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| Home Front: Politix |
| A Statement By (Ret) US Military Leaders |
| 2006-08-09 |
| Why Israel is Doing the Right Thing We, the undersigned, believe that IsraelÂ’s military operation to remove Hezbollah from southern Lebanon is a correct and legitimate response to the creation of an armed force accountable to Syria and Iran residing within the boundaries of Lebanon and using Lebanese territory to engage in cross-border warfare. Israel voluntarily withdrew completely from Lebanese territory in 2000 under the terms of UN Resolution 1559, but the Government of Lebanon was unable or unwilling to assert its sovereignty in the area Israel vacated. |
| Posted by:elbud |
| #15 I guess I'm slow today, guys; perhaps I'm not dealing with the situation as well as I thought. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-09 18:41 |
| #14 TW, wrong analogy, wrong tactic. I'm talking a complete annexation. This is not "occupation" but a complete overtaking of the government, military, etc. Only after such a takeover can you rid the country of the Hezbo-Syrian-Iranian control. Think of the removal of Nazis after Victory in Europe, same with the Japanese. Until a complete annexation, there will be no way to remove the Hezbo-Syrian-Iranian control of Lebanon. The Pali terrorities is a very poor analogy of an annexation, but a good illustration of how half measures (i.e., Paliworld) have gone so tragically wrong. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-08-09 18:16 |
| #13 Thank you for reiterrating the obvious, tw. It was why I included the "slow, painful death" option in my own assessment. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-09 15:29 |
| #12 Increase the order for D-9s, Peretz |
| Posted by: Ehud Olmert 2006-08-09 15:28 |
| #11 Israel has already tried governing the unruleable, in the Palestinian territories. They spent a full generation proving it pointless, as the improvements for the Arabs aren't worth the cost to Israeli society. For that matter, Israel spent twenty years in southern Lebanon, having only pulled back in 2000. The Lebanese on the whole are more mercantile and less concept-driven than the Palestinians, but mercantile becomes venal when they aren't responsible for themselves, and bootlessly Byzantine when they are. We can give it an effort halfway round the world in Iraq, where the heartland is not at risk; they are cheek by jowl with those who wish to destroy them and those willing to allow it to happen, so long as it doesn't interfere with teatime. I fear Israel is going to have to make a security zone empty of people in order to have some safety, since clearly neither the Lebanese government, the Lebanese people, nor the Lebanese Army are willing to do the work. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-09 15:20 |
| #10 Israel needs to annex Lebanon. You can't match the Hezbos takeover of Lebanon with half measures. I've got to agree with you on this one, Cap. The terrorist supporting terrortories need an object lesson with respect to consequences. Much like our own beleaguered attempts in Iraq, there is the glimmer of a chance that local Arabs might come to realize that life under Israeli control could be more stable and fruitful (no, I'm not kidding). Sadly, I have to remain equally confident that any improvement in their quality of life would be utterly negated by the humiliation factor alone. That all said, Israel is fully deserving of taking control of whatever region it d@mn well feels like if those areas persist in supporting terrorism. All of the Arabs are so bloody attached to their land that only loss of ownership (well, that and slow painful death, maybe) will ever convince them of the error of their ways. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-09 14:56 |
| #9 Wonderful, now go write a book. Israel needs to annex Lebanon. You can't match the Hezbos takeover of Lebanon with half measures. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-08-09 13:59 |
| #8 I am not saying I don't agree with the sentiment, I do. Faster please... |
| Posted by: rugger 2006-08-09 13:25 |
| #7 So you're saying it's fake but accurate, #6 ryuge? ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-08-09 13:14 |
| #6 #5 Nope fake http://www.snopes.com/military/norman.htm |
| Posted by: rugger 2006-08-09 13:00 |
| #5 This just popped up in my email. I've no idea whether or not it's true: In a recent interview, General Norman Schwartzkopf was asked if he thought there was room for forgiveness towards Hezbollah. The General said, "I believe that forgiving Hezbollah is God's function. The Israelis' job is to arrange the meeting." |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-09 11:10 |
| #4 Israel voluntarily withdrew completely from Lebanese territory in 2000 under the terms of UN Resolution 1559, but the Government of Lebanon was unable or unwilling to assert its sovereignty in the area Israel vacated. "The Hezballah missile attacks in the north are a direct result of Israel's disastrous retreat from southern Lebanon in May 2000, and the Hamas missile attacks in the south are a direct result of Israel's insane surrender of Gush Katif in the Gaza District last summer. After the missile attacks started, most Israelis began to see that Israeli retreats always lead to more war, more bloodshed, and more terrorism. As a result, polls showed most Israelis opposed any further retreats." And the Hezbos have been weaponizing in non-Lebanon unchecked since they killed our marines. Israelis paid in blood already in Leba-none alone with no help only criticism. |
| Posted by: SamAdamsky 2006-08-09 11:07 |
| #3 Check the link. There are 49 signatories -- generals, admirals, commander of NATO, etc, and some of the names are familiar even to me. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-09 10:56 |
| #2 That's IT? Sounds like what the Germans said after Gen. Anthony McAuliffe at Bastogne said 'Nuts'. |
| Posted by: Whater Thrineper8264 2006-08-09 10:40 |
| #1 That's IT? |
| Posted by: Perfesser 2006-08-09 09:50 |