Posted on 07/14/2006 8:01:36 AM PDT by SmithL
The cross-border raid by Hezbollah gunmen on an Israeli army patrol in northern Israel and the abduction of two soldiers whom the captors declared to be bargaining chips for the release of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners held by Israel prompted a response that threatens the stability of the region.
"The notion that this is a limited operation is wrong -- this is a fundamentally new situation," Gen. Gershon Yitzhak, head of the Israeli Army Home Front Command, said in an interview. "This is not an operation. This is a war for the sake of our home, what it will look like in the future and how we will be able to live in the region. This operation will continue to expand, and it is only just beginning.
"We must remove this threat once and for all," the general added.
In the six years since the Israeli army withdrew from southern Lebanon, ending 18 years of occupation, the government in Jerusalem has responded to similar kidnappings and kidnap attempts with minor displays of force and the occasional limited bombing of targets in Lebanon and Syria.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
There will never be a better time for the Israelis to take care of all the family business. Kill enough of the Islamofascists on their borders to teach their brothers, sisters and children that poking a tiger in the eye is an extremely unproductive endeavor.
Are you proposing that Israeli soldiers hold their fire until presented with a "Hezbollah Membership Card"?
Or do you consider members of Hezbollah to also be "Civilians" as they are not officially members of the Lebanese army.
During WW2, after the Goettge Patrol, the Marines put a low priority on getting Japanese POWs. FDR turned a willfully blind eye to it, altho Elenore hated the Marines and even suggest that they be kept overseas after the war until they could prove they were civilized. Sometime in the very near future, these 7th century hold-outs will commit some act so grotesque that even France won't be able to justify the continued existence of fundamental Islamic beliefs, and Armageddon will begin.
There is no special consideration for civilians that hang around terrorists. They were warned.
Yes, he is. Does he support the elimination of Israel? Does he feed a Hezbollah? Does he refrain from reporting a Hezbollah to the Lebanese Government? Did he vote for Hamas or a rabid fundamentalist? If the answer to any of these is yes, he has promoted himself from "civilian" to enabler=combatant=target.
Why? Because Israel could capture any number of Palestenians and it wouldn't work to hold them as hostages because even the Palestenians consider their lives to be worthless.
Those are not civilians. Remember President Bush's "If you support a terrorist you are one" ? ? ?
==The all-out Israeli response could be measured against factors that changed the usual calculation of action and reaction.
This is hardly an "all-out" Israeli response. If their response was "all-out" it would result in a complete destruction of the PLO, Hezbullah, Hamas, and probably Syria.
Agreed. I think they also had plans for Lebanon as soon as Hezbollah was part of the Lebanese government.
Good analogy, PR and I completely agree with you! Sometimes I wish the U.S could show the same backbone that Israel has. I'd think long and hard before I ever messed with them!
Tomorrow is the Jewish Sabbath - well, to be exact sundown today to sundown tomorrow. Friday is the Muslim 'sabbath' - get 'em all when they're in the mosque!
I thought it was Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. My bad.
Scratch my last. From a Jewish Radio Station: "Does not operate on the Jewish Sabbath, sundown Friday to sundown Saturday."
You're right.
I think that Israel had planned for an operation like this for some time, and Hamas and Hezbollah gave them just the 'causus belli' that they needed.
Others agree with you.
Should have been done long ago though, w/out any pretenses.
http://electronicintifada.net/new.shtml
How many hours ahead of East Coast US is Israel?
So...the response threatens the stability of the region? Why not the initial raid? It was an act of war. Why not the response to the response? Why not the response to the response to the response?
This is an editorial.
The civilian toll is always terrible, especially when one side hides among civilians. The Law of War says it's the responsibility of those who use civilians as shields.
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