever evidence Blair's Bush's lackey! And talking while chewing! My word!

After Syria pulled out of Lebanon, I wouldn't be surprised to hear about one day that the Iranians had a pow-wow and went, "well, if we can't have the letter, we'll keep the spirit!", and sent presents accordingly (as overheated as the bombing's been, if Israeli intelligence points to Tehran and nobody's second-guessing...).

As long as Hezbollah runs clinics, owns the guns, and yells louder than the seculars, Beruit is going to have a hard time regaining their military, which means it's stuck with whatever it's getting, unforunately. The worst part is that the U.N. mandated Lebanon to kick the radicals out, so now some Israeli apologists are shifting the blame. (I excuse Lebanon, however: they barely have any resources to do so, and they were still recovering over the assination.) As aforementionly implied, this was, policy-wise, a no-brainer for Israel, but I'm sick of hearing people essentially giving them carte blanche just because they ( ... )

Re: Oy! risingconcern July 20 2006, 00:41:05 UTC

Amendment to the "(not likeliest, just most sane)": because we all know you can't criticize your buddy you bought a 9mm for if he decides to pump a few rounds off. Bush may be bright enough to realize that sending Condi over or watching Annan babble won't do much of anything in the long run to reign in Hezbollah, but he still doesn't get that things will probably only get worse in the short run the more bombs with "Property of the IDF" on their side land.